After a kind of scary experience at the ramp last saturday, my girlfriend and I have decided that we should probably purchase trailer guides to keep the boat straight on the trailer. Does anyone else use them/ what type/ any other advice for getting the boat on there straight? Thanks.
Trailer guides?
- Thread starter maiettan
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Mines on the big side for a trailer sailer but I can launch and retrieve about as fast as I do my 15' fishing boat...
Guides are just short pieces of pipe attached to trailer and longer (in my case 10') PVC pipes to "guide" the boat on...
They are slightly narrower than the widest part of the boat (and flex quite a bit) so no damage if I just "touch" them on each side and aim for the winch/flag...Lines right up...
Another thing that helps is the "slot" for the keel catchs, guides and holds the boat in line and the "bunks catch and cradle the boat once it's in proper position..
Then just hook up winch strap for final adjustment and pull it out of water...
Guides are just short pieces of pipe attached to trailer and longer (in my case 10') PVC pipes to "guide" the boat on...
They are slightly narrower than the widest part of the boat (and flex quite a bit) so no damage if I just "touch" them on each side and aim for the winch/flag...Lines right up...
Another thing that helps is the "slot" for the keel catchs, guides and holds the boat in line and the "bunks catch and cradle the boat once it's in proper position..
Then just hook up winch strap for final adjustment and pull it out of water...
I did the same thing man. Mine are not quite as long, (although that won't hurt a thing), but it made it WAY easier to hit the trailer. Under the water here, it was virtually invisible, and like Squid said, it can kind of "bounce" off them a little, no prob.
I spent about 50 bucks for 'em at a marine hardware store, and they just basically clamped on. 30 minutes. Money well spent..
I spent about 50 bucks for 'em at a marine hardware store, and they just basically clamped on. 30 minutes. Money well spent..
Haven't had any issues getting our C22 on a trailer at the ramp. However as a guide I found a couple of telescopic guides at the local hardware store (Menards) that have a tennis ball on the end. The guides are almost like the old extendable car aerials but with a magnetic base. Extend to about 36" so easily viewable from the approaching vessel. Brilliant and about $12. Mounted one on the top of the winch to show where centre was, and the other on the leeward wheel arch. Worked a treat. If knocked off they'll float.
There are a few tricks to successful retrievals on a trailer. Judging wind and current as well as killing off speed are top of the list.
I usually have one hand lightly on throttle and reverse lever, and pump the rudder a few times to a) maintain momentum, and b) to squirt the boat in the right direction.
Have yet to need to do it twice, even with a 20 knot X-wind. Maybe I've just been lucky. Having a ramp that allows the trailer to be submerged to just on or above the bunks also helps a lot. BTW, we've been told it is very unwise to crank a C22 onto its trailer using the winch like a light fuzz boat. We have the extendable tongue on our trailer as well.
I usually have one hand lightly on throttle and reverse lever, and pump the rudder a few times to a) maintain momentum, and b) to squirt the boat in the right direction.
Have yet to need to do it twice, even with a 20 knot X-wind. Maybe I've just been lucky. Having a ramp that allows the trailer to be submerged to just on or above the bunks also helps a lot. BTW, we've been told it is very unwise to crank a C22 onto its trailer using the winch like a light fuzz boat. We have the extendable tongue on our trailer as well.
I went with the CE Smith brand and am happy with them. Mine came with brackets to mount the tag and tail lights at the top, and they have LED position lights in the caps. By running the tail light wires unbroken from the tow vehicle up the guide posts to the lights, there's never a chance for blowing a fuse for the tail lights, because the bare wire connections never go under water. The bottom 20" or so of each guide post is reinforced by a 1" square galvanized steel post inside of the PVC pipe. The PVC extends another 3 or 4 feet up. See links below for pix:
http://cesmith.com/product/420/post-guide/27760
http://www.cesmithco.com/product/install/00647.pdf
http://cesmith.com/product/217/guie-on-light-bracket/27650A
http://cesmith.com/product/420/post-guide/27760
http://www.cesmithco.com/product/install/00647.pdf
http://cesmith.com/product/217/guie-on-light-bracket/27650A
Thanks for all the input, I definitely need to invest in these. I'm in a similar situation to Chris here on the Potomac; once the trailer is in the water all you can see is the winch post. I've never really had a problem until last weekend. Another guy decided to wedge his boat in between my trailer and the dock while I went to pull my boat around. By the time I noticed I was already lining up with the trailer and heading in. Just as I put the bow into the winch post, the jerk decided to back out, nearly hitting me, I had to wait to hook the bow eye and in the couple seconds it took to make sure the guy missed me, the boat started to float sideways off the trailer (I believe the guides would have prevented this!) and I was forced to back off the trailer and realign. Still missed the trailer a little and ended up with the keel outside the v where it normally sits.
Back your trailer in only until the front 12" to 18" of the bunks are still visible. When you pull your boat forward, it will ride up on the front end of the bunks just a little. Then, when you put some tension on the bow eye with the winch, the boat will align itself most of the way. Still, guide posts are a valuable addition.
I can relate to the issue of someone else getting in the way with their boat. You could also have had a problem with wind or waves messing up the alignment.
I have guide posts on my trailer and they do help with alignment. I have mine set so that they have about 1" of distance on either side as space between the guides and the boat hull. The PVC kind have a bit of flex in them and act a bit like springs to keep the boat in place. Because of this "spring action" they can be set as far back as possible and the boat can squeeze through them at the widest part of the hull. After I installed these, I have not had any issue with being within 3" of center on any pull-out and for my boat, that's fine. I can't speak for the LED lighted ones but I have the lighted ones with a smaller incandescent bulb fitting but that part is no good because when the trailer is going down the highway the guides are shaking back and forth enough to destroy the bulb filaments.
Some people suggest fabricating a keel guide setup instead. This would be more solid but the guide should be high enough so that it will guide the keel when the trailer is deep. This gives you a maximum of about 18" of space between the top of the bunks and the bottom of the hull where it would be at the keel area. If the guide isn't a good design, and you miss, then the keel would be on the outside of the guide as you try to align and pull out. Another issue that concerns me with keel guides is that the keel hanger bolts aren't all that strong relative to the wedge force of using them to align the boat. Under normal situations of gently getting the boat aligned, I think that it would be fine. So, I think that this system is used regularly with solid keels but the swing type is a bit different.
I have guide posts on my trailer and they do help with alignment. I have mine set so that they have about 1" of distance on either side as space between the guides and the boat hull. The PVC kind have a bit of flex in them and act a bit like springs to keep the boat in place. Because of this "spring action" they can be set as far back as possible and the boat can squeeze through them at the widest part of the hull. After I installed these, I have not had any issue with being within 3" of center on any pull-out and for my boat, that's fine. I can't speak for the LED lighted ones but I have the lighted ones with a smaller incandescent bulb fitting but that part is no good because when the trailer is going down the highway the guides are shaking back and forth enough to destroy the bulb filaments.
Some people suggest fabricating a keel guide setup instead. This would be more solid but the guide should be high enough so that it will guide the keel when the trailer is deep. This gives you a maximum of about 18" of space between the top of the bunks and the bottom of the hull where it would be at the keel area. If the guide isn't a good design, and you miss, then the keel would be on the outside of the guide as you try to align and pull out. Another issue that concerns me with keel guides is that the keel hanger bolts aren't all that strong relative to the wedge force of using them to align the boat. Under normal situations of gently getting the boat aligned, I think that it would be fine. So, I think that this system is used regularly with solid keels but the swing type is a bit different.
Do you NEED to drive your boat onto the trailer? If you can tie up to the dock first, you can just use the dock lines to guide the boat up on to the trailer. This,of course, assumes you have some sort of keel guides to center the keel on the rollers. I rigged a system with brackets on the trailer for PVC pipes, and the guys who back my trailer down the ramp have never used them.
Jfrench, great info... I was wondering how far back most people put their trailer. I use the extension when I retrieve and can basically put the whole thing in the water without my jeep getting its wheels wet. I will try leaving about a foot of bunk out of the water and see if that helps.
Along with that, I do have a nice setup guiding the keel into the keel slot on the trailer. I think the problem was that I have the trailer so far backed down that the boat just floats over the keel guides. I think the side guides would just be insurance that it's in the right place. Thanks for the input.
Along with that, I do have a nice setup guiding the keel into the keel slot on the trailer. I think the problem was that I have the trailer so far backed down that the boat just floats over the keel guides. I think the side guides would just be insurance that it's in the right place. Thanks for the input.
I'd mention that much depends upon the specific situation at the ramp.
Some places have not too much depth and others have a steeper & longer run.
In your case the upright hull guides may insure that your keel is closer to being aligned.
Yeah, I did, but I broke half of it hauling out last fall. I stole this design from a friend's Colgate 26 trailer.
maiettan,
the key to the keel guide is to make it so that it's top edge is just below the lowest part of your hull, and that it extends to the front of your keel. We've got a fairly steep ramp, and the guys put the front of my bunks just a few inches under water, so I can still see them.
keel guides
If you’re in blackish water and can not see some of your trailer then posts at the rear of your trailer will be a big help in aligning your hull with the trailer. Keel guides mounted as high as possible and clear at the front of the keel is your final alignment help. Because of the angle of the ramp the hull and keel is floating high above the trailer so keel and keel guides only start to work in the last 2 feet of final resting position.
With the front of the bunks sticking out of the water you’re creating a lot of stress on the winch and bow eye trying to lift that much weight up out of the water. The deeper the front of the bunks the less the stress on everything.
If you’re in blackish water and can not see some of your trailer then posts at the rear of your trailer will be a big help in aligning your hull with the trailer. Keel guides mounted as high as possible and clear at the front of the keel is your final alignment help. Because of the angle of the ramp the hull and keel is floating high above the trailer so keel and keel guides only start to work in the last 2 feet of final resting position.
With the front of the bunks sticking out of the water you’re creating a lot of stress on the winch and bow eye trying to lift that much weight up out of the water. The deeper the front of the bunks the less the stress on everything.
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<<Back your trailer in only until the front 12" to 18" of the bunks are still visible.>>
I probably overstated the amount of bunk that should be above water. Probably only 4" to 6" of bunk are actually out of the water when I load, although from the car I can see a foot or so (since part of them can still be seen under water). You have the right amount of bunk out of the water when the front of the boat just snugs up on 'em with moderate help from the winch. Certainly, you don't want to be lifting the boat onto the bunk with extreme winch effort.
I probably overstated the amount of bunk that should be above water. Probably only 4" to 6" of bunk are actually out of the water when I load, although from the car I can see a foot or so (since part of them can still be seen under water). You have the right amount of bunk out of the water when the front of the boat just snugs up on 'em with moderate help from the winch. Certainly, you don't want to be lifting the boat onto the bunk with extreme winch effort.
keel guides
The pictures are the guides I used on my swing keel boat, they are still on the trailer and the new owner is still glad to have the them. Work every time to put the boat in the center of the trailer.... I've added them to several friends trailers over the years.
The pictures are the guides I used on my swing keel boat, they are still on the trailer and the new owner is still glad to have the them. Work every time to put the boat in the center of the trailer.... I've added them to several friends trailers over the years.
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guide post
One of my friends came up with a very simple but cool way of putting his trailer at the exact place in the water each and every time. (you must have the guide post of course) He simply used a round of electrical tape on each post. Back down to the tape touches the water..... But then did something even cooler; he put green on starboard, red on port..... Oh yeah, one of those "duuu" moments
One of my friends came up with a very simple but cool way of putting his trailer at the exact place in the water each and every time. (you must have the guide post of course) He simply used a round of electrical tape on each post. Back down to the tape touches the water..... But then did something even cooler; he put green on starboard, red on port..... Oh yeah, one of those "duuu" moments
<<he put green on starboard, red on port...>>
Was that so he put the correct end of the trailer in first?
Was that so he put the correct end of the trailer in first?
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