Trailer Loading Problem/Question - Boat Sits High

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highdesertM26

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Jul 5, 2010
43
MacGregor 26S Cochiti
I contacted BWY and they no longer manufacture/sell the bow roller. Bummer. I've posted their email below. Looks like I need to look into making one myself or finding a trailer shop who can do it...

Email from Todd at BWY:

You are right about the problem and the fix, unfortunately we have sold out of the trailer rollers for the Classic and probably will not do another production run. The demand has fallen to the point that it just isn't very practical to make another batch. You could have a local trailer shop make a simple cross member near the front of the trailer with a roller on it to do the same thing but unfortunately a custom piece will probably be more expensive.
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Using the long U-Bolts like they used would make it a simple project. A welding shop ought to be able to make one in less than an hour. I can't see it costing even the $99 that they were charging for parts and labor, especially if you took it home and painted it yourself. Shop around a little.

If the ramp is steep the bow roller isn't going to do much for you as the back of the trailer is so far down in the water that you can get the boat to the "V" easily. The problem lies more in where the winch is located and the distance the strap is from the bow hook to the winch when the boat is still floating in the back and the distance once it is on the trailer.

The roller helps on a ........



....shallower ramp where it lifts the front of the boat out of the water with the stern still floating. I like the roller since I don't have to back as far into the water to retrieve the boat. This is especially helpful in our case as our boat sits probably 1-1/2 to 2 inches lower than most with all of the stuff we have added to the boat for longer trips.

Once the boat/trailer are completely out of the water then you have the drag from the two bunks to contend with pulling the boat forward with the winch. The roller can help a littler there, but I've been reluctant to put that much strain on the bow eye bolt to actually drag the boat forward on the bunks. I'll be interested to see if that changes with the "liquid roller",

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

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H

highdesertM26

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Jul 5, 2010
43
MacGregor 26S Cochiti
Sum,

I will look into flipping my winch over like you did. That seems like a good idea. I've also ordered some liquid roller. I think the bow roller would really help me. I have no problem getting the boat up to the V on the trailer, it just sits so darn low when it is in the water. I figure this is because the stern is floating but the bow is resting on the trailer...As the trailer comes out of the water and the stern settles down on the trailer, the bow points up. This is where all the strain on the bow eye and strap come into play. I think if I get a roller on there, it will hold the bow up in the proper position as the boat comes out.
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Robspan said:
Could these items together be made into a suitable bow roller?

http://www.easternmarine.com/2-x-3-x-4575-x-083-Galvanized-Trailer-Crossbar/

http://www.easternmarine.com/5-Fixed-Roller-Bracket-Assy-3-Frame-32150G/

http://www.easternmarine.com/U-Bolt-Frame-Strap-Kit-3-1/8-x-3-15901A/
Click to expand
I don't think those U-Bolts are long enough. The cross member would probably work, but is a lot longer than you need and I'd wan't something with thicker (.120) walls myself.

Figure out how long you want the cross-member to be and go to a welding shop and have them cut you a piece of 2" angle or 2 1/2" angle that is pretty heavy with an outer flange thickness of about 1/8 inch. Get some long enough U-bolts from them to go over the trailer rail and to the angle and bolt the angle to the bottom of the frame.

Then mount the roller (in your middle link above) to the angle with some spacers to get it up where it needs to be.....



I made my spacers out of some solid round stock aluminum I had, but they don't need to be that fancy. Cut some pipe and use washers to get it right. Try and find pipe with a large diameter so that the roller doesn't want to rock back and forth. Go to an exhaust shop and look at their scrap for some tubing that will work or get it from the welding shop. Mine is mounted on square tubing, but angle of an adequate size would work fine.

Another option. Before you go at home take a piece of wood the width of the angle you are going to get and hold it under the trailer rails and mark it along the rails with a marker and cut it there.

Then take that to the welding shop and they could cut the ends of the angle to fit the pattern and have them ......



.... weld some vertical straps on the ends like in the picture (they could also use square tubing like I did). Take it home and drill your holes in the vertical straps and for the roller. Put it up into position and drill holes in the side rails of the trailer and bolt it on. The metal for this is cheap and they could do that in 20 minutes or less. You paint it all.

How I did it....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/trailer-mods-7.html

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links
 
H

highdesertM26

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Jul 5, 2010
43
MacGregor 26S Cochiti
Sum,

What size roller did you use? I was thinking about getting a 12". It seems like the wider the better (meaning 8", 10", or 12").

Thanks again.

Todd
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
highdesertM26 said:
Sum,

What size roller did you use? I was thinking about getting a 12". It seems like the wider the better (meaning 8", 10", or 12").

Thanks again.

Todd
Click to expand
Mine is 9 1/2, so probably sold as a 10 inch. I'm not even sure when or where I got the one I used. By the time the boat is that far forward it should be centered pretty good.

I have....



http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/trailer-mods-index.html

..the bunks that come all the way forward to the "V", so I could of gotten by with a 4 inch one as they center the boat regardless of wind or current.

Good luck,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links
 
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