loading

[SGY]

Dr. John. I have similar problems loading. While my eye ring doesn't hit the pad, I can't seem to get the boat to snug up against the crash pad without winching it the last two inches with my wife powering on. Kind of dicey if you ask me. I've tried just about every depth and find that the 1 inch above waterline works best--although not perfect. I'd call Ramlin and ask them how the boat is supposed to be loaded. I'd also ask your dealer to come to the lake with you and help you with your problems.

4-5 inches above water line is high. I don't like the idea of the bunks being that far out of the water--as you describe. Tedious, to say the least. At least make sure your bunks are wet. Do you have the middle two guide on runners on your Ramlin?

[Rick]

Have you tried liquid rolers? I put it on my DHM trailer and I can winch my boat onto the trailer with the bunks dry! Its amazing. It comes in a can. Both West MArine and Boat USA have it.

[AbunDiga909]

We had a similar problem too Dr. John. The boat was simply hitting that v pad too much. I don't know if it is the same problem as yours, but we lowered ours about an inch, and now it is fine.

[SGY]

Rick, does the liquid rollers make your boat move around on the trailer?

[Dr.John]

We had a similar problem too Dr. John. The boat was simply hitting that v pad too much. I don't know if it is the same problem as yours, but we lowered ours about an inch, and now it is fine.

I have had mine lowered all the way down. I was told by Ram-Lin to adjust it up to where it just touched the keel/hull when sitting flat (on the driveway). If it is lowered (below the hull level) it won't serve to stop the bounce, which is what it's function is in the first place, aaargh!
Where is your waterline (on trailer) at loading?

[TwinTip]

My previous boat had a trailer with a V pad. It also hit the eye when the boat was put in the water. I found out that in order to avoid this, you have to lower the boat into the water very slowly. As the boat touches the water go in very slowly, at some point the boat will slide off of the bunks while the eye is still high enough for it not to touch the V. If you do this too fast, the boat will slide faster and the eye will drop faster, this is when you will hit the V.

[Dr.John]

My previous boat had a trailer with a V pad. It also hit the eye when the boat was put in the water. I found out that in order to avoid this, you have to lower the boat into the water very slowly. As the boat touches the water go in very slowly, at some point the boat will slide off of the bunks while the eye is still high enough for it not to touch the V. If you do this too fast, the boat will slide faster and the eye will drop faster, this is when you will hit the V.

How were you able to load it w/o hitting the eye? ale:

[TwinTip]

I did not have any problems loading the boat, my problems were launching it. I have not looked at the loading in detail but guess that you would hit the eye if the trailer was driven too deep into the water. Look at it this way, if you put the trailer too deep into the water, the surface of friction between the bunks and the boat will be shortened. Lets say instead of having between 1/2 and 3/4 of the bunk outside of the water, you would end up with 1/4 or 1/2. The boat is not going to be stopped by the bunk (or glide on it), instead it will be stopped by the V pad and the eye.

Keep the trailer out of the water some more and you will have more surface on the bunks (along with a higher angle into the trailer) for the bow of the boat to start pointing up (as opposed to horizontal and straight into the V pad). The only problem with that is that if you don't power load the boat, you will have a harder time winching it in (more surface and friction to work with).

Hope this helps.

[Dr.John]

Evidently this is a more common problem than originally thought. I have contacted Ram-Lin, who btw seem quite responsive, and they are looking into a solution.
Too bad this is an issue because this is an otherwise outstanding trailer! :colors:

[AbunDiga909]

We keep it so that the top of the back of the fender is just out of the water, or on the surface. It used to be that we went in to far and I would have to hold the guide posts so that the boad didn't fall on to of the fender, that happened once b/c it was sawaying around too much. But that was because we were in too far. Now at this level, if you drive on slowly, then stop by the bunkers, and the turn the wheel straight and power up till you hit the stopper, you should not only be on the trailer so that the end isn't swinging around, but it should also be centered. And also, since its so far on the trailer, you don't need to hook it up in the water, so you can stay dry.

[MARK-S]

All you clowns that power on do nothing but ruin the boat launch. By the end of summer our launch at the public lake gets a build up behind the trailer and makes it a nightmere on the prop. In minn the DNR spends thousands $$$ every year fixing launches due to this.
Just put the wheel wells so they stick out 1-2 inches. Drive it on,(coast it on) and turn it off. from that point you have to wench it about 2 -3 feet. If you dont have a wench, buy one and install it. ( if you have cement ramps that extend into the deep water power on all you want, but if its gravel or cement pileings with gravel, stop and wench.) If we can spend 40g on a boat, another 35.00 for a wench should not break the bank. There are some states where powering on is illeagle.

[BigBald]

Mark-S - Do you know what states have powering onto the trailer illegal? I always power on, but I have always been at "fully concrete" launchs. I am always wanting to make sure that I am legal in various states when and if I visit.

[MARK-S]

Not sure, but there was a thred on this awhile back and thats where I first learned of it. I have been talking to our local DNR guys about it and they say its been on the minnesota agenda a few times, but always gets shot down by someone. I would just check the baoting guides that are published and that would tell you. You could probably find out on the web. Every spring prior to the ice going out I call the DNR to have them lined up to fix our launch first. They know me by name now and are usually there pretty quick. I now own a house on a man made and look forward to not dealing with this problem anymore. I used to be one of the guys who powerd on due to the Ramlin trailers with no wench. But than my prop got nailed on the bump and I learned a 300.00 lesson.

[AbunDiga909]

The rams we go too are also "fully cement" but when water level is low, after the ramp ends, there is a bunch soft mud and plants. What sucks is we have Milfoil. So when the water is low and we power up, or used to power up when the water is low, we had milfoil all overy everthing. litterally. It covered up all the lights on the trailer, every little bar or piece on the trailer was covered. It was also all tangled up in the prop. So for us powering on is also not a problem when the water isn't too low. I'm also interested to hear what states its illigal in, even though I don't think mine is one of them.

[SGY]

Mark. How the heck can you get your 206 all the way onto the trailer without powering on? I coast mine on and then hit the gas a little to bring the bow within about 3 inches of the crash pad. Then I have to really gun it to get up that last few inches. The only other way is to really sink the trailer. But then you have the problem of the boat not being centered and possibly sitting on a fender.

What's your secret. I put the trailer in so that the fenders are just at the water line. Any further out would require me to power on just that much more. Is your Ramlin the kind with the guide bunks in the middle and a V-pad up front?

I look forward to your insight. Thanks.