Boat Trailer Load Depth

[moto822]

Hi All,

I have a 230 nautique with a phoenix trailer. I am wondering what depth people are loading their boats. In my area we do not have laws against power loading since most of the landings we use are concrete far enough to not have issues with holes building up. Currently I back the trailer in all the way to get the boards wet, I then pull forward till I can only see about 6 to 12 inches of the wheel well. All goes well till the last few feet. At this point the transom of the boat seems to swing too far either right or left causing me to ride on the wheel well too much.

I am wondering if I go less deep if this will help. Any thoughts? what are you doing?

Moto

[HS]

Here's what I do, and yeah, based on what you describe about riding over the wheel well (trailer fenders?), I think less deep is the ticket, because the trailer bunks will help get the boat centered on the trailer. 210, but same principles should apply. I gauge the depth based on putting the back wheel of my tow vehicle in the water so the water level is mid way between the wheel rim (on the low side of the axle) and the hub of the wheel -- roughly a 12" - 15" deep. With a moderate thrust of the engine, the boat backs off the trailer pretty easy. If I am shallower than this, it requires greater amount of thrust to overcome the friction of the trailer bunks. If I go too deep and float the boat, the turnbuckle or winch strap can get bound up. At this level when we land the boat, it rides up the bunks and centers nicely, and only needs a few cranks (or a small 'bump' from the engine) to close the gap between the nose of the hull and the crash pads of the trailer. This is all based on using the same ramp that has a consistent slope, and the water level is high in the spring but is pretty consistent.

[nyryan2001]

the answer is about 6-12" further than where the transom starts to float when you back it in.

[pe4me]

the answer is about 6-12" further than where the transom starts to float when you back it in.

This is normally true. Some of the lakes especially north of go can be tricky because they can have vastly different angles and depths...that change year to year. I dinged up a prop on boot lake (Lakewood, wi) which I thought was impossible but it takes the right nomind to hammer on it and holes are created, actually piles are created beyond the concrete. I have a 210 and can do it blind folded in most known launches.
So floating the rear end, and then a couple feet usually does it...but it cost me $150 this summer on a ramp I have launched at for 10 years. With 3-4 feet of bunk showing you can usually run it up close...again each boat/trailer combo need a couple slower trials before u got it down, and I would suspect the margin for decreases with the size of your ride.
good luck

[cwindingland]

Although I find it comical to watch a lot of these people who power load their boat, I have to use the same launch so it really is a sore subject for me. My favorite is the guy who continues to leave the boat well throttled so he can move to the bow and attach the strap. Most boats can be easily winched up from either floating it onto the trailer or idling onto the trailer. I realize you may be foregoing the misconceived 'cool factor' that goes along with power loading but your boat will actually center on the bunks much better if you don't. Wow, did I just give a PSA?

[Paxdad]

2008 210 on Prestige trailer..... I back my trailer in until the boat is fully floating off all bunks then I release the winch strap. The trailer upright post keep it positioned correctly as I have those adjusted in fairly tight to the boat about 1 inch on either side. I load it the same way. I back it in fully submerged (for reference the water on the rear tires on my both my 08 Suburban and 02 Yukon XL is just over the tire on the rim and the water line on the trailer is almost at the brake fluid reservoir fill cap). Hopefully your trailer has the guide posts with the PVC sleeves that float up with the bumper pads. I have the boat driver pull between the posts and I wait at the winch to connect the strap. Once the strap is connected and tight with the bow against the roller I pull out of the water very slow to let the boat center up on the bunks. Essentially the trailer is coming up underneath the boat directly since it is already snug against the bow stop/ roller. This is where having the posts adjusted in tight keeps it off the fenders etc. This process is called deep loading and eliminates or reduces scratches on your hull especially if it is a dark color. My 15 year old son and I have our launch/ load down to about 45 seconds or less but we are using the boat probably 3 times a week.

[Paxdad]

Hi All,

I have a 230 nautique with a phoenix trailer. I am wondering what depth people are loading their boats. In my area we do not have laws against power loading since most of the landings we use are concrete far enough to not have issues with holes building up. Currently I back the trailer in all the way to get the boards wet, I then pull forward till I can only see about 6 to 12 inches of the wheel well. All goes well till the last few feet. At this point the transom of the boat seems to swing too far either right or left causing me to ride on the wheel well too much.

I am wondering if I go less deep if this will help. Any thoughts? what are you doing?

Moto

I assumed that you do have the upright guide post with the pvc sleeves on them correct?

[jsta281]

I have an Extreme trailer. I have no interest to be the coolest power loading guy at the ramp. I put the trailer fenders so that the tops are just at the surface of the water or out slightly. Then I have my wife (who will not/cannot back the trailer) just put the boat between the upright guide posts. some times she gets within a few feet of the nose bunks, and some times I have to walk out a bit, but cranking it in is about a 30 second job and the boat is always even on the trailer. She has also been sideways on the trailer, and just a week or so ago I had to load it in 4 ft waves (that is not an exaggeration I wish i had a video) and thus far, knock on wood, zero scratches or damage.

[lucky7t]

I sink the trailer and float my boat on. My hull is blue and don't want to risk scratches.

[ES]

I thought I also heard some people spraying their bunks with some product to avoid friction and scratches. Is this effective or just an urban myth?

[s_kelley2000]

I thought I also heard some people spraying their bunks with some product to avoid friction and scratches. Is this effective or just an urban myth?

This stuff is called Liquid Rollers and it works...works a little too good in fact. I have heard of a few boats sliding off the trailer while backing down the ramp because of spraying this product on the entire length of the bunks. It is recommended you only spray this on the front 1/3 or so of the bunks since the back 2/3s are usually under water when loading/unloading. Leaving the back 2/3s uncoated should aid in keeping the boat on the trailer. Nautqiueparts usually stocks this stuff.

I wish I had an option other than powerloading but my Ramlin trailer does not have a winch and is meant to be a drive-on trailer. Someday I will probably modify it so I can add a winch but at my regular ramp I can idle most of the way up and only need to give it a little bump to get into the V pads and hooked up.

[Paxdad]

S Kelley, I would think that you could still deep load your boat by pulling into bow stops and attach the turn buckle or safety cable, then pull up and let trailer come up and boat settle on the bunks. I essentially (even with winch) pull right up to the bow roller/ stop attach winch hook and safety cable and then pull up slowly. The trailer comes up from deep and boat settles directly down on to bunks without having to power load at all. Without seeing you trailer of course my input is just that.....

[jbach]

S Kelley, I would think that you could still deep load your boat by pulling into bow stops and attach the turn buckle or safety cable, then pull up and let trailer come up and boat settle on the bunks. I essentially (even with winch) pull right up to the bow roller/ stop attach winch hook and safety cable and then pull up slowly. The trailer comes up from deep and boat settles directly down on to bunks without having to power load at all. Without seeing you trailer of course my input is just that.....

Does loading like that cause any warping issues with your rub rail. Seems like it would.

[s_kelley2000]

S Kelley, I would think that you could still deep load your boat by pulling into bow stops and attach the turn buckle or safety cable, then pull up and let trailer come up and boat settle on the bunks. I essentially (even with winch) pull right up to the bow roller/ stop attach winch hook and safety cable and then pull up slowly. The trailer comes up from deep and boat settles directly down on to bunks without having to power load at all. Without seeing you trailer of course my input is just that.....

Unfortunately there isn't really enough "slack" in the turn buckle to do that. With the trailer deep enough for the boat to travel all the way up to V-pads without powering on, the boat is floating too high relative to the trailer for the turnbuckle to hook onto the bow eye. If I pull the trailer up slowly once the boat is in position the boat ends up sliding back a little and is now too far back for the turn buckle to reach. I have tried a few times and with my usual ramp I can't find that sweet spot where I can float it on and have the turnbuckle reach. But I have found a good spot that requires minimal power to load. Here is a pic of a trailer that is set up like mine:

[Graeme V]

I have the kids swim it around & float it on...No issues at all.. works good for me & the boat