One more trailering question

[magene]

How hard do you try to center your boat on the trailer? I have a 2000 SAN and a DHM trailer with vertical roller guides on each side. When I drive on the trailer, there is a 3-4" gap between the boat's rail and each guide. When we pull the boat out of the water, it is really hard to keep the boat centered between the guides and the boat usually winds up sitting off center with the side of the hull right next to the inside edge of the trailer fender.

The side guides are welded to the frame or I'd try to wedge them up so there is less gap between them and the boat. Any other ideas?

Thanks - Gene

[Labatt911]

RE: One more trailering question

I always stayed in the boat and after hooking the boat, would go to the rear of the boat and pull the boat toward the one post as the boat was getting pulled out of the water. It pulls like that cause of the prop roatation as you snug the boat up on the trailer.

[DanielC]

RE: One more trailering question

I load my boat the following way. One, back the trailer into the water so that the fenders are just barely breaking the surface of the water. This varies depending on the steepness of the ramp. Two, drive the boat on to the trailer, slowly. If the boat is not straight due to current, or other factors, I try to stop and just let the boat settle into the center of the trailer. After the boat settles, I turn the stern in the direction it needs to go, to line up on the trailer. Then I drive the boat up slowly, carefully adding power as the boat rides up on the trainer, making minor adjustments to keep the bow of the boat centered, until the bow is up against the stop. Three, I then hook up the bow strap, and tighten it. The front of the boat is now held in place. now, you can turn the rudder back and forth to center the stern on the trailer. Pull the boat out. Yes, the bow strap is hooked up.
This is how I launch the boat. One, before I am even on the ramp, I put the plug in, and load everything in the boat I and my friends want and need. The back straps are taken off, the bow strap is left on. The blower is turned on. Two, I then back down the ramp, trying to use the side of the ramp that has the most space on the port side of the boat. Three, I back down until the stern of the boat is in the water, but you can still walk to the bow strap and disconnect it, and remove the bow strap. Four, the boat is backed into the water far enough to safely pick up water and start, and the boat is started. Five, the trailer is allowed to back farther into the water, and the boat is "bumped" off the trailer by stopping quickly. Tie the boat to the dock, or have someone in the boat. Backing the boat off the trailer, can sometimes run your prop into the prop guard from the prop torque.
This may sound like I an doing a lot, and taking a long time, but I can probably launch and retreive my boat quicker, with my dog helping, than most people can, with help. Maybe after putting more than 1800 hours on a 1997 ski, I have had a little practice.