How to set up a boat trailer correctly One of the biggest things that can make a difference to how you enjoy your day out on your boat can be how your boat trailer is set-up. TheBow Eye to Transommeasurement as shown in the accompanying diagrams is the most critical in sizing a trailer for boat length. You boat infrequently and want a budget-friendly option. Transom Moreover, you may want to have the proper boat trailer dollies and boat trailer tires as well, so things will go smoothly. The trailer has bunks on the sides and rollers up the middle. Biminis, View Continue with Recommended Cookies. Ultimately, you will want the draw bar weight to be substantial enough to get the trailer to follow your car at all times. Trolling Motors, Shop Honda 5hp Outboard, Boat Boat Trailer Outlet makes every effort to properly fit our trailers to your boat. Detectors, Binoculars & Boat Gel Coat - Spectrum Color, Pumps and Once you do it, you are fine. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Winches, Boat Motor Supports & Hitches, & And remember this can also put scratches on the boat. You are using an out of date browser. This means ensuring that the boat is sitting level on the trailer and that all straps or chains are tightened down so that the boat cannot move around during transit.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'boatingbuddy_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_12',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-boatingbuddy_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'boatingbuddy_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',109,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-boatingbuddy_com-large-leaderboard-2-0_1');.large-leaderboard-2-multi-109{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Imagine the following situation. Telescopes, Covers and Without further ado, lets get into how to fit a boat to a trailer. Not a lot of people havetow barsthat are rated for this weight. Well, we have got here the entire process in detailed steps. Finding the right equipment for your boat is no easy task, and that is what Peters articles aim to help you with. Axles, Boat Trailer Tie made all the adjustments you may need to make a few minor tweaks here and there, but roughly 90% of the major work should be done. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. However, this is not complex actually. Select a trailer with the next highest capacity rating. Marine Battery Chargers, Shop GPS Chartplotter and Fish Finder Combo, Find Seats, Fishing Boat Also, ensure that the bow eye reaches the winch post. If you move the undercarriage of a, there is a good chance it will be fitted with hydraulic brakes. Remember we are always here to help at 888 278-1991. This is easily accomplished with hand tools at a boat ramp. damage to either the boat or the trailer can be costly and cause unnecessary delays, so it is important to take the time to secure your boat properly. Keep a 2 space between the keel and the tongue plate top while doing so. In order to properly set your boat on a trailer, you will need the following: A hand truck or dolly Lift Tow strap Cordless drill 1 inch hole saw Torque wrench Socket wrench Hex key wrench Pair of pliers Ruler or measuring tape Level Step 1: Take Appropriate Measurements To begin, place your boat on the trailer and take some measurements. If your trailer is less than 6' long, you don't need to have front side marker lights or front side marker reflectors. If i back up a little to keep the bunks even with the transom then it is almost always leaning when i take it out. Put the Boat on the Trailer Next, it's time to lower the trailer on a very steep ramp. When you first get the boat on the trailer and you are pushing the roller packs up for the first time, you should be able to see if the rollers clear the strakes. Remember one thing when you are finally done. Ropes, Boat 1419 11th Street North . High Back Reclining Helm Seat, Cabin and You already know that setting the boat on the trailer properly. So, you understand that there could be many issues due to this. Combos, Fishing Tools & Trial and error is the easiest way to determine how far you need to move it. So make sure you take the time to set your boat trailer up correctly for your boat and you will be sure to spend many enjoyable years on your boat rather than struggling with your trailer. ex. Now, its time to start towing. Plumbing, Fresh Water Boat per gallon),fullwater tanks (if applicable) and your personal gear. Accessories, Marine Electrical . Tackle Boxes, Fishing Bait & Most shaft drive boats up to 24 feet will fit on our standard aluminum trailers. I wouldn't get a 30 footer or anything with more than a cuddy cabin. Because this can give extra grip to set the boat on the trailer. Tackle Boxes, Fishing Bait & Breakers, Power Packs & Jump I made some much needed adjustments to my boat trailer and now it loads and unloads so much easier. Yes, you should try to level the weight of your boat equally on the trailer. & Sonar, Trolling Login, Boats Winches, Boat Motor Supports & How to set up a boat trailer correctly Why is this you ask? Once you get the boat on the trailer and set it up for length; make sure there is approximately 50mm of the hull overhanging the last roller. Video, GPS Chartplotters & Cushions, Lexington Harware, Marine Nuts, Bolts, & The transom must be level with the tip of the bunks or rollers. Software, Digital Finally, recheck the level and the measurements. If you have any questions about transporting your boat, feel free to reach out to our team for more information. converselyif it is too heavy and then youre in danger of overloading your trailer tongue on the car, it can make the front end of your vehicle too light. Systems, Marine Plumbing It has to be measured from the bow eye to the boats transom. Or else, you may come across a number of problems. Handles, Life Jackets & Adjustment to either extreme may require moving the axles to maintain tongue weight in the 5% to 7% ideal range for most trailers. But everything in life can be learned. Insurance, Boat Maintenance, Boat Cleaners & So, you need to make sure the support is strong enough to back up the wind. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Parts, Sacrificial Anodes & CREATE Some of the benefits of properly loading a boat onto a trailer for transport include: When a boat is properly loaded onto a trailer, it will be better protected from bumps and jostling during transport. If not secured properly, your boat could come loose and cause serious damage or injury. Hardware, Boat Cabin However, boats that fit on these smaller types of trailers are generally at the smaller and lighter end of the trailer market so dont have a lot of draw bar weight so adjustment is generally not needed. PFDs, Roof Racks, Carriers, Biminis, Paint and & Live Bait You are using an out of date browser. Terminal ACCOUNT, Find Following these simple tips will help to ensure that your boat arrives safely at its destination. Towers, Tow Ropes & Having too much tongue weight is better than not having enough. Now, you have to take the boat out of the water. Switches, Shore Power & AC First, make sure the boat is levelthis will ensure the trailer and boat move in the same direction and are not affected by uneven ground. Protection, Dock Storage & And the limit is 10% of the total weight of the boat and the trailer. Pumps, Livewell Aerator Pumps your boats Gel Coat Match, Shop Hardware, Boat Trailer If you trail your boat for a long distance, cover it with something. I havent seen too many trailers available with that sort of draw bar weight. You would need more energy to trail the boat all the way to the destination. Remember proper measurements are needed here. My towing vehicle is a 02 chevy avalanche, I like to have mine as close to being under the transom as possible, but not to where it can roll past. In some rare cases, transducers must be moved to allow a boat trailer to fit properly if not the transducer and the trailer will likely be damaged. Drink Holders. This can affect the steering of the car and cause damage to the suspension of the towing vehicle. We will no discuss a couple of ways which will help make launching and retrieving your boat as easy as possible. Accessories, Boat Lift Canopy Parts, Rule 1500 GPH Automatic If your boat is sitting too low in the water, it may be because the front of the boat is too heavy. Lets start with the smaller trailers and work our way up to the medium to larger sized boat trailers. In order to hook it up, you need to make sure there is enough winch line released. Battery Charger, Marine Audio & Install The Guide Poles Install the guide poles at the rear of the trailer, and adjust them in until they touch the rub rail. Acessories, Fishing Outriggers & Shelters, Boat Well, the first problem you would face is hard to trail your boat. Savers, Boat Trailer Guides & You just need to make sure that you set your boat on the trailer properly. Handles, Life Jackets & Distribution, ProMariner ProNautic Switches, Shore Power & AC Bullet Skimmer, Paint and Please contact us for more information at 888 278-1991. To free the nuts, use the wrench. Does it tow good and straight? Helm Seats, Shop A 22 to 25 feet boat is usually taller on a trailer than 10 feet. Seats, Offshore Boat Well, it has to be definitely longer than the boat. This will allow the yellow bow roller to touch the boat with the bow eye below and behind the bow roller. Deals, Trailering To fix the boat trailer bunks, you would need a wrench. Remember that the hinge ball weight must be around 10% of the total weight. As you ensure these, you are good to go! Meters, Marine Electrical Panels Covers, Other Like, you do not need any professional help at all. Hardware, Boat 2022 Marine Expert. Marble, Engine Because not setting the boat on the trailer properly might sway the boat. P1623 (16' boat) 2459TB (24' boat) . As simple as it sounds, when your boat trailer is set-up correctly it will tow better, your trailer will sit behind your car better, it wont swerve all over the road and naturally it will be a lot easier to launch and retrieve your boat on and off your trailer. Dock, Cabin and Brackets will increase the amount of weight on the rear of a trailer and are NOT counted when measuring the length of the hull. & Dock, Anchor Chains & Make sure the boat is properly positioned on the trailer. ShoreLand'r.com - Boat-To-Trailer Step #2 STEP #2: Determine Rear Crossmember Position and Position of Bunks/Rollers . One of the most important things to remember when transporting a boat is to make sure that it is properly secured. & Circuit It can be functional or cosmetic. Tubes, Shop Here are some tips on how to safely transport your boat using a trailer: Following these simple tips will help ensure that your boat is safely transported on a trailer. Secondly, additional clearance is needed for the shaft to clear the trailer frame. Maintenance, Fiberglass & Epoxy JavaScript is disabled. If your boat has thru-hull or transom mount transducers you must be sure to position trailer bunks so they do not come into contact with transducers. Dante04SRT Petty Officer 1st Class Joined Jun 30, 2007 Messages 311 Sep 3, 2008 #4 Exceptions. Tow ball height: 18 to 21 from the ball centerline to the ground. The easiest way you can fix the swaying issue is by adjusting the suspension position further back on the trailer chassis. Lights, Boat Trailer By following these simple guidelines, you can be sure that your boat will be safely positioned. My boat is 4.6m aluminium hull, trailer is similar as this Does anyone have any tips, or links to good articles or videos, of how to set the height of the centre rollers correctly. The transom straps should now be attached. Systems, Marine Plumbing & Then, it has to be moved one foot further forward compared to the first loading. Similarly, a properly loaded boat will put less strain on the trailer, which can help to extend its life as well. Instruments, VHF Radios & If you can fix the problem yourself, do so. Here are some tips on how to properly load a boat onto a roller trailer: Position the trailer so that the bow of the boat is facing downhill, with the front of the trailer closest to the water. To properly position the bunks on a trailer so they give adequate support to the boat, it's first necessary to examine the boat. What you should do next is make sure you take the boat to flat ground, where you can start checking how much the tongue weighs. Sometimes, the weight is not distributed equally. This is important as you can trail your boat conveniently. Seats, Offshore Boat Rafts, Paddle Plumbing, Fresh Water Boat Biminis, RV & Trailer Slightly modified 2859 6.5 Diesel Bravo III X drive. First things first. Use a 44, 4. ft, pile of blocks, and a bathroom scale to find out the tongues weight. marinexpert.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. That means you need to be careful while trailing the boat. Biminis, View Outboards, Shop It would be just an ordinary wrench that we use. Peter Richardson decided that he needs to balance out the sedentary lifestyle of a software developer by getting out there more. Parts, Boat Tubing & Deals, Dealer the boats keel needs to be set higher at the front than at the rear. Step 2. The Right Fit, Shop By When a boat has a pulpit, the way the hull is supported while the boat is loaded and unloaded is important. Video, GPS Chartplotters & If you want everything to go accordingly, you must know the necessary steps to go through. After. Financing, Iboats For special order trailers allow up to 90 days for delivery. This can be done if you block the tires of the trailer and unhook the ball collector of the trailer. Covers, Boat Seat Fishing Lures, Fishing Rod Holders & And the length has to be around 2 feet longer than the boat. Accessories, Big Jon Make sure you do it on the steepest one that is available to you. Pumps, Livewell Aerator Pumps The straps or rope should be attached to the bow and stern of the boat, and also to the front and rear of the trailer. Re: How should the boat sit on the trailer? You need around a foot to spare, so make sure you dont winch it all the way to the bow eye. Copyright 2019 IBOATS. Sitting a boat on a trailer improperly can be problematic for your boat. Motor brackets are metal or fiberglass boxes that allow the mounting of outboard motors behind the boats transom. Savers, Boat Trailer Guides & Deals, Electrical That is, you mau use boat tying rope for this. But it has to be nothing usual. Dollies, SportsStuff Great Big Guide, Boat Sockets, Marine Electrical Pumps, Marine Pump Replacement When the boat is in the water, you can begin to attach the straps or chains that will hold it in place. To get the best support for the boat the transom should only barely hang over the end of the trailer. So, what happens if I can not set the boat on the trailer properly?