# Getting a Jon boat to load straight on trailer



## Scott F

The other day I got to launch my new, jet powered, tin jon boat for the first time. Everything was great until it was time to put the boat back on the trailer. I was on a river with a pretty good amount of current. Between the current and the lack of control the jon has with the jet at low speeds, getting the jon centered was very difficult. The boat has a flat bottom with 9 ribs running front to back. The spaces between the ribs is slightly bigger than the width of the bunks. The rear guide-ons are 3.5 inches away from each side of the hull and are already adjusted as close to the hull as possible. Once I miss getting the boat on the right spot, there is no pushing it sideways to get the bunk on the correct rib. If it’s off center, the winch strap won’t pull it back to center, the strap gets off its roller too. 
I’m thinking about replacing the guides with taller, more adjustable versions and adding a keel roller where there are none now. 
Thinking about it, next time, I won’t back the trailer in as far as I did. 
Can you tell me ways you set up your trailer to make loading your flat bottom boat easier?


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## lckstckn2smknbrls

I back in deep enough to wet the bunks than pull out to the point that just the end of the bunks are under water. It took several tries to find out where the trailer needed to be.


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## eshaw

I'll be interested how this gets answered. I haven't used my boat on the river because I'm usually out by myself and don't think I could man handle mine alone. How's it do on a lake?


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## onthewater102

I don't have a jet, but I do load a flat bottom onto a trailer in a river with a decent current. I was taught only to get the bunks wet to the point of where the axle crosses under the bunks - the rest are out of the water - and power load each time. Approach the trailer from the downstream side and cut the wheel at the last moment to align the flat ribs with the bunks. Once you're lined up on the trailer give it gas until you're up far enough that you're not sliding back off.

I'm not sure if running the jet in the shallows is riskier than a prop - I would think it's all the same chance of sucking up crap off the bottom, you've just got more clearance - but that's just an initial thought without a multi-thousand dollar motor on the line.


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## CedarRiverScooter

I agree with the above advice.

Just want to add that I have had to adjust centering, I pull out just enough that stern will stay where I place it, although takes some muscle to move it.


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## richg99

I've fought this battle with every tin that I've owned.

The "Strakes" (metal protrusions that add strength to the bottom) can cause exactly the H#$# that you described. 

Both of my boats are semi-V's and I have a different solution on each one.

A friend in TN. who has a flat bottom tinny, added FOUR PVC risers to his boat. Two in the back.... that I think everyone ought to have, and he added two more near the front of his trailer. The front ones push the boat back straight. Of course, you have to stick the hull pretty close to straight to utilize the four riser system.

Another possibility is what I've recently done with my 1756 Lowe. It is a Semi-V but the method may work on any tin bottom. 

I added a 3500 lb remote-controlled electric winch in place of the crank style winch. I changed out the metal cable with a softer non-stretch winch line. .... When it is time to load, and before I back the trailer into the water, I pull enough winch line out to attach the cable hook to my rear riser. ( I added a simple strap loop on which to clip the hook). 

I drive the boat only up as far as necessary so that I can reach the cable hook. I take the cable hook forward and clip it onto my bow hook. I use the winch's remote to feed the line until it tightens. I then let the power winch pull my boat straight and up all of the way. So far, even in heavy side winds (but not current), it has worked nearly flawlessly. On one occasion, the boat was pulled off-center by the winch. I had to push the boat off of the trailer and winch it back on straight. 

Since the pulling force is dead center, the winch straightens the boat out pretty well.

My biggest fear with this system is if the battery that drives the winch were to fail. I am making a twenty-foot long extension with clips on it to allow me to use the van's battery in an emergency.

Hope this helps.


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## eshaw

Richg99, I like that step setup you have for your trailer.


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## CedarRiverScooter

Rich - awesome pc of engineering!

Could you pull 12V thru the trailer light connector?


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## richg99

Thanks, but it wasn't my idea originally. A guy on another fishing site has been using this system for a year or two.

As far as pulling power from the tail lights, we didn't think that the van's internal wire size was sufficient to carry the current that the 3500-lb winch was going to draw. 

Another option was to pull a heavy wire from the van's battery back to the rear of the vehicle. Just the wire alone was going to cost over $100.00. 

Since I already owned the battery (which had powered a trolling motor on my kayak), I opted to just use it. 

Since I wrote this post this morning, I made up a 20 ft extension cord with battery clips on both ends. Now, if I need to, I can just open the hood and use the van's battery in an emergency. 

Be Prepared, they say.... Ha Ha


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## Scott F

As far as a winch goes, I already have one but mine is attached to the boat as a heavy duty anchor winch. I have a 55lb chain anchor that holds me still in some pretty fast current. I don't know if it would pull my boat onto the trailer or not.


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## richg99

Hmmmm I see potential here. Ha Ha.. (crazy creative mind working feverishly)....

My 3500 lb winch is more than is needed to pull my 1000 lb. tinny onto its bunks. My bunks are topped with 3x4 PVC Gutter downspouts so they are slipperier than carpet covered bunks. 

I guess if you could add a few snatch blocks and some sort of pick-up of the winch cable affixed to your trailer, you could get dual use out of your winch.

rich


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## richg99

Oh, the four PVC riser solution used by my friend in TN. is probably the easiest and most straightforward approach for a true flat-bottom boat.


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## New River Rat

.*preface: I only fish rivers. I'm 61 and have been doing this most of my life*.​Scott, how much experience do you have with a jet? On a river? They are a different beast to load than a prop! The response time of turning a jon is diminished greatly with a jet, whereas a prop has almost instantaneous torque to use. There is a bit of a learning curve here.

Is your trailer set up anything like Rich's? The side bunks and vertical guides would be an enormous help.

I use a prop and back the trailer to the point of the bunks being around a foot or so submerged. The trailer is angled slightly downstream and the jon's approach is also from downstream. I know that some think that power loading is verboten, but my 25 Johnson is doing nothing to the riverbed that Mother Nature hasn't done a thousand times over. I've done jets exactly this way, but you almost need to be psychic when it comes to timing your turning.


Edit to add: Friction is your friend.


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## overboard

I also fish a river where current can sometime make loading a project! Bunk guides, just having the ends of the bunks in the water, and backing the trailer in slightly downriver are the first place to start, I also have a walk board down the center for the length of the trailer which is a big help. Once I have the boat partially on the trailer and hooked up to the winch strap which I walked down the board, I can then adjust the boat by just pushing it back a bit or lifting the bow to get it lined up on the bunks and then pull it as far forward as possible and then walk back the board and winch the boat the rest of the way onto the trailer.


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## JL8Jeff

I 29 years of boating, I have never tried to drive a boat onto a trailer. I'm so used to walking it out and pushing it past the trailer and then pulling it back in and centering it on the bunks or rollers as I hook up the manual winch strap. Our boat ramp is not level when the water is low and I might have to reposition the trailer 5-10 times to hope to load the boat evenly. I was out past knee deep yesterday getting the sprint boat hooked up. There is a flat spot on our ramp and the water is at the worst height right now. Sometimes you open the truck door and you're standing in the water. The side guides really help keep a boat straight when loading in river current. I've been loading/unloading by myself all 29 years of boating. Here's my Lowe from this past Wed.


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## richg99

Power loading was ..verboten.. on some ramps in Wisconsin. 

I watched some older guys go through a lot of wading and contortions trying to get their boats onto their trailers. And that was with NO current, just lakes.


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## eshaw

This is what I use for driving my boat onto the trailer. I haven't tried it in a river though. Should work.


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## LDUBS

I guess I'm lucky that every ramp I've ever used (and am likely to use) has docks. Makes it a lot easier to deal with strong wind or currents. I never drove the boat onto the trailer. From the dock, I pulled it on with the bow line, winched it up and the side guides kept it centered. I do have to wade out in about 12" to 18" of water to get to the winch (I ain't balancing on a trailer tongue). I keep a pair of rubber boots in the car if I don't feel like getting wet. 

I also like the tall guide-on's. I couldn't see my old trailer in my rear view mirror while backing down a ramp, but I could see the tall side guide ons.


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## Bateman

Can't imagine having a trailer without PVC uprights now, after having them. Sometimes in a stiff current I will grab one of the uprights to swing the boat in the needed direction. 

Last trailer had the guide bunks on the sides and they were pretty useless. On the ramp the angle put them under the water and under the boat.


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## richg99

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ce-smith-company-post-style-boat-guide-ons-2-pack#repChildCatid=13240


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## overboard

LDUBS said:


> I do have to wade out in about 12" to 18" of water to get to the winch (I ain't balancing on a trailer tongue).
> 
> That's why I put a walk board on, the older I get the wider the board! :lol:


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## Bateman

richg99 said:


> https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ce-smith-company-post-style-boat-guide-ons-2-pack#repChildCatid=13240



Nice. Those are the same I use I believe. 4' height.


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## LDUBS

Bateman said:


> richg99 said:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ce-smith-company-post-style-boat-guide-ons-2-pack#repChildCatid=13240
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice. Those are the same I use I believe. 4' height.
Click to expand...


X2. Had the same ones on the old trailer. They are now sitting in the shed waiting for the new trailer to show up.


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## LDUBS

overboard said:


> LDUBS said:
> 
> 
> 
> I do have to wade out in about 12" to 18" of water to get to the winch (I ain't balancing on a trailer tongue).
> 
> That's why I put a walk board on, the older I get the wider the board! :lol:
Click to expand...


Swing tongue hinge prevented me from doing that on the old trailer. But I like the idea. Might be able to do something with the new trailer. Going to have to be pretty darn wide. Haha.


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## jethro

I only power load when it's windy or there is a current. All other times I throw it out by hand and drag it onto the bunks with the bow line. I have a power winch on my big boat, it's awesome.


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## eshaw

Loading with a power winch, that's roughing it! :LOL2:


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## richg99

*Power Winch*

I guess the day I made the decision to buy a power winch was when I slipped ...again...on the launch's slime coating. I decided that one more slip and my fishing days might be over (at my advanced age). 

Now, I am INSIDE of the boat while the power winch does its job. 
So far, I feel lazy but enjoy it.


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## jethro

eshaw said:


> Loading with a power winch, that's roughing it! :LOL2:



Boat is 2400lbs, it sure is nice, let me tell you.


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## New River Rat

richg99 said:


> Power loading was ..verboten.. on some ramps in Wisconsin.
> 
> I watched some older guys go through a lot of wading and contortions trying to get their boats onto their trailers. And that was with NO current, just lakes.



I suppose I would take a fine. 35º-37º water is no wadeable option for me. I do what I must for big smallmouth.


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## eshaw

jethro said:


> eshaw said:
> 
> 
> 
> Loading with a power winch, that's roughing it! :LOL2:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Boat is 2400lbs, it sure is nice, let me tell you.
Click to expand...


I'll just bet it is! I couldn't imagine trying to load a boat that size on my lonesome without some sort of help. What kind of boat is it?


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## jethro

eshaw said:


> jethro said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> eshaw said:
> 
> 
> 
> Loading with a power winch, that's roughing it! :LOL2:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Boat is 2400lbs, it sure is nice, let me tell you.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> What kind of boat is it?
Click to expand...


It's a tin boat, so it qualifys here! LOL! It's a 2003 Sylvan ProFish 2100.


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## overboard

Thinking about the OP about an hour ago! Loaded the boat in a current, little windy, and the ends of the bunks were about 3" out of the water!
Side guides, bunk slicks, and the walk board sure made things a lot easier, even managed to get it centered on the first try!


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## Scott F

An update to my original post. I replaced the guide-ons that came with my trailer for ones that were a little taller and I could adjust much closer to the hull. I also added a keel roller underneath, about half way up the trailer. I put the boat in today, caught some white bass in the Illinois River and had very little problems getting the boat back on the trailer. The current at the launch I used today was much slower that where I previously launched but the ramp was shallower. I drove it on, had to back up once to get the front lined up better, and once the rig was pulled out a bit, the boat settled right where it was supposed to be. Thanks for the assistance.
Of course when I got home, I found one of the trailer tie downs was gone and the other just hanging on by one hook. New ratcheting tie downs have been ordered. Even after all these years of boat ownership I am still surprised by all the additional spending even a new boat requires. I know I'm not telling most of you anything you don't already know. :LOL2:


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## richg99

Great!


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## Crazyboat

Forgive this post as I don't trailer my boat. I have watched many boats pull into slips with heavy current and maybe you can do this.

If you can install guard rails on the trailer that give maybe 8" of play at the stern end and 2" at the bow/hitch end, you approach from down stream, nudge the bow into the opening from a 45 degree angle, once the bow is in the hole, you gun her up onto the trailer, connect the winch and your done. The rails will guide you on straight and be almost centered each time.

If I sound crazy, well, just look at the name, but that's what I'd do if I wad that much trouble.


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## Scott F

Crazyboat said:


> Forgive this post as I don't trailer my boat. I have watched many boats pull into slips with heavy current and maybe you can do this.
> 
> If you can install guard rails on the trailer that give maybe 8" of play at the stern end and 2" at the bow/hitch end, you approach from down stream, nudge the bow into the opening from a 45 degree angle, once the bow is in the hole, you gun her up onto the trailer, connect the winch and your done. The rails will guide you on straight and be almost centered each time.
> 
> If I sound crazy, well, just look at the name, but that's what I'd do if I wad that much trouble.



Except for the guides on the bow end, I had 8" of play on the stern end guides and that was what was giving me all the problems. The current would push the stern up against one of the guides and the strakes on the bottom would not slide over the bunks to let it get centered. Tighter guides on the stern prevent it from getting too far offline. An extra set of guides closer to the bow would probably help too, but I think the center roller guide is doing the same thing.


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## captain belly

JL8Jeff said:


> I have never tried to drive a boat onto a trailer. I'm so used to walking it out and pushing it past the trailer and then pulling it back in and centering it on the bunks or rollers as I hook up the manual winch strap.



Nice to see someone else do this. I thought I was the only one. I have a long rope, and just push the boat way out and let the current take it. when it's 'almost' square with the trailer, I'll pull the boat in far enough into the trailer that I can hook to the winch. I'm getting ready to make a nice platform on the tongue so I can keep my feet dry. I've used this method for 30 years, and it's never failed me.


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## tracker101

captain belly said:


> JL8Jeff said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have never tried to drive a boat onto a trailer. I'm so used to walking it out and pushing it past the trailer and then pulling it back in and centering it on the bunks or rollers as I hook up the manual winch strap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice to see someone else do this. I thought I was the only one. I have a long rope, and just push the boat way out and let the current take it. when it's 'almost' square with the trailer, I'll pull the boat in far enough into the trailer that I can hook to the winch. I'm getting ready to make a nice platform on the tongue so I can keep my feet dry. I've used this method for 30 years, and it's never failed me.
Click to expand...

 Yep ,, that,s what I do also, except I do keep some rubber boots in the truck in case I have to step out in the water a bit.


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## RaisedByWolves

captain belly said:


> JL8Jeff said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have never tried to drive a boat onto a trailer. I'm so used to walking it out and pushing it past the trailer and then pulling it back in and centering it on the bunks or rollers as I hook up the manual winch strap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice to see someone else do this. I thought I was the only one. I have a long rope, and just push the boat way out and let the current take it. when it's 'almost' square with the trailer, I'll pull the boat in far enough into the trailer that I can hook to the winch. I'm getting ready to make a nice platform on the tongue so I can keep my feet dry. I've used this method for 30 years, and it's never failed me.
Click to expand...


To add to this, use a line attached to the stern on the upwind/up river side of the boat held in the hand on that same side. When the boat touches the rear most roller you can then steady it with this rope to keep it straight.

Then you dont even need the rear most roller in much water, then just walk out with the winch rope, hook it on and commence cranking.

If its too cold to wade have a loop on your bow line and or walk the plank to attach the winch line.


I have single handedly retrieved an 18' Chris Craft cabin cruiser (3000lbs) with this method and its so simple after a few tries you'll wonder why you ever did anything else.


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## -CN-

captain belly said:


> JL8Jeff said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have never tried to drive a boat onto a trailer. I'm so used to walking it out and pushing it past the trailer and then pulling it back in and centering it on the bunks or rollers as I hook up the manual winch strap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice to see someone else do this. I thought I was the only one. I have a long rope, and just push the boat way out and let the current take it. when it's 'almost' square with the trailer, I'll pull the boat in far enough into the trailer that I can hook to the winch. I'm getting ready to make a nice platform on the tongue so I can keep my feet dry. I've used this method for 30 years, and it's never failed me.
Click to expand...

I have always done it this way as well.

The long rope (about 2 ft. longer than the length of my trailer) is useful for solo launching the boat too. I connect the rope to my boat, lay it loosely rolled on top of the front deck, and connect the other end to my truck hitch. I then just have to back in until it floats and it won't float away.


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## LDUBS

-CN- said:


> captain belly said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> JL8Jeff said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have never tried to drive a boat onto a trailer. I'm so used to walking it out and pushing it past the trailer and then pulling it back in and centering it on the bunks or rollers as I hook up the manual winch strap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice to see someone else do this. I thought I was the only one. I have a long rope, and just push the boat way out and let the current take it. when it's 'almost' square with the trailer, I'll pull the boat in far enough into the trailer that I can hook to the winch. I'm getting ready to make a nice platform on the tongue so I can keep my feet dry. I've used this method for 30 years, and it's never failed me.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I have always done it this way as well.
> 
> The long rope (about 2 ft. longer than the length of my trailer) is useful for solo launching the boat too. I connect the rope to my boat, lay it loosely rolled on top of the front deck, and connect the other end to my truck hitch. I then just have to back in until it floats and it won't float away.
Click to expand...



I'm lucky all the ramps I use have a dock so walking the boat onto the trailer is real easy. Ain't going to be climbing over the bow and trying to balance on the trailer tongue, so forget about driving it on. Haha. 

Launching solo, I hold the bow line out my driver's side window.


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## jethro

New River Rat said:


> I suppose I would take a fine. 35º-37º water is no wadeable option for me. I do what I must for big smallmouth.




I coldwater fish in Maine at iceout. Water is right around those temps and I hand load that big beast pictured above all the time. A pair of tall Muck boots live in the back seat of the truck until Mid June when they are replaced by a pair of Crocs.


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