# Trailer question - centering an issue



## alldaysit (Feb 21, 2016)

I have a trailer with roller bunks and it is old. It came with the 1966 Alumacraft I purchased so it may even be the original trailer. The problem I have is loading it by myself. It's a freaking nightmare. I used to have a bass boat (Ranger 373v) that I could load easily in seconds. This little 15 ft boat sometimes takes me 15 minutes to get the thing centered on the trailer. It has the 4" roller in the center back of the trailer that is impossible to hit when in the boat in the water, to get the boat started on the trailer. 

My question,

Can anyone give me advice on improving the trailer or should I start looking for a new one. I miss the simplicity of the bass boat where I would just drive it up the bunks hook it up to the eyes and pull it out of the water. 

Maybe it would be easy to add two boarded bunks to help or something. 

Thanks,

Luke


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Feb 21, 2016)

Look for side bunks.


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## Johnny (Feb 21, 2016)

Just look at other boats at your landing - see what they are doing.




and WELCOME aboard !!!


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## richg99 (Feb 21, 2016)

I added pipe guide-ons, similar to the ones shown above.

I also added a custom-made Centering device. It seems to help immensely, though I have only been out a few times since I modified it to fit my present new hull.

The key to making it was one part that I bought at McLain trailer in Houston for $15.00 or so. If you want, I'll try to find a LINK or get a closer picture of it. 

Those "wings" that direct the hull towards the center are made out of schedule 80 PVC though schedule 40 would probably work just fine. richg99


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## alldaysit (Feb 21, 2016)

richg99 said:


> I added pipe guide-ons, similar to the ones shown above.
> 
> I also added a custom-made Centering device. It seems to help immensely, though I have only been out a few times since I modified it to fit my present new hull.
> 
> ...



That looks like what I need. If you could send me the link that would be awesome!

Thanks a lot everyone for the replies.


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## richg99 (Feb 21, 2016)

Already checked their site. No such picture available. I'll keep looking. Where are you located?

richg99


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## richg99 (Feb 21, 2016)

I was unable to find the part on the McLain site, but I did find one that looks to be the same. I had to add two aluminum flat bars to fit below the trailer's channel. I coundn't find square U bolts that would fit the holes, so I substituted four 3 1/2 or maybe 4-inch galvanized bolts and nuts. 

Hope you can figure out what I did to make it work. richg99







https://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/p-5545-hanger-spring-bolt-on-ctr-eq-5-3-4-glv.aspx


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## richg99 (Feb 22, 2016)

I've never owned a roller trailer.

I have read of real issues with the hulls of tinnys being dented by rollers. Not meaning the rollers that ride along the keel. 

Just rollers that take the place of normal carpeted bunks.

Just FYI. richg99


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## alldaysit (Feb 22, 2016)

I am in northern Wisconsin. 

After thinking and looking at my trailer. It seems the roller furthest towards the back of the boat does not even support the boat. It's just there to help load it. I haven't had my coffee yet this morning lol and I cannot even remember my basic boat terms. It seems it's just there for guidance. I looked online and found some other methods to help load the thing:

I seen a couple bunks where the owners just made a ^ in the trailer for guidance and pointed the ^ towards the front of the boat. This may be what I have to do. 

I am assuming I should make additions to the trailer while the boat is on the trailer. What do you guys think?

I installed the goalposts on the trailer but they do not help when loading my 15' V.


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## richg99 (Feb 22, 2016)

I had to make up my "centering device" with the boat nearby. Had to take measurements of angles and heights. No trouble putting it on with the boat in place, either.

IMHO, the "goal posts" are there to keep the stern from swinging side to side when the wind is blowing. The "centering device" is there to help my aim when I run the boat up on the trailer.

I used to fish Southern Wisconsin. NO POWER loading of trailers was even allowed there.

richg99


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## alldaysit (Feb 22, 2016)

Thanks a lot. I don't care about power loading, I just want to make it somewhat feasible to load the boat without going into the water every time. Some of the landings around here are more or less "a spot on the bank where you back the boat in". No concrete, no pier, just dirt and gravel.


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## richg99 (Feb 22, 2016)

Yes, there were a fair number of those "launches" where I fished, too.

Today, I took my new hull, with the resized "centering device" on it to a lake. This is the third time that I had the new rig on the water.

I had a devil of a time getting the boat on the trailer, even with the device. I suddenly realized what the issue was. It MAY be the same problem that you are having. 

Fiberglass hulls normally do not have as pronounced "Strakes" protruding from the bottom as do aluminum hulls. Aluminum hulls have to have those protrusions because they provide some of the strength and rigidity that is needed.

What I believe happened to me today is that I got one of the Strakes on the wrong side of the bunk. No matter how much I pushed and pulled, I couldn't get the bow over to center. My "centering device" made contact with the hull too late to do any good!

I had to climb into the water and manually push the hull off of the bunks. I then could pull the hull over to the center, and crank her back up. Sounds like what you described.

Arriving at my boat barn, I looked under the trailer and found that the bunk on one side of the boat is not in the center/flat area of the hull. It is positioned right along side the Strake. I think that, if it were moved an inch or so to one side, it would more easily "find" the center flat areas, and I'd have less chance of dropping my Strake on the wrong side of the bunk.

All of this could be alleviated if I could aim the boat better, but, I know that with wind and current, that isn't going to happen each and every time. I will move the bunk over the next time I have her in the water, and give recovering the hull another shot. 

If that doesn't work, I'll keep on trying to find a solution to the loading problem. 

regards, richg99


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