2017 23lsv Prop Damaged Loading on Trailer

[rbar]

Hey Guys,  Glad to be apart of the crew.  I recently purchased a 2017 23lsv.  It's been on the water three times and I just finished the break in.  Took it back to the dealer and they called saying my prop was destroyed.  That it hit the trailer during the loading process.  I went to check it out and it definitely hit the trailer and destroyed the prop.  Anyone else have a issue damaging the prop on the trailer while getting off the lake.  I never felt or heard anything which blows my mind looking at the damage and it equally blows my mind that the prop could actually hit the trailer while loading.  I've had a boat for 15 plus years and just can't imagine this happened without me knowing.  I've also never owned a boat that the prop could actually hit the trailer.  Seems like a terrible trailer design.  

[Sride]

Happens all the time. Many of the models have a tight cage in the back and if the trailer is backed too deep and the boat is loaded up with power its going to swing out and you are off to the races. Replace or recondition your prop and your back in business. I would be very surprised if the prop can't be fixed. Take it to a propeller shop and have them recondition it. Generally runs $150-$200.

Edited June 26, 2017 by Sride

[billjames]

Do not power load.... or just a little and finish with winch, I just put the boat on the trailer with almost no power load and after the driver backed up when I winch the boat on the trailer. Easy, no mark, no strength needed, boat automatically position itself correctly on the bunks. It might depend on your ramp inclinaison but you should try.

[minnmarker]

Welcome to the world of inboards...  Did you take off the trailer guide posts or get really crossed up while loading?

I/O's are so much simpler to drive but not as much fun!

[bamabonners]

I did it to a brand new prop the friday before Memorial weekend...  yep, brand new prop.  got the trailer in a little too deep and the boat drifted while I was power loading... last time power loading for me.  Now, I dunk the trailer to wet the whole bunk, then pull it up a little shallower.. drive up until the trailer catches the boat, wench it the rest.  easy peazy..

[tccombs]

This is one reason not to power load,     but the other  reason  is that it is also hard on your bunks...  the friction from power loading   can rip up the  bunk carpet.   and even rip out the bunk rails  too

 

Just this weekend,  i saw a guy at the ramp trying to be  the quick  and cool guy  at the ramp..    He unclipped front and rear of the boat .(never a good idea)  then backed in  quickly into the water  then braked  hard to launch the boat at the last moment... He never left the truck.    saw his buddy float off   then drove off to go park the trailer quickly .    maybe we should call  this the "power- unload"   anyway  right after he did  it     One whole bunk rail comes floating up to the surface..  Then you see  his buddy grab it...  chase his speeding friend  up the hill after him carring a bunk rail...  folks just laughing at them... 

 

So power unloading is also bad for bunk rails too.     

[Steve B.]

I did the power load for years, stopping about 6 years ago. Fisherman dude said just try it. Haven't looked back. It' so much easier on the boat.

Steve B.

[Fman]

Fwiw - when I drive on the trailer I put the center bunks just in so they are submerged.  This helps align the boat better and also stop it if you come in too hot.  After I drive the boat onto center bunks and stop, hook up winch to secure boat, back truck down more and then hand crank on.

I also have passengers move to the stern to free up some weight on the bow.

This method seems to work good for us.  The one time I did damage bunks/chipped my hull was when I put the trailer too deep.

[TallRedRider]

I don't think I could get my  prop to hit the trailer no matter what I do (nautique G23), as long as it is between the guideposts, unless I frankly try to drive a circle around the guidepost itself, which would mean I am so deep that the bed of the truck is in the water.  I have heard of this on other boats.  I am guessing you were way too deep.  

I have my wife back the trailer in until the bunks are barely under, then I slide up on them.  That still leaves me about 2 feet away from the bow stop and would require some Herculean effort to get the boat all the way forward.  Once I clip the boat, then she backs down some more and I wind her up.  The boat is pretty much always centered, and no risk of hitting the prop cage.  

EDIT: @Fman hit the send button while I was typing!  I was taught this method by the Malibu dealer in Las Vegas, and it has served me very well.  

 

Edited June 27, 2017 by TallRedRider

[Sride]

1 hour ago, TallRedRider said:

I don't think I could get my  prop to hit the trailer no matter what I do (nautique G23), as long as it is between the guideposts, unless I frankly try to drive a circle around the guidepost itself, which would mean I am so deep that the bed of the truck is in the water.  I have heard of this on other boats.  I am guessing you were way too deep. 

 

My buddy trashed the prop on his G23 about a month after he took delivery. Some of them come with different trailers and the G23 prop is the size of the titanic (for a good reason, awesome boat).

[Sride]

Just so you don't feel bad have a look at this. Yes, guide post weld broke off on the aluminum trailer. BAM!  I was power loading the crap out of it.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNknJ857vl0HkrbaOtzSTSeWt5hOeAOP-fTQ8T8hYrSCOKtUvWRY6ZlnmB09YUbgA?key=MHpULUpMdzQ2Q3YyZ3M5dzRQX3BPTmN4WGRoTG1B

When I asked the prop guy is this a bad prop strike he started laughing at me. Said he doesn't get concerned until the prop is bent to the roots and the key is torn off. He not only fixed the prop but re-welded both guides to make them stronger. Been a couple hundred hours since this adventure.

As someone else stated, a lot also depends on the ramp. I have had a strap fail pulling out, use the chain!

Edited June 27, 2017 by Sride

[nyryan2001]

1 hour ago, TallRedRider said:

I don't think I could get my  prop to hit the trailer no matter what I do (nautique G23), as long as it is between the guideposts, unless I frankly try to drive a circle around the guidepost itself, which would mean I am so deep that the bed of the truck is in the water.  I have heard of this on other boats.  I am guessing you were way too deep.  

I have my wife back the trailer in until the bunks are barely under, then I slide up on them.  That still leaves me about 2 feet away from the bow stop and would require some Herculean effort to get the boat all the way forward.  Once I clip the boat, then she backs down some more and I wind her up.  The boat is pretty much always centered, and no risk of hitting the prop cage.  

EDIT: @Fman hit the send button while I was typing!  I was taught this method by the Malibu dealer in Las Vegas, and it has served me very well.  

 

I've got 700+ hrs between my Gs.  First time out this year I hammered the prop along the side of the prop cage.

[JeffC]

Glad to have read this, did not consider that I could potentially tear up a prop.   As of today, my load method is changed permanently. 

[racer808]

My wife took out some metal, went right through a bunk board & half of the one next to it & the prop went 15" to 8".  Good news is you got your first boo boo out of the way!

[rbar]

Thanks Guys,  I will officially be floating the boat on and off the trailer moving forward.  Now to get back out on the water.  

[90oldskool]

25 minutes ago, rbar said:

Thanks Guys,  I will officially be floating the boat on and off the trailer moving forward.  Now to get back out on the water.  

grab a can of liquid roller for $15 and the boat will slide right up with the winch. After 2 years of power loading , I tried liquid roller and I was shocked. same boat/ramp is now effortless. 

[TallRedRider]

1 hour ago, 90oldskool said:

grab a can of liquid roller for $15 and the boat will slide right up with the winch. After 2 years of power loading , I tried liquid roller and I was shocked. same boat/ramp is now effortless. 

The only downside I can imagine is that I would be extra careful about unstrapping the boat when backing down the ramp, it may slide off easier too.  

It is good practice to leave the strap connected until at the bottom of the ramp, but I see it all the time where folks remove the strap in the parking lot above and then back down.  

[racer808]

7 minutes ago, TallRedRider said:

The only downside I can imagine is that I would be extra careful about unstrapping the boat when backing down the ramp, it may slide off easier too.  

It is good practice to leave the strap connected until at the bottom of the ramp, but I see it all the time where folks remove the strap in the parking lot above and then back down.  

We have to, we launch from a beach, no docks at our lake.  I back up till it floats & off she goes.  Have to power load as well but we have that down. Sucks when windy though.

[isellacuras]

I don't powerload any more because of this. I got my prop a couple years ago on the left side of prop cage. I was centered up and slowly powering on to the trailer when the tail walked out a bit and just barely caught he edge. 

[RyanB]

Looking at my trailer, I am really surprised that this is a danger.  With the trailer guide posts, I don't think my boat can go far enough over to have the prop hit the trailer.  I guess I am wrong.

[ConnollyCrew]

On 6/26/2017 at 2:23 PM, rbar said:

Hey Guys,  Glad to be apart of the crew.  I recently purchased a 2017 23lsv.  It's been on the water three times and I just finished the break in.  Took it back to the dealer and they called saying my prop was destroyed.  That it hit the trailer during the loading process.  I went to check it out and it definitely hit the trailer and destroyed the prop.  Anyone else have a issue damaging the prop on the trailer while getting off the lake.  I never felt or heard anything which blows my mind looking at the damage and it equally blows my mind that the prop could actually hit the trailer while loading.  I've had a boat for 15 plus years and just can't imagine this happened without me knowing.  I've also never owned a boat that the prop could actually hit the trailer.  Seems like a terrible trailer design.  

Sounds like your trailer was not deep enough. I power load my boat every time out and find that when my front bunks are juuuuts under the water I doi not have any issues. BE careful to not go too deep as you can damage the bow. Good luck, this has happened to most. Food for thought, most props can be repaired for 150 if you are willing to send it off...just saying..

Edited June 28, 2017 by ConnollyCrew

[williemon]

Even when i had an I/O i never powered on or off. Yea, guys may laugh at me, and i may take a bit longer, but ive never banged my prop in the 18 years i been boating. 

[shadetreefab]

We float on and off and are some of the quickest at are ramp.

[TallRedRider]

On 6/27/2017 at 9:31 AM, racer808 said:

We have to, we launch from a beach, no docks at our lake.  I back up till it floats & off she goes.  Have to power load as well but we have that down. Sucks when windy though.

What I mean is that you should back down to the edge of the water, disconnect the boat, then back the rest of the way in.  Sometimes I think those pictures of boats laying on the boat ramp happened when someone was backing down and stopped suddenly before they reached the water, and off slid the boat.  I do not wait to be in the water to disconnect, but I put the back of the trailer only a few feet on the ramp.  

[TomH]

We don't full-on power load, but do use some power.  My wife drives on, lets it slide to a rest in neutral.  I clip the winch and she gives me idle or a little above just to assist the winching, but not enough to throw material at the ramp.  I also unhook before launching, but like red I back most of the way down, get out, unhook, then finish backing in and let my wife float off with the boat.