trailer loading probs

[tvano]

Regardless, I will need to apply to wet bunks.

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let me know what you find out

[denjoe]

I used liquid rollers on wet bunks, works awesome. I have had no problems since I used it.

Joe

[2 ThumbsUp]

Liquid Rollers instructions also suggest applying to dry bunks and letting the product dry before putting the trailer in the water.

Ended up stopping by the ramp about an hour before we actually pulled the boat out today...so I ended up following the instructions.

The liquid rollers works awesome. I was able to load the boat onto the trailer without any issues. $13 well spent...

[Slurpee]

It works maybe 20% on wet bunks. I sprayed on wet bunks once and it DID help a lot. A couple weeks later I had an all day trip to the lake and applied it then. Holy cow. It's like sliding on ice. You don't need much thrust at all any more.

[tvano]

thanks for the feedback, all.

still undecided.

boat is never off the trailer for more than 3 or 4 sets each.

bunks will never be dry.

probably worth trying it wet rather than go thru the bs of returning it.

thanks again.

[Slurpee]

See if your dealer will put it on one of those boat show display stands next time your drive by for a half hour. My dealer offered that once because I was complaining about the same situation once. Turned out I just needed a good family visit weekend.

[huskydawg]

Be carefule of sprays or Liquid Rails-I have heard was stories about steep boat ramp and unhooking the boat?

EW

[RiverRunner]

I was having some of the problems mentioned above bought a can of liquid rollers put the boat in the water in the morning, stopped back by the trailer at lunch time sprayed on the liquid rollers came back in the evening and WOW it was like I had new bunk carpet. If you had just applied it and were coming down a STEEP ramp and hit the brakes, with no bow strap, I could see how a boat could slide off the trailer.

Bottom Line: Liquid Rollers is worth the money in my book

[SacRiverRat]

You should always leave you bow strap cliped on... with or without the stuff... When the stuff was fresh, my boat would regularly slip on the ramp (because I'd loosen the bow strap) with the strap tight by the time I went to unhook it at the water

[D-GOOSE]

Just picked up my liquid rollers at Western marine. $15.00 with tax. I hope to put it on this weekend.

[stewart]

You should always leave you bow strap cliped on... with or without the stuff... When the stuff was fresh, my boat would regularly slip on the ramp (because I'd loosen the bow strap) with the strap tight by the time I went to unhook it at the water

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Yup! I saw a 38' Nordic sitting on the ramp in Havasu, slipped right off the trailer.

[stewart]

Just picked up my liquid rollers at Western marine. $15.00 with tax. I hope to put it on this weekend.

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Make sure you keep the bow strap connected until you in the H20. You don't want to have that puppy slip off, and it could.......

[D-GOOSE]

Were's the bow strap

[stewart]

Were's the bow strap  

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[Boomer]

If you want to be a little anal and don't mind getting your feet wet (I'm usually wearing my swim trunks anyway), you can float the boat into the trailer, and it doesn't rub the bunks at all.

Since my hull is black, I have to take extra precautions while loading to prevent hull scratches.

When retrieving, I basically back the trailer all the way under, until the top of the front "V" bunk is even with the surface. This puts the front roller about 16-inches or so above the surface, just under the nose of the boat. (Extreme trailer)

I stand in the water beside the trailer near the front, and my wife brings the boat in very slowly, and right as she gets into the trailer reverses gently to completely stop the boat, usually about 2 feet from the roller. At this point, she's just sitting there motionless, on top of the trailer.

I grab the boat to guide it, she puts it in gear, and it goes right onto the roller. I attach the winch strap, and pull it up the final 6 inches or so, tight.

At this point, the boat hasn't even touched the rear bunks, and has barely touched the V-bunk in front, if at all.

I then pull the whole thing out slowly, and the boat guides itself down, sitting gently on the bunks, usually centered perfectly.

It sounds like it takes a long time, but in reality it's usually as fast, or very close, as doing it the normal way and driving up on the bunks. Benefits are no scratches on hull, and my carpet on the bunks still looks almost new, after a year.

I drop the boat off in reverse. Back down the ramp until the water inlet is under water. Wife starts engine to be sure it will crank, and I take off the winch strap.

Then I just slowly back her in until it floats off.

[trreid]

I do the same as Boomer, and it works really well- but I like to have someone keep a hand on the boat as I pull the trailer out to make sure it settles down on the bunks properly.

This also seems to be the best method for my solo launches & pullouts- I'm going to get wet anyways.

[SacRiverRat]

My "old" boat requires multiple dunkings to get it to settle on the trailer right if I float it on... Once the bow strap is hooked, it doesn't seem to want to sit right - Used to look like a serious rookie having to reposition on the ramp (pull out to check the strakes, see that it is sitting on them, back back in.. repeat) Loading with the trailer shallow, and lubed bunks, it loads like a dream - and no gel damage.

Besides who would see it, when it is in the water, any minor bunk marks would be under water, and when on the trailer.. it is on the bunks

[WakeGirl]

If your trailer & boat are properly set up for one another & the ramp is good & level, then Boomer's method works fine. But if any of those variables are out of whack then it won't work so well.

[NorCaliBu]

Where's the bow strap  

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It's the strap that holds the bow.

This morning, launching by myself at about 6:20AM, I wasn't thinking and went into auto-pilot (at the top of the ramp) removing the transom straps, putting in the plug, release the bow strap....wait a minute, don't do that... I had just released the tooth that holds the winch tight and pulled a little strap off the spool to release the hook and the boat started sliding off the trailer. Talk about pucker... Flipped that little lever back into place on the winch and stopped what would have been the death of my brand new prop.

If you use Liquid Rollers (or any bunk lube) make sure that you do not release the bow strap until you are in the water.

[srud]

Where's the bow strap  

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It's the strap that holds the bow.

This morning, launching by myself at about 6:20AM, I wasn't thinking and went into auto-pilot (at the top of the ramp) removing the transom straps, putting in the plug, release the bow strap....wait a minute, don't do that... I had just released the tooth that holds the winch tight and pulled a little strap off the spool to release the hook and the boat started sliding off the trailer. Talk about pucker... Flipped that little lever back into place on the winch and stopped what would have been the death of my brand new prop.

If you use Liquid Rollers (or any bunk lube) make sure that you do not release the bow strap until you are in the water.

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Yikes. It's a good thing it started sliding before you got the hook undone. It would have been tough trying to rehook a moving boat.