Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Need some vauable advice and tips/tricks on loading onto trailer.


cmcgee82

Recommended Posts

I just purchased my first boat about a month ago and got the chance to take it out one time before the winter set in. I had a little trouble loading onto the trailer......... i am not gonna lie, it took me about 20min to load it on right. At first i noticed the trailer was crooked in the water (being that one guide poll stuck out further than the other) and had no success loading it on straight. I pulled the trailer to the other side of the ramp and got the trailer in the water to where it was level on both sides. I now realize that that is an important part of loading the boat, but still troubling me was anytime i would hit reverse right before coming in contact with the trailer the back would push out and i would have to back completely out and start over. I need your help, tips and tricks to loading the boat onto the trailer. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

Link to comment

I just purchased my first boat about a month ago and got the chance to take it out one time before the winter set in. I had a little trouble loading onto the trailer......... i am not gonna lie, it took me about 20min to load it on right. At first i noticed the trailer was crooked in the water (being that one guide poll stuck out further than the other) and had no success loading it on straight. I pulled the trailer to the other side of the ramp and got the trailer in the water to where it was level on both sides. I now realize that that is an important part of loading the boat, but still troubling me was anytime i would hit reverse right before coming in contact with the trailer the back would push out and i would have to back completely out and start over. I need your help, tips and tricks to loading the boat onto the trailer. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

There are a lot of threads here on this topic, but the key basics are as follows:

1. ANY movement of the boat MUST be SLOW.

2. Only put your trailer in deep enough to just cover the fenders

3. When moving the boat at all, go slow

4. On the boat, slow is better then any other speed

5. In reverse these boats will ONLY move to the right

6. In reverse you should move slowly

7. When approaching the trailer, come in SLOWLY at an angle that is slightly canted to the left, so when you slowly hit reverse and rear end moves to the right, you should be straight for the last slow push onto the bunks.

8. If you do anything, do it slowly

9. Once you get the boat to contact the bunks, it should self center if the trailer is level which you discovered.

10. Now that you are centered on the bunks, apply power, sometimes copiously, to drive it up almost to the front roller. if done correctly you should only have to winch a foot or so.

11. You can and should practice low speed manuevering in deep water away from anything hard so you become comfortable with how much it moves and in which direction and how much easier it is if you do things SLOWLY. Throw some bumpers or cushions in the water to act as docks, trailer posts etc.

With a little practice you will become expert rapidly.

And don't forget the key word . . . . . . . . SLOW!!!

Edited by Baddog
Link to comment

There are a lot of threads here on this topic, but the key basics are as follows:

1. ANY movement of the boat MUST be SLOW.

2. Only put your trailer in deep enough to just cover the fenders

3. When moving the boat at all, go slow

4. On the boat, slow is better then any other speed

5. In reverse these boats will ONLY move to the right

6. In reverse you should move slowly

7. When approaching the trailer, come in SLOWLY at an angle that is slightly canted to the left, so when you slowly hit reverse and rear end moves to the right, you should be straight for the last slow push onto the bunks.

8. If you do anything, do it slowly

9. Once you get the boat to contact the bunks, it should self center if the trailer is level which you discovered.

10. Now that you are centered on the bunks, apply power, sometimes copiously, to drive it up almost to the front roller. if done correctly you should only have to winch a foot or so.

11. You can and should practice low speed manuevering in deep water away from anything hard so you become comfortable with how much it moves and in which direction and how much easier it is if you do things SLOWLY. Throw some bumpers or cushions in the water to act as docks, trailer posts etc.

With a little practice you will become expert rapidly.

And don't forget the key word . . . . . . . . SLOW!!!

^^ Good advice on the slow bit. You can bump it from neutral to forward to slow it down a bit as you approach the trailer, but remember steering is very sluggish to say the least when in neutral.

After teaching my wife to pull the boat on the trailer I can tell you the biggest thing that helped her was coming at the trailer form a distance. This lets her eye it all up and get the boat tracking perfectly straight before actually coming onto the trailer. If she is coming onto the trailer crooked she just gives up and loops around for another pass. Usually this is because she went for it without first getting the boat tracking straight at the trailer. She is becoming a pro at it now. Like anything else it comes with practice. Good luck!

Link to comment

Once you are centered coming into the trailer just use small bumps of the throttle to bring you on. Once you're on the trailer let the boat settle into bunks then power up. You should'nt have to use reverse unless you are backing off for another try. I applied some spray to the bunks and this helped tremendously with winching the last foot or so. Just be careful the stuff is real slippery.

Link to comment

As was mentioned, taking it slow is the most important part. We launch/recover on a sand/mud ramp so I never have a level trailer. I just put the trailer a little shallower than normal to make sure the boat will self correct as I winch it on.

Another bit of advice is use small steering inputs and wait for the boat to respond. I see a lot of newer drivers frantically cranking the wheel lock to lock to keep the boat straight when going slow. Small inputs and patience work fine.

Throw a ski or wake board out in open water and try to maneuver up to it so you can grab it from the drivers seat. Low speed practice like this will help you when it comes time to trailer the boat.

Link to comment

SAFETY: Make sure no one is standing in front of the trailer (like at the winch) when loading the boat on the trailer. I've heard horror stories of people getting crushed by the boat (in between boat and tow vehicle) due to the driver inadvertently bumping throttle forward when loading it up. The helper at the winch (if necessary) can step in to latch/winch the boat after the engine is cut off.

The other techniques listed are all good.

Link to comment

practice, practice, practice.

go to a quiet ramp and just go on and off the trailer several times until you feel natural.

if you have someone that needs practice driving / backing / etc. have them go along and actually pull theboat out of the water, loop around, back it in, load it up. Rinse, repeat.

Link to comment

When you dump the boat off watch where the trailer is in the water when the boat stars to float off. When you are putting it back on the trailer the trailer should be a little less deep. Drive the boat straight on slowly, you wont need to reverse. All ramps are different but steep ones require the trailer to be more out of the water because of the angle.

Link to comment

Like every one else said go slow and practice. This works both with the wife driving the truck and boat. I taught her by using the plastic channel markers at havasu on a slow day. We spent about 2 hours practicing launching and retrieving then slow speed manuvering. I had her use the bouys because they would float around and stayed in the same spot. Then we moved on to other boats and then the docks. She's an expert now and tells others on the ramp how to do it.

Yahoo.gif

Link to comment
There are a lot of threads here on this topic, but the key basics are as follows:

1. ANY movement of the boat MUST be SLOW.

2. Only put your trailer in deep enough to just cover the fenders

3. When moving the boat at all, go slow

4. On the boat, slow is better then any other speed

5. In reverse these boats will ONLY move to the right

6. In reverse you should move slowly

7. When approaching the trailer, come in SLOWLY at an angle that is slightly canted to the left, so when you slowly hit reverse and rear end moves to the right, you should be straight for the last slow push onto the bunks.

8. If you do anything, do it slowly

9. Once you get the boat to contact the bunks, it should self center if the trailer is level which you discovered.

10. Now that you are centered on the bunks, apply power, sometimes copiously, to drive it up almost to the front roller. if done correctly you should only have to winch a foot or so.

11. You can and should practice low speed manuevering in deep water away from anything hard so you become comfortable with how much it moves and in which direction and how much easier it is if you do things SLOWLY. Throw some bumpers or cushions in the water to act as docks, trailer posts etc.

With a little practice you will become expert rapidly.

And don't forget the key word . . . . . . . . SLOW!!!

Baddog's main piece of advice seems to be...go slow. :)

But hey, Baddog seems to be a bit slow so...I guess it makes sense. Crazy.gif

:lol:Tease2.gif

J/K...it's good advice. I'm always reminding my boys, there are no brakes to get rid of too much speed so go slow!

Link to comment

Personally, I like to wait until my wife has had several adult beverages and then haul her over to the ramp late in the afternoon just when it's at its busiest time and boats are backed up and tempers are flaring. Then I go get the truck/trailer and put it in the middle ramp with boats on either side of us, so that she has to thread it through traffic, deal with the wakes/wind and swat at the PWCs buzzing around. Once the boat gets a little sideways I then start yelling profanities and calling her names to the point where people stop what they are doing and start watching us. Just when she thinks she has the boat straight, I scream reverse and she hits the throttle and the boat turns 90 degrees, smashes into the trailer guides and I winch it up from there. People thing we have problems loading the boat, I don't know what they are talking about. Oh yeah, just to make her crazy, as I'm walking to the truck, I tell her to make sure the outdrive is up for trailering. You should see her frantically looking for the rocker switch on the throttle handle.

Link to comment
Personally, I like to wait until my wife has had several adult beverages and then haul her over to the ramp late in the afternoon...

:lol: Hey, did you have your boat up here in Nor Cal this summer? I think I saw you. :lol:

Link to comment

if there is wind and/or current it's helpful to keep the bow into whichever is most influential.

heading into it will allow you to keep the prop turning faster (giving you steerage) without increasing boat speed too much.

certainly much more control and less boat speed than following the current(s).

it's also an entertaining and educational afternoon to hang out at the boat ramp and watch the fun; divorce city.

when i get to the ramp i'm always amazed that there isn't a a hand full of lawyers setting up card tables with a shingles.

Edited by tvano
Link to comment

If you have to use reverse to slow down, do it in short, quick bursts & the boat will pull to the side less. You can also come in a bit to one side, knowing that your going to hit reverse & end up in the middle.

We launch on a sandy beach all the time. So an uneven trailer is pretty common. You just have to know that the boat is the right distance from the high trailer guide pole & assume it will be right on the other side. Also, over time power loading will blow sand back & create a hump behind the trailer. Some day the lake level will be a little low & that hump may be a problem. We bent up a prop there a couple years ago...... thats a $100 lesson. Some ramps just make it against the rules because it will cause problems under the concrete slab...... thats another $100 lesson if your caught.

Link to comment

Personally, I like to wait until my wife has had several adult beverages and then haul her over to the ramp late in the afternoon just when it's at its busiest time and boats are backed up and tempers are flaring. Then I go get the truck/trailer and put it in the middle ramp with boats on either side of us, so that she has to thread it through traffic, deal with the wakes/wind and swat at the PWCs buzzing around. Once the boat gets a little sideways I then start yelling profanities and calling her names to the point where people stop what they are doing and start watching us. Just when she thinks she has the boat straight, I scream reverse and she hits the throttle and the boat turns 90 degrees, smashes into the trailer guides and I winch it up from there. People thing we have problems loading the boat, I don't know what they are talking about. Oh yeah, just to make her crazy, as I'm walking to the truck, I tell her to make sure the outdrive is up for trailering. You should see her frantically looking for the rocker switch on the throttle handle.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Hey, there, Wally!

My tips:

- It's tough to do with an inboard at first. Don't despair.

- Start far away, slowly advance.

- How to go slowly: Switch back and forth between neutral and in gear many, many, many times during the whole operation.

- Never use reverse. Messes the whole situation up. I only use reverse to bail entirely if everything's all skewed.

- Once you get the nose in between the guides, the mission's 90% accomplished. Just hook up the winch to the bow and straighten everything out with ease, even if it looks all skewed.

- Have a friend winch to keep the strap tight while you give it some gas, but be careful as mentioned.

- If you're at a non-powering up ramp, you'll need to first get the boat on the trailer (have the tops of the fenders showing) and then back the trailer down a bit after you hook up the winch to be able to float the boat on top.

A problem, however, can occur if you back the boat up too much: When you pull it out, the bow may settle above the winch- boat's not forward enough on the trailer.

Now...here's where the Crew will likely beat me over the head, but what I do in this situation is get the boat out of the water, hook the boat buckles up, find a nice little decline, get some momentum up, then give it a nice firm brake. Sounds ridiculous, but (with trailer brakes) it works every time, and that boat slides nicely forward onto the winch. How does the Crew fix this situation? I'm sure there's a more elegant solution, but using good old gravity and intertia have never failed me...

t

Link to comment

Boat Buddy FTW!

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResults?hvarSearchString=boat+buddy&searchOption=products&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&cm_mmc=Google_AdWords_Search-_-S-Budget_Priority+-+S-Boat_Buddy-_-Exact+match+search+3964388425-_-boat%20buddy%7C-%7C100000010000000286145&cm_guid=1-_-100000010000000286145-_-3964388425

I never winch. Just power up to the buddy and you are locked in.

Seriously though...

Take a long approach dead on to the trailer.

Make sure the wheel is straight and make several minor wheel adjustments while bumping the throttle into gear.

Float onto the trailer until the boat stops. You can use the guides, that is what they are there for. I bounce off mine with regularity.

Finally throttle until you hit the roller...or boat buddy. Clip on, secure winch and drag the boat out of the water.

The hardest part for me was figuring out how deep to drop the trailer in. Top of the gfender is a good rule of thumb, but ramp angle can vary this. Once you get that, just come in slow and use the guides. That's it in a nutshell.

Link to comment

LOL! :lol:

Personally, I like to wait until my wife has had several adult beverages and then haul her over to the ramp late in the afternoon just when it's at its busiest time and boats are backed up and tempers are flaring. Then I go get the truck/trailer and put it in the middle ramp with boats on either side of us, so that she has to thread it through traffic, deal with the wakes/wind and swat at the PWCs buzzing around. Once the boat gets a little sideways I then start yelling profanities and calling her names to the point where people stop what they are doing and start watching us. Just when she thinks she has the boat straight, I scream reverse and she hits the throttle and the boat turns 90 degrees, smashes into the trailer guides and I winch it up from there. People thing we have problems loading the boat, I don't know what they are talking about. Oh yeah, just to make her crazy, as I'm walking to the truck, I tell her to make sure the outdrive is up for trailering. You should see her frantically looking for the rocker switch on the throttle handle.

Link to comment

Maddmax, that is too funny, and sounds a lot like how we do it.

Sometimes she brings it in pretty straight but most of the time she comes in too fast, has to reverse to brake and boat turns at 90 degree angle to trailer, hits guide posts and I scream for her to shut the motor off, so I can do the rest manually. Thats why I always have a throw rope tied to the bow so someone can throw me the rope when she gets close enough, lol.

Oh, and in a wind or current, forget about it, she would not come close to bringing the boat between the guideposts.

Unfortunately, she refuses to learn how to back a trailer, so thats my duty; and the docks are too busy to do both duties. But she is getting better each year.

Link to comment

Baddog's main piece of advice seems to be...go slow. :)

But hey, Baddog seems to be a bit slow so...I guess it makes sense. Crazy.gif

:lol:Tease2.gif

J/K...it's good advice. I'm always reminding my boys, there are no brakes to get rid of too much speed so go slow!

Sometimes SLOW is the only way to go.

One other thing I do to get slow on approach is drop that baby into nuetral for all the speed to bleed off to zero, then just do the bump-in-gear thing that others have noted. Works well.

Edited by Baddog
Link to comment

Just remember don't get rushed!!! Take your time and get it right. Don't let the Maddmaxx's at the ramp get to you. I would rather have 10 wallys yelling at me for taking 3 trys to get my boat on the trailer than have 1 damaged Malibu.

Link to comment

All good suggestions, including berating the spouse.

Another one is have the person behind the tow vehicle back the trailer in so the water is way past the fenders to get the bunks wet & slippery. Then have them pull foward until the water is just over the fenders. Doing this will lube the bunks enough to pull the boat out with the winch, and will also have the trailer out of the water enough so the bunks do the centering for you.

Once you get used to it, reverse works fantastic. It always kicks the back of the boat to the starboard side (driver's side), and throttle position determines how fast/hard it goes in that direction. I can come up next to our pier at 5mph and at a 30 degree angle, looking like I'm going to ram it, then hit the throttle in reverse stopping it dead and sending the back end right over to the pier, and by then I'm back there catching it. On a calm day, not necessary, but on a windy day it is very important. Even with my little 2650lb boat.

It is also important to master that reverse thing when pulling a skier. I look over my right shoulder when getting someone ready, and know that I need the back of the boat facing about 30 degrees to the left of the skier. Then pick up the slack, and with a quick reverse bump and they are getting ready they are in line with the boat. Hard to explain, but once you do it a few times you'll see what I mean.

So my biggest challenge with a DD was mastering the reverse. Get that done and loading/docking/pulling will become much easier.

Link to comment

There are a lot of threads here on this topic, but the key basics are as follows:

1. ANY movement of the boat MUST be SLOW.

2. Only put your trailer in deep enough to just cover the fenders

3. When moving the boat at all, go slow

4. On the boat, slow is better then any other speed

5. In reverse these boats will ONLY move to the right

6. In reverse you should move slowly

7. When approaching the trailer, come in SLOWLY at an angle that is slightly canted to the left, so when you slowly hit reverse and rear end moves to the right, you should be straight for the last slow push onto the bunks.

8. If you do anything, do it slowly

9. Once you get the boat to contact the bunks, it should self center if the trailer is level which you discovered.

10. Now that you are centered on the bunks, apply power, sometimes copiously, to drive it up almost to the front roller. if done correctly you should only have to winch a foot or so.

11. You can and should practice low speed manuevering in deep water away from anything hard so you become comfortable with how much it moves and in which direction and how much easier it is if you do things SLOWLY. Throw some bumpers or cushions in the water to act as docks, trailer posts etc.

With a little practice you will become expert rapidly.

And don't forget the key word . . . . . . . . SLOW!!!

Don't worry about it, apparently it takes Baddog 20 minutes to load his boat to! :lol:Tongue.gif

Link to comment

Don't worry about it, apparently it takes Baddog 20 minutes to load his boat to! :lol:Tongue.gif

Sure 20 minutes, but that is only if i stop for a couple of beers in the middle. I can usually do the whole thing (get truck, back into water, start boat, load, lock and roll) by myself in 10 minutes.

Link to comment

Sure 20 minutes, but that is only if i stop for a couple of beers in the middle. I can usually do the whole thing (get truck, back into water, start boat, load, lock and roll) by myself in 10 minutes.

Aw common, whats with the serious answer? I was only kidding :lol:

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...