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Prop hit trailer frame


calebshaffer247

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calebshaffer247

I purchased a 2012 247LSV earlier this year and it is my first Malibu. I grew up with inboard/V-drive boats and have never heard of this happening until I did it this afternoon. When loading the boat on the trailer I got a little off center when pulling the boat up to the winch. As soon as I realized I was off center I put the boat in neutral and just before I did I heard some tapping sounds that I haven't heard before. When we got up to the parking lot I checked the prop and sure enough 2 blades are rolled over and there are obvious marks on the trailer frame where the prop hit. As I got to looking I realized there were actually lots of marks/rust spots where the previous owner had done this multiple times, which explains the previously repaired prop. Any advice about why this is happening or how to avoid in the future? The only thing I can think of is putting the trailer in extra deep. 

 

Thanks,

Caleb

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Been in Malibus since 2006 and never had issues until last year. My 2018 has found the rail 2 years in a row. They really could do a better job of trailer clearance these days. Oh by the way $301 total with tax in TN to get mine repaired.

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Just now, dalt1 said:

Been in Malibus since 2006 and never had issues until last year. My 2018 has found the rail 2 years in a row. They really could do a better job of trailer clearance these days. Oh by the way $301 total with tax in TN to get mine repaired.

Mine was with my 2000 VLX.   I am not sure if they have changed designs up but my accident certainly wasn’t on a newer model.  

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12 minutes ago, dalt1 said:

Been in Malibus since 2006 and never had issues until last year. My 2018 has found the rail 2 years in a row. They really could do a better job of trailer clearance these days. Oh by the way $301 total with tax in TN to get mine repaired.

Sorry to hear it. I haven’t seen Jim in 2 years knock on wood! Seems his pricing has stayed fairly consistent. My last visit cost me $298, but he did recup the prop for me.

Edited by wdr
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2 minutes ago, wdr said:

Sorry to hear it. I haven’t seen Jim in 2 years knock on wood! Seems his pricing has stayed fairly consistent. My last visit cost me $298, but he did recup the prop for me.

I hope to never see them again. My crew will have to hit the trailer at about 15 mph as I am now stopping shallower than ever when backing in.:lol:  I am always in the truck and someone else drives boat up.

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Always go shallower if unsure. Was putting a customers boat on the trailer last week without guide poles and that could have ended very badly if too deep. 

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I'd try adjusting your trailer guide posts if you have a Boatmate trailer.  On my Boatmate trailer (2008), the guides are held in by two large bolts.  I loosened the bolts and slightly rotated the guides to move them closer to the rubrail with the boat centered on the trailer.  This helps keep the boat from wandering too far from side to side. 

The other thing I did is work on my perfect load scenario with my boat drivers.  Luckily, I only launched at one or two ramps each year, so you get to know what works best for each ramp.  I prefer to put the trailer in fairly deep, and then have the driver leave the boat at idle in gear until the bow passes the guides, then neutral to coast.  That allowed the boat to come to a stop on the forward edges of the front carpet bunks, a few feet from the bow roller stop.  I'd attach the winch strap and crank it up reasonably tight.  If the boat was centered, which it was 99% of the time because of the adjusted guide posts, i'd have the driver give it a little bit of FWD to get me tight against the bow stop without putting the cranking stress on the bow eye or winch strap.

To me, the guide posts are key.  Also, if you run a larger diameter prop, I think that increases your risk of smacking the trailer.

 

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Hit mine as well a few weeks ago. 275 for the repairs here in Utah. Trailer was in too deep and tried to correct a misalignment at the last minute with a burst of power. Ding ding ding ding was the result. All four blades. Now I do as others have suggested. Keep the trailer shallow and then back in more once the boat is on the carpet rails.

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I tagged my prop guard once before. Mine was aided in the fact of some tool rolling in the no wake zone nose up.

I was almost up to the bow stop and the roller pick my boat up and to the side of the bow stop and the prop hit the front of the prop guard.  

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Would be nice if the guide posts could be designed to actually guide it where this could not happen. Or a second set of vertical boards to catch the lower hull at the rear. Or Just design the trailer where that prop eating bar is wider apart than they are.

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calebshaffer247

My trailer is the original boatmate that it came with in 2012 and yes it does have guide posts. When i first approached the trailer it seemed like it settled into place just fine. Then gave it some gas to get closer to the winch and before i realized it the bow had slipped over the edge of the right front bunk. Then, "ding ding ding". Thanks for the advice everyone! Will definitely try and keep the trailer shallower. I just always assumed that as the trailer went deeper it would actually give the prop more clearance as the trailer went further down the ramp. Obviously not enough clearance. 

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On 6/12/2022 at 9:19 PM, dalt1 said:

Been in Malibus since 2006 and never had issues until last year. My 2018 has found the rail 2 years in a row. They really could do a better job of trailer clearance these days. Oh by the way $301 total with tax in TN to get mine repaired.

Holy crap that is expensive.  Prop MD charges me around $180 no matter how bad I mangle it.

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1 hour ago, oldjeep said:

Holy crap that is expensive.  Prop MD charges me around $180 no matter how bad I mangle it.

I had a prop in the local shop for the first time since 2019 last week - price went from $165 to $280.  I did get a 4 day turnaround, but it also got me looking at PropMD over the weekend. 

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