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Project V-Bow Stop Conversion


WaveMake'nLSV

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2004 LSV, Boatmate Trailer. Don't like the fact that it lacks the V-Bow stop like on Dorsey or Extreme Trailers. Am going to add one onto my trailer via parts obtained from Extreme Trailer Co.

Any placement issues? Any pointers? They are sending me the V part and the beams and the carpeted bunk parts. I am going to measure and have a welding shop install for me ASAP.

Input Appreciated,

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I guess I should have said Bow GUIDES. The one that hits the boat about 3ft back from the eye. It is a V shaped carpeted guide that makes it fool proof to load.

Like this: http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....si&img=3775

Why? Just that...makes it easier for people to load my boat on the trailer. Oh and I am a "farkler" and always "improving" things. Thumbup.gifDontknow.gifThumbup.gif

ROFL.gif

I do prefer a trailer that has this guide. As for liquid rollers? Am going with that or PLEDGE on the bunks to decrease the scuff risk on my RED colored hull.

Don't put your trailer in so deep.... and use some liquid rollers bunk lube - works great

What extreme trailers have these V-Bow stops?

Edited by WaveMake'nLSV
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I could be wrong, but it would seem to me that once your boat is far enough forward on the trailer so as to hit that V-giude, your bunks should have a firm grasp on the boat from about midway back and should do the job of centering the nose.

I can't recall, even on my worst trailering attempt, that the nose was not centered when I climbed around to hook up the bow eye to the winch.

We may have different situations as far as our ramps go, however.

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I don't think they make a difference, I had the V-stop on my 2003 Wakesetter with the Extreme Trailer and My 2006 Wakesetter has a Boatmate trailer without one and I can tell you there is no difference in loading and unloading. My opinion would be just make sure the people loading and unloading your boat know what the heck they are doing Biggrin.gif The last thing you want them to do is bash your boat into the stop to make sure it is loaded. :unsure:

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Ahhh.. I see what you're talking about. I thought you were looking for the V-stop that goes up by the winch.

My concern over adding a v-bunk would be the possiblity of going to one side of that bunk.

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All very good points and well taken.

Another valid issue with ME in my situation is that my loading ramp is VERY steep and thus, in the few times I have loaded the boat, a couple times I had to mess with the trailer depth (more shallow) and muscle it up to get the bow above the stop on the front. Thought being, the V-guide will help gently push the boat into the right load angle as well as hold it true to the middle.

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My v-stop (as in picture of the v-ride) has a tendancy to scuff the gel lightly. Nothing major, but it happens none-the-less. If you have a colored hull, I would stay away from adding one.

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Scott.

Just so you know, on the 2004 LSV there were issues with Dorsey trailers not having the V Bunk, and them adding installing later if requested. There were significant problems - a friend of mine went through it.

But yours isn't a Dorsey...

IIWY - If you're really set on having it, I'd get the trailer to Boat Mate and have them build one. Using Extreme's parts on a BoatMate would be odd. Is there any warranty on your trailer that you'd be voiding???

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my "ugly" aluminium trailer is like edwin was talking about with the v-bunks in the front, it always is perfectly centered because of this:

trailer.jpg

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The front V-Bunk on my Dorsey might center it a little but it's really forward and you should be centered before you get up that far IMO. The thing it does best is lift the boat off the center plastic roller just behind the V-Bunk as the boat pulls forward. The roller seems to center it more as the bow gets up that far and with the full weight of the bow on that roller, I fear that it would not last long and the shaft would bend.

YMMV

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I guess I should have said Bow GUIDES. The one that hits the boat about 3ft back from the eye. It is a V shaped carpeted guide that makes it fool proof to load.

Obviously you have never seen my wife drive onto the trailer... Foolproof... ROFL.gif

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I understand now, the term "V-Bow Stop" to me is the vertical V of older Correct Craft's and Centurion trailers.

The Bow keel guide (some use a keel roller) is almost a neccessity on steep ramps. And unless you have been to one of these, trust me, they are truly steep enough to stick the bow under the bow roller or you need an extra outboard to help power it all the way on.

It's fairly simply to install, but like others have mentioned, it will scuff solid color hulls and you'll end up with white scuffs showing.

Peter.

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It is cheap enough...I think it will be < $80 with shipping...so I will play with it and see. May or may not use it, but more than likely will. I plan to get a wider V-roller STOP in the front of the trailer, so as to cover those knarly bolt ends PLUS slap several coats of liquid rollers on esp. the V-guide and hope to avoid most of the scuffing issue.

As for Extreme parts on a Boatmate trailer...I am not worried about that issue at all.

Am also certain most of my loading woes will self cure once more experience is gained, however, the angle of the ramp is not likely to change...so I will still benefit from it.

I am also putting 48" roller pads on the trailer and so I should be able to get the bow in the V-guide and literally back the trailer under the boat, keeping it in gear at idle and it "should" plant itself nicely, or so I hope. I am going to avoid DRIVING the boat on the trailer for more than a couple inches. I know these are DRIVE ON trailers, but am confident my system will work. This boat is immaculate and very very very scuffs, so I want to do everything I can to not only make loading easier/safer, but also preserve my baby for many more years!

Thanks so much for all the great input and insight!

Rockon.gif

I understand now, the term "V-Bow Stop" to me is the vertical V of older Correct Craft's and Centurion trailers.

The Bow keel guide (some use a keel roller) is almost a neccessity on steep ramps. And unless you have been to one of these, trust me, they are truly steep enough to stick the bow under the bow roller or you need an extra outboard to help power it all the way on.

It's fairly simply to install, but like others have mentioned, it will scuff solid color hulls and you'll end up with white scuffs showing.

Peter.

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I recently tried out an MB and it was on an extreme trailer and found it harder to load. I had an 2001 LSV on a extreme trailer and again found it harder to load than the boatmate, but I can sorta see your point. The front V pads on the Boatmate I have always felt guided the boat on perfectly. Good Luck! Guess if it doesn't work you can always cut it off.

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I understand now, the term "V-Bow Stop" to me is the vertical V of older Correct Craft's and Centurion trailers.

The Bow keel guide (some use a keel roller) is almost a neccessity on steep ramps. And unless you have been to one of these, trust me, they are truly steep enough to stick the bow under the bow roller or you need an extra outboard to help power it all the way on.

It's fairly simply to install, but like others have mentioned, it will scuff solid color hulls and you'll end up with white scuffs showing.

Peter.

Now that you mention it, my Boatmate has a roller in that location. To my knowledge, it has never been used, but the ramp I use pretty much exclusively is not steep at all. So something in that area would probably be a good idea for those of you with steeper ramps, especially to keep the bow from going under the front roller.

So basically, the purpose of the guide or roller would be vertical, rather than side to side, guidance, right?

Edited by rts
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Dual Purpose...but since I plan to load or have the boat loaded very slowly and in a controlled manner. ROFL.gif Yup...more vertical than horizontal. I wonder if I might install a ROLLER there? That might eliminate the "scuff factor" and accomplish the same thing.

So basically, the purpose of the guide or roller would be vertical, rather than side to side, guidance, right?
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Dual Purpose...but since I plan to load or have the boat loaded very slowly and in a controlled manner. ROFL.gif Yup...more vertical than horizontal. I wonder if I might install a ROLLER there? That might eliminate the "scuff factor" and accomplish the same thing.
So basically, the purpose of the guide or roller would be vertical, rather than side to side, guidance, right?

Aside from a trailer that used lots of rollers instead of bunks, I haven't seen many rollers on a trailer that actually turned once some weight was against it. I'd install the v-bunk guide and see how it goes. FWIW, my old MC had the v-bunk and it worked as advertised 100% of the time. I also had a colored hull and saw no visible wear from the v-bunk.

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I bet by the end of the summer you will be driving on like everyone else... :lol:

It is cheap enough...I think it will be < $80 with shipping...so I will play with it and see. May or may not use it, but more than likely will. I plan to get a wider V-roller STOP in the front of the trailer, so as to cover those knarly bolt ends PLUS slap several coats of liquid rollers on esp. the V-guide and hope to avoid most of the scuffing issue.

As for Extreme parts on a Boatmate trailer...I am not worried about that issue at all.

Am also certain most of my loading woes will self cure once more experience is gained, however, the angle of the ramp is not likely to change...so I will still benefit from it.

I am also putting 48" roller pads on the trailer and so I should be able to get the bow in the V-guide and literally back the trailer under the boat, keeping it in gear at idle and it "should" plant itself nicely, or so I hope. I am going to avoid DRIVING the boat on the trailer for more than a couple inches. I know these are DRIVE ON trailers, but am confident my system will work. This boat is immaculate and very very very scuffs, so I want to do everything I can to not only make loading easier/safer, but also preserve my baby for many more years!

Thanks so much for all the great input and insight!

Rockon.gif

I understand now, the term "V-Bow Stop" to me is the vertical V of older Correct Craft's and Centurion trailers.

The Bow keel guide (some use a keel roller) is almost a neccessity on steep ramps. And unless you have been to one of these, trust me, they are truly steep enough to stick the bow under the bow roller or you need an extra outboard to help power it all the way on.

It's fairly simply to install, but like others have mentioned, it will scuff solid color hulls and you'll end up with white scuffs showing.

Peter.

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My plan is to over engineer this to the point where I can hardly load the boat. ROFL.gif

I bet by the end of the summer you will be driving on like everyone else... :lol:
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My plan is to over engineer this to the point where I can hardly load the boat. ROFL.gif
I bet by the end of the summer you will be driving on like everyone else... :lol:

Now that's funny....

I have to agree with you on this one though. There was a member here a few years ago that slammed his bow under the winch and put a hole in it. He had a Dorsey and didn't have that V-Bunk on his trailer. He ordered one from Dorsey and didn't have that problem anymore while he was on this site. Haven't seen him around in a while so can't comment on his sucess a couple of years later. You can search for posts by Houstonperson and might find the thread.

post-5-1176907493_thumb.jpg

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I wonder what ever happened to Houstonperson? He was always so gungho and upbeat, seemed to be having a blast with his boat. Dontknow.gif

Thanks for posting the pic Ronnie. I thought it may help in this thread.

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One of the last times I saw HP he posted a picture of him and a bunch of 20 something boys drinking champagne in his boat. Something about a sausage fest or something... Dontknow.gifWhistling.gif He caught a lot of flak on that picture and disappeared after that.

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