Trailering help

[Cicada]

With my first boat, I could just put the last roller in the water and the rollers would pull the boat on to the trailer straight even in a pretty stiff wind. My new trailer has the wider "v" shaped roller and the wind seems to blow the boat off the roller. Both trailers are the bunk type, not the kind you'd drive the boat on to. Anybody else have one of these and is there a trick to not looking like a rookie at the boat ramp?

[deacon]

Is it a roller or bunk trailer?

If bunk just back into the water a little further, I drive my boat all the way up. May be just a matter of adjusting bunk angle, space, etc. good luck

[Dahitman44]

That is strange. Is your boat and trailer set up right on the trailer. I know the dealer made some major adjustments on my new trailer with the rollers and it works great. I also added the side roller guides to help in heavy winds.

The guides are the best thing I did for my boat.

[wplatehunter]

I agree the guides are great, and if you have them you should be able to just drive the boat on the trailer.

[hawghunter001]

My boat has to be driven on the kicker motor will make it sit unlevel in the water to make it load crooked if I wench it on so when I go alone its crooked and I have to live with it

[Paul]

I usually drive my boat on especially when I am alone. I hate trying to winch it up on my roller trailer. My boat is only a 16 footer but it is a narrower 80's model blue fin so it is not all that big. I have side bunks that help me with centering. I saw a roller for the back of the trailer that had a centering groove, as long as you hit the bow of the boat on that roller it would position you in the middle of the boat ( supposedly) They sell for about $10-20 at Cabelas. Fleet Farm may have them but not sure. I know for sure I saw them in East Grand Forks. I almost bought one but I decided at the time it was too much work to install it. Unless it is really windy I do not miss the trailer much with my side bunks. A buddy of mine but some small rollers on the front of the trailer that help him position his boat in the middle automatically also. I will try and remeber to snap some pisctures of his set up and I think it would help. He is in wheel chair and has to drive on and off of the trailer after some one else backs the trailer in.

[Cicada]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Been so long since I've had to learn how to do this. Maybe I just need to practice a few more times. If you see a big guy cussing at his boat tonight at Big Cormorant, give me a minute and I'll get out of your way.

[Master_Chief]

Dont worry, my 14' boat has to be the worst as far as getting it on the trailer straight... ... My old 18' boat I used to have was easy as pie getting it on the trailer, but this little lightweight boat "wanders" all over the place. I always wind up wet if the ramp dosent have a dock...

[Dahitman44]

Have you tried not putting the trailer so far in the water -- that seemed to help me on both my old 16.5 footer and the new 18.5 footer.

"Deeper is not always better."

[Cicada]

I back in just so the farthest roller is in the water. I think the problem is with the wide "v" shaped roller. The narrow rollers have a lip that the old boat didn't jump. If I'm practicing that means I'm out there and that in itself is always a good thing.