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PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:28 pm 
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Sting Ray

Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:36 am
Posts: 64
Location: BC, Canada
I found this trailer at a reasonable price.
I am ready to pull the trigger on this.
Any thoughts on whether this will work well for my H180?
The length of the trailer is 20ft.
The selection of used trailers is very slim right now in my area and I'm anxious to winterize my boat as it's getting colder here.
Right now the boat is in water and I'm paying weekly fee for the slip.

http://i.imgur.com/V8pDs1X.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Ya3t5hI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oGoUvn3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Ej8sUpX.jpg

Thanks

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline


Last edited by GalacticWaterman on Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:34 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 11:17 pm
Posts: 1303
Location: Melbourne, Australia
With some minor roller adjustments, it should work well. :wink:

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
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SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:42 pm 
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Sting Ray

Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:36 am
Posts: 64
Location: BC, Canada
deafwish wrote:
With some minor roller adjustments, it should work well. :wink:


Thanks, much appreciated.
I've just updated the image links in the post.
Interesting that the last set of rollers is so far back, even a bit past the trailer rear frame.
But if I can get the boat on it tomorrow and back into the land storage space then I'll be very happy.
Btw, it's been an awesome boating season this year!

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 7:30 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 11:17 pm
Posts: 1303
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Most of the weight in a bowrider is at the stern, so those rear rollers look fine.
My roller trailer would have twice the amount of rollers, but I'm lugging a 5.7 in mine...
I'd invest in some maintenance on that trailer, if you plan on towing more than a few miles - It looks sad.

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:22 pm 
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Sting Ray

Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:36 am
Posts: 64
Location: BC, Canada
Well, the trailer worked as is.
Although I'll have to move the winch post next season as it's too far forward.
Also the front rollers might need a bit of adjustment.
Can someone suggest whether I should move them an inch or two toward the outside.
From the last pic it's apparent that the roller is sitting on one of those "fins". And could over time damage it?
Should I adjust so that the front left roller is just clear of that "fin"?

And yes, the trailer will get new wheels, rollers, and stainless steel ubolts next Spring.
But for now the boat is winterized, covered, and will be "sleeping" till the weather warms up next year.

http://i.imgur.com/WK4ID7f.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Gxowaxg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mccXrM8.jpg

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:28 am 
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:10 pm
Posts: 2032
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
It looks pretty good. The "fins" are called "Strakes". They generally have a little more fiberglass behind them then the flat surfaces, so they are pretty strong, however, you wouldn't want too much pressure on the corner of the gelcoat. Hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like you are OK. I would try to make sure that the weight is distributed pretty evenly among the four sets of rollers (do the rollers all deflect about the same amount? do any feel loose?).

Also, it would be good if your safety chain (from the bow eye) could be attached to the trailer at a point below or slightly behind the bow roller. Maybe you could add a large eye-bolt to the back of the tongue for the chain to attach to.

I'm no expert on roller trailers. Hopefully LouC will chime in...he's been using them for decades.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 2:50 pm 
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Sting Ray

Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:36 am
Posts: 64
Location: BC, Canada
rpengr wrote:
It looks pretty good. The "fins" are called "Strakes". They generally have a little more fiberglass behind them then the flat surfaces, so they are pretty strong, however, you wouldn't want too much pressure on the corner of the gelcoat. Hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like you are OK. I would try to make sure that the weight is distributed pretty evenly among the four sets of rollers (do the rollers all deflect about the same amount? do any feel loose?).

Also, it would be good if your safety chain (from the bow eye) could be attached to the trailer at a point below or slightly behind the bow roller. Maybe you could add a large eye-bolt to the back of the tongue for the chain to attach to.

I'm no expert on roller trailers. Hopefully LouC will chime in...he's been using them for decades.


Thanks for the advice.
The rollers seem to be holding well but I'll check again to make sure.
I might move all rollers about an inch toward the outside to lower the boat a bit and thereby also lower the center of gravity for the whole load.
But I won't do that until next spring when I'm installing new rollers.
And you're right about the chain. Right now it's attached to the winch post and I am aware that it's supposed to be attached to the frame of the trailer and not the winch post. I'll be moving it also next spring to a correct and more permanent location. on the tong beam.

Well, I'm already looking forward to warm spring days next year when I'll be spending time with my boat (half of which will be on land :) )

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 4:26 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:10 pm
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Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Now that I look at your third picture again, I see that each set of 4 rollers will pretty much balance out their loads. So in my opinion, I don't see any issue with the way the load is spread.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:08 pm 
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Location: Long Island NY
Yep I've had a roller for years, and one thing you want to insure is that the rollers straddle the strakes, because if the strake rides on top of the roller that's a lot of weight and pressure on a small piece of fiberglass. Your front ones look fine, the rear ones its hard for me to tell. The other thing is that those roller arms look like they are fixed in place and don't pivot, is that true? Usually the roller arm pivots up and down and that makes it much easier to launch and load the boat. Check the rollers themselves to make sure they are not cracked. There will be small cracks that will open up when the weight of the boat in on them. Make sure your safety chain is well secured and you must also use transom straps. I trailer on very steep hills and have the normal safety chain, transom straps, and an addition chain from the bow eye down to the trailer frame.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ikrodyyxokge2 ... e.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e0lcg8kglsone ... 2.jpg?dl=0

In this second pic you can see how the rollers straddle the inner strakes on the port side of the stern. It helps line the boat up straight.

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2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
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1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 5:58 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:12 am
Posts: 632
Location: Ontario
If you want to doll up the trailer a bit, soapy water and steel wool will clean that white chalk and the rust off the galvanized metal without much effort.

With soapy water and lightly passing the steel wool, you will not damage the galvanizing.

The nice part of a galvanized trailer is it does not take much to make them look new again!

Cheers!

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 5:19 am 
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Sting Ray

Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:36 am
Posts: 64
Location: BC, Canada
@LouC
Thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure the roller arms are self adjusting but I'll make sure next time I get the boat off the trailer.
Also I'm pretty sure that none of the rollers are sitting on the strakes other than the already mentioned front outside rollers that are just barely touching one of the very small strakes. But I'll correct that too.
I'll taken care of all the chains and transom straps before I go anywhere with the trailer.

@alex8q4
Great info. I'll definitely want to do that. There is a bit of rust on the front frame which I'd like to clean up before it gets worse.

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline


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