www.iFourWinns.com

Last week was awesome at Lake Cumberland, but our fine vacation was marred by my own stupidity when trailering out at the end. I had backed in too far for the high slope of the ramp to allow my boat to properly seat itself on the bunks. I thought I had it right - winched up easily and pulled out without problem, and was looking for a good place to stop to clean up, tie down, etc., when I noticed while looking in the side mirror that the port side stern edge of my boat was sitting precariously on top of the carpeted side guide! It was visibly starting to bend inward. As my fears of collapse and catastrophic damage to my hull and family (still on the boat) grew, I quickly maneuvered around and backed the trailer back down the ramp where thankfully we safely floated off the side rail. I de-winched, scratched my head and then pulled my trailer forward some, then easily got the boat back on, this time in the right position. Fortunately the side rail hadn't bent so far that I couldn't get it on. My problem now is how to bend that side rail back out to its proper position. I think a very large crescent wrench may give me enough leverage. Any other ideas/recommendations would be helpful. I'll try to get a few pics once the thunderstorm outside relents.

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2005 Horizon 250

Wow, you must've been in awfully deep. Those side guides are crap anyway, and I can about guarantee you they'll get bent again. I found with mine that once they got bent they never could go completely back to "original" - that's just how steel is when it bends. Just use whatever you must to get them close, and drink a cold one before looking at them from now on.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

It didn't seem any steeper than at other ramps I have used - and I just backed up to approx. 6 inches or so from the SUV tires to the water edge like I always have done previously.
Well I bent it back satisfactorily, but noticed evidence of rust where the washer contacts the steel, that looks already fairly deep seated. I think I'll try to grind out the rusty area carefully and touch up paint it later this month. I also put a few scratches on myself whilst attempting to bend the sucker back into place. When doing this would you prime the bare metal then spray on the touch up paint, or just put a few coats of the touch up on?

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2005 Horizon 250

Primer's always the best first step on bare steel IMO (after getting rid of all rust and oil of course). On the other hand, you'll be doing this again so you have to balance the "perfect job" with the fact that the paint will need repaired again.

My guides have bent 3 or 4 times, just from loading in a crosswind. I try to take very good care of my trailer, but when it comes to the side guides I just bend 'em back and move on.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Like Mike said, those things are crap. I bent mine by backing out at a sharp angle because I had my wheel turned to far. I pushed it back with my foot and sprayed a little paint on it. The FW trailers are junk to begin with in my opinion. Had I kept my 260 another year I was going to cut those guides off at the base, grind and repaint. You don't need them. They obviously don't serve much purpose if the bend if you bump them. Don't lose sleep over it.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

Come on now guys - the FW trailers may have a couple issues (axle seals/leaky brake connections), but they are far from crap IMO. Don't cuss that side rail bending too much - better it bend than be so rigid you wind up with a 2 foot hole in your boat .

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

... lack of any stainless hardware, use of lumber yard rejects for bunks...

I too disagree that FW trailers overall are "crap," but I can tell you that in 5 years of FW ownership virtually all the abnormal repair and maintenance I've had to do has been on the trailer, not the boat. There are expensive and time consuming things that need to be done to FW trailers, that shouldn't ever need to be done.

As to the side guides, what good are they if they fold over like wet spaghetti with the slightest crosswind?

On the plus side, my trailer tows beautifully. Once in awhile I tow other things - a utility trailer here or there, etc. - and am reminded of just how nicely my FW trailer goes down the road. And, personally I've never had a problem with hubs or brakes.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I got you - actually this is the first boat trailer I have had with any side guides at all.....my last boat had an Escort trailer, which was not too good IMO....the bunks were 2x4's and laid flat - very minimal support. That trailer was a painted one as well and did not have any stainless at all and the brakes were toasted and corroded.

This boat is much heavier and pulls a lot nicer than my old one, but it was a single axle so that may have a lot to due with it. Personally, i only count on the side guides as a measurement device to make sure the stern is lined up correctly on the trailer prior to pulling it out of the water.....i also use them as a step to get up into the boat and that's about it....not a good step, but a step. I have been pondering having them cut off and add something there that will serve as "guides" with a fold down step built in.

I speak from little experience with my FW trailer since I have only had it about 3 months....towed about 1,500 miles so far...and launched about 10+ times....

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

The FourWinns trailers are crap. One of the reasons I bought a FourWinns was that I thought that they cared enough to build their own trailers and place supports on the trailer under the boat framing. My side guides bent the first time I needed them to recover the boat in a cross wind. I have since welded in cross braces between the trailer frame to the side guides. My main problem is that I cannot pull the boat fully on to the trailer. Under stress at boat ramps with even a shallow entrance angle the trailer frame bends upwards until the bow roller meets the boat. When I relax the winch strap, the bow roller pulls away from the boat about 4 to 6 inches. The trailer frame is obviously too weak. And this does not even include the problems with the trailer being delivered with hand-tight brake line connections which caused massive fluid leaks, PLASTIC glue-on brake line supports, the bow stop mounted upside down, missing fender welds (rattle rattle rattle), wires needing protection from sharp bends, and the swing away tongue pins needing a sledge hammer to remove them. And then there are those Carlisle tires, mine are shot after only 4,000 miles. But I do like the boat a lot.

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2006 Sundowner 255, 5.7 GXi, 320 hp
"Simply Irresistible"

I've bent my guide back and forth some many time the sheet metal they attach to is now cracked. Seems everyone used the guides to climb in the boat, each person would bent it alittle and I would go behind and bend it back. These trailers a crap, but I knew that when I pulled it off the lot, my sits in the garage empty 99% of the years so I took the crap and went on. A good friend of mine, that I boat with, owns RoadRunner trailers and when I got the boat in 07 he walked around it and pointed out all the flaws and how cheap it was made, really shined a light on it for a novice trailer guy. One thing he said to me that stuck in my mind was "you wouldnt go to Ford and ask them to make you a jumbo jet, why go to a boat builder and ask them to make you a trailer?"

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Don't be too hard on them; Mine is a 6 years UK built trailer; all heavily galvanized steel (apart from the plastic fenders!!). Still, the U bolts and the plated ancillaries are showing some rust, despite never being in salt water ( exposed to a salt water atmosphere for about 6 days per year, max). The FW trailers look very smart, but are illegal to use in Europe due to the regulations here, I've never seen an European trailer with those side supports/ guides.

Graham