www.iFourWinns.com

I know that there are a bazillion threads on the web that address trailer setup. I've looked and looked, but can't find the specific answers I need. I'm counting on you guys to pull through for me here and get some definitive answers.

I bought my boat without a trailer, but got the EZ Loader shown in the pics below. It only has 2 long bunks, not 4 like on the factory Four Winns models. The place I bought the (used) trailer set it up as shown, but I'm pretty sure it's not correct. The boat doesn't self center well at all.

I sent these pics to a guy at EZ Loader. He said I need to move the bunks OUT to just outside of the strake it is currently resting on. Yesterday, however, I went to the local Four Winns dealer and a separate EZ Loader dealer and got conflicting info. They both said they felt the the bunks should be moved IN about 6 inches, which would put the front of the bunks between the two strakes forward on the hull.

I dunno...OUT will lower the boat, but seems like I probably have enough clearance to do so. I can also see that giving good centering along the outside of that one big strake. But, I have some concern about moving too far away from the motor and basically having all that weight suspended between the bunks (vs ON the bunks). A side note, too, is that the tie-down straps won't have a good path to the eyelets at the end of the bunks -- they'll have to cross over the step in the transom.

IN concerns me in that the boat will sit up higher and won't have any support/stability out wide. Also not sure how well it will center.

One thought I've had is that I move them IN and buy a couple of small bunks for the outer support in the aft area.

Thoughts??

I would say they're pretty much perfect. You could get some guides to help.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Yes, I would move the bunks out. This will also help in centering the boat when you put it on the trailer.

As Rick mentioned, you could go with the guides. There great on windy days. But normally, you should not need them. The trailer will center the boat for you, thats another story.

It sound like too, the trailer was not setup for your boat. You may want to take it back to the dealer. First off, you need to center the boat on the trailer to get the right wight. Hitch weights for trailers should typically be at least 10 percent of the trailer's gross weight for good handling. So if the boat is 5000lbs, in a perfect world, than 500lbs on the ball. Than from there, I would move the bunks as the the man said. You may even need to move the winch post too. As to the hold down, balancing the trailer in more important.

Yeah, I actually put guide posts -- the tall, white ones, on the trailer already. Definitely like those.

I've now had a few diff people on diff forums say to take the bunks out wider, so that sounds like the plan. Note I didn't buy the trailer from a trailer dealer, so their knowledge of setup was limited. Tongue weight seems about right.