www.iFourWinns.com

Just wondering about the different procedures used for loading your boats onto the trailer. How deep is your trailer, is your leg all the way down or half down, winch the boat in or drive it right up to the end? Has anyone installed taller boat guides at the back of the trailer? I had a VERY windy experience this past weekend loading the boat. The boat was blowing all over the place. Taller boat guides would have been nice. Kinda like the ones performance tow boats have on their trailers.

_________________
RICK|2009 H200 5.0L MERC|2010 RAM 1500 LARAMIE
Beautiful Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

whats a leg?

_________________

It really depends on the slope of the ramp you use. We idle on to the trailer and it stops 18" or so from the rollers. We then crank it the rest of the way. If your ramp is very steep though, that might be too far to hand crank.

Curious on the leg myself...

_________________

H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

leg = outdrive

_________________
2003 Four Winns Horizon 210
VP 5.0 GXI SX
"THE GREEN HORNET"

I'm not thinking extended trailer guides are going to give you any benefit...everyone has their own procedures I guess and it does depend somewhat on how steep the ramp is.

I usually back the trailer in so that about 1/2 to 2/3 of the bunks are under water - they are your actual guides.....the uprights on the sides are the UH-OH bars as I call them....means you are coming in way off target and at least will keep you from smacking the fenders - you should not even be touching those unless off target.

I come in with the lower unit (aka: leg) slightly raised...the more you raise it the less control you have at slow speed...once i make contact with the trailer I will raise the leg a little more and bump it a little to get the boat on the trailer more solid - the bow will be around 2' from the winch post....then I have whoever is working the truck inch back some as I hook it up and crank it the rest of the way. The bunk set up on these trailers are really well setup up in my opinion and boat loads perfect everytime....i used to have to manuever the stern to get it lined up with my old boat....key is to pull it out of the water slow so the stern will line itself up.

Once the boat is stuck on the trailer i kill the engine and raise the lower unit all the way up...

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


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

I've got a 190 and because we trailer our boat all over the place the topic of loading/unloading is quite important. I too, have run into high wind loading which resulted in the denting of one of my trailer fenders. The guides on my trailer are way out of position to do any real good so I'm thinking of adding another 2x4 in order to make it more functional.

To answer your question, because ramps are of all different angles and depths, I've started making mental notes of how far I have to back the trailer in to launch it. Then I try to do the same when loading. Because I'm the person that has to back the trailer, I never end up driving it on. Here in Michingan at least, it's against the law to power load anyway. I usually end up cranking it any where from 2 to 4', depending on the angle. Of course, the drive/leg is trailered all the way up when I load. This method has standardized the procedure for me so that now it comes out perfect every time.

_________________
2006 H190 4.3L
2009 GMC Acadia
Michigan

My ramp is not very steep.

I back trailer in till fenders are just below water.
Drive boat on at reasonably slow speed with outdrive slightly raised
I let the boat center itself and stop just short of bow roller
wife attaches winch strap and begins to crank as I give it just a little gas at the same time
she gets the strap tight...signal me and I cut the engine.

note that if you stop just short of bow roller to gently put it back in gear when you gave the final bit and make sure outdrive is straight. If mine's not it'll throw it off the mark. the bunk guides do a real good job of keeping you straight if trailer is at right depth.

_________________
2005 Horizon 210, 5.7L Volvo

We have concrete ramps so power loading is not an issue. Wife reverses trailer into water until 2-3 feet of bunk sticks out, then simply drive the boat on. Usually trim up about half way. Wife attaches winch for the last foot usually, although sometimes I can drive it easily all the way to the roller.

Yep, a crosswind is definately a problem! In these conditions I maybe don't have the trailer quite as deep (maybe 3-4 foot of bunk out), and I find you have to keep a nice steady pace (about a brisk walking pace) to maintain boat control and compensate for the wind blowing you off course. Then I approach nice and steady at brisk walking pace from say 40 foot out and drive it on the trailer in pretty much one shot. The boat will centre itself unless you are a fair way out.

Not a perfect science, and takes some balls the first time, but it works for me...

If you can't power on, then you need to run a rope from the stern on the upwind side and have someone hang onto it (from either upwind on the wharf or shore) while you winch on. It's this rear line that will keep your boat straight

_________________


Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

Thanks to all for the tips....Practice makes Perfect.....

p.s. It doesn't help though when the line up at the local lake to load/unload your boat is about 45 minutes long....I always feel rushed.

_________________
RICK|2009 H200 5.0L MERC|2010 RAM 1500 LARAMIE
Beautiful Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

I drive mine on till I can attach the winch line, then I may back up a little more in the water, I dont like powering onto the front roller or winching all the way up, it puts tons of stress on the bow plate and hook. I let it float a little more than most I pull it out slow and it always centers up good.

_________________
Mike
2007 Horizon 200 SS
5.0 GXi SX drive.

Over the years, we have developed a perfect routine of launching and recovering our boats(s). Still adjusting with the new FW boat as its guides aren't quite as useful as the longer PVC poles I used to use on old boat.

Since wifey cannot seem to back trailer, she is always in the boat. Before luanching, I disconnect bow strap and back trailer further into the water so boat just floats off.

When recovering, I back trailer just until I can still see the tops of the guides...and so can she. Wife dirves pretty slow bacause she knows I will yell at her if she slams into guides, but once boat hits the bunks, I have her give a little throttle with motor trimmed up about half way. I stand in the water with the strap ready to hook to bow eye. Once the boat is about 18-24" from the rollers, I have her cut the motor, trim all the way up and I reel 'er in.

When I pull the trailer out, the boat settles great on the FW bunks and sits perfectly centered.

We are pretty efficient also. Its always funny to complete the whole process in a couple of minutes while the dude is screaming at his wife next to us and taking 5-10 minutes to hook up.

_________________
Scott
2008 Horizon 210 Frenzy Edition
Volvo 5.7L Gi

Flip the switch to down till it floats.

_________________

Hehehe.... nice.

_________________
Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

oh forgot to post my loading technique.
Flip the switch to up till it's not floating.

_________________

Yep. My parents live on a lake and I much prefer launching and recovering their boat with the electric boat lift motor. There is a certain satisfaction that comes with a perfect trailer recovery, though. The amatuers seem to watch with envy.

_________________
Scott
2008 Horizon 210 Frenzy Edition
Volvo 5.7L Gi