Adjusting trailer winch post

racingvert

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
8
I need some help with getting my trailer set up correctly. It is a 99 Bayliner Deck Boat with a Heritage Tandem Axle Bunk Trailer. Here is the problem I am having. The bow stop is right above the winch eye on the boat currently but the winch strap is angled downward. When trying to load the boat, if I don't back the trailer in extremely deep (where the boat is floating above the trailer) then the bow roller is to high and the front of the boat won't go over it. If I lower the winch stand then the Bow stop roller is below the bow eye.
I am thinking that if I move the winch stand forward about an inch or 2 then I could lower the winch stand as well but not sure if that is going to correct my problem. There are about 2 or 3 inches of the transom that hang over the end of the trailer bunks so I should be able to move it forward a little. Does anybody have any sugestions? Thanks.
 

geeco1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
373
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

It sounds to me that you may be putting the trailer in too deep. If the bow goes under the bow roller, that generally means that the boat is not on the bunks. If you pull the trailer out of the water more, then the boat will hit the bunks first and start to angle upwards before it gets to the bow roller. However, this will probably mean that you will have to winch your boat onto the trailer instead of power loading.
 

raven7

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
86
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

Maybe rewind the strap so it comes off the bottom of the winch to reduce the angle?
 

racingvert

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
8
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

I will take some pictures tonight.
I have tried pulling the trailer in shallow so it gets on the bunks first but that is when the bow wants to go under the bow stop roller. It is like it doesn't ever start to angle up. Maybe I will try loading it even more shallow. I have tried winching it on and powerloading both with the same result.
I will check the winch strap as well. I think that it is coming off of the bottom but will doublecheck that tonight as well.
I never had these problems with my previous boats but this one has been a nightmare so far. When I first picked it up the boat was about 3 inches from touching the bow stop so I raised the winch stand up so the roller was actually touching the boat. The other thing about this trailer that is strange to me is that there are no other rollers on the trailer. No keel rollers or anything. Just 4 bunk boards.
Thanks for the input so far.
 

racingvert

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
8
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

Here are some pictures of how the boat is currently on the trailer. I did re-wind the winch strap so that it comes off the bottom of the winch which did let it line up better. One thing that I noticed while taking the pictures was how far the end of the bunks were in relation to the winch stand.
 

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Yellow Yota

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
122
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

Other than the sub-par safety strap, that looks right as rain to me. If the eye is going over the bow roller, you're in to deep.

To make it easier to winch onto the trailer, dunk your trailer in the drink far enough to wet all of the bunks. Than pull it out a ways. On most of the ramps around me, that means having about 20% of the fender out of the water. That way, the boat contacts the bunks, which lines the boat up on the trailer and pokes the nose right under the bow roller. I have to winch it a little, but normally just have the missus back the truck in a foot or so deeper while I lean over the bow. Crank it in the last foot and hook the chain. Then she pulls us out to where we can clean it up and get road ready.
 

cedarjunki

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
472
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

i agree with yellow, the setup looks good.

im having a hard time picturing the bow trying to go under that stop with amount of distance and height between the bow and the bow eye..
how steep is the ramp??? is the trailer dropping off to an angle that drastic?
 

racingvert

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
8
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

I am starting to think that I am putting the trailer in too deep as well. I am going to go out and test it tonight.
The ramp that I am putting in at is a nice gradual slope that I loaded my old 18' Sea Ray up at without every having a problem. That one if I put the trailer in just so the fenders were under, I could drive the boat on within about a foot and winch it the last foot, and be done and out in under a minute. Thinking about that trailer set up though, the wheels were alot further ahead on the trailer than this one so the boards were about 35% out of the water when the fenders were under.
Thanks for the suggestions and I will let you know how tonight goes.
 

racingvert

Cadet
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
8
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

Just wanted to update and thank everybody for their suggestions. I went to the lake an loaded the boat again last night. This time I pulled in and sunk the trailer to wet the bunks. Then I pulled out until about 15% of the boards were out of the water and pulled the boat onto the trailer. The boat was about 6 feet from the winch post at this point and I started cranking it in. I got it up a ways but it cranked really hard and I thought I was going to break the winch strap. I backed the trailer in just a little further and was able to crank it all the way up. It didn't try to go under the bow roller this time but it was definitely not easy to crank up. Will try just a foot or so deeper next time to see how that works.
 

raven7

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
86
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

Sounds like you're getting close to the "sweet spot".
 

mnypitboat

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
1,091
Re: Adjusting trailer winch post

Sounds like you are getting it. I bought a new(new to me) trailer last year. I have adjusted it about 10 times now. I actually turned my post around the other direction at one point. I guess what I am saying is, nobody here can really say yes or no, it will work. You just have to experiment with it to get it perfect, or to your liking.

I have finally found the best place to keep the boat. It allows for the most comfortable driving, and best of all, by mistake, I have gotten it to the point where it will fit in my garage if I put a swivel tongue on it. Not that it has to fit in the garage, we store it at a Marina, but its nice when I am working on it to be able to fit it in the garage so the neigbors dont complain.
 
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