Bow roller contact?

[reelfishin]

Re: Bow roller contact?

The strap should be under the roller.
In that pic above, I would first raise the bow roller/winch stand so I contacts the bow so that the strap passes through the middle of the open area below the roller, and so that the bow eye doesn't hit the roller. The boat should be winched in to the point where the bow touches the roller and the bow eye and hook just barely come under the roller.
If this can't be achieved at the angle of the winch stand, you may want to look into reversing the way that the strap is wound on the winch. Most winches can be wound either way, simply by pushing the ratchet pawl to the reverse position, you would then simply crank the winch the other way. This would change the angle of the winch strap so that in the fully tightened position, the strap isn't trying to lift the boat over or into the roller or off the trailer bunks.

In an ideal situation, you want the winch strap to be horizontal with the trailer frame, the bow eye below the roller, and the boat should sit flat on the bunks, not pulled upward off the bunks when the winch is tight.
You should also have a turnbuckle or at lease a safety chain also holding the bow down on that trailer in case the strap or winch fails.

 

[john zampini]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Reelfishin, thanks for the input, and the rest of you guys also. There is a chain through the bow eye also but thanks for the tip anyway.
I just got off the phone with the previous owner. He said he did replace the winch strap and unknowingly put it on with the strap coming off the top of the winch.
I think I will reverse that first and see what happens. I really appreciate all of your input guys. I'll let you know how it works out.

Thanks,
John

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Oh no not that again lol! Just had a pretty heated discussion about winches top bottom backwards and upside down, I have no certification in boat trailer set up so I'm out on this one.

The problem is multifaceted: Too deep on loading, the winch tower mounting needs to be adjusted so the roller contacts properly. Really, as a matter of function, the winch doesn't really care if it is above or below the roller. Parallel with the trailer (referring to the strap) is ideal but the world won't settle into a nuclear war if it is off any. FWIW some steep prow angles won't really permit the roller to be above the bow eye.

Since you have an MFG, as do I, you may notice that the bow-eye is ABOVE the bow-cinch/snub roller. My trailer is OEM to the boat. While it does seem that most other boats these days do have the bow eye below the roller, not going so deep on loading combined with an adjustment to the front roller would be appropriate. Rolling the strap on differently as O.P. commented may also help, but the pics do show a geometry issue.

My 2 cents.

 

[john zampini]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Thanks for your "2cents"...but now we're talking geometry! LOL As I said I'm new at this, what exactly if "MFG"?

I think in my case the best thing might be to take it one step at a time. I will reverse the strap and then adjust my depth on loading and see where that gets me. I will consider all the input from you guys also. It might be a few days though as we are having some crappy weather in NJ.

I'll post when I can.

Thanks

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Forget the MFG comment, Mark was directing that comment at my boat, and he's exactly accurate in what he stated about my MFG boat.
A word of advise to you, go through all those adjustable points and oil them up, work the bolts loose and get things to move at home in the driveway, then play with the adjustments right there at the ramp, it may take a couple three times of floating off and then back on, but launch and retrieve will be a pleasure once you get that position dialed in, you'll see.

 

[john zampini]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Got it, thanks 70.

 

[rbh]

Re: Bow roller contact?

For what it is worth (as I have to do about the same thing)
I would undo/loosen the holding bolts that hold the winch/bow roller stop arm and drop it till it is below the bow eye (just above the V).
Yes this will open the debate if you should pull over or under the bow stop.

But heck, if it works, it works.

 

[cribber]

Re: Bow roller contact?

I'm with the rest that you need to move your bow stop up so it catches just an inch or two above the bow eye. This reduces the amount of forward travel to a minimum in a sudden stop. Over the top of the bow stop you'll likely add an extra 2-3 inches of travel. Doesn't sound like much until you factor in speed, weight, and braking force.

 

[wingmastr23]

Re: Bow roller contact?

I'm with the rest that you need to move your bow stop up so it catches just an inch or two above the bow eye. This reduces the amount of forward travel to a minimum in a sudden stop. Over the top of the bow stop you'll likely add an extra 2-3 inches of travel. Doesn't sound like much until you factor in speed, weight, and braking force.

I agree.....move it already!!!!

 

[john zampini]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Ok, don't get excited! LOL

My only reservation about moving the bow stop is how did it get out of position? The seller didn't say he had any issue with it, and I can't see that it moved by way of previous marks or anything. How did it come to need an adjustment?

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Have you noticed that the position of eye vs roller has changed since you've owned it?

If not, I'm guessing the previous owner had it adjusted wrong and simply lived with it.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Bow roller contact?

For what it is worth (as I have to do about the same thing)
I would undo/loosen the holding bolts that hold the winch/bow roller stop arm and drop it till it is below the bow eye (just above the V).
Yes this will open the debate if you should pull over or under the bow stop.

But heck, if it works, it works.

Imagine "Like Button" here...

 

[dgirt]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Have you noticed that the position of eye vs roller has changed since you've owned it?

If not, I'm guessing the previous owner had it adjusted wrong and simply lived with it.

Like he said.

I purchase a new/used (2000 MY) setup in May and had a similar problem. I would winch my boat tight to the roller and after pulling out (I hate pulling out) the bow would be loose and rocking against the roller going down the road and there was no way I could winch it tight sitting high and dry. The rig was setup wrong from the dealer. The bunk boards were a good 6-8" forward of the transom when tightened to the winch post. Bad move. If trailered frequently, you can count on transom failure, even with a transom saver on the outboard.

I originally thought I'd have to put longer boards, new carpet etc because I didn't think I wanted to increase my tongue weight by moving the winch post forward. (I tow a 19' alum with a mini-van). Experimenting, I moved the winch post forward approximately the amount my boat was rearward on the bunk boards (about 6"). When I reloaded the boat, holy cow, I was now about 4" forward on the bunks!!! That's the geometry thing coming into play on the keel or prow as its been referred. I've played with it by moving it rearward in 1" increments and now have it in a position where the bow eye comes about 1" from the roller and the bunk boards are flush with the back of the transom. Problem solved and I don't think the tongue weight was affected too much...Plus, I put airbags in my Windstar coil springs to level me out!

In your case based on the pics, I would start with moving your winch bracket upward on the post, and making sure the boat is sitting on the bunk boards fore to aft. ie, no gaps.

My strap comes over the top, the same way I like my toilet paper to dispense.

 

[rbh]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Imagine "Like Button" here...

Mark, your going to have to spell this one out as that went over my head.

 

[john zampini]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Thanks guys, didn;t get a chance to move anything yet. But keep the info coming!

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Mark, your going to have to spell this one out as that went over my head.

"Like Button" as in the like-button on Facebook, which I am assuming you are not on. I wrote that as a euphemism for "agree with that!"

Sorry- I often am around teens and I stepped a little into that context. LOL

"If it works, it works"

 

[rbh]

Re: Bow roller contact?

"Like Button" as in the like-button on Facebook, which I am assuming you are not on. I wrote that as a euphemism for "agree with that!"

Sorry- I often am around teens and I stepped a little into that context. LOL

"If it works, it works"

Thank's Mark, by the way, whats facebook.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Bow roller contact?

I just got off the phone with the previous owner. He said he did replace the winch strap and unknowingly put it on with the strap coming off the top of the winch.
I think I will reverse that first and see what happens. I really appreciate all of your input guys. I'll let you know how it works out.

Thanks,
John

I think this is your only problem. The roller marks above the eye on the bow are probaly from when the previous owner had the trailer in too deep.
When you winch it up to the bow roller, the eye should be snug up to the bottom of the roller. Then make it really snug as in deforming the roller.
Then when the transom comes down the eye will still be snug.
I that what it takes on my boat.

 

[john zampini]

Re: Bow roller contact?

Thanks jeeperman but I realized that I cannot reverse the strap on the winch (unless I'm missing something). The pawl only catches the gears in one direction. if I pull out the strap all the way and wind it on in the opposite direction (from under the spool) the pawl doesn't engage the gears.