Roller Trailer is killing me!

[CRay45DB]

I needed to but a new trailer for my 20' bow rider. I have always had bunk trailers, but I went with a roller trailer this time because of being able to launch in low water. It's a load rite elite, tandem axle.

The day I picked it up, it was 106, and no one, including myself wanted to mess with it. I do everything on my boat, so how hard could this be? Right?

I cannot for the life if me figure out how to load this boat in the trailer straight. Today, after another two hours of adjustments, it loaded perfect. Later that day, if by 6"s in the stern. I back it in till the water is close to the top of the fender on the back axle. Boat lines up straight. I have measured everything, everything is even, square of the trailer, distances and everything. Because it did load correctly earlier, am I missing a technique that goes with roller trailers?

Thanks

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

I dunno' about any technique, but all it'll take is a few PT 2x4's and a little outdoor carpet then you've got yourself a bunk trailer.

 

[jones56]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

You probably have the trailer in the water too deep. I have a roller trailer and its really easy to load and un load..Just put the rear roller in the water and drive the boat onto the rollers and hook it up. I had a heck of a time when i first used mine too. I was trying to load the boat too deep and took forever .

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

Have to agree with jones56. Mine has a rear cross member and I go in until the cross member just hits the water.

I purchased mine used and the only problem I have is when I get it half way on the trailer it starts to pull the bow to the left every time. Loads consistantly the same way every time. Though I believe my problem is with the winch post. It was twisted when I got it and I thought I had it straightened out pretty well but I gues not.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

The vast majority of loading problems with roller trailers are due to being backed in too deep. By their design they are self centering.

 

[CRay45DB]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

Excellent advice, makes sense. When you hit The roller, do u throttle up a bit to go halfyway on? Obviously you don't want to drive into the car.

Thanks!

 

[larsonrider]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

I have a roller trailer too and couldnt figure out what i was doing wrong cause it would never load straight. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

unlike float-ons, the design of a roller trailer anticipates some cranking, not driving up to 3' or less from the winch post. if that's a problem, get a power winch.

 

[larsonrider]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

I am guessing I have had my trailer to deep. When i pull it up the ramp the boat is always ****-eyed so i have to back it back into the water and have a buddy push the side of the boat to straighten it out. I will try a shallower load and see how that works.

 

[cribber]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

Either type you need to retrieve shallower than you launch. Saves you a lot of aggravation at beginning and end of the day. Go to a busy ramp and just watch how people do it correctly and learn from their technique to suit your setup.

 

[pooh_b_21632]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

I had the same problem when I got mine and everyone told me I was backing in too deep, so we started trying shallower and shallower then discovered it was not us at all it was the ramp we use the tide pushes against the boat while you are trying to load, I went to ace and lowes and bought some brackets, ubolts, clamps, and 3/4" pipe and made trailering poles much easier to load now.


BTW for who ever said drive they drive their boat onto the trailer did you ever take a boaters course? Thats illegal, it causes erosion of the soil at the boat ramp and can cause humps of sand or mud to pile up where other boaters engines can get stuck or someone can back their trailer into your hump you made with your engines water force and get stuck.

 

[444]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

You probably have the trailer in the water too deep. I have a roller trailer and its really easy to load and un load..Just put the rear roller in the water and drive the boat onto the rollers and hook it up. I had a heck of a time when i first used mine too. I was trying to load the boat too deep and took forever .

Yes with the roller trailers, you don't go deep at all into the water, just deep enough to unhook your boat and push it off the trailer. My last boat had a roller trailer and now mine has the bunks and it's been annoying to adapt to how to load the trailer with the bunks, having to keep the boat straight as I pull out of the water.

Excellent advice, makes sense. When you hit The roller, do u throttle up a bit to go halfyway on? Obviously you don't want to drive into the car.

Thanks!

You shut the engine off and hook up your winch before the nose of the boat touches the rollers on the trailer and you winch it on. It's a lot more winching than with a bunk trailer but like said, the boat centers itself on the trailer and it's easy to winch over the rollers.

 

[larsonrider]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

Took the boat out on Tuesday and took all of the advice. That was by far the easiest time I have had trailering. Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

once you get on the roller trailer thang you won't go back!

When you have wind/tide, and if you can, have your helper stand by on the dock with a line on the stern cleat and a boat hook; he or she can adjust the path of the boat from side to side as it comes up.

NEVER toss the lines in the boat when it is half way up. not only can you not adjust things, but if you have a winch/cable/bow eye failure, your boat is launched and gone (things I have to be mindful of, boating solo in unpopulated places). I usually take the bow line to the winch with me, so I can keep the boat tight on the trailer, etc. Often I just tie it off to the winch post with a clove hitch until it's up and the safety chain is on. BTW don't drive up the ramp w/out the chain on or some tie-off, either.

Also be aware that a boat rolling off the trailer (on purpose!) carries a lot of momentum. The person handling the line needs to be aware, lest he go for a swim or get rope burn. Wrapping a cleat is the best idea. Having oversized line is a good idea, too, just for comfort.

 

[jkust]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

At the accesses I utilize with my heavy boat, my roller trailer is pretty slick. In the manual it says to only back the trailer until the front edge of the bottom of the fender just touches the water. That is how I do it and I found works the best. That means almost no part of the trailer is actually touching any water. If you are used to a bunk trailer, the process almost defies logic as I have had many suprised comments from bunk owners at the ramps. Bunk trailers make up a large majority of the trailer population presumably because they cost less. You then simply hook the winch line on and crank it on. It will not let you put the boat on any way but perfect as long as you set the depth correctly. The down side of a roller trailer is when the access is uneven and one trailer wheel is deeper than the other. If it is too deep on one side, the trailer can not self-center and you can damage the hull when the rollers try to self center and can't and are pushed off of their metal holders. A roller trailer allow you to never need to get your tow vehicle anywhere near the water so whether it is an all sand access or really shallow or drops off quickly, the process doesn't change. Once you get the full hang of it, and if you actually visit and experience difficult accesses, situations and wind/water conditions you will wonder why everyone doesn't have one. The roller trailer has saved my behind on many occassions but our accesses are many times in bad shape or on the worst part of the lake and surrounding land.

 

[Fed]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

I retrieve with the rear roller just out of the water and more often than not the boat starts off at right angles to the trailer & I use the winch to pull it around straight. No ropes involved.

 

[Darol Wester]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

A friend and I have a boat that's pushing 6000 pounds. I've had to reel that thing up on rollers many times and lately, I'm thinking of finding somebody younger for the job. That's a lot of work with a heavy boat. I started putting the trailer mostly in the water and walk the boat on with ropes from the floating dock. Much easier. The trailer's gotta be right next to the dock though.

 

[ingalp01]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

Interesting information, now I know why I had problems with my new roller trailer... it is my first and I have been going too deep with it... Thanks guys...

 

[dingbat]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

BTW for who ever said drive they drive their boat onto the trailer did you ever take a boaters course? Thats illegal,....

Humm... I must have missed that part. Care to point me to the COMAR so I can read up on the regulation?

http://www.dsd.state.md.us/

 

[clintbeastwood]

Re: Roller Trailer is killing me!

Yep i hated my roller trailer at first too. I was also backing in to deep at first. Its no biggie now but I still like my bunk trailers better, but my roller for the starcraft is almost 40 yrs old too.