Trailer guides?

[Fiat4Fun]

Howdy,
My 1986 Chris Craft 210 Scorpion trailer was made in 1999, and it does not have any guides at all, just the carpeted bunks.

When I load the boat back on the trailer, it sometimes hard to center it right on the trailer. I have looked at the iboats store, and they offer a variety of guides for the back of the trailer. Some have rollers and some just look like PVC pipes. I have also seen folks that have posted on this forum that have just made their own.

Any advantages of the different types or any recommendations on what works best?
It seems like it would make my life easier!!!

Thanks in advance of any advice from you folks that are experienced in this area!!!!

Enjoy,
Bob

 

[Randy J]

Re: Trailer guides?

get the one that bolts to trailer frame and the bunk carpet style just measure at side of boat for the length you want, also when loading boat just have the water level just above trailer fender, will line up better and less floating all over trailer

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Trailer guides?

I LOVE my bunk style ones http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2727-1.jpg

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Trailer guides?

I've got the type that look like PVC pipes and I'm very happy with them. Originally, all I had were rollers along the edges of my trailer. The boat rests on bunks though; not on rollers... those rollers were there just to keep things from crashing together. In any case, the PVC pipes give me an aiming point to fit the boat between when loading and it's really easy. I've got the optional LED lights on the ends of mine as well.

They mount easily: there is an L shaped metal bracket on each side that bolts to the frame of your trailer with a pair of U bolts and then the PVC slides snugly over the vertical portion of the bracket. You set them so they're just slightly wider than the width of your boat's rub rails. If I had to do it all over again I'd get taller PVC sections than just to the level of the gunwales: that would make it just that much easier to back the trailer if I could use them as a visual reference in the truck.

The picture below doesn't show them: I took the picture when I first got the boat; before I started adding things on.

 

[K9Deuce]

Re: Trailer guides?

My first boat and trailer had the bunk style guides and I loved them. It was so easy to load and guide the boat onto the trailer. I just boat a new boat and the trailer has no guides, guess what I will be installing?? I have been loading my other 19 ft boat for 12 years in and out no problem with the guides.. I never thought it would be such a big deal until I did it without guides, wooow what a bad bad idea. I was wonder about the pvc style ( with lights) myself..

 

[cribber]

Re: Trailer guides?

I've got the single support type guides and the really help out when it's windy out on the water. I have mine adjusted so there is about two inches of room between the guides and the hull. I set the distance when I installed them with the boat perfectly set on the trailer.

 

[zopperman]

Re: Trailer guides?

I drilled 2 3/8 inch holes and bolted some PVC pipes on a piece of steel sticxking out where my lights go... They work OK... they bend a little, but were basiclaly free