Bunks, Roller, or guidepost for centering boat?

  • labguy
    Posts: 24
    March 6, 2005 at 10:01 pm #1245873

    I have a Lund 1675 boat that I have a heck of a time centering the back end on the trailor. Always wants to shift off center on one side. I want to get some of those guides to put on the trailor. Which would work the best, the carpeted bunk boards, there is a roller guide, or those long post guides with PVC on them. I saw these in the cabelas catalog. I can see advantage with the PVC type in that it would help me to see the trailor when backing up with my Suburban. Anybody see a advantage in one or another?
    Thanks
    Todd

    18fisher
    Hastings,MN
    Posts: 412
    March 6, 2005 at 10:14 pm #347495

    Im guessing you have a roller trailer?

    I have a bunk trailer with side guides that are 2×2 square tubing with a carpeted “bunk” on the top this aids greatly in loading boat and centers itself. When the boat is on the trailer thwe guides do not touch the boat.

    PVC I believe would be brittle and might break if you hit it on a cold day or accidentally were going too fast.

    Good luck

    labguy
    Posts: 24
    March 6, 2005 at 10:15 pm #347496

    yes, I do have a all roller trailer.

    18fisher
    Hastings,MN
    Posts: 412
    March 6, 2005 at 10:21 pm #347499

    By the way, I have never had a problem loading on this trailer and I am by myself 95% of the time.

    Dave Koonce
    Moderator
    Prairie du Chien Wi.
    Posts: 6946
    March 6, 2005 at 10:41 pm #347503

    I to own a Lund 1675 Explorer SS…I used to have big time problems centering my boat(in the back) on the trailor…What my solution ended up being was to leave the back rollers just under the water…sounds like it would be two shallow ? not the case…I have had 99% 1st time straight loading ever since I have started doing this…

    Try it and let me know how it works for you !!

    labguy
    Posts: 24
    March 6, 2005 at 11:53 pm #347513

    So by doing that are you able to drive it on? or you just cranking it in? I am usually by myself or with kid so I crank it on most of the time. Thanks for the tip. I will have to try it out.

    Steve Plantz
    SE MN
    Posts: 12240
    March 7, 2005 at 12:43 am #347523

    Dave gave me this same advice two years ago when I got my first drive on trailer, and it has worked great. I took the side rails off my trailer as all they are going to do is beat the crap out of the sides of the boat. Often I have my daughter with me and I will drive the trailer on 3/4 of the way on then crank it on the rest of the way. My daughter Emily will wait in the boat and then turn the motor off and raise it the rest of the way out of the water for me after I get the strap snug on the boat.

    Quote:

    I to own a Lund 1675 Explorer SS…I used to have big time problems centering my boat(in the back) on the trailor…What my solution ended up being was to leave the back rollers just under the water…sounds like it would be two shallow ? not the case…I have had 99% 1st time straight loading ever since I have started doing this…

    Try it and let me know how it works for you !!

    joeyno5
    Rochester MN.
    Posts: 486
    March 7, 2005 at 1:35 am #347537

    I also own a 1675 lund and to take care of your problem go to cabellas and buy the front and rear guide ons, when you install them leave enough room to put your finger between the rubber roller and the boat. You will have nothing but great results.

    pyake
    Posts: 167
    March 7, 2005 at 4:24 am #347601

    If you have a roller trailer, you are at the mercy of how level the ramp is unless you use something to center and guide your boat on the trailer. I installed the shorlander guides on my R2400 trailer and it made a world of difference. PVC, or others I think will work equally well.

    b_sander
    Red Wing , MN
    Posts: 800
    March 7, 2005 at 4:40 am #347606

    All these sound like great ideas!

    I just wanted to say I had the roller trailer with the pvc pipes going up the sides. My first boat when I was 16, I fished in Dec, Jan, Feb and back then 16 I didnt care…Trust me you wont break the pvc! but sometimes you might have to straighten it, if you hit mine hard enough you could fold them forward.

    Did work good for keeping the boat straight!

    bill_cadwell
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 12607
    March 7, 2005 at 1:28 pm #347644

    I just installed some bunk type guide ons on my Lowe jon boat. I figure they should work very well as I have them on my Lund boat also and work great. I had the PVC style guide ons on a Lund Rebel boat and on an Alumacraft before that but the bunk style ones work better as they are longer which helps to keep the boat going on the trailer straight.
    Thanks, Bill

    GEEMAN
    Fort Atkinson , WI
    Posts: 281
    March 7, 2005 at 4:02 pm #347688

    I did the same with my Lowe Jon boat as you did Bill. Had the post guide ons at first but went to the side bunks a couple years ago. The post guide ons worked pretty good unless there was a lot of current or wind THEN they became sort of a pain to deal with. Trying to flip the winch rope over the posts was a problem at times. Since I went to the side bunks no problem.
    However, I have post guide ons on my Eagle bunk trailer that I pull my Alumicraft Magnum 175 on. Those do a great job lining things up. I always winch my boats on as the ramps around here are in bad enough shape without adding the dredge holes power loading cause.

    Re: the PVC on the post guide ons. I’ll fish year round if there’s open water. January was the only month I hav’nt been out in the boat in the last 11 months. Anyhow , been out in some cold nasty weather and NEVER had problems with the PVC chipping or cracking in the past.

    kurt-turner
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 691
    March 7, 2005 at 4:11 pm #347692

    I have to agree with Dave’s advice on this one. Save yourself the money of buying any gadgets and try stopping once the first roller submerges. My 1850 fishhawk was all over the trailer whenever I went deeper but straight as a pin when I stopped what almost seemed like too short. Kurt

    steveo
    W Central Sconnie
    Posts: 4102
    March 7, 2005 at 6:28 pm #347732

    I don’t even go as far as submerging the back rollers. I leave it so they are just barely sticking out of the water. I then just usually winch it the rest of the way up. Straight as a stick every single time.

    Steve Plantz
    SE MN
    Posts: 12240
    March 7, 2005 at 8:45 pm #347781

    Quote:

    I have to agree with Dave’s advice on this one. Save yourself the money of buying any gadgets and try stopping once the first roller submerges. My 1850 fishhawk was all over the trailer whenever I went deeper but straight as a pin when I stopped what almost seemed like too short. Kurt

    Quote:

    I don’t even go as far as submerging the back rollers. I leave it so they are just barely sticking out of the water. I then just usually winch it the rest of the way up. Straight as a stick every single time.

    redneck
    Rosemount
    Posts: 2627
    March 7, 2005 at 10:17 pm #347815

    I have the exact same boat and we had problems at first too. If you look at the bottom of the boat it is completely flat in the back so there isn’t alot to keep it straight. We thought about buying guides but with a little practice we can get it on straight first time most times. What we found is to barely get the back set of rollers in the water, then run the boat up about 3/4 of the way on the trailer. Let it roll back almost all the way off the trailer(as it rolls back it straightens itself) then punch it all the way on the trailer. It is so easy a 14 year old can do it—now if he can only teach the old man to do it half as good. With the 1675 Explorer and Shorelander roller trailer our philosophy is “if it isn’t touching either trailer fender then it’s good enough”.

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