swm1day Posted July 27, 2019 Report Share Posted July 27, 2019 Got a 26 HPS Pathfinder and curious about other owner's experiences with loading back on trailer. Do you guys drive the boat all the way up to the bow stop when loading? Or within 5 inches or so? I can't make it there unless pushing trailer back so far that the stern is floating-and that causes centering problems for me. In fact, several times I have backed in farther just to see how it would go and when I pulled the boat out it was an inch or two off in the back and not sitting on the bunks correctly (the stern hull strake was not centered between the bunks). Just wondering what your experiences are. The best I can do is get about 30 inches from the bow stop, then get out and have my driver back in another foot so I can winch it up tight. So a 2 step process. This is the only way I can ensure that the stern gets centered correctly. At least with my typical ramp, sticking the trailer back in the water more just means the stern is floating for me. Interested in your experiences. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterman7474 Posted July 29, 2019 Report Share Posted July 29, 2019 Maybe look into the uprights. You can then deep set the trailer and it will center the boat regardless. You just have to be a lot better about getting it on through the goal posts or you will bend/break them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron in Atlanta Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 On 7/27/2019 at 7:16 PM, swm1day said: Do you guys drive the boat all the way up to the bow stop when loading? Or within 5 inches or so? I have a TRS 2200, not sure about the differences (well, there's the extra 4 feet). Question: Is it an Ameritrail trailer? Also, is the winch a two-speed? This two-speed winch lets me stop 5 inches to a foot from the roller (power loading sometimes causes a hole at the bottom of the ramp) and the low gear makes winching the boat up to the roller easy. Here is another shot showing the winch... I've had a previous boat, a Key West, on a non-Ameritrail trailer and the boat almost never centered on the trailer. Turns out the moveable bunks were just in the wrong places. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Ron... The cleanliness of your boats is disturbing. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Maybe get a little momentum to get it up that last bit, or as stated consider getting the small guide posts from ameratrail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron in Atlanta Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 1 hour ago, jason p said: Ron... The cleanliness of your boats is disturbing. Yes, my wife tells me that the boat gets waxed far more often than she does.😋 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyBottomBluz Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 No trailer is perfect from factory/shop set up. I bought watermans old trailer and made it fit my boat and it fits like a glove! These were not the same boats by far. Remember lower in the back and higher in the front for dealing with shallow ramps. Seems like you may be basing you're findings on the same ramp. If you figure out how to load a boat perfectly every time at every ramp, from Pensacola to Key West, please let us know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swm1day Posted July 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 Thanks all. The pics show the issue. As you can see, 1 inch of movement is a deal breaker because of the lip, so the bunks being tight to side is not the solution (though mine are tight actually). I've loaded the boat 25 times and not really a big deal to use a 2 step process (hit trailer, motor up as far as possible, then have my driver back the tailer down another foot, then winch). Just wondering if others have the same issue on a modest ramp. Love the boat. This is not a complaint at all, just a guy looking for experiences of others in case I'm missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyBottomBluz Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 I just remembered that Pathfinder trailers typically come with forward centering bunks that are carpeted. These will definitely stop you or slow you down quite a bit when trying to load it, especially if they are not wet. It looks like that is what you have. I have always used the centering PVC "V's" and the boat always glides right up to the stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_B Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 This has been my experience. Not sure if this will work for your setup, but I had a similar issue with my 23 HPS. The stepped hull seems to add challenge to centering the boat on the trailer because the back is usually still floating above the rear trailer bunks (even when the trailer is setup for the stepped hull). More often than not when the boat came up the ramp after being loaded on the trailer the back of the boat was tilted to one side or the other on the trailer(especially a problem when I was solo). I solved this for me by making a loop of rope (2 separate loops) for port/starboard that fits tight when looped over the trailer guide post and the port/starboard cleats. Once the trailer winched tight I either jump back on the boat or have whoever is still on the boat put the loops on which "locks" the boat centered on the trailer when pulling back up the ramp. So far every time the boat is centered perfectly and the stern is fully supported by the back bunks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron in Atlanta Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 1 hour ago, C_B said: put the loops on which "locks" the boat centered on the trailer when pulling back up the ramp. That sounds like a GREAT solution. Wish I had thought of that back when I had the Key West that never centered on the trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 Why can't you adjust your PVC guide-ons to center the stern? I never power load. Puts lots of stress on trailer, bunks and guide-ons. Plus it washes out the end of the ramp. I ease up till the bow is about a foot to 18" from the bow stop, then winch it the rest of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captpn Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 10 minutes ago, SCFD rtrd. said: Why can't you adjust your PVC guide-ons to center the stern? you certainly can... make em nice and snug IF possible. Some setups the guide-ons just wont tuck in far enough without modification. Less trailer in the water the better, helps to center it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swm1day Posted July 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 26 minutes ago, captpn said: Why can't you adjust your PVC guide-ons to center the stern? Thanks for the insight friends. My guideposts are pretty tight actually, but 1 inch is a difference maker in this case given the design of the bottom (see lip on bottom of pic). The boat is heavy enough to move those posts 1 inch to either side (they already have a natural flex given the way they are bolted down below). As for power loading, I'm not really in that category. Probably reach 1500 RPM until I shut it down. I think the 2 step approach is probably what I'm left with. I was at a busy ramp in Isle of Palms SC recently and pulled the boat out to realize that the stern was off 2 inches and that makes the hull sit above the horizontal bunk. So, I winched ONE tie down on stern really hard and backed the boat down the ramp again and it pulled it right over. Magic! Saved the day. I was worried that I would have to back the boat off the trailer and approach it again with a host of armchair QBs on my case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert3 Posted August 1, 2019 Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 I use the two step approach and never winch the boat for more than a few inches.. It takes a little longer, but on my 2300HPS it centers perfectly.. I thought about the loop method.. Sometimes I use bow and stern line just to float it the trailer, then tie off and pull it. I don't dunk the trailer more than the top of the tires.. Easy breezy.. I don't wanna be THAT guy at the ramp!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swm1day Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Well, I fixed it. 1. I cut two new boards with an angle on the end, and I moved them up on the bracket a little. 2. I set the guide posts pretty tight to the boat. 3. Coated the bunks with liquid roller spray. No more issues and now I can make it all the way to the bow stop. I really think this trailer was not set up properly on delivery. But I'm good now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang190 Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 I know the Ameritrail trailer that came with my 22TE was NOT set right. The left forward bunk started gouging the gelcoat on the hull. I had to plane down the bunk board since the brackets are welded. Apparently they got the angle wrong. When loading the boat I back down until the step in front of the fender is just barely touching the water. I power up until the bow is about a foot from the bow stop and winch it the rest of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Guide posts are just that, they guide the trailer. Attaching a line will help. One of the few trailers I've seen with a true guide was on a Hells Bay trailer. It had guides down low that fit the boat like a glove. Made of 3 inch welded aluminum and bolted to trailer frame. As the trailer came out of the ramp the stern had no place to center other than tightly between them. I would also think that it would stabilize the boat going down the road. I've searched the internet but could never find anything similiar other than the cheaply made bunks for John boats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 On 7/30/2019 at 4:46 PM, Ron in Atlanta said: Yes, my wife tells me that the boat gets waxed far more often than she does.😋 Well that’s just not acceptable Ron, wipe on wipe off, lol. Yes the way you keep that rig is disturbing to say the least.!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted December 13, 2019 Report Share Posted December 13, 2019 You can always spray your carpeted bunks with silicon lubricant. It works REALLY well so I only spray the front bunks not all of them. You will be amazed how easily boat comes off the trailer just make sure it happens over water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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