35 Outlaw trailer loading issue
 

I have never had this before with a boat but maybe someone here can tell me whats going on the boat is a 2007 Outlaw 35 (stepped hull) and the trailer is a Heritage. When I pull the boat out the thing will never settle on the bunkers straight it always kicks out to the Port side really frustrating and it does it on any ramp. I have tried everything from pulling it out fast (not crazy stupid fast but quickly and that was a bad idea it really kicked off to the port side) to slowly pulling it out to try to let it settle with same result the boat off to the port side. So what I have to do now is back the trailer under pull the boat on then have the wife drive the rig forward slowly while I pull on a line attached to the rear cleat to make sure it settles on the bunkers. Damn thing really is really frustrating.

Yea I can get it on with the wife driving and all but she is less then comfortable driving a 1 ton truck and 40+ foot of boat/trailer even if it's just straight for a little bit, shes like 5' 3" and about 120 when wet and when she crawls in the truck and hits the button for her seat adjust......all way up, and forward and pedals all the way out it makes me laugh but she not laughing!!!!!

Any ideas or am I just going to have to send the wife to get her CDL :D

You get in truck and have wife hold the line. Problem solved. :grinser010:

Nah been there tried that she doesn't see where the boat needs to be I wish it was that simple..... hard enough for me to have to look down and line the side of the boat up straight with the trailer fenders as it comes out of the water!

Not saying it will work for you as your set up may be different then mine, but it has worked well for me. I don't get the trailer in so deep that the boat floats above it. I like to get it in enough to get the bunkers wet and pull the boat up onto the trailer and it will self center. Just a suggestion

Worth a try not sure I can crank the 35 on without it floating but maybe a I can find a spot where the trailer is not as deep as I normally go but yet deep enough to be able to crank it on so it centers, thanks for the idea!

I think once you find the "Sweet Spot" on the bunks (water Line) and make a mental note you should be fine. I pull my 40ft up just fine. good luck!!

I agree. You may be loading with the trailer too deep.

EVERY trailer is different, and every ramp is different just to compound the issue.
But as a rule, I normally have about 8" of my forward hull V-bunks out of the water. I splash water on them to get them fully wet before I either line pull or drive the boat onto the trailer. The best way for me to describe it is I "land the boat on the trailer" enough for friction to hold it on those exposed bunks. Then I winch it the rest of the way onto the trailer; normally about 4-6 feet. I never float or drive the boat all the way to it's final forward position. Sometimes, once I have it landed and winched up a couple feet, I will back the trailer in another foot just to aide in winching it up the rest of the way.

A lot of it could be your trailer. Post some pics of your trailer. The typical aluminum bolt together trailer with long large lumber bunks for the back 2/3s of the boat can be very troublesome to load. The style that the steel trailer builders and Myco/Manning build that "cradle" the boat, load about an even million times easier.

If Abones can winch a 40' on then I am damn sure I can do same thing with 35' I get what your saying about leaving some bunk out a little and wetting them before cranking on thanks guys I guess I just wasn't think as other boats I had just settled in no issue.

Not a great picture of trailer as its to far away but only thing I have right now will post some later today but I really think you guys hit it with what you explained.

Thanks again!


[ATTACH=CONFIG]503983[/ATTACH]

I don't have any issues.. but the wife does pull me up. Sounds like your in way too deep.

I normally back down just until forward bunks front edge is at water line, that causes me to drive it up to the roller with wife guiding me till I make contact with the roller and also how far I have to go until the front eye has till its flush with roller. (Where it rides) no winching for me, if you can winch, your too deep or will take more forward travel till rear sit on bunks., thus more chance of being crookd.

She, whoever then inches me up till the rear hits the back bunks then pull up out the way. If there is a stiff wind, I actually have big PVC poles in the back that I can help center when needed. Also helps when lining up on the initial pull in. There are not "cool" but make things easy!!

I back the trailer in til the fenders are under then drive the boat on (about 4 ft) sometimes have to back in a little more after the boat is on but it is centered. I just don't like pulling that hard on the bow eye trying to drag 34ft on the trailer. Randy

Here are pics of it on trailer and appreciate all the input. I think it will be problem solved next time out. I've never drove a boat on the trailer but I think I can get trailer set like everyone suggest and winch it on. Thanks again.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]503984[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]503985[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]503986[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]503987[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]503988[/ATTACH]

Those last pictures really helped shed light on the situation.

That's a really nice trailer, however, it would load a LOT better if the center bunks went up to and maybe even past that little decorative keel roller. The long term ideal fix would be to have those bunks extended another 3 feet forward or so.

You will be better off trying the winching approach, but I can completely see why you are having issues. By the time you pull out of the water after getting the boat fully on the trailer (using your old approach), the weight of the boat is going to make it land wherever it's at once you start pulling forward, aligned or not.

I have seen people that put the guide-on posts on their boat with "tension" on the boat to actually touch the rub rail of the boat and force the boat to float centered. It works well, but you can't really put a full cover on the boat that goes over the rub rail; without long term chaffe damage to the cover.

you sure about the stepped hull?? I dont think you have a stepped hull on that outlaw...

try not dipping the trailer as much..

Funny because that's what I call the back roller decorative!!! I was like what the hell did they put that in for? Maybe in case you still had 10 people hanging out in the bow when you loaded it.......

Yep agree on the fix but not sure yet where I would take it to get fixed the way I'd be ok with it, I'm a little...no make that a lot anal and I'd want it to look like it was all original not cobbled together I may start to look around in the area to find someone to do it. As you can see and now that everyone has helped me I can see how floating it all the way to the front roller lets the ass go where it wants and then with the bottom bunks being so close together due to the hull design it will never just set down centered unless by pure chance.

Going to hold off on the guide posts but it's an option I'm going for the winch approach I feel pretty confident I can get it following everyone's input.

Yea technically not stepped like you would think of with the steps from bow to stern but I didn't know what else to call it as that bottom "step" was not on my Outlaw 33

I have seen poles on either side of trailers at the stern like training wheels. Boat won't have a chance to swing out of alignment. Just a thought.

Are you talking about the Notched transom?? My 25 had a small one, but not my 33.

Thanks NAILIT maybe that's what its called but I thought notched was a flat in the bottom at the back whatever it is the bastard wasn't loading easy!

Any master welder could modify that, especially since it's steel. Take it in with the boat on the trailer for measurements, and then drop the boat in the Chain for a few days.

It would take a body shop to finish paint it; and you would want to get the paint code from the trailer manufacturer.

Ask around at the local industrial park who is the best welder in town. You want to find the guy that is busy, not the guy who is bored. The guy who is busy never has to advertise, and is always jammed up with work; because he's damn good. Also, ask around the local stock car racing circles. Keith at Waves and Wheels (or whatever his place is called) is also another place to ask.

Sydwayz you live in the area or boat on the Chain of lakes here?

I think wings, wheels and waves is in Decatur way South of me but I'm sure I can find someone for the fabrication work and the body shop part I have my normal guy that does all my work for me, but before I do anything going to try the winch on method and it maybe problem solved with not a dime spent.

Shoot a PM to "Obnoxus" on here to get Keith's contact info. He's up there in McHenry or close by; not the same place you mentioned. I've never met Keith, but he's as honest and good a person as they come, I was introduced to him via phone via a recommendation from here on OSO. He used to take care of my Mom's car and let her drive his while he was working on it. He is rerigging a 42 Fountain for one of the other Chicago area boaters.

I grew up in NW Indiana, boated on the Chain with family as a kid; and my Mother and Grandparents are interned in McHenry.

Good luck with whatever direction you take.

Thanks again I will check with him and get a contact.

My 3423 has a alumium 2 big buncks and it can be a pain for it to settle dead center. thnking about the guild poles my self. but damn i hate the look of them

had the same issue once. Turned out the 2 covered boards in the front of the trailer were a little cocked, they seem to guide the boat as well as support it. If you think about it, the V sits right in them, the rest of the boat does what its told from there.

Easy to make guide-ons removable. You could mount them square receivers on the trailer and a pull/clip; identical to the way you change/remove your trailer hitch receiver.

They are often seen installed via U-bolts on the top or bottom of the I-beam on an aluminum trailer. Instead of U-bolting the guide-ons directly on, bolt on a square tube that is just slightly bigger than the square tube of your guide-on. Slide the guide-on pole in the "receiver" and drill a hole to insert/remove a pin allowing you to remove the poles for when they are not needed. You could even get really fancy and have two holes in the guide-on poles allowing "loose or tight" tension on the boat's rub rail.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trks...at=0&_from=R40

Just a follow up, The solution was the simple one suggested here, put the trailer in till the front most bunks are just covered with water and crank it on the trailer, centers every time that way...... trailer loading issue was resolved thanks everyone for the help!

Now I'm just finding how much deeper in it can go and still load ok but my guess is front bunks 6-12" beneath the water.

Great looking boat. Glad to hear you resolved the problem.

glad its workign for you.

the 12 inch of the front bunks in is what i do, this get its centered, but once it am hooked and have it pulle dup i let it all slide back in the water a little more so i am not dragging all that wieght across the bunck.s

Yep good idea was planning on trying that next time.

I have the same boat the same trailer and same problem. I get the boat up to the roller where I want it then have my wife pull the truck up real slow. When you feel the boat start to tilt I tell her to stop. At this pointing turn the wheel to the direction it needs to go and put one drive in reverse. It will drop right in at this point. Do this as easy as you can to keep from putting to much pressure on the strap up front. This really helps on those windy days.

Awash--I believe you launch at Ben Watt's Marina ??? I have a 36 Outlaw similar in size. I only launch and retrieve from ramp #1 closest to the little blue building. The other ramps are very different and are more difficult to use for our big boats. I keep my boat there and if you see me, say Hi. If you have any other questions let me know. Sorry I did not chime in sooner, I could have helped you with hands on instructions.

See you on the water !!!!!!

Smitty

I do launch from Ben Watts and from the same ramp as you for the same reasons I never risk the other ramps. The bottom on this boat is very different from the 33 we had and if you see the bunk pictures you can see why the thing doesn't load as easy as yours or the 33. But I have it sorted now.

Will for sure say hi feel free to do the same,