Boat hook
 

My trailer that our sonic sits on is about 2-3ft to short. I was told this will cause the boat to have a hook in it . This trailer is a temp
trailer until we can find another one that fits. Is there truth to this? I don't know how long the boat has been on this trailer.

David

Reggie and someone at the Cig factory said it was true. I had called about how to properly "bunk" their boats on lifts. They both said the transom MUST be supported.

Yes Dave the transom has to be supported as said above !!!!

Put a straight edge against the bottom and see if there is any hook in it now.

The transom must be supported!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6" too short would be bad enough but 2 or 3 feet???? Dude you need a new trailer or longer bunks.

While parked, lower the trailer tongue jack, put support blocking under the stern where engine stringers meet transom, raise the tongue until the blocking supports a good share or weight, and go shopping for the right trailer or someone to correct yours. I can attest to just how much fun that it's NOT to strip and flip these kinds of boats to remove a hook that resulted from improper storage! And I don't care HOW WELL your hull was built, It just wasn't made to have it's heaviest three feet cantilevered out unsupported! --- Jer

The boys are right...with the engines, transimissions and all the weight of the drives, there is a constant load on the transom and without support to the edge of the hull, your boat will sag at the transom and create a hook in your bottom...the longer it is unsupported, the greater the hook...it will affect performance and the speed of your boat. You can line up your eyes with the edge of the bottom of your boat or with the outer strakes and you will be able to see if your bottom is straight or if there is a downward curve towards the transom...very easy to see on most boats...even without a straight edge. In the meantime, find some way to support the back edge and take the weight off of the back edge. Good luck.

DMan

Thanks I am trailer shopping now. 42 sonic

just call myco get bill tweety to build you one ,you will love it

Can you extend the bunks and build some supports to support the last couple feet of extended bunks?

Brian I think I can for a temp fix I will try to post a pic and show what I am talking about
Thanks

First pic is how it was when I bought it. Not a great pic, sorry, but the bunks were crap, out of alignment, cracked, and way short. The boat spent all of its time on a lift anyhow.
(Also notice the ST-12 Bennets).

As it is now after CheckmateF1 and I redid everything. It took a while to plan how and where to re-sit the boat on the trailer, but retrieving and towing are now 150% better. (Also now have Bennet ST-16s installed).

Close measuring to allow for Speedo pick-up:

It looks like the bunks come right to the edge of the transom,,, if thats true your ok

speedo

Also added new cross-member and cradle supports. :D

Another pic of how awful it was set up when I bought it:

If you can do what I did, and add some stability and strength to the very rear, with some aluminum L-lengths, I bet you will be OK for a long time.

Wow you did a great job there Brian thanks for posting the pics. I need to figure out what I am going to do. Our sonic is at the paint shop having some scratches fixed . If you get a chance give me a call. 704-634-9004.

David

David, nice chatting with you this morning. Good Luck!

Hey, do you have tool boxes on the front of the trailer? Do you have room for them? Could be a great way to add tongue weight, and be useful at the same time. Push comes to shove; you could add some lead plates to the bottom of them for more weight; just paint the plates with several coats of Rustoleum before inserting. I know a few people buy the diamond plate tool boxes that mount over the wheel well in pickup beds; and bolt them to the trailer.