XX14

I just redid the bunks on my trailer, Roadrunner for a Nordic Rage. If the ramp is just right the boat comes on perfect. If the ramp drops too much she comes out riding up on one of the strakes. The second time I put the boat on the trailer it did this and snapped the old bunk. Besides that I don't want to get wet everytime I take the boat out. Besides that I like to look like I know what I'm doing on the ramp.

Here's what I'm considering:

http://www.riverdavesplace.com/forum...ad.php?t=48310

borrowed this from River Dave's. Any advice in this attempt? I've got a good friend that is a professional welder/enginer/fabricator to do the work. Any thoughts you have to help make this successful effort would be appreciated!

seafordguy

Good Lord man - that truck in Picture 5 is all the way in to the Oil Pan...???

firehawkcat

man he was in pretty far, i would try and find a better ramp for sure

XX14

anybody got any input on how to do this correctly the first time? If the boat's not centered it rides up on the strakes. How tight can I make these things to the hull? I know someone out there has dealt with this.

mlb75

it can work very well but not sure how tight you can make them. The problem is most boats are the widest somewhere in the middle not at the stern so if you're going to make them with steel (or aluminum) then you'll need to account for full beam. Most of the time the guides aren't really tight they just prevent you from being off too far, as long as the trailer isn't in tooooo deep or the wind / current isn't to bad as long as the guides get you close the boat should settle down right.

mlb75

Another option would be to use something like PVC as your uprights with a pad that could rotate then you could get them snug at the stern and it would just flex a little as it passes the max beam and then it would be perfect every time...

hotjava66

Have thought about this too, since I launch and recover by myself quite a bit. Sometimes infuriating when the breeze pushes the boat off center while getting in the truck. I would be hesitant do do something as solid/permanent as in the pic, if you ran one over on accident it wouldnt be pretty, especially since they are short enough to be underwater on a steep ramp.

weldcrane

match your crossmembers to the hull like a v been building trailers for 30 years all the trailers have been drive on from 18' to 42' i dont like to be on the ramp for more very long

XX14

all points well taken. Building the crossmembers like a V, that's what is shown in the pics right? My biggest concern is how tight I can get the crossmembers, faced by carpeted 2 x 6's, to the hull when it's on the trailer correctly?

The theory that if it rides up a little it'll bounce down just doesn't work. There's enough weight that it stays right where it is and if it bounces it breaks off the edge of the bunk. I always drive on now and that insures that the front of the boat is where it should be. If it's a deep ramp it leaves just enough wiggle room for it to get off at the back end.

Griff

Simple solution on a deep/steep ramp is to not put the trailer in the water so deep. get it lined up and have someone attach/crank the bow strap while you power the boat onto the trailer. Normal procedure for steep LOTO ramps and the river here.