Is my trailer configured properly??

[BuffsBoat]

Hi All,

Nervous Nelly back again with more question

So, i finally got the boat and trailer hooked up and everything!



I'm taking it out for the maiden voyage tomorrow with my 5 year old daughter. The lake is about an hour away, so want to make sure i got everything configured properly. The place I bought the trailer from (Sheltered Cove Marina, NJ) was useless.

Bow roller

• Should I replace the bow roller with a different type (one that is more flat)?
• I positioned the bow handle so it rests just behind the roller. Is this correct?
• The instructions for the Zodiac said not to attach the wench to the bow handle, but to use the tow rings instead. So i connected the tow rings to each other using a small cable, and connected that to the wench. Is that correct?
• Generally speaking, does this look correct?

Keel roller

• Should I replace the keel roller with a different roller
• Generally speaking, does this look correct?

Bunks

• Are the bunks underneath a good part of the boat?
• I left overhang at the end. Is it too much or too little?
• I raised both bunks as high as they can go, and centered the boat perfectly, yet one tube is resting slightly on the plastic fender. Is this OK?

Also, the tongue weight appears to be only about 25 pounds or so. I can’t move the boat any more forward. I took a ride around the neighborhood, and got up to around 50MPH, and it still felt OK. Is this safe?

Thanks so much for all the good advice. If it was just me, and 20 years ago, I’d feel invincible and not be so worried. But it’s going to be me and my daughter, and last thing I want to do is take any chances.

Thanks again!!!

[Silverfox]

Generally I would say all looks OK. But I think the tubes could do with some air in them. Also, I'm not sure as it is a little hard to tell from the photo, but you may want to try the bow strap to the ratchet, running over the top of the roller, and then tying down the bow, using the bow eye vertically down on to the tow beam.

Hope that makes sense, and your daughter is bound to have a great time.

[BuffsBoat]

Yes...I'm glad you said that.

the instructions for the trailer clearly say not to run the cable over the roller.

But i did buy some 6 foot ratchet straps to tie down the transom in the back (using the motor plate), and the the bow handle vertically down on to the tow beam like you said. that makes it feel much more secure. it's just not in these photos.

[Silverfox]

Great - hope you have better weather this weekend than we are expecting!

[SR4]

Looks good Just remember your safety gear, life vests, kill cord, waterproof cover for your phone e.t.c. and DO NOT let anyone swim or be in the water around the props, it is DEADLY and easy to make the mistake when picking someone up out of the water.

Also look at the boat and imagine you have been thrown out of it and are in the water, do you have the capability and a plan to haul yourself back in, if not prepare for that, you just never know, have a great time

[Silverfox]

Originally Posted by SR4

Looks good Just remember your safety gear, life vests, kill cord, waterproof cover for your phone e.t.c. and DO NOT let anyone swim or be in the water around the props, it is DEADLY and easy to make the mistake when picking someone up out of the water.

Also look at the boat and imagine you have been thrown out of it and are in the water, do you have the capability and a plan to haul yourself back in, if not prepare for that, you just never know, have a great time

Great advice.

[Josh_P]

Originally Posted by BuffsBoat

Yes...I'm glad you said that.

the instructions for the trailer clearly say not to run the cable over the roller.

But i did buy some 6 foot ratchet straps to tie down the transom in the back (using the motor plate), and the the bow handle vertically down on to the tow beam like you said. that makes it feel much more secure. it's just not in these photos.

I was about to say ratchet from the transom
Don't forget your orange prop cover (whilst writing realising this may not be law in the states)...

Also check your lightboard is working, brakes and indicators... Tie down anything loose in the SIB especially rope, a loose line can whip into other vehicles...

To be honest though you look like you've got it all covered, nice little rig

[SR4]

Do you have a spare wheel? if so have the right spanner for the nuts. I guess if you are in a lake it is fresh water, if in salt water with a light rig like that a rope can be used from the tow bar to the trailer to save getting the bearings salty and extend their life

Also go around the trailer and test all the nuts, also check tyre pressures. If you are travelling with the outboard up, sometimes a block of wood is handy to jam between the engine and transom to relieve some pressure when it is jumping about if you have speed humps or similar there.

[Josh_P]

Originally Posted by SR4

If you are travelling with the outboard up, sometimes a block of wood is handy to jam between the engine and transom to relieve some pressure when it is jumping about if you have speed humps or similar there.

Sounds like the bitter voice of experience there

[SR4]

[ASH79]

Looks pretty sweet to me! Other than the tubes. Looks like they need another couple of PSI

[BuffsBoat]

Originally Posted by SR4

If you are travelling with the outboard up, sometimes a block of wood is handy to jam between the engine and transom to relieve some pressure when it is jumping about if you have speed humps or similar there.

Someone in West Marine suggested that to me. I bought a Transom Saver, but it won't fit on my trailer and motor. So I might go the "wood" option. But i don't understand....if I hit a bump, wont the motor lift up and make the wood come loose?

Is it a bad idea to travel with the motor down?

[TRevor Lawson]

Re the wood comming loose, with mine i used to put ratchet strap around leg and to trailer to keep leg tension on wood.prob best to travel with leg down but you must be sure you always have enough clearence between botton of skeg and surface especially over speed humps if in doubt tilt engine.l

[jyasaki]

Personally, I would ditch the front roller the bow sits on and replace it with a piece of carpeted 2 x 6. The roller will just push into the tubes, while the bunk will give it a gentler surface to push against. Ditto with the keel roller, though you may have to get a bracket or two to mount it.

From what I see, your bunks look OK; long enough, well positioned, though I would like to see the outer parts of the transom supported a little more. Probably fine, though.

You will likely want to do 2 things with the motor: keep it from penduluming fore and aft, and keep it from swinging side to side. The former problem is best solved by triangulating the motor to the trailer frame (which also decreases stresses on the transom), but can also be done by hitting the transom (which will keep the motor from beating up the mounts, but not the transom. The latter can be a bungie cord from the tiller to a lifeline D-ring, or something else.

I ran my boat with the tubes touching the (steel) fenders; not ideal but it didn't seem to cause any problem. When I replaced the bunks, I raised them up by a couple of inches to get clearance (actually used additional 2 x 6 sections between the bracket and bunk, since my brackets were raised fully.)

The guide-ons are nice; you're going to want them in tight to the tubes if you recover with any swell or current.

To increase the nose weight, you can either move the boat forward, or the axle back. You want about 7-10% of the trailer/boat weight on the tow ball. Less and the trailer may develop sway. More and you upset the balance of the tow vehicle (in extreme case, causing steering and braking problems.)

Only other thing I'd add would be a strap from the handle to the trailer tongue to keep the bow from lifting on the highway.

Congrats on the boat;

jky

[willk]

Originally Posted by BuffsBoat

Thanks so much for all the good advice. If it was just me, and 20 years ago, I’d feel invincible and not be so worried. But it’s going to be me and my daughter, and last thing I want to do is take any chances.

As the guys say - the setup look good - except that the tubes are waaay too soft. If you don't have a pressure gauge and recommended pressure to work from, aim for hard enough to bounce a punch back.

Safety, you sound like a sensible guy. Take it easy at first, ensure that your kid is dressed for the conditions and is wearing a LJ. Make sure you are too and wear the killcord when underway (soooo many accidents happen because someone forgets). Have a method of communication with the shore that will survive a ducking.

Oh and try to enjoy yourself - it's supposed to be fun

[Erin]

Originally Posted by willk

Oh and try to enjoy yourself - it's supposed to be fun

Really? After all that scaremongering?

[Josh_P]

Originally Posted by willk

As the guys say - the setup look good - except that the tubes are waaay too soft. If you don't have a pressure gauge and recommended pressure to work from, aim for hard enough to bounce a punch back.

Safety, you sound like a sensible guy. Take it easy at first, ensure that your kid is dressed for the conditions and is wearing a LJ. Make sure you are too and wear the killcord when underway (soooo many accidents happen because someone forgets). Have a method of communication with the shore that will survive a ducking.

Oh and try to enjoy yourself - it's supposed to be fun

You reminded me of something there, good practice, to have your significant other or a friend expecting a call from you by a certain time letting them know your off the water, and then if you dont call they know somethings wrong. Bit more relevant on the open sea but good practice anyhow...

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by BuffsBoat

Someone in West Marine suggested that to me. I bought a Transom Saver, but it won't fit on my trailer and motor. So I might go the "wood" option. But i don't understand....if I hit a bump, wont the motor lift up and make the wood come loose?

Is it a bad idea to travel with the motor down?

Only if the skeg makes contact with the road surface. Most SIBs sit high enough on the trailer that this isn't a problem. Watch coming off or heading onto slopes though; depending on the length of the trailer your motor may lose a *lot* of ground clearance.

Whether or not the motor lifts due to bumps and such depends on the motor. Any play in a locked system will still be there, though, allowing the motor to work on the stops, which is why on mine, I use a transom saver and lock the motor firmly against it (different case, though; much larger motor, and power tilt/trim, so it's easier to do.)

jky

[BuffsBoat]

Guys....these are excellent posts, and I am taking it all into consideration. I will on Lake Hopatcong in Jersey tomorrow morning. Perhaps I might see some of you there.

Pictures to follow

I can't wait!!!

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

Really? After all that scaremongering?

What? The bit that said "Inflate your boat, drive carefully, dress sensibly, wear your lifejacket and killcord and carry a waterproofed phone"?

Yeah, the End of the World is Nigh for sure...