Boat Slips Backwards

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CaptainBob

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Freedom 235
We have a 2024 Grady 235 Freedom DC. It came delivered on a Magic Tilt Trailer, supposedly adjusted to the boat's hull. Since delivery, we have never been able to get the boat to stay fully against the bow chocks when retrieving it. We have adjusted the depth of the trailer in the water from shallow to deep, with no help. We winch the boat tight against the chocks, and I even add a 2" safety ratchet strap, and she still slips backward about a foot. Does anyone else have this problem and did you find a way to solve it? I'm considering a short chain ratchet, like truckers use to secure heavy equipment.

Thanks for any advice.

Captain Bob
 
Are you winching up tight while in the water/on a ramp?
If so, next time don't winch up tight. leave a half to a foot and haul. When the boat is on level ground winch up . Also check the angle of the strap to see if the winch is too high or too low.

My first impression is that the trailer is not set up correctly.
 
I've had this issue with 2 trailers. In my cases I fixed both by raising the winch on the stand and by backing further into the water. I only winch the boat about 2.5' forward while pulling it up about 8-12". I don't stop cranking until the D ring is very tight to the bow roller.
IMO the other issue that I suspect can contribute is the winch strap. When new, they don't seem to wind as tight and spool slips a little when the trailer starts to come out of the water.
 
Likely some angle of pull of the winch. Sounds like angle too low pulling the boat down. Should be at least level on the trailer maybe a little higher.

Zoom in on this photo to see bow eye and windlass angle.
 
Last edited:
Need a little more detail.

There's a few things I can think of that cause that - and pretty much already mentioned above, too.

-- If the stern of the boat is still floating when you tighten the winch strap, the boat will slip backwards as it's pulled out.

-- A NEW (relatively) winch strap needs to be wound tight by continuing to wind it until you can't wind it anymore. And then wind it even tighter.

-- The winch stand isn't adjusted properly.

Post a profile pic of the boat and the winch stand.
 
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seasick said:
Are you winching up tight while in the water/on a ramp?
If so, next time don't winch up tight. leave a half to a foot and haul. When the boat is on level ground winch up . Also check the angle of the strap to see if the winch is too high or too low.

My first impression is that the trailer is not set up correctly.
Click to expand...
The boat is too heavy to winch forward once on level ground. We literally have to haul the trailer at 10-15MPH and hit the brakes to get the boat into the chocks for highway hauling! Perhaps you're right about the trailer not being adjusted correctly. I'll have my dealer's Magic Tilt rep check it.
 
Hookup1 said:
Likely some angle of pull of the winch. Sounds like angle too low pulling the boat down. Should be at least level on the trailer maybe a little higher.

Zoom in on this photo to see bow eye and windlass angle.
Click to expand...
 
family affair said:
I've had this issue with 2 trailers. In my cases I fixed both by raising the winch on the stand and by backing further into the water. I only winch the boat about 2.5' forward while pulling it up about 8-12". I don't stop cranking until the D ring is very tight to the bow roller.
IMO the other issue that I suspect can contribute is the winch strap. When new, they don't seem to wind as tight and spool slips a little when the trailer starts to come out of the water.
Click to expand...
When at rest on level ground, the winch strap is parallel with the ground between the drum and the D Ring on the bow. Is that correct?
 
CaptainBob said:
The boat is too heavy to winch forward once on level ground. We literally have to haul the trailer at 10-15MPH and hit the brakes to get the boat into the chocks for highway hauling! Perhaps you're right about the trailer not being adjusted correctly. I'll have my dealer's Magic Tilt rep check it.
Click to expand...
You have a bunk trailer I assume. Are the bunks carpeted? I am surprised that you can't slide the boat a bit. Perhaps the angle of the winch strap is pulling the hull down, That would create more drag. The strap when winched should pull up a bit.
All that aside, the more important factor is the load distribution, and tongue weight. If the hull doesn't snug up but the tongue weight is correct, the winch post needs to be adjusted to move the winch stops aft.
 
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seasick said:
You have a bunk trailer I assume. Are the bunks carpeted? I am surprised that you can't slide the boat a bit. Perhaps the angle of the winch strap is pulling the hull down, That would create more drag. The strap when winched should pull up a bit.
All that aside, the more important factor is the load distribution, and tongue weight. If the hull doesn't snug up but the tongue weight is correct, the winch post needs to be adjusted to move the winch stops aft.
Click to expand...
Yes, the bunks are carpeted. We just dropped the boat off for service at our dealer, Ingman Marine, in Placida, Florida for its 100 hour service. I just sent a note to their Service Manager to ask that their Magic Tilt rep evaluate the trailer for proper adjustment. This could be operator error, of course!
 
CaptainBob said:
When at rest on level ground, the winch strap is parallel with the ground between the drum and the D Ring on the bow. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
What matters is that your D ring is slightly below the bow roller of the winch stand when the boat is in the desired position on the trailer. Hookup's photo is what you want to see.
I trailer everywhere and the ramp angles can be a little different, but none are too steep. If I load as mentioned earlier, I have no issues. If the ramp is excessively steep, there may not be much you can do.
 
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Hookup1 said:
Likely some angle of pull of the winch. Sounds like angle too low pulling the boat down. Should be at least level on the trailer maybe a little higher.

Zoom in on this photo to see bow eye and windlass angle.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I see the photo now. My set up is chocks, not a roller, but your photo makes it clear you have the winch mounted slightly above the D ring!
 
Installed this winch and problem solved. Came with a remote. I take me less than 5 minutes to load my 265 express on the trailer.
IMG_7749.jpeg
 
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After reading your message a few more times, may I suggest that next time you winch up the boat like you have been doing, you mark a reference line on the winch strap. A marker or a piece of tape will do. When you then haul the hull onto level ground and the boat slips back, look at the reference line to see where it is. If it moved aft then the winch strap is stretching or the winch is slipping. If it doesn't move but the boat has slipped back, I would suspect a problem with the set up, perhaps the from bunks or the strap angle.
 
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seasick said:
After reading your message a few more times, may I suggest that next time you winch up the boat like you have been doing, you mark a reference line on the winch strap. A marker or a piece of tape will do. When you then haul the hull onto level ground and the boat slips back, look at the reference line to see where it is. If it moved aft then the winch strap is stretching or the winch is slipping. If it doesn't move but the boat has slipped back, I would suspect a problem with the set up, perhaps the from bunks or the strap angle.
Click to expand...
Thanks....will do. I received confirmation yesterday that my dealer, Ingman Marine, will review the trailer set up with the Magic Tilt rep while they have the boat for service. Hopefully they'll solve the mystery. If not, I'll start over again with your advice!
 
I had the same problem with my GW Gulfstream 235. The boat was so heavy I could not winch her all the way up to the roller and I had the uplifting angle on the hook. Here is a tip I recently learned that helped me solve this problem.
Spray the carpeted bunks with heavy duty silicon spray to reduce the friction coefficient. Ideally, you want to spray it when the bunks are dry but if you towel them dry as best you can right after you launch and park and it is a sunny day, they will be dry enough so you can spray the bunks. A can of silicon is about $10 so a very cheap solution if it works for you.
 
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