Need some advice and maybe some pics on trailering my Marlin. No problem towing just having issues keeping the bow tight on the bow stop of the trailer when pulling up the ramp, boat wants to pull away from the bow stop. Anybody had this issue?
Tips for trailering Marlin
- Thread starter Mr Breeze
- Start date
Can you post some pics of your winch setup? Or describe it really well? That would help a lot and save some guessing.
But, generally, if it's sliding backwards then it wasn't cranked tight enough to begin with... or in the case of a new strap, it wasn't wound tight enough.
But, generally, if it's sliding backwards then it wasn't cranked tight enough to begin with... or in the case of a new strap, it wasn't wound tight enough.
Like Dennis and Mr crab mentioned, it's probably not tight enough to the bow stop and there's a bit of elasticity in the strap.
Crank it really tight to the bow stop, tighter than you would think it needs to be and that should keep it there.
I did a whole write-up on towing my Marlin awhile back. Dennis and Island Pilot helped a bunch with suggestions and input. The trip went well, but it was more hassle than I want to go thru again, so I am not going to tow it anymore. (Removing the radar to get it under 13' 6", endless permits; being limited on where you can pull off the interstate; low tree branches, etc.) I put up a couple pics of the boat being slung onto the trailer, but I can't remember how I titled the thread.
Sounds like you have that covered anyway. Just put some serious MoJo to the cranking part and the bow should stay in place.
Crank it really tight to the bow stop, tighter than you would think it needs to be and that should keep it there.
I did a whole write-up on towing my Marlin awhile back. Dennis and Island Pilot helped a bunch with suggestions and input. The trip went well, but it was more hassle than I want to go thru again, so I am not going to tow it anymore. (Removing the radar to get it under 13' 6", endless permits; being limited on where you can pull off the interstate; low tree branches, etc.) I put up a couple pics of the boat being slung onto the trailer, but I can't remember how I titled the thread.
Sounds like you have that covered anyway. Just put some serious MoJo to the cranking part and the bow should stay in place.
I have the same trouble with my sailfish, I've try cranking it as tight as I could, go super slow up the ramp. Even had the weld break on the trailer post, trying to crank it on after it on land, so whatever I do it moves. I have a bunk trailer so once it on the trailer it will not move at all. I just strap it down and move on. Once I get it home I use jack stands lift the stern, and a floor jack and once i get most of the weight up off the trailer i can tighten it up to the post. I could jack and move it on the trailer better at the marina, but I never had yet. So , if you ready want your boat tight on the trailer post , you could pick up 2 flat boat jack stands for the stern and a car floor jack for the center and a few blocks of wood and jack it tight right after your up the ramp and on flat ground.
Bunk trailer? Winch strap or cable?
On steepish ramps, the rear of the trailer is lower in the water than the front and more importantly the front of the bunks(assuming bunks). If roller, the same thing happens but the distribution of weight depends on roller positioning and setup.
In either case, the initial load of the hull is more towards the middle of the hull since the aft is still floating. As the boat is hauled less of the rear is floating and the weight shifts aft causing the hull to tip and slip backwards and putting a lot of strain on the winch. Yes the strap or cable can stretch. The strap will usually stretch more.
If you can, haul the boat a little way up the ramp and re-tighten the winch..
For rollers it is easier to just haul the boat and as mentioned use the start and stop method to roll the hull forward. Bunks may no slide that easily and I don't like putting all that rubbing force on the hull especially if painted.
If bunks, installing that slippery plastic bunk material make help but remember, it works in both directions
Don't assume the hull will not move if you loosen or undo the winch
On steepish ramps, the rear of the trailer is lower in the water than the front and more importantly the front of the bunks(assuming bunks). If roller, the same thing happens but the distribution of weight depends on roller positioning and setup.
In either case, the initial load of the hull is more towards the middle of the hull since the aft is still floating. As the boat is hauled less of the rear is floating and the weight shifts aft causing the hull to tip and slip backwards and putting a lot of strain on the winch. Yes the strap or cable can stretch. The strap will usually stretch more.
If you can, haul the boat a little way up the ramp and re-tighten the winch..
For rollers it is easier to just haul the boat and as mentioned use the start and stop method to roll the hull forward. Bunks may no slide that easily and I don't like putting all that rubbing force on the hull especially if painted.
If bunks, installing that slippery plastic bunk material make help but remember, it works in both directions
Don't assume the hull will not move if you loosen or undo the winchHello, Have same problem , believe the boat does not really shift back just kind of rocks on bunks, My yard has a little angle to it and the other day I launched my boat for the season , it was on the roller in back yard when I waxed it !
I moved it 50 ft forward going down my driveway and now it 2" off bow roller. If I could I would move the bow roller back but mine is all the way back already. Be aware though if you move bow roller back when there is a space when it rocks
there will be a lot of weight on that roller. My neighbor has same boat and he has a pretty cool split pad on front no roller nothing to get in way of cable or strap. There is not much angle in my yard this is south Florida. I believe if you messed around with the bunks you could also resolve rocking problem . Boat bottoms are not flat. Well Have Fun !!
I moved it 50 ft forward going down my driveway and now it 2" off bow roller. If I could I would move the bow roller back but mine is all the way back already. Be aware though if you move bow roller back when there is a space when it rocks
there will be a lot of weight on that roller. My neighbor has same boat and he has a pretty cool split pad on front no roller nothing to get in way of cable or strap. There is not much angle in my yard this is south Florida. I believe if you messed around with the bunks you could also resolve rocking problem . Boat bottoms are not flat. Well Have Fun !!
Its all about the setup of the trailer . My marlin has crazy tung weight and trailer should be longer but that how I bought it and marinas only 3.5 miles away so I just use it. I would take a hard look at my bunks when bow is up. see which end of bunks is touching harder then put a block a wood and a jack under boat and move the end that is touching out wider if there is room. I would go look at mine for you but My boats in the water at dock. Have a good weekend !
Pete
Pete
Lt.Mike
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Some trailers like my new Loadrite have a ring at the base of the bow support post. This is so you have the option of hooking an additional ratchet strap from the boweye down to that ring. Doing that will eliminate the rocking your experiencing and also reduce the flexing with aluminum trailers.
Thanks for all the tips. I've already tried some, but will try a few more that you guys have suggested. Bottom line is she's a big girl!
Shannon C.
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I do the same thing as Harpoon, loading most of the time by myself I run it up the trailer leave the engines around 1000rpm slip under the bow rail, step on the spare tire and crank it in, it’s a goat rope. I’ve tried adjusting the depth of the trailer when loading and it still slips back of bow post 3-4 inches.
Mr Breeze, Your dilemma about the bow pulling away from the chock is nothing more than geometry. When you bring your boat up to the chock at the ramp, the boat is touching the trailer bunks in the front but the trailer is sitting at the ramp angle, maybe 10 to 15 degrees, while the boat is sitting level, there is maybe 2 or 3 feet between the hull and trailer bunks at the stern.. As you pull the trailer and boat up the ramp, the stern of the boat gets lowered down to the bunks by way of the trailer tongue getting higher due to the slope of the ramp. Since the bow was planted at the beginning on the bunks and the keel in the forward portion of the hull is radiused, as the stern is lowered down to the trailer that ten degrees or so, it is no different than sitting a tire on the ground and rotating it 10 degrees. The tire will move in the direction of the rotation. On smaller boats I just get up to about 5 mph and nail the brakes and the boat will slide up to the chock and you can snug the strap. Years ago when I had a much bigger boat that did not work because my one ton dually just slid its wheels and the trailer brakes being just dunked in the water wouldn't help enough. The boat would not slide. I solved the problem by building a movable chock on the winch stand. I used two pieces of square tubing that would slide inside each other. I welded the bigger outside tubing to the winch stand and mounted the chock on the smaller tubing that would slide inside the bigger one. I mounted a trailer tongue jack horizontally and connected the sliding tube with the chock on it to the screw jack. After launching I would retract the chock and the after loading and the bow eye was back 6 or 8 inches I would just screw the chock out till it snugged into the boat. I built mine myself but if that's not in the cards for you any decent fab shop can accomplish that for you. I used stainless bulding mine so I didn't have to have it galvanized. Where I welded onto the existing winch stand I just sprayed the welds periodically with Galvacon.
That ring at the base of a post is a suckers bet. I was the sucker.
As I was hauling out on a fairly steep ramp a bolt on the winch snapped, putting all the strain on my safety chain, bow to that little ring. Whoops, that ring parted like a wet sandwich. My boat was almost a photo of the week sitting on a concrete ramp. The boat was just barely balanced on the trailer.
We stopped, and got some chain wrapped around the trailer frame to the bow eye. I limped it 6 blocks to a marine dealer. Whew.
I now use a chain wrapped around the trailer beams that goes to the bow eye as my safety chain. No more welded rings for me.
Here you can see the ring, and then an emergency chain tightened. We were lucky to have the chain in the truck.
I put UHMW on my bunks. It is very helpful.
Fishtales
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Wow. That thing is a load. Couple of things come to mind.
- I like the snubber idea. Maybe see if they make one for chain or investigate the marine ones used on mooring lines. Would be nice to have a little stretch to cushion the chain.
- Galvanized chain? Set a schedule to replace every few years. Same with the strap.
- Maybe sleeve a few bike innertubes over the chain or see if you can get rubber coated?
- I like the snubber idea. Maybe see if they make one for chain or investigate the marine ones used on mooring lines. Would be nice to have a little stretch to cushion the chain.
- Galvanized chain? Set a schedule to replace every few years. Same with the strap.
- Maybe sleeve a few bike innertubes over the chain or see if you can get rubber coated?