Trailer setup help

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rparkssos

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Does anyone have any information or links on where I can get trailer setup help? I recently bought a 2000 268 Islander and I just picked up a new Venture bunk style trailer. Trying to get specs for adjusting the bunks and winch post. Thanks.

Rick P.
 
Both the Venture web site ( under support) and Ehow web site have small sections on setting up the trailer. When I got my trailer, I had a boat yard do the setup since they knew what they were doing and had a sling lift to lift the boat. That is one of the hardest parts of adjusting the trailer.
It would help to know where the boat is currently: in the water, on blocks, on the trailer.
If on the trailer, you can jack up the keel or the stern enough to make some bunk adjustments. If in the water, you can measure and estimate adjustments and float the boat on, take a look, float off if necessary, redo adjustments etc. Don't jack too high and keeps you hands and arms and other parts away from the area between the hull and the bunks etc. Things can get ugly in a hurry.

Once you have the spacing and fitting set up, the most important step is adjusting the tongue load. That is hard to do without a tongue scale but it can be approximated. Read those web sites on tongue loading and get an idea of what weights you are talking about. If you can lift the tongue by yourself, the load is too low. From there on its a guess but using a board under the tongue ans a few friends, you can sort of get a feel for the load.
You can also stack bathroom scales on top of each other and add the readings.
Typically you start off with the winch post farther forward then the final position and after the bunks and load are set, move the winch post into position. To adjust the tongue load, you move the boat back or forward as needed.
 
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS said:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5642576_measure-tow-ball-weight.html

Follow these steps, it really works if your scale cannot handle more than 300 lbs.
Click to expand...

This setup will work as long as the scale is not too sensitive to the position of the load. Some scales don't read correctly if the load is not distributed across the platform. You can test a scale by weighing yourself with your feet in the normal position and them move your feet to all sides to see if the readings change. Digital scales (load cells) are less sensitive to position than older mechanical bathroom scales.
You also need to be sure as mentioned in the article that your wheels are chocked. Since the load is riding on a round piece of pipe, it is possible for short pipes pieces to roll.
The scale needs to be on a flat hard surface.

As I mentioned, you can just use two scales. Place two bricks on the first scale where your feet would be, place the second scale on top of that, place two bricks and a piece of 2 by on the second scale and the trailer tongue centered on top of that. Add the readings of the two scales. You also want the height of the tongue when measuring to be about the same as it will be when hitched to the vehicle.
 
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