Bent trailer at roller

[dukesofhazzard]

Not a chance I am taking my strap off before I back into the water. Call me crazy but my luck it would slide off!! Still can't see how backing in would cause that unless backed in so deep and so fast. Get it fixed and get back out!

[ericinmich]

Not a chance I am taking my strap off before I back into the water. Call me crazy but my luck it would slide off!! Still can't see how backing in would cause that unless backed in so deep and so fast. Get it fixed and get back out!

I've posted pics of my boat storage before. It sits on a cradle with bunks spaced just like my trailer has, the cradle on a track that rolls up into boat house. We've been loading boats on that cradle/track for 40 years without hooking the boat up to anything and it doesn't slip. Maybe if you had a ramp sloped at 45deg it would be an issue, but the friction on a carpeted bunk is impossible to overcome. There are some nylon/slippery bunk covers to make it easier to crank a boat on trailer that could concern me... but not regular bunks.

I still would recommend loosening up the strap a foot or so in case the boat pivots when launching causing the roller/bow to bind.

[dj2]

To everyone who unhooked before backing into the water, you're doing it wrong. Back in till the back of the boat floats and then stop, unhook, start the boat and back off the trailer. It's common sense, the strap is the only thing holding the boat from sliding off when on an incline.[emoji848]


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I always launch with someone in the boat, so no need to have the bow strap hooked up. Lol @ telling me I'm doing it wrong, I am willing to bet there have been more accidents with trucks getting pulled into a lake from forgetting to unhook the boat from the trailer than there have been with boats sliding off carpeted bunks on a ramp. Hell, if I have a rookie driver who does not back in deep enough, the boat does not want to back off the trailer.

[Jesse]

False. There's a thing called friction. I assure that there is a lot of friction between your dry bunks and hull. Only boat I've ever seen come off a trailer because it didn't have the strap hooked up was on a trailer with rollers.
Will say if you are launching by yourself and are nervous your boat is going to float away then leaving it hooked up isn't the worst idea
I unhook winchstrap and put a dockline at bow eye and then tie off to the stanchion. Get boat floating and do the old brake tap and boat slides back off of trailer then gets caught by bowline. Doesn't float side to side because of trailer guides.

How much weight are we talking and how many bunks? How long was it since your boat was in water last and are the bunks completely dry? What if it was just over night, and they are still wet? Should we use different methods each time, or should we do it the "safe" way every time? Let's say if the boat slides off the trailer that there is a chance it could harm into a person standing on the dock? Ohh darn, I forgot the bunks were still wet from yesterday.... oops! Don't unhook, give it a foot of slack if you must.


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[Jesse]

Bent trailer at roller

Yea, no chance of sliding off on carpeted bunks... roller trailer maybe. That said, I do let the front strap out a bit, depending on the angle of the ramp if the back floats a bunch before the rest of the boat, the roller vs. hook angle can bind up and maybe bend stuff.

Seaweed, mold, many things can make that carpet slick. There is no guarantee that it won't slide off. I live in an area where winter makes people forget how to use their boats and I've seen more than one boat hit the pavement.

Would you lay on the ground behind your boat on the ramp without a strap connected? If someone's kid takes off running behind you while you're backing in, and you hit the brakes. Would you trust friction or does inertia overcome friction and science take a stand against your faith? Play it safe please, it's not worth taking the chance.


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[GregIn30655]

I appreciate all the comments, but it is 100% undoubtedly at launch, not on loading. I admitted I am new to wakeboard boats but not boating. When I float the back of the boat up the nose presses down so hard it bends this. I didn't do any of the scuffs on the boat, I just bought it and they were there.... no bs. I'd admit if I did bc I want help and answers. Hold you bs flag and comments if you don't want to help. That's fine...but for those interested in helping I appreciate it.

[GregIn30655]

I had the same thing happen to my trailer. I am guessing that is an EZ Loader Illusion trailer sitting on 20" wheels. At launching the reason that would happen is if you leave the strap on and back in and you have waves coming in which will cause the bow to rise and then lower bending that piece. It seems that piece is also like an aluminum can, once there was any bend in it then the next time it didn't take too much to do more damage. Mine happened when I retrieved it but from the same thing. With that trailer you have to be in deep. I know mine was not from ramming it since only get it on about half way then walk it the rest of the way (truck driver backs up while I am cranking the winch). Mine then happened because to get the boat to sit right you have to have it floating on that trailer, since I don't power load. The water was rough and as I was aligning it side to side the bow went up and down from the rough water and bent it.

You guessed it. I didn't leave the straps on but it is a steep ramp... maybe it's the same in theory?!

[ericinmich]

I appreciate all the comments, but it is 100% undoubtedly at launch, not on loading. I admitted I am new to wakeboard boats but not boating. When I float the back of the boat up the nose presses down so hard it bends this. I didn't do any of the scuffs on the boat, I just bought it and they were there.... no bs. I'd admit if I did bc I want help and answers. Hold you bs flag and comments if you don't want to help. That's fine...but for those interested in helping I appreciate it.

I think it's been mentioned but if you have the strap on tight and on a steep ramp float the back up, the twist down on the roller would likely be enough to bend it, especially if waves picked up the back a few feet. This is the reason I put slack in the strap... but others have argued against this.

Regarding the boat slipping off, I've loaded boats on carpeted bunks on my cradle which doesn't even have any place to hook the boat to, and in 40+ years across 5 boats none have slipped. Often, the boat goes up and back a few times during the day, so they are wet. No slipping... actually once the cradle starts up the hill, as soon as the boat stops floating we let go and friction takes over.

[GregIn30655]

Thanks Eric, I fully unhook everything before launch... it bent it floating the rear before the front somehow....

[tigemech]

You guys are all crazy, ive seen one boat come off a bunk trailer on a road and thats enough for me to keep the winch strap on. Back up so its just enough to be able to slide off, make sure the boat runs (you dont want to be that guy that is floating in the water in everyones way with a boat that wont start). Then climb up front, unhook the boat and your good to go. But i guess i could see your theory if you all have really really deep dropoffs at your boat launch. In that case i would still leave the winch on with a little slack.

[ericinmich]

You guys are all crazy, ive seen one boat come off a bunk trailer on a road and thats enough for me to keep the winch strap on. Back up so its just enough to be able to slide off, make sure the boat runs (you dont want to be that guy that is floating in the water in everyones way with a boat that wont start). Then climb up front, unhook the boat and your good to go. But i guess i could see your theory if you all have really really deep dropoffs at your boat launch. In that case i would still leave the winch on with a little slack.

I've seen boats and jets skis off their trailers as well on the hwy. Somehow a panic stop sliding sideways from 60mph seems a bit different to me than pulling up a ramp... maybe not to you. 40 years of pulling a boat on bunks without any place to even put a bow strap and nothing has slid. Maybe that is why I'm not worried a bit...

[tigemech]

I've seen boats and jets skis off their trailers as well on the hwy. Somehow a panic stop sliding sideways from 60mph seems a bit different to me than pulling up a ramp... maybe not to you. 40 years of pulling a boat on bunks without any place to even put a bow strap and nothing has slid. Maybe that is why I'm not worried a bit...

To each their own.

[Jetdriver]

Seaweed, mold, many things can make that carpet slick. There is no guarantee that it won't slide off. I live in an area where winter makes people forget how to use their boats and I've seen more than one boat hit the pavement.

Would you lay on the ground behind your boat on the ramp without a strap connected? If someone's kid takes off running behind you while you're backing in, and you hit the brakes. Would you trust friction or does inertia overcome friction and science take a stand against your faith? Play it safe please, it's not worth taking the chance.


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Solid points

[Langwell]

I personally unstrap everything , burry the fenders fire it up and tell the driver to dump me. In my neck of the woods that means water up to fender wells of truck and away we go. Never had an issue. I trailer my boat about 5 miles to and from ramp and only put safety strap on .

[Wakeman22]

I had the same thing happen to my trailer. I am guessing that is an EZ Loader Illusion trailer sitting on 20" wheels. At launching the reason that would happen is if you leave the strap on and back in and you have waves coming in which will cause the bow to rise and then lower bending that piece. It seems that piece is also like an aluminum can, once there was any bend in it then the next time it didn't take too much to do more damage. Mine happened when I retrieved it but from the same thing. With that trailer you have to be in deep. I know mine was not from ramming it since only get it on about half way then walk it the rest of the way (truck driver backs up while I am cranking the winch). Mine then happened because to get the boat to sit right you have to have it floating on that trailer, since I don't power load. The water was rough and as I was aligning it side to side the bow went up and down from the rough water and bent it.

Mine bent in the same situation. Do a search here and you will see how others have fixed it. My thread is here some place.