Rollers Don't Center Boat on Trailer - Fix?

P

Pat Anderson

New member
OK, for some unknown period of time, we have been having a heck of a time retrieving - Bill and El witnessed (and Bill participated) when we pulled out of Lake Powell. Even absent wind and current, the boat ends up on one side or the other, I think it is the port side, but Patty says she can't remember, and thinks sometimes it is one side and sometimes the other.

So a couple of questions. First, do I need to do something to the rollers, do they adjust somehow? Do they need to be lubed or maintained (never have)? Second, can I achieve centering by moving the side guides way in? They are each about 3" off the sides now, we actually got it fairly well centered when we last retrieved at 40th Street but as the Martinsons saw, we had a HARD time. I was thinking about moving the trailer side guides in to mayby 1" off the sides. Any reason not to do this (assuming I can loosen the nuts, they look rust-welded in place)?

Or is there some other fix short of switching the rollers out for bunks?
 
Pat,

I had a bunk trailer and it did not center the boat very well. The C-Dory is so flat that it does not 'fall' into the V of the trailer (there isn't one).

When I first got the boat, I was concerned and would haul out and the boat is off center, so I would back back into the water, shift the boat, pull out, etc.

On day, I was too tired or late to mess around, so I trailered away from the ramp with the boat about 3-4in off center. To my surprise, the boat centered its self after a mile or so of trailering. The wet boat slid around on the bunks till it settled in.

I cannot advise on roller trailers, as I have never had one.
 
Unfortunately, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one in this boat (pardon the pun). After discussions with EQ earlier on, Kathy arranged for me to stop by King for some assistance. King's comment was "the flat bottom scenario was a problem with C-Dorys". After several adjustments of the four bunks (4600 Trailer) with little success, I have installed two ratcheting straps at the rear. These are hooked to the motor brackets (twins) and on to the eyes on the trailer adjacent to where we hook the rear strap. When I tighten them, I apply significant pressure on one side or the other (leaving the opposite side a little loose) depending which direction the rear needs to move. I have been successful with this, but even with the back centered, I am still off an inch or so at the bow roller.

To note, King was of no help re. their comment about the flat bottom of a C-Dory, but noted they had not seen anyone else use the rear straps. Guess I will now try moving the bunks a little closer to the center line of the boat especially up front.

Just another technique of the many that are always shared here with each other, so hope this will help.

Doug
 
Pat
I have the same experiance with my boat, also on roller trailer .It is just what Larry said, Flat aft end. Moving the giuds in will help, but not eliminate the problem. If my boat is sittin off to one side by 2 1/2 - 3 inches or less I dont even worry about it anymore. The support of the rollers is still spaced on the hull to take the weight of the boat.
Chuck
 
I don't know if you can do this with your 25, but after I pull out of the water and if the boat's not centered, I can "rock" the boat by hand, pushing it in the direction it needs to go. Sometimes I need to get the CinC to lend a hand to get it pushed over. But if the hull and rollers are wet, it's not that difficult.
 
Mine (a CD25) centers perfectly every time, even in side winds. The front centers correctly when I winch it up to the rollers at center. The rear centers loosely by way of the side bunks as I slowly pull the boat & trailer out of the water, then specifically with what I call "cheek blocks" that I added to each side, rear bunk upright. More photos in my album. They are necessary with this type of bottom, others have done similar things but added vertical instead of horizontal blocks.

I bought the basic kit at WM, but didn't use the bracketry that mounted it to the trailer frame. I have more photos under Trailers and Towing.

PICT0029.sized.jpg
 
The problem of centering boats on the trailer came up on one of the threads here several years ago. When I had the 16' Cruiser (on a roller trailer), I had difficulty centering the vessel until we were at the 1st Olympia Gathering. When Fred of "Anita Marie" saw what was happening, he suggested that I just put my back against the side at the rear of the boat and with my hands, lift while pushing against the boat with my back. With that procedure, it slid right into place. (My thoughts always were that since, I had a main outboard with a kicker on one side, that that was why it wouldn't center).

After we purchased the 22' (also on a roller trailer), I figured that with twin outboards and no kicker that the problem would not exist.... No Such Luck....even with the 22', at times I have to lift on the rear side and push it over with my back.

(Pat, I don't know if you are able to do that with your 25', but I'm betting that if Tyboo keeps haranguing Patty with his "sexist remarks" on that other thread, that she'll be able to center it with NO PROBLEM! :wink ).
 
Well, there are 16 nuts, 4 on each post, to loosen to move the guides in. I sprayed them down with Liquid Wrench, put 9/16 box wrenchs on the heads of the bolts and on the nuts. The heads of the bolts are going to twist off and break before the nuts let loose...Nobody else struggles with this stuff as much as I do AFAIK.
 
Pat Anderson":1dm0wm9d said:
Well, there are 16 nuts, 4 on each post, to loosen to move the guides in. I sprayed them down with Liquid Wrench, put 9/16 box wrenchs on the heads of the bolts and on the nuts. The heads of the bolts are going to twist off and break before the nuts let loose...Nobody else struggles with this stuff as much as I do AFAIK.
Click to expand...

Nobody else admits it! Let the liquid wrench work in for a day or two (spray some more on). If that doesn't work, lube up the guy on the wrench with some beer or liqueur, and tap on them bolts/nuts with a hammer (ideally an impact wrench would help). If THAT doesn't work, more lube for the wrench hold and then break those puppies off and replace them with new ones.
 
me, too

I have pneumatic air gun and cutoff wheel, and electric recip saw to use. If the CP air gun cant remove them then it is cut and replace. Good luck
 
Pat,

We occasionally have a lot of fun putting the 22 on the trailer. I usually have a couple of pool noodles in the boat for winding leaders and the like. They do a pretty good job of helping center the boat when I put them on the down wind side between boat and guide. I hold them in place as the boat is pulled out.

Steve
 
We use an alum trailer with side guides and centering flat bunks along with the standard 3by8 bunks Check out the jennykatz photos ( It's on the last page of photo's page 3 in my folder) This centers my cc-23 everytime no problems . Then we strap it down with a 3in trailer strap The boat seems to be locked in .
 
I also had a hard time loading the Mary Ellen so it ended up centered on our EasyLoader trailer. I made a couple of slip on guides {they slip over factory guides above the fenders}that I put on for loading and remove after loaded. If it is still not centered I will back down the ramp until it barely floats and quickly pull up the ramp. This seems to center it correctly 99% of the time. I also have added a roller up close to the bow, with the groove in the roller, I can judge how straight the boat is loading on the trailer. Their are a couple of pics on page 1 showing the blocks. Hope this helps.
 
I have an EZ-loader with rollers. After a very unpleasant experience with high cross winds last year I ordered a pair of 8 foot bunk guides from Cabelas and a pair of bow rollers for each side. I put them fairly snug on each side. They work great -- if you can get the bow in the guides and the rollers make it pretty much foolproof. Before the bunk guides I only had two side posts and often had trouble centering the boat (especially on some of the natural stone ramps around here that can be a bit off level).

Karl
 
Well, I've watched this topic and wondered. Journey On rides on a standard E-Z Loader roller trailer. When we got it it had the bunk/side guides, and has worked well as far as centering. We usually load the boat using a dock to walk the boat on the trailer, and then I wind it up on the rollers, whilst Judy gets on the truck/trailer brakes. That has worked great. The centering has been good enough for me, though Judy centers the boat until it gets on the first rollers. Adjusted the guides once, and I forget why.

Drove the boat on once at a shallow ramp (Long Beach 2nd St. ramp,) and the trailer was tilted, due to sand build up and low tyde. Wasn't perfect, but it worked. By the time the bow was up to the winch, it was fairly straight, enough to go home.

My thought is that if you don't have guides, you need them. If you have them, well, they've worked for me.

Boris
 
With all of these responses, I can not believe this subject has not come up before. When I had the CD19 I had no problem with it centering. I have had the problem with the CD22. On the Grand Slam trip it was a real chore getting it centered. If going a short distance 10 miles or so I didn't worry about it being off a little. When I got back to Pensacola, I looked though the posts here and did not find anyone else bringing up the problem so I figured that I was the only one with the problem and, therefore, it was a problem with just my trailer. I took the boat and trailer to the local trailer shop. For $75 he centered everything etc. No real improvement. My trailer does not have the side horizontal bunks/guides but the two vertical PVC ones. I finally got the boat centered one day and moved the PVC guides in as far as they would go. This has helped a lot. We did not do this before because the part of the boat where the PVC guides are located is not the widest part of the boat. When loading the boat now the PVC are forced to flex out when putting the boat on the trailer. Now 90 of the time the boat centers within an inch. The moral of the story there are no stupid questions and don't spend $75 with a trailer guy.

Roger
 
Roger, that $75 was well worth it. It was one step towards the solution of the problem, and now you know how to tell when the rollers are correctly set. Cheap at the price.

Boris
 
journey on":1qb1uk0x said:
Roger, that $75 was well worth it. It was one step towards the solution of the problem, and now you know how to tell when the rollers are correctly set. Cheap at the price.

Boris
Click to expand...

I don't have rollers just bunks he really didn't move them but about an inch. But your right now I now that that part is right.

Roger
 
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