Bad Bad Day.

[Gravity08]

Well I guess I am now on the list of haters of the boat buddy. Between a wind gust and some rollers my boat is getting a face lift. She may end up with a new paint job or a wrap. Not sure yet.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs290.snc4/40852_143190099035378_100000331658018_301018_82365 84_n.jpg

[Matt Laird]

Damn, That Sucks....

[mapleleaf]

what the ....... that sucks....

[saltare inverts]

Well if it leads to a wrap of regelled it was a hidden suprise.

[dusty2221]

That makes me sick. You and Chad need to get those boat buddies off your trailer asap!

[beast 496]

I am confused, how can you blame the gell damage to the boat buddy? If you want to remove and dispose of the boat buddy I will take it. Al

[Matt Laird]

That makes me sick. You and Chad need to get those boat buddies off your trailer asap!

I agree Dusty, I ripped mine off & threw it in the dumpster @ Platter on Mem Day... Eeryone wondered why, There is the proof, i knew it would happen eventually...

[Supra-in-steamboat]

I am also confused... How did the boat buddy scar your baby that way? Did it break, slip, bend, or completely fail? Did it turn upside down? My Boat Buddy II just sits there looking soft, I rarely use it. Let me know how it gnarred your ride soo bad. Gracias

[iwakeboard]

Mine broke on a gusty and windy day as well, while loading the boat. It straight cleaved off the rubber on the boat buddy and exposed two metal "guides" that the nose is to go up and latch the ring with. I didn't have nearly the damage you have, but I could easily see how it could happen. I was loading mine this weekend and it took seconds with my ball/roller, I'll never go back to BB.

[Rusty Griswold]

I Just convereted mine. Lower it 2 inches and put a 5 inch roller on. I got from Boatmate.
Hate the boat buddy

[tg0824SSVGG]

Still love the boat buddy, just to be contrary -- however, for the first time EVER, I did
get the "rubber strip" on the bow that others have complained about ...

Dang dude - that's some carnage, I would hate it to if that happened to me!

[Skylar18]

That sucks.......

Maybe I don't want a trailer.......

[Gravity08]

The nose of the boat got phase to the right side of the boat buddy. I didn't know that it was off. I drove the boat up onto the trailer like I always do. When I went to put the strap on the hook I saw the carnage. It snapped the plastic part of the buddy and exposed the metal brackets.

[Supra-in-steamboat]

Ouch man. Definetly made me gasp for air and cover my mouth to look at that pic. Hope the repair or wrap goes well.

[cmtaylor777]

What amazes me is the people that praise the Boat Buddy. We all know and have seen the damage it does. Yes I know you must have the trailer in the right amount of water and at the correct pitch. Give me a break!!! There are way more horror stories out there than people that stand proudly by them. In fact Gravity swore by his. I told you that thing sucks. I haven't pulled mine off yet out of laziness but the second I get the chance, its coming off.

[rludtke]

What exactly is the Boat Buddy? I've been reading the explitives about this thing for years now, but I am not sure what it is. Obviously my old boat/trailer must not have one...

[cmtaylor777]

Its a system that replaces the roller with a locking latch so that you can trailer the boat with only one person. It must be lined up just perfectly to work.

[KG's Supra24]

Gravity, that sucks! I have a gouge in the very tip of the bow from coming in too low. It is def metal behind the plastic piece. Not sure I like it but too lazy to change it right now.

[saltare inverts]

I am suprised at all the boat buddy haters. I have owned different inboards for over ten years and my latest boat has a boat buddy. I love it. I dont see how a gust of wind will move your boat when its on the bunks unless your too far in the water. I always put mine fenders about one inch under water like the Supra manual says. When doing so no amount of wind is going to move the boat(short of tornado blowing it off the trailer). I am not saying anyone is wrong I just dont understand how it happens.

[rludtke]

Its a system that replaces the roller with a locking latch so that you can trailer the boat with only one person. It must be lined up just perfectly to work.

Do you really need it? I load and unload by myself every time. If I keep enough bunk out of the water, I can drive on and up the bunks, get up close (but not against) the forward guides, and the boat will stay, as the bunks seem to have adequate friction. Then I walk forward, hop down, and finish the remaining 6 inches or so with the winch.

To unload I do the same thing, I don't put all the bunk in the water, so the boat won't slide off the trailer when I unhook her. I start and warm up on the trailer, and then use a little power to overcome the bunk friction and get the boat free from the bunks.

You don't want the boat floating, just wet.

I think I've freaked people out at the boat launch (judging from reactions) by loading and unloading by myself, but it works just fine...

[Gravity08]

Im not saying that the wind was the sole cause of the incident. I was just off center just a little. When I throttled up to push it onto the buddy the bow was a little to the right. The bow then pushed the buddy apart and exposed the metal. Ive loaded that boat probably 3-400 times over the last few years. Trailer was in the correct depth. I watch the water level on the bungs. I LOVED my boat buddy. I think the concept is great. But it isnt worth having holes in the boat. From now on Ill just get out and hook it myself.

[jzelt]

I don't use the Boat Buddy as it is designed (pin is slightly bent).
I have learned where the water line/bunks need to be.

Not sure that a roller would have made any difference (without being there) seeing that being off line and powering on did the damage.

Although, they do have half rollers to protect the boat from the bolts from the side, they also split and allow the boat to smack the bolt. (friend had one split while trailering and the bolt made a nice flat spot in the fiberglass).

I attach the winch cable after wife has the boat on the trailer before she powers up the last bit to keep it straight and crank to assist getting it on straight.

Saw this weekend with the same friend. I attached the cable, and he started powering his on. (has Baja with roller). Wheel wasn't straight and it was going to slide to the side of the roller, but I cranked and it pulled the bow down right.

[KY Steve]

Why don't more manufactures use a set up like this? Seems to make sense.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz327/toolsail/Launch24/bow.jpg

[rludtke]

My trailer wasn't originally designed for my boat, and it has a cross bar about 1/4 of the way back from the front end of the bunks. My boat has dings in the hull where it has obviously struck that bar in its past. When I purchased the boat/trailer, i quickly learned that if I am on a steep launch, the boat will float over the bunks, and can strike that cross bar. My fix was to mount a 14" wide roller with a steep "V". This protected the hull from striking, and bigins lifting the bow as the boat enters the trailer. The unexpected benefit was the automatic centering of the bow. I have never had problems since with the bow running to the left or right of the fwd stop.

I wonder if such a roller would help the Boat Buddy alignment problem?

[warek1814]

If your boat is not straight a roller will do damge to. The pic does not show the damage to the rubrail just the gel coat. This is from the nut and bolt that holds the roller. If the nose gets off center with my boat that far up. The trailer is in to deep. My boat straightens out half way on the trailer.

[rludtke]

In my case, I mounted the roller on the cross bar located between where the left and right angled and straight frame rails intersect. The fwd keel rolls across it as the boat is loading. The deep V of the roller brings the boat to center while it rolls across. The keel enters the roller about the same time the midship portion of the hull is begginning to settle on the bunks, and it centers the boat well before it engages the forward centerline V bunk keel support. I used to have trouble hitting this V bunk and could end up on one side of it or or the other.

At the fully loaded postion, this roller is supporting some boat weight, right at the deepest portion of the Comps deep vee bow section.

[jet]

Heres my boat buddy. Works pretty good, looks good getting out of the boat too and doesn't scratch anything. I have been thinking about getting a new one but apparently I sign some LONG contract. I think she was shaking some coconuts at me at the time a signing, I was hypnotized and didnt know what I was doing. : ) Jet

[dusty2221]

Jet, I'd be intrested in trying your model for a weekend if time permits.

[jet]

Well, mine wont scratch your boat but it might scratch your eyes out if it gets mad. Better leave it to me. Lol

[dusty2221]

Hmm, dont wanna pay for Lasik again. Good call.

I suppose I could wear goggles!

[Diggs]

Jet,
I was hoping to borrow your boat buddy before Dusty. I can deal with seconds, but come on thirds?????? ha ha

All this talk about boat buddy's..... Sorry to see what happened to you. There will be a long list of people that love them. There will be a long list of people that hate them and that will not change. There is two possible outcomes......
-Either your trailer was built improperly, as a few people have claimed. I can't validate, but if people are having modifications and they work, then that seems valid.

OR

-You are not putting your trailer in at the desired depth. If your boat is fully on the bunks (meaning not to deep), it should and could never happen. I do suggest dropping your trailer all the way into the water first and then pulling it up, so your bunks are good and wet (lubricated) and your boat will drive very nicely up your bunks and into your boat buddy. I watch people at the dock every day have their trailer too deep.

I have launched and retrieved every supra model since 03' and never had the issue. Yes I have bent pins in the boat buddy from hitting it too hard, but that is about it.
Trust me it is fine if you don't like them and there are a lot of things I don't like that a lot of people do like, so I am not hating, so don't take it as that. But I will throw my hat in the ring for being a fan of the boat buddy.

Good luck and sorry to see the damage to the boat. Glad to see it is only cosmetic and will be looking new again for not much money.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

I can see how if this could happen if the waves were breaking onto the shore where he was trying to launch. If you've ever beached and watch the waves turn your boat and pound it into the beach, this is not fun. The waves are very powerful. If you were lifted up by a wave and dropped in top the BB (or anywhere else on the trailer) this could happen. It does suck gravity, big time. I still like mine, fwiw.

[jaywidhalm]

Sorry to see it Gravity. I have nothing but sympathy for you. I did a little damage coming into the dock a few weeks ago and it killed me. I have had wind push the tail of my boat sideways while loading before even though my front was on the bunk. I definately see how it could happen. I have luckily not had an issue with mine, and I do like the boat buddy...but it only takes once to change your mind! Good luck on the repair. Let us know how it goes...

[jet]

Hey Matt, wouldn't your boat buddy be a Buddy Hollie?? get it? lol