Trouble with my Launch trailer

[robdaniel1]

Does anyone else have trouble getting their Launch on and off their trailer?
The front nose of my Launch does not want to go onto the rubber roller in the front of the trailer unless the boat is almost floating? Similar problems when I take it off the trailer?

Any suggestions?


Thanks in advance.

[jdaugherty5]

I have found this to be very ramp dependant. on some ramps the boat goes on with no effort. On others we have to keep the wake plate up, empty the front ballast, keep the rear ballest full, have any passangers in the back of the boat and make sure the trailer depth is perfect. This enables the nose of the boat to go over the roller and not jam itself under it.

We have talked to supra engineers and they indicated that this is an artifact of the hull design.

oh yeah, failed to mentioned the boat is an 03 SSV.

Jeff

[msutoad]

What depth do you put your trailer when you have the rear ballast full? Are the triangles in the front of the trailer at the top of the water, or do you have them in farther?

Just wondering as I have similar issues, but I have a boat buddy. I do not have the roller, but the nose not being high enough can be a problem depending on the RAMP ANGLE that I am on.

[jdaugherty5]

I use the fenders to judge if the trailer is deep enough or too deep. Basically when I back the trailer in I try and keep the fron part of the fenders about 1-2" out of the water. That way when the boat comes onto the trailer the trailer sinks so that the front part of the fenders are almost under water. This is basically what was recommended to me and seems to work.

As for the boat buddy, I replaced it. I called up boat mate trailers and had them send me the roller for the super boats. I found that when the boat came up over the boat buddy, the boat buddy was leaving scuff marks on the hull.

Jeff

[Diggs]

those scuffs from the boat buddy will buff right out easy..... boat buddy is the best!!!
I generally follow the same procedure and mine always goes right on. The ramp angle could definitely make a difference though...

[msutoad]

So you keep the front part of the fender, or hte triangle in front of the fender 1-2 inches out of the water?

If I keep my fender that far out with my RAMP, I have to motor way to hard to get the boat up into the boat buddy.

I put the triagles about 1in under water and get get into the boat buddy pretty easily with my ramp angle. The ramp angle is critical though. Some ramps I use that depth and it is easier than others.

Just wondering what others do.

Thanks for the info.

[DKJBama92Mariah]

A good rule of thumb for tandem axle trailers is to put the trailer in far enough to where all but about 1" of the top of the fender is underwater. Thats what it says in you manual as well.

Cheers,
DKJ

[Diggs]

yes I always do right as the water crests over the fender. When we say fender we mean the stainless steel actual fender. Not the triangle part... You should have to motor up the bunks a little bit. That is what insures you are on the bunks straight and hitting the boat buddy just right....

[silvtongdvl]

How high your hitch is, matters too. If the hitch is too High the bow will want to go under the boat buddy also. Error to the low side.
~S~

[dknowd]

Had the same problem with my 04 ssv, I found that I had the trailer too far in the water so the back of the boat was floating too high and driving the noes under the front roller.

Now I leave about 2/3 of the front cradles out of the water and drive it on with no issues.

The steeper the ramp, the more likely its going to put the nose under the front roller.

[Kma4444]

I put the trailer in with the fenders under water a bit, the wife pulls on the trailer until it is sitting on the bunks. Then I hook the bow strap and winch it snug. At this point the nose would be well under the roller if I winched it all the way on. I then pull the trailer out until the bow raises up enough to go over the roller. Then I finish winching it on with her helping with some throttle. Not the way I would prefer to load but the only way I've found to do it with our ramp angle. Seems to me like a roller for the bow to ride on so it pushes the front up over the roller would be great. The problem I could envision with that would be the boat sitting on the roller once loaded all the way.

[DAFF]

I put the trailer in with the fenders under water a bit, the wife pulls on the trailer until it is sitting on the bunks. Then I hook the bow strap and winch it snug. At this point the nose would be well under the roller if I winched it all the way on. I then pull the trailer out until the bow raises up enough to go over the roller. Then I finish winching it on with her helping with some throttle. Not the way I would prefer to load but the only way I've found to do it with our ramp angle. Seems to me like a roller for the bow to ride on so it pushes the front up over the roller would be great. The problem I could envision with that would be the boat sitting on the roller once loaded all the way.

In my region most boat launches are designed for big boats and are very steep. I too had the same issue with the bow of the boat till I learned this trick. Let the engine do the work. I would always drop the trailer in too much to make it EZ to pull up the bunks, this making the front of the boat crash into the bow roller. Now when loading I watch the depth of the front bunks so they will lift the nose of the boat out of the water. I have found the fenders need to be out of the water by 2-3" on most places. Drive the boat to the trailer slow and get it to settle inside the bunks, giving the throttle a little nudge to climb the hill. Half a turn on the winch and you are done.

[CornRickey]

the more of the trailer out of the water the better until you can't get it up to it duetothe friction. I dunk the whole trailer in ti wet the bunks the pull it out till the front bunks are out and the second bunks are out the first 12 inches or so.

[cadunkle]

Bow not able to come above the bow roller means trailer is too deep. Also as someone mentioned not enough drop on the hitch would contribute to this, effectively making the boat/trailer feel like the ramp is steeper. Sounds like you're too deep though, read the thread from the other day about the Saltare guy having similar problems. I guarantee he is also too deep. Try a product called "liquid rollers" to spray on your bunks (preferably when dry and soak them good) and the boat will slide on and off the bunks much easier.