21V - Front part of boat doesn't touch the trailer bunk

[pap]

I note that when I winch my 2009 21V up onto the trailer (stock boatmate trailer) it rubs rather hard on the front wheel. I also note that the whole front bunk (the narrowest ones) are not touching the boat at all. The boat is winched all the way up to the bow ring or else it tends to rock up in the air off the front.

To my eye, this is not normal and all of the bunks should be touching the boat. Is this a bad trailer design, or is this normal? Should I do something to make the bunks ride higher so they will support part of the boat.

I'm afraid I'm going to damage the bow of the boat putting so much pressure right on the one spot.

If anyone else has a 21V similarly- can you check your boat on trailer and see if you have the same problem. I can see about an inch or so of space, enough to get my finger inbetween the boat and the bunk.

[Diggs]

Do you have a pic?

[rludtke]

Could you shim the bunk to support the boat?

[pap]

You can see an inch, more or less of space the whole way forward.

I'm just nervous about doing anything to the trailer, and I'd have to do it at the lake since the boat is on the trailer at home.

I just can't believe this is right.

[rludtke]

Because there is a lot of curvature in the hull shape, it doesn't surprise me that it doesn't rest well on the fwd bunks. That portion of the bunk is there to support the bow as the boat moves on or off the trailer.

[dusty2221]

My 24 sits the exact same way.

[pap]

The problem as I see it is as the boat is pulled up the trailer, it ends up sitting pretty hard on the roller in the front - when I go to back it off it wants to "drop" off the roller as it rolls down to the bow. It also "grinds" pretty hard when it's being winched up on the roller. It's my first boat, so maybe all this is normal, since you guys see the same thing. The ramp I typically go to is very gentle slope, I have to back way in deep past the wheel covers to get the boat to float.

[jaywidhalm]

I don't think that it sitting that way on the trailer will hurt anything, as others have said, theirs are the same.

When loading or unloading, rather than going by wheel well depth in the water, I also go by the tip of my front bunks. As soon as they are flush or barely under the water I stop. With different ramp steepness, the wheel well thing is just too inconsistent.

[jonyb]

The bowstop is too high. Common problem with Boatmate trailers. They'll work with you on making it right though, they helped me out.

[pap]

Here's a pic of what is happening to the front of the boat - it's scratching the fiberglass.

I see no way short of major welding that the bowstop can be changed, but the bunks could be raised in the front to take weight off of the roller. I know others said their looks the same - do you get the scratching on the bow of the boat? Maybe I'm not putting in far enough?