Correct positioning the boat on the trailer

[kevalbanya]

I am not sure what it is called. See the picture below, there are the small notches along the bottom of the hull. I noticed the notch sit on the trailer bunk after I loaded the boat last time if I don’t load the boat perfectly straight. I had to unload the boat and load it again to make sure the the notch doesn’t sit on the bunk because I was concerned that the bunk may damage the notch because it is not strong enough to hold the boat. What to you think? Is it OK ot let the notch sit on the bunk?

My boat is 2021 AR190

 

[Beachbummer]

I can't say if it's OK long term, BUT if you pull the trailer a little bit forward while loading, so the boat slides on the bunks more, it will self correct as the chines bump with the carpet and move the boat towards the center.

Depending on the angle of the ramp the ideal trailer depth varies, but I would suggest having the bunks show a little carpet at the shallowest so there is enough bunk to boat contact to help the boat straighten out.

The bottom picture on this page shows a good depth in which to set the trailer, some of the bunk, but very little, is above the water line.

How to Load a Boat on a Trailer

Learning how to load a boat on a trailer by yourself can be a daunting task. When you're ready to retrieve your boat at the ramp, be sure to follow these basic tips for loading a boat onto a trailer, including a roller trailer.

www.discoverboating.com

 

[2kwik4u]

I've loaded my '17 that way (sitting on the chine) a few times and not noticed until I got home. No noticeable damage that I can tell. I haven't done a thorough inspection of the hull though. Have been completely ignoring it for 4 seasons with no issue that I can find.

I would suggest not putting the trailer in quite so far. That will help it center itself. If it becomes a consistent issue then a set of guide poles might help.

 

[Tyguy]

Occasionally mine will be just a bit off of center with a chine resting on the bunk, depending on the angle of the ramp and if the stern is floating when I winch the bow tight. It’s something I check for when pulling up the ramp. I’ll hop out immediately after the stern clears the water, do a quick check on how the boat settled into the bunks, and if needed, reposition the boat in the water.

 

[kevalbanya]

I've loaded my '17 that way (sitting on the chine) a few times and not noticed until I got home. No noticeable damage that I can tell. I haven't done a thorough inspection of the hull though. Have been completely ignoring it for 4 seasons with no issue that I can find.

I would suggest not putting the trailer in quite so far. That will help it center itself. If it becomes a consistent issue then a set of guide poles might help.

Thanks a lot. FYI. Probably nothing to be concerned about, but for the future, probably we should check before leaving the ramp. There is a guy replied to my Facebook post that there was some hairline crack on his strakes could be related to this.

 

[RobbieO]

I am not sure what it is called. See the picture below, there are the small notches along the bottom of the hull. I noticed the notch sit on the trailer bunk after I loaded the boat last time if I don’t load the boat perfectly straight. I had to unload the boat and load it again to make sure the the notch doesn’t sit on the bunk because I was concerned that the bunk may damage the notch because it is not strong enough to hold the boat. What to you think? Is it OK ot let the notch sit on the bunk?

My boat is 2021 AR190

I've been having issues loading my trailer as well. I've tried putting the trailer in more, even less with no results. I've even backed it back in to align it. I think it is the way Shorelandr set up these trailers. Something is not right with the bunks. I made sure the bunks pivot too. No success yet. Will try again next season when the water level is up. Note: No matter the depth of the trailer, I still have to winch the boat up. I don't power my boat up, not legal in most places, plus the lakes are shallow here in CA.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I was having an issue with the rear of the boat not sitting in the bunks correctly. The boat would be off on the port side, too far to the starboard side which put the reverse chine on the port side on the bunk. Filling the live well helps with this but it wasn’t enough so now I just fill my 5 gallon bucket with water while I’m putting it on the trailer.

Unless it’s really windy I put my trailer in deep and tighten bow winch to put the shank of the hook under the bow roller. Then I pull out very slowly and let the boat settle into the bunks and it’s fine.

Look at how your boat sits in the water with no one in it. If it’s listing move your gear around so it sits level and see if that helps the boat sit better in the bunks.

 

[mpecoraro]

Look at how your boat sits in the water with no one in it. If it’s listing move your gear around so it sits level and see if that helps the boat sit better in the bunks.

I was having this exact problem at the start of this season during our first weekend out. This was our first full season with the boat. During the off season I had added a second battery, a group 31. That extra weight, and how we generally pack our gear, caused the boat to be heavier on the port side. When loading on the trailer, I either move some gear or have a person (or two) sit on the starboard side to balance the weight in the boat. That solved the problem for me.

 

[RobbieO]

I was having this exact problem at the start of this season during our first weekend out. This was our first full season with the boat. During the off season I had added a second battery, a group 31. That extra weight, and how we generally pack our gear, caused the boat to be heavier on the port side. When loading on the trailer, I either move some gear or have a person (or two) sit on the starboard side to balance the weight in the boat. That solved the problem for me.

Before my last trip out, I weighed all my gear and distributed it evenly throughout the boat. We'll see how that works out first time out next season.

 

[Wayloncle]

My new trailer was doing this everytime I loaded it, the chime would be on the bunk about 1”, and the other side had about 2” of gap between the chine and bunk. My front bunk was off a little bit pushing the back of the boat to the right.

 

[AZMark]

My new trailer was doing this everytime I loaded it, the chime would be on the bunk about 1”, and the other side had about 2” of gap between the chine and bunk. My front bunk was off a little bit pushing the back of the boat to the right.

How did you fix it?

 

[Ronnie]

I had this problem before I installed trailer guides. One way to correct it is manually by rocking the boat side to side after you have recovered it and once it’s on level ground. You can also do so after the boat is loaded onto the trailer but still in the ramp. My recommendation is to install trailer guides. You may find they provide other unexpected benefits, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

 

[RobbieO]

I had this problem before I installed trailer guides. One way to correct it is manually by rocking the boat side to side after you have recovered it and once it’s on level ground. You can also do so after the boat is loaded onto the trailer but still in the ramp. My recommendation is to install trailer guides. You may find they provide other unexpected benefits, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

I have guides and they are a must have. I don’t power of and on so they help me get off and on the trailer with dock lines.

 

[Wayloncle]

How did you fix it?

On mine, the back of the boat would sit too far to the right. I adjusted the rear mount on my front left bunk to the left a little bit.
My front bunks were making my boat crooked. I needed to adjust the left one so it would stop pushing the rear of the boat to the right.