No matter what I do, my boat does not sit correctly against the bow roller

[steve0617]

2019 AR195

Replaced the roller with the Stoller. Even before then the boat never sits right against the roller. I've released the tension from the bow strap and this is how the boat settles. The boards are not tightened down and they rock a bit as they should so they can move when I retrieve but other than when I first bought the boat in Feb 19, it's never set correctly against the winch.

What's wrong here? Also, it almost looks like the entire winch assembly is bent when looking at it from the front, but it doesn't appear that way when you look at against the tongue.

 

[anmut]

My 21' is never "perfectly aligned" either. It's fine. Trailers fine.

 

[jEt_jAk]

Is that the 434? Anyways it’s normal. Mine is the same.

 

[Mike Clark]

I would try loosing up the bolts on the bottom of winch where it attaches to the trailer frame it may be siting on there slightly crooked.
Align it by eye usingg the boat bow and retighten. I would also check to make sure the bunks are both located at the same positions on the frame, (centered)

 

[steve0617]

My 21' is never "perfectly aligned" either. It's fine. Trailers fine.

The concern is to get the boat to sit against the roller to get it on the road to the lake, I've got to winch it down pretty hard on the the bow and it's putting stress on the eye I'd rather not have.

 

[suke]

Mine does the exact same thing. Even in the exact same position.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Mine fits right in the middle of the Stoltz roller. I don't use the big side bells.

When I had a boat many, many years ago, a ski nautique, it did the same thing. What we did to resolve was launch the boat adjusted the alignment on the bunks to the trailer, loosened the winch post and reloaded the boat. Snugged it to the front roller and then tightened the winch post. Not sure if this would work or not, just a thought.

For snugging it down to the roller, I was winching pretty hard to get it in the right position at first, based upon a recommendation on one of theses threads here, once I load the boat and we are coming up the ramp we accelerate a bit to about 5 mph and then hit the brakes pretty good. The boat snugs up nicely since the bunks are wet and I don't feel like I am reefing down on the front eyelet like I was. This also makes sure it is pretty snug so it won't move on the road if you have to stop hard.