VeVe Guides Best Length

[After You]

I'm considering installing VeVe guides on my trailer this winter. My question is this, what length guides do you consider to be the best match for our boats? I appreciate any and all advice from you all as you have always been right on. Thank you

 

[txav8r]

I found that the 45" were too short and the 60" were too long...but longer is much better than shorter. The irony is that what is listed as 60" isn't a 60" pole anyway, so get the 60" set. I also don't have the VeVe guides, I have the CE Smith guides. I think the VeVe guides are a little stronger and won't bend as easily...but on the off chance you hit one pretty good, a bending guide post is better than a cracked or scratched hull. I find it easy to bend them back in place most times, although a square tubing bender would help. I have the Smith guides because I am a big fan of the Smith LED light unit that sits on top of the Smith guide, and it is amber facing the front and serves as additional clearance lights, and red on the back, serving as additional rear end lights to the trailer. These lights are way more than just running lamps, they provide feedback when backing the trailer, launching the trailer, and loading onto the trailer at night. I wouldn't boat without them. Another accessory you need to find, is the covers for them. The PVC can scratch your graphics and gelcoat, so the Sacs or covers are necessary to help protect the boat and they do dress up the posts. The are not full length and won't cover the post end to end. Some advice I would share...use a waterproof exterior connection in your wiring so you can remove the LED's if you have them. Removing the PVC posts is necessary to straighten the square tubing when it gets bent from time to time. Second, use zip ties at the top and bottom of the covers to keep them where you want them. Hope this helps!

 

[Wayloncle]

I have the CE smith ones, I've never bent one but I float my boat onto the trailer, my guides slant outward away from the boat but when the boat floats against one it still hits the rub rail not the hull.
I would think 45" ones would be too short, I assume mine are 60" they are about 6' high from the ground. When I have it backed into the water they are high enough to be out of the water, I'm pretty sure 45" would be under water at my ramp.

 

[GTBRMC]

Go with the 56". When you see a boat parked on a trailer with VeVe guides on it, the guides look way too tall.
However, note that with the trailer in the water, the guides are a lot lower vs. the rub rail PLUS the rub rail at the stern (as seen in on-the-trailer photos) is significantly lower than the rub rail at the bow and amidships.

 

[Andy S]

I bought 60" for my trailer and think they are a little high but I have not cut them down yet. During the install of my guides the metal angle supports where bend at about 70 degrees causing the guides to flare out from the trailer, not standing vertical, so I had to bend the metal supports to 90 degrees to get my guides to stand vertical. After about 6 months of having the guides installed I like others installed Smith LED lights on top of the guides. There are many times during the season that we get home from boating near or at dark and the lights make it much easier to back the boat/trailer into its location.

This past boating season the wife was loading the boat while there was a heavy cross wind and bounced very hard against one of the guides and bent it, it didn't break just creased the plastic pipe. Even when there is no cross wind she lightly bounces off the guides while loading. I went to Lowe's and bought a section of 1.5" PVC pipe and replaced the creased guide. I used acetone to clean off the manufacturing print of the pipe so it would match the other side, I don't have padded covers on my guides.

 

[txav8r]

I did the same with my previous guides @andy07sx230ho , I replaced them when they got beat up and cleaned off the printing with acetone too!

 

[txav8r]

I have used these connectors for many different projects. Connecting the wiring for the LED lights on the posts are a perfect use, you can undo them and reattach when necessary in seconds to be able to make adjustments.
http://www.posi-lock.com/posilock.html

 

[rkluck]

I have the VeVe guides and I got the 65" because I thought the 47" were too short. I wanted to be able to easily back the trailer up with no boat. I also thought with the trailer being down in the water I wanted to make sure I had the guides up high enough so the would hit the rub guard. The PVC just rolls with the boat and since the guides hit the rub guards I have not had any hull marks. I don't have the covers.

 

[GTBRMC]

I have the VeVe guides and I got the 65" because I thought the 47" were too short. I wanted to be able to easily back the trailer up with no boat. I also thought with the trailer being down in the water I wanted to make sure I had the guides up high enough so the would hit the rub guard. The PVC just rolls with the boat and since the guides hit the rub guards I have not had any hull marks. I don't have the covers.

I have the same guides but bought plain black pads - also from VeVe guides. Back four or five years ago, the combo of VeVe Guides + Screamin Sac pads was the rage at yjb (reference: http://yamahajetboaters.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29863&start=0).

I would have bought the Screamin Sacs also, but they went out of business - I believe. Anyway, the VeVe Guides pads fit and have done the job, and lasted nicely for me for a number of years. As rkluck noted, the pads are not necessarily needed.
If you do go with pads, keep in mind the sun fades & weakens the nylon (or other synthetic) pad covers. I generally keep my pads (and the PVC slip tubes they are mounted on) in the garage except when I am actually launching or retrieving, FWIW.

 

[woodard1983]

I asked the same question when I ordered mine and the overwhelming response was 60", that's what I purchased and they have worked perfectly for me!!

 

[jcyamaharider]

This reminds me that I need to order some new pads for my guides from Beyond the wake. Orange of course this go around!!