Help me setup my trailer

[mtnwkr]

This is the trailer that came with my boat, looks like it was set up for a smaller boat originally. Small bunks in back that tilt and a single roller up front. I'd like to give it more support. The boat is 13.5', 200lb hull, all welded. I think what would be best is move it forward about a foot and attach two long non tilting bunks, but that would throw off the balance over the axle and it has a pretty short tongue as it is. Any ideas? Also, would it be possible to use a transom saver with this trailer? Thanks..

 

[BassBlaster]

Ideally, you dont really want more than about a foot of bunk beyond the back of the trailer without extending the trailer or adding some kinda additional support. Id move the spare to just behind the bow support rather than in front of it and move it forward enough to only have a foot of boat sticking out past the rear of the trailer and see what you got up front then. Then replace the bunks with non tilters that support the boat an inch or so past the transom.

If you have access to a welder, you could always extend the tongue to whatever you need it to be. Will definately change up your weights but I wouldnt be too concerned with weight on a 13' tin unless your pulling with a very small vehicle. JMO

I think you could use a transom saver. You may have to modify it or fab up some kind bracket for the back of the trailer. My boat hangs over just shy of a foot and I plan to modify a transom saver once I put a motor on it.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Adding tongue weight is ok. Don't weld galv steel it gives off bad fumes.

 

[BassBlaster]

I didnt even pay any attention to it being galvanized. It can still be done if needed. Ive welded and cut it before without problems. Just wear a respirator and dont huff the fumes.

 

[screwballl]

Looks like it is balanced and setup properly to me. You want at least 1-3 feet of boat off the back of the trailer for the light boats, otherwise you will end up having to back up the tow vehicle farther back and potentially into the water itself just to drop the boat. Mine has about 4 feet of boat hanging off the back of the trailer and I cannot move it forward at all since it is a square bow and will hit the tow vehicle during sharp turns.

It is only the larger and heavier bass boats and large boats that needs to be fully on the trailer and fully supported. Even then in my area I see larger saltwater boats here that still have 3-5 ft hanging off the back of the trailer plus the motor(s).

 

[BassBlaster]

Looks like it is balanced and setup properly to me. You want at least 1-3 feet of boat off the back of the trailer for the light boats, otherwise you will end up having to back up the tow vehicle farther back and potentially into the water itself just to drop the boat. Mine has about 4 feet of boat hanging off the back of the trailer and I cannot move it forward at all since it is a square bow and will hit the tow vehicle during sharp turns.

It is only the larger and heavier bass boats and large boats that needs to be fully on the trailer and fully supported. Even then in my area I see larger saltwater boats here that still have 3-5 ft hanging off the back of the trailer plus the motor(s).

I really think having 3' of a boat hanging off the back of a trailer unsupported is just asking to have transom problems down the road. Even a light weight tin boat with a small outboard. The transom is gonna take quite a beating over time and the hull will flex where the support stops causing leaks especially in a riveted boat. Even if you extend the bunks to the end of the boat, wooden bunks dont provide a lot of support without support under them. JMO

I see it in my area all the time too. People do lots of things they shouldnt do because they have no clue what damag they are causing. Just becasue you seeit dosnt mean its the right way.

 

[mtnwkr]

Well, weather it needed it or not, it is now fully supported. I removed the 2.5' rotating bunks and replaced them with 5.5' bunks. It's supported from the transom to just past the point where it starts to curve up to the front. There is 12" of unsupported bunk hanging off the back but I'm not really worried about that part of this boat as the transom area is very well designed. Moved the roller forward about 4", moved the winch mount forward only two inches but lowered the winch on the post so it better jives with the bow. Spare tire is now mounted vertically next to winch.
The bunks are just 2x4's that received two coats of spar varnish and I applied the carpet while the second coat was still pretty tacky to help the carpet adhere. I used outdoor carpet from Lowes and galvanized roofing nails to secure it along the bottom. I think they came out looking pretty professional.
The boat is solid on the trailer now and I don't have to worry when driving down bumpy roads anymore.

 

[mtnwkr]

After that last pic I also took the trailer jack off, cleaned and greased it, and installed so when fully extended it is straight up and down. Operates and rolls much easier now

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

What's does the whole thing weigh and what's your tongue weight?

 

[mtnwkr]

With no motor on back and battery in the middle bench I'm guessing my tongue weight is around 100lbs. I'm planning to rig up a transom saver so i can just leave my outboard on back, and that should bring it down even further. No idea what it all weighs combined. I doubt what I did will make any changes in how it tows.

 

[screwballl]

No matter what it looks good!

I really think having 3' of a boat hanging off the back of a trailer unsupported is just asking to have transom problems down the road. Even a light weight tin boat with a small outboard. The transom is gonna take quite a beating over time and the hull will flex where the support stops causing leaks especially in a riveted boat. Even if you extend the bunks to the end of the boat, wooden bunks dont provide a lot of support without support under them. JMO

I see it in my area all the time too. People do lots of things they shouldnt do because they have no clue what damag they are causing. Just becasue you seeit dosnt mean its the right way.

I understand your perspective on it and I can see how that would be an issue with larger motors on these smaller boats or anything larger than a 15ft tin boat... but for a 12-14ft boat like this with a 5-10hp motor, physics is not going to have the transom torn off whether the rear is 1 or 4 feet off the farthest back point of the trailer. That is unless you have a motor that is too big and too heavy for this size of boat. The only real impact it may have is the balance of the trailer, allowing more towards the rear and giving it a much more level balance to towing, instead of all the weight on the tongue and forward welds/bolts. This also means when you hit the brakes, the tow vehicle's brakes will have to work that little bit harder with that extra weight since the balance was thrown off and placed primarily on the tow vehicle.

For balance itself, with a truck like mine with a V8 it is not going to make a difference. But for a smaller car, small truck or SUV, then the balanced and level load can help with towing rather than having all the weight on the tongue of the trailer.

For example, my popup camper. From front of tongue/hitch to the rear storage bin is 18 feet, with 10 ft from center of hub to the tongue, and the other 8 ft from center of hub to rear. Weight distribution including how I load it inside puts around 60% of weight above or forward of the wheels. That means the other 40% is rear of the wheels for balance and less weight on the tongue.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

It's not the transom that will be damaged by not having it supported by the bunks. It's the damage to the bottom of the hull it could develop a hook in the hull.

 

[huntinfool]

Your going to want some more tounge weight. 100# is not enough. Once you put the motor on back you will lose some tounge weight. I would pull the boat forward.

 

[mtnwkr]

it could develop a hook in the hull.

That just helps you get on plane faster

 

[screwballl]

It's not the transom that will be damaged by not having it supported by the bunks. It's the damage to the bottom of the hull it could develop a hook in the hull.

I have NEVER heard that before on boats that were within legal specs.

If someone put a motor that is way too big and heavy for these boats, like a 25hp or larger motor on one of these small boats then iy may cause that, but that is their own fault.


Staying in the legal and proper limit of 10-15 hp should not be anywhere close to enough weight to cause that.

 

[mtnwkr]

It only has a 15hp on it, but the boat is rated for a 25hp. It is a heavy duty, well made boat.

 

[BassBlaster]

It's not the transom that will be damaged by not having it supported by the bunks. It's the damage to the bottom of the hull it could develop a hook in the hull.

I have NEVER heard that before on boats that were within legal specs.

If someone put a motor that is way too big and heavy for these boats, like a 25hp or larger motor on one of these small boats then iy may cause that, but that is their own fault.


Staying in the legal and proper limit of 10-15 hp should not be anywhere close to enough weight to cause that.

Were not talking about just haveing too large a motor. Were talking about having a boat hang 3-5 feet past the back of the trailer unsupported. Its not a good idea.

 

[screwballl]

I was just saying people are over thinking this. These are 150-300 lb boats, not large bass or saltwater boats with big 125-150 motors on the back. Our little boats hanging 3-4 feet off the back of a trailer unsupported will not cause any problems unless you have too big of an engine on there or too much weight like 4 batteries and livewell full of water and so on. It is all simple physics.

The original poster had a boat on a trailer that was setup and balanced properly, and rather than keep it that way, he decided to move everything forward which will cause increased problems when it comes time to launch the boat. You NEED it hanging off the back of the boat some. On the shallow ramps you will end up backing your tow vehicle that extra 2-3 feet into the water. The bunk ends support the extra weight that hangs off the back of the trailer and the extra distance means less chance of backing the tow vehicle onto the underwater muck on the ramp and losing traction.

Most trailer and boat manufacturers for boats around 21' and less recommend 10-15% of the boats length off the back of the trailer supported by the tilting bunk ends. Typically this means around 20-25% of the length behind the rear most trailer tire except on stub trailers (like mine).

 

[BassBlaster]

Well, I guess your intitled to your opinion and I'm intitled to mine and thats the way its gonna have to be because I completely disagree with you.

My opinion is if you have to back your tow vehicle into the water, its because your tongue is too short or your boat is supported too high on the trailer not because your boat isnt hanging far enough off the back of the trailer.

If the manufactuers reccomend the boat hang so far off the trailers, how come I have never seen a boat on a factory trailer setting in a dealership lot with the boat hanging 3 to 5 feet off the trailer?

When you have leaky rivets or cracking welds in a few years from a buckled hull, please post up and tell us about it. I know you said you have never seen it but its been posted here on this forum. Ive seen it posted from not having enough support and Ive seen it from sitting on rollers which dont support a tin boat well.

These boats wernt designed to be modded the way we mod them and they need to be supported. Personally I would want my boat completely supported even if I didnt mod it but thats just me.

To the OP, I was just trying to help with your questions, sorry for the hijack.