Tilt Trailer

[user 7806]

From the looks of my trailer it is a tilt. When I mentioned this to someone at the ramp one day they said I never wanted to use a tilt trailer. Seems to me it would make at least launching the boat easier. I'm thinking of giving it a try to see if it makes it easier. Just wanted to check with you guys 1st.

Good ideal or bad?

 

[Frogman Ladue]

The majority of "tilt trailers" I've seen are not intended to tilt at all. They're folding tongue trailers that are engineered to have the tounge folded, and the trailer stored vertically, on its rear bumper, against a garage wall. Most folks are just too stupid to read the manual.

 

[earl60446]

I had a tilt trailer with my 14ft lund. It came in handy a few times when the launch ramps were less than ideal, with a lightweight 14fter you have a lot of options. I could just dump mine off the bank somewhere if I wanted to, no harm done and the tilt made it easy to get back up on the trailer.
Good thing to have.
Tim

 

[foxmulder]

My trailer is a tilt and I love it. It works omay for launching, but it's great for getting the boat back on when you're by yourself at the launch.

I pull the tilt pin, undo the safety chain and just winch the boat up, the trailer tilts right down when the boat hits the bunks.

 

[ChrisP]

Gramps50,

I have a tilt trailer, I see no disadvantage to having one, here is a video from YouTube of a guy using it to load his boat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-tTyZr6wtA
and another showing him launching his boat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdXL8W4RYTo&list=UUkH8bNG_Z0m0gY0NaXH8-4A&index=7&feature=plpp_video

I have yet to use mine to launch but once when the boat was left out in the rain, it became too heavy for me to lift the tongue up to get the water out so I used the tilt feature to drop the rear end and pulled the plug, it worked like a charm! Good luck - Chris.

 

[rewinder]

all my previous boats were on tilt trailers but the 16' open tinnie I have now is on a non tilt bunk w/keel roller trailer. And I do miss the tilt, even tho my boat is liter than my other ones. The heavier the boat, the more usefull the tilt trailer was. ( well the heaviest boat I had was probably 1500 lbs total)

I can't figure why there are so few tilters available new now, but when I can find one I will swap it out.

As you can se from that video, the rollers support the keel and aligns the boat nicely, adjusting as it comes in, the transom still floats the rear of the boat, and I could always load by my self at any tide or wind conditions.

I never power load, always winch it up.


Just try it out, and be sure your chain at the tilt is set short enough so as not to let the rear cross bar of the trailer don't slam on the ramp/ground.

I couldn't tell from that vid if he had a preventer chain at the hinge

happy launching!

 

[Driftingrz]

both Tins ive had were on tilt trailers.. but ive never really seen any reason to use it.. even with all the weight in my boat now with the deck and whatnot it just seems too easy to launch and load a tin by myself. even with the river really low as making it a little harder to launch... i guess if i was using no ramp just backing off the side of a bank i may use tilt.. or if i drove a little car and didnt want to back down a boat ramp far enough to launch... like most otheres i use a Rope/tether tied to bow.. i can launch or load in less than a minute or so from stepping out of truck to driving back up the ramp.. just to simple... i think it pisses off the guys in big boats who have to struggle to get the boat back on trailer power loading and none of the 10 people that was on the water with them can drive the boat on the trailer or back the trailer down the ramp haha

 

[user 7806]

Went out today and was going to try the tilt on the trailer. Got under neath to pull the pin and it was stuck, pretty much rusted in. So I too this as a omen and left it alone.

When I got home I took out the pin and cleaned & lubed it, it will now slide in and out. So I'm ready to give it a try next time. Hopefully tomorrow.

 

[GYPSY400]

I have a tilt trailer for my "bush boat".. The boat I use to tow with my quad to remote lakes.. Most launches are rough, shallow, or I can't get close enough to the water to wet the wheels.. The tilt is indispensable for both launching, and especially loading. And the tilt doesn't even lock, the weight of the boat forward of the pivot keeps it down.