Boat falls back on trailer

[Reel Doc]

It seems every time I pull my 24' Wellcraft walk-around out of the water the crank slips a little leaving this space.  With the main and kicker motors weight on the back it creates significant teeter totter effect driving over little ridges or bumps.  Is the strap just getting stretched out or is it just a case of locking down the front with a second tie down of some sort?

Appreciate everyone's thoughts.

[Fat Trout]

If you are actually getting it tight then the problem is with the winch and I would suggest just replacing the winch as its not holding when locked in.  If you are not really getting it up tight it might be a matter of backing the trailer in a little more so you are getting it up good and tight against the roller.  You shouldn't need a secondary strap although the one thing I'm not seeing is a safety chain.  That isn't tight and wouldn't prevent the winch from slipping but it will prevent catastrophe in general.  

[Fat Trout]

I'll also just add that without any knowledge overall of what you have, the frame of the trailer just looks kinda light for a 24'er.  Is that existing winch and related trailer properly rated for the boat?  No judgement.....just trying to aid in your problem solving.  I have a 20' aluminum and I feel like the trailer and winch related area on my trailer looks a lot beefier than what I'm looking at in your photo.  

 

My winch pulls from the top....but i dont know if/ how it varies between winches.

Edited September 11, 2019 by Fat Trout

[Capt. Lou]

If your seated then this occurs , would indicate winch is not up to task ! This always happens or just started?  Should not require another strap forward, boat should be seated  on trailer 

I’ve  always preferred float on trailers , this way you drive on and done ✅!  

 

 

[chasen]

When you put the boat on the trailer at the ramp then move up up on level ground and re tighten strap. This is what i have to do  to get the strap tight. Remember safety chain.

[tim]

I have a 20 foot aluminum put a two speed heavy winch on it took the old one off it did the same thing yours is doing never regretted it also I put a ratchet strap from the eye of the boat to the trailer and a safety chain


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[mr 580]

Second what “chasen” is saying.  If you bring eye up to stop when boat is on ramp the rear of the boat will drop as you pull up ramp and get to level ground which creates that gap in the strap.  You have to tighten strap on ramp once boat is on rear bunks or in the lot when you tie down.   Steeper ramps make this issue worse.  Helps if you don’t drop trailer in as far also.  Not a bad idea to check your winch and tie downs after a few miles as boat will move/settle on trailer when brakes are applied.  

[sherman brown]

its all in how the boat loads on the trailer. when the back of the boat is floating it doesn't matter how tight you winch the boat. once the boat is pulled out off the water and the back drops down on the trailer the bow is going to drop back. the only cure I know of is to pull the boat about half way out then winch it up again. you can try not pulling back as far to load boat.

 

both my boats do this if I pull back to far. so I just use my electric winches and winch them on up after I pull them out. I use a large turn buckle for a safety strap. my 21' boat has a 3000# superwinch with 3000# holding brakes. my 17' boat has the same winch. my other 17' boat has a 2500# winch on it. I have no winching problems at all. I got the lt3000# superwinch off ebay for around 200.00. I think the new one I just put on the 21' boat cost closer to 250.00 because it has braided rope instead of cable.

[waywack40]

I agree with Brown. After getting boat up off the ramp, see if winch needs t be tightened slightly on level ground. My boat tends to do this.

[Bad dog]

Depending on the ramp, if the back end of boat is still floating a little it will end as your picture. Pull ahead 1ft. and re tighten, do this two or three times as you pull out and it should end up tight. I have a roller trailer and can pull it after it is out of the water. 

[Chas0218]

Looks like you aren't pulling the boat eye up to the roller at the ramp but with the bow touching the roller. I have this happen and have to remember to keep cranking even after the boat touches the roller or I get the same thing.

[sherman brown]

another easy way to get the boat up is to start going forward about 10 mph then hit the brakes hard. the boat will slide forward just about every time.

 

another option is to change winches. a 2 speed 3200# fulton will pull it up for you. you can get the new model which looks good or the old standard model which looks like a winch for around 145.00 on ebay.

[garrymny]

Mine does this too once in a while. I notice it after I pull out and I am strapping everything down. I just crank the winch and pull it forward hoping the front eye holds in the boat. I suspect it has to do with the angle of the ramp, and that the back of the boat is probably floating a little as I pull the trailer forward. As a remedy, I think you (and myself) need to not back the trailer into the water as deep.

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[Sk8man]

I think you may have identified the main culprit yourself ( Is the strap just getting stretched out ). Even having a safety chain engaged with some slack this problem will still occur. When the boat is loaded on the trailer the bunks or rollers get wet and slippery which is good for positioning the boat on the trailer but not when the trailer is at an angle coming out of the ramp when leaving as the shift in weight of the boat slides a little on the trailer and the common type of strap shown in the pic does in fact stretch to accomodate the weight shift. When it does this many times it will eventually weaken and/or fail. This situation is exacerbated when for example on a bunk trailer when the bunks aren't fully submerged to make them "slippery" prior to loading and the winch strap is strained while in the final stage of retrieval. Getting a heavy duty poly material strap, or a steel cable one (if practical for the situation) should pretty much eliminate the problem. Don't ask how I know this....

Edited September 11, 2019 by Sk8man

[muskiedreams]

My winch pulls from the top also. This may be true for all of them. It is easy to wrap the strap in the wrong direction when installing it and it may seem to work that way but maybe it is designed to work the other way. Look to see how others are wrapped. Maybe if it is backward it doesn't hold properly but the transom straps may be keeping it from backing off more. Definitely put a safety chain on. I believe it is a requirement.

 

The way that winch is situated, it is mostly pulling and holding the bow forward and not really down that much. So the bow of the boat may be bouncing up and down on the trailer which depending on the way the boat is supported, could cause stress on the supports and/or the hull. Adding a tie down strap from the bow eye down to the trailer will make sure the bow isn't bouncing. The only thing is you probably can only put two hooks into that bow eye so you would have to hook two if the three things to one hook. Or what I did was use a one piece ratchet strap (no hooks on it) and I feed the strap through the bow eye and around the trailer beam.

[spoonfed-1]

16 hours ago, Reel Doc said:

It seems every time I pull my 24' Wellcraft walk-around out of the water the crank slips a little leaving this space.  With the main and kicker motors weight on the back it creates significant teeter totter effect driving over little ridges or bumps.  Is the strap just getting stretched out or is it just a case of locking down the front with a second tie down of some sort?

Appreciate everyone's thoughts.

 

Not a problem. Just retighten before you hit the road. Both my current boats do this. 26 ft Penn Yan and 16 ft Alumicraft. I don't like to over tighten it on the ramp and over stress the bow eye. You should not have to do this more than once when your on level ground. Get a safety chain.

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by spoonfed-1

[Todd in NY]

My boat does this every time, and I have a new winch & strap. I easy forward at the top of the ramp, on level pavement, and hit the brakes. It slides my boat into position every time.

 

It happened with my 21ft fiberglass Bayliner, and it happens with my 22ft aluminum Crestliner.

 

DON'T put too much stress on the bow eye by trying to crank it forward with the winch.

[Reel Doc]

Based on these responses it's very clear I needed to post this topic when I bought the boat 10 years ago, it being my first vessel that didn't slide in and out of the back of a pickup!

Had a surveyor evaluate prior to purchase to be sure it was as advertised and it has been a pleasure to date.  The Eagle trailer is rated for 6600 lbs and the boat weighs 3400 plus the kicker I added so should be rated adequately.

Sale was brokered through a Marina and I made the mistake of trusting them a little too much regarding the trailer.

When gave me a crash course on launching and trailering I specifically remember I asked about the winch and single hook-up looking pretty minimal and was told, "not to worry, the weight of the boat will keep it on the trailer".  

Fortunately, 95% of my trips to date have been under 10 miles round-trip to the boat launch. Planning to change that as Ontario is calling, so it's a great time to clean up my trailer program.

I dug out all the manuals I have and as many of you mentioned the trailer manual states to use a safety chain and 3 tiedowns.  So glad it took me 10 years to read this manual as of course, I read all through the boat manuals right away!

Any direction on where to buy a proper safety chain and tiedowns would be greatly appreciated.  Also thoughts on a winch upgrade as the current one certainly doesn't lock in place and it only cranks the boat up to a point before it can't compete with the weight and is done.

Thanks again for all the thoughts,

Greg

[fisherdude]

Walmart online use store pickup no delivery charge . Hard to find parts , etrailer . Com or trailer parts . Com ..Like to see what your buying ,bass pro ....

 

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[Reel Doc]

16 hours ago, muskiedreams said:

My winch pulls from the top also. This may be true for all of them. It is easy to wrap the strap in the wrong direction when installing it and it may seem to work that way but maybe it is designed to work the other way. Look to see how others are wrapped. Maybe if it is backward it doesn't hold properly but the transom straps may be keeping it from backing off more. Definitely put a safety chain on. I believe it is a requirement.

 

The way that winch is situated, it is mostly pulling and holding the bow forward and not really down that much. So the bow of the boat may be bouncing up and down on the trailer which depending on the way the boat is supported, could cause stress on the supports and/or the hull. Adding a tie down strap from the bow eye down to the trailer will make sure the bow isn't bouncing. The only thing is you probably can only put two hooks into that bow eye so you would have to hook two if the three things to one hook. Or what I did was use a one piece ratchet strap (no hooks on it) and I feed the strap through the bow eye and around the trailer beam.

Yes, the bow bounces up and down when driving.   How can I know what strength tie downs to get as don't want something that could stretch or snap?

[Bad dog]

Rap your winch so that it pulls the cleaves on the front of the boat under the nose peace and then holds it up tight to it. that should take the bounce out when trailing.

[junebug2320]

If it “bounces up and down while driving” thats called porpoising. We use a turnbuckle to alleviate this. Dont use a ratchet strap as those stretch and are useless.


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[Reel Doc]

8 hours ago, junebug2320 said:

If it “bounces up and down while driving” thats called porpoising. We use a turnbuckle to alleviate this. Dont use a ratchet strap as those stretch and are useless.


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I'll have to look into that as it looks like a good rigid option.   Hopefully can find a turnbuckle long enough to span that distance

[Fat Trout]

14 minutes ago, Reel Doc said:

I'll have to look into that as it looks like a good rigid option.   Hopefully can find a turnbuckle long enough to span that distance

Google "Turnbuckle on boat trailer" and you'll see some interesting examples including using chain to get extra length.  Needing to use a turnbuckle IMO just means the trailer setup isn't right but it seems like something that would work and keep  you....and the rest of us safe, hopefully.  There's always an electric winch with cable.  

[Todd in NY]

When your boat is all the way forward, with the bow eye against the roller, is the bow eye above, or below the roller?

 

Your boat won't porpoise if it is all the way up to your roller. If it's supported by your roller, it won't porpoise.

 

Idle forward and hit your brakes. That should slide the boat forward, up against the roller, with the trailer bunks wet. Problem solved without spending any money. If that doesn't work, then spend some money.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Todd in NY