Now look at the new trailer. After 30 years, we have thousands of happy customers. Proper placement of trailer axles can make the difference between a trailer that tows safely and easily and a trailer that is a danger to everyone around it anytime it is being towed. In general, the bigger the boat, the more bunks need to be underneath for support. First, is your trailer made for your boat or is it a generic or bought separately? It is a 1995 Bayliner Capri 14ft closed bow boat (About 1,000 lbs) on a 16ft Continental single axle trailer. Our bunk style pontoon trailers are fully adjustable to fit all known brands of pontoon boats. hoist. would anyone have a photo directly from the rear or the spacing between the bunks? Where they are in relation to the trailer is directly related to the boat hull. First, is your trailer made for your boat or is it a generic or bought separately? Would a picture help? The axle on a boat trailer is generally located asymmetrically with respect to the fore-and-aft length of the boat, and it is almost always behind the fore-and-aft mid-point of the boat. There are 2 types of inboard engine configurations that concern trailer fit. If bunks require left or right adjustment see Picture 2 below.Stop pulling the boat up when th back or transom of the boat lignes up with the back end of the bunks. ... It’s thin and easy to work with and ideal for fishing boat or PWC trailer bunks. Check fender clearance. The downside is that it’s often harder to launch and load boats from bunk trailers. To fit a boat to the trailer, make rough measurements to allow the boat to sit straight and level on the trailer, then crawl under the trailer and position each bunk, making sure that the bunks or rollers are positioned next to, not under strakes or other protrusions from the bottom, that the transom is well supported and that bunks are located under the interior stringers as well as any other areas needing additional support. I used the trailer bunk placement to set up my Shore Station 4000 lb. Back your new trailer in the water in front of your boat so you can float the boat on. My 205 SL rides great on the Eagle bunk tandem axle trailer. Adjust the bunks if your boat is setting on the keel, but is "tipsy" on the trailer. Look at the height and shape of the bottom of the boat. This is easily accomplished with hand tools at a boat ramp. The trailer just has a "V" wedge in the front to keep the keel from rub up against the cross members. Look at how the hull clears the fenders. Up and down adjustment is necessary so that the winch post roller contacts the boat in the correct position for support, as well as to act as a stop when you drive the boat onto the trailer. You will need it in step 6. Axle position may have to be moved toward the rear to achieve correct tongue weight of 5% to 7% of the total boat’s weight. Back the trailer down until the forward top of the bunks are above the water about 3 inches. Where they are in relation to the trailer is directly related to the boat hull. A bow pulpit us usually a narrow platform that extends forward from the front of the boat. We guarantee the trailer you purchase will be a proper fit based on you following our guidelines for loading and setup. would anyone have a photo directly from the rear or the spacing between the bunks? Trim tabs should not effect trailering in most cases. Step 4. The bunks overextend, the rollers come up to within 2 inches from the end. If the 2" dimension is vertical you may not have enough clearance and the hull could scrap the trailer cross member. Probable causes could be you are not using a 5 pin adapter for your vehicle or your vehicle wiring is malfunctioning. Remember, if the bow support vee brace is on the trailer you chose, the bottom of the boat can not go higher than the vee block support can reach. Use your adjustable wrench to loosen the bolts that hold the bunk supports in place on the trailer. Now the boat that used to occupy my lift was 10’ bigger so I do have about 5” of exposed bunks off the rear. Look at your boat on the old trailer. Raise the forward end of the bunk until it touches the bottom of the boat and tighten the forward-most bolt. Measure the placement of your bunks and make sure they are spaced the same on both sides. BE SURE TO ENGAGE THE WINCH LATCH so the winch will not spool out on its own if you release the winch handle. Position your boat on the lift so that the motor sits in the middle. You want bunks supported by the trailer in at least 2 places each. DO NOT drive on the road with the connector in this position! The top of the bunks is 27 inches to the ground. Mike Schoonveld has been writing since 1989 with magazine credits including "Outdoor Life," "Fur-Fish-Game," "The Rotarian" and numerous regional publications. It forms and staples easily around the wooden bunk. Also, as boats rest on the surface of the bunk style trailer, you will need more vertical space for storing with the boat on the trailer. The guys put the bunks at about 44 inches which matches up to the outer bunks on my trailer (extreme custom) for 08 VLX. Surfix, Incorporated: Trailer Bunk Slides/Glides, Trailer Parts Superstore: Bunks and Guides. Secondly, additional clearance is needed for the shaft to clear the trailer frame. It will extent approximately 4". Use your adjustable wrench to loosen the bolts that hold the bunk supports in place on the trailer. To a degree, the brackets enable you to raise, lower or move the bunks side to side and enable you to adjust the angle of the bunk to match the sloped bottom on a V-hulled watercraft. 2004 Cobalt 240 8.1 GiDP - SOLD 4/10 There is little or no winching of the boat up the trailer anticipated, as there would be considerable friction between the boat and the four or more carpeted bunks which support it. If less than 3/4" exists between the boat and fender, check for additional vertical adjustment on bunk bracket or riser kit or raise the rear vertical pivot adjustment to the 2nd hole. Using a local boat ramp launch your boat in the water and off your old trailer. If required in your state, register your trailer and install the tag on it. If you have any question about adjusting your trailer please call us toll free at 888 278-1991, 8 am to 5 pm Monday - Saturday. I am ready to put them back on, just want to make sure the placement is correct. I'm going to try to fit my boat to it in the next week or so. Back the trailer down until the forward top of the bunks are above the water about 3 inches. Double check tongue weight, clearances and bunk and vee block adjustments. Look at the bunk height and the fender height. Unless a trailer is specifically built for a specific boat, attach bunk systems (either roller or bunk style) to the framework of the trailer with adjustable mounting brackets. The trailer should be submerged, with the bunks and/or the rollers wet so that the boat can float up onto the trailer, he adds. This is why you should get bunks as far apart as possible. Look to see where the stringers (cross supports) are located inside the hull, the position of the fuel tank and other structural features. They are there to support the boat. Also make sure the trailer clears transducers, pulpits and anything else protruding from the hull. I am redoing the bunks on my boat trailer. But as for the boat itself, nothing is more important than the bunks that support the hull while it’s sitting on the trailer. Also, the trailer doesn't have the smaller front bunks to cradle the bow of the boat. What is the rule of thumb for roller/bunk spacing left to right? Look at your boat on the old trailer. Check fender clearance. Connect your new trailer to your vehicle by latching the coupler to the hitch ball and connecting the safety chains and lights. Recommended Roller Bunks for Boat Trailer to Ease Launching and Loading Boat and Bunk Guides; These trailers have become very popular and represent a sizeable segment of what is offered for sale in the current trailer market. Test your lights to be working properly. Look at how the hull clears the fenders. Most pontoon boats with 8’ wide decks usually have 72” bunk centers. That 6' difference is important to make sure the keel will not hit the crossmembers on the trailer. The width of our bunks adjust for boats 6’ to 8’6” wide. These boards will last virtually forever giving your trailer a sleek new look, while making launching and loading easier than ever before. 1 of mine has 3 (wood bunks brackets), the other is 2 (metal with rubber rollers) and the supports at the end of both frames come within a few inches of the boat's transom. Now manually float your boat into the trailer as far as it will go and connect the winch strap or cable to the bow towing eye on the boat. H. Make sure boat is centered (engine should be on boat). Adjust the bunks if your boat is setting on the keel, but is "tipsy" on the trailer. Look at the trailer ball coupler and make sure you have tongue weight. If you need assistance snap a pictire from the back and the side of your boat on your old trailer and email them to, Step 10. The bunks may be positioned as much as 8" from the transom also. It can be functional or cosmetic. I am wondering if I should have these up higher on the angled portion of the bottom of the hull. Most shaft drive boats up to 24 feet will fit on our standard aluminum trailers. These can make launching and loading almost as easy as with roller systems, and the boat’s hull gets better support while it’s being trailered down the highway. You may also email pictures of your boat for the purpose of choosing a trailer to info@topnotchmarine.com. Position them approximately 1/2 to 1" from the hull. hoist. A trailer for a 20’ pontoon may have 15’-16’ bunks. Step 9. Call us at 888 278-1991 or email your concerns and pictures to. Also, the trailer doesn't have the smaller front bunks to cradle the bow of the boat. Will the boat be above the fenders and clear them? 2004 Cobalt 240 8.1 GiDP - SOLD 4/10 To learn more about finding the proper trailer for your Bennington Pontoon Boat model, contact a local Bennington Pontoon Boat dealer Not sure? The trailer just has a "V" wedge in the front to keep the keel from rub up against the cross members. 94851. Please contact us for more information at 888 278-1991. The weight of the boat is supported by the rollers. Raise the forward end of the bunk until it touches the bottom of the boat and tighten the forward-most bolt. The Ultimate Bunk Board is ideal for any boat trailer, PWC or boat lift! Boat Trailer Outlet makes every effort to properly fit our trailers to your boat. In general, the heavier the boat, the harder it is to get them to slide off or back on. Second, all trailers are not set up the same. Smaller rollers would allow the boat to drop closer to the bunks. Not sure? TIP: The bunks may extend beyond the transom or back of the boat up to 10". Step 3 – Adjusting the Boat Trailer Bunks. Stop at an auto store or boat dealership and get a 5 pin adapter to solve the issue. Your prop won't be close to hitting, it is the fins you need to pay attention to. In some rare cases, transducers must be moved to allow a boat trailer to fit properly if not the transducer and the trailer will likely be damaged. Even if your trailer is new, it's not uncommon that the spacing will be slightly off and adjustments may be needed. While examining the outside of the hull, note the position of strakes (the external ribs running lengthwise down the bottom of the boat) as well as any molded-in strakes, contours or grooves on fiberglass boats. The biggest thing I've found to get a boat centered properly on a bunk trailer is what REW stated in #2 on his list. This is someone trying to make a shorter trailer work for a longer boat that the trailer was not designed for. I cut the excess off and used that as a "template" for angling my bunk boards on the lift. My trailer seems to favor a boat with less of a "V" in the hull. If you are sure your boat will NOT touch the new trailer's fenders proceed to step 2. Thanks. He holds a Bachelor of Science in wildlife science from Purdue University. The weight is similar to a stern drive engine configuration. In a similar way as you did with the rollers, unscrew each bolt with the adjustable screw and reposition the trailer bunks so that they touch the boat, taking particular care not to place your finger between the bunk and the boat. To properly position the bunks on a trailer so they give adequate support to the boat, it’s first necessary to examine the boat. On an aluminum boat, determine some of this by examining the bottom of the hull. If not you can either move the bunks up in height or closer together to make the boat sit higher. Raising your bunks all of the way up will just limit the boat going on if your water is low. Remember to leave room for your vehicle to clear the trailer when turning. Bring the boat up on land with the winch line on the bow eye for safety, but the winch post/bow rest not necessarily touching the bow. Schoonveld earned a Master Captain License from the Coast Guard. I have attached photos of where the current bunk placement is. The goal here is to meke sure the boat is in the center of the trailer and in the correct position for the tongue weight to be in the correct range of 5% to 10% of the boat's weight. Jeff: Casco Bay Outrage: posted 04-23-2008 04:41 PM ET (US) Rivet lines can mark where the stringers are positioned, the location of seats, live wells or other features that should be supported. I took 2 2x4's while the boat was on the trailer and screwed them together (at the transom making an X) to best match the angle of the hull. My boat rests very lightly on the bunks, and can be rocked very slightly from side-to-side before the tie down is snugged up Too much weight on bunks can make for very hard launching and retrieval. Slowly crank the winch and pull the boat up on the trailer. Our bunk boards are made from High-Density Polyethylene Plastic with a UV inhibitor added to help resist fading. Many trailers for heavy boats come with “roller” bunks, which are gangs of wide wheels that "roll" the boat on or off the trailer. If you have any question about adjusting your trailer please call us toll free at 888 278-1991, 8 am to 5 pm Monday - Saturday. Fig. If a hull drops off the trailer while sliding in the water too early the pulpit may hit the winch stand. This will supply power to the solenoid only allowing you to back up. Reply from Chris R. 7/27/2020. On a lightweight boat such as an aluminum jon boat, a pair of bunks (one on each side) are sufficient to handle the load. Double check tongue weight, clearances and bunk and vee block adjustments. Bow guide boards are a common solution. Bunk length is not critical and the overall length of bunks varies by trailer manufacturers. 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