Has anyone had any problem with the fulton winches stripping out on the caracal. IF so is a better winch to put on it
Has anyone had any problem with the fulton winches stripping out on the caracal. IF so is a better winch to put on it
F-2 is the way to go...
F2 is too large to fit inside the step if you have a grab post and step assembly.
I hope that you guys are seeing that there is a problem with the caracal trailer setup for loading. Inadequate winch and poor bow roller placement make this boat extremely aggravating to load alone...Originally Posted by Bass Cat Boats
I have more trouble loading this boat then any other boat that I have had before. Poor design
Do you not power load a Caracal like most all BassCats? Haven’t seen a Caracal load/unload, but have seen numerous other BCB models trailering. They all power loaded without needing the winch except to secure the bow hook. Asking because a Caracal is one of two models I’m researching.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
The problem with the caracal is you need to have the trailer so far out of the water to prevent the bow of the boat from going under the roller it makes it very difficult to power load and impossible to winch up. You need to give it everything its got just to get the bow over the roller, then back the trailer in further so you can finish power loading or winch it up... I really don't know why they didn't put the bow eye and bow roller further down the keel. Dreadful task to do by yourself. Also some people run into scenarios where they aren't allowed to power load due to state regulation, or the marina doesn't allow power loading at their launch... I do believe basscat should give us a winch that will easily pull the boat up the trailer.
I know some lakes in Michigan don't allow power loading. That would require backing the boat down as its floated on. Two person job.
You can winch it, but run the hook between the two rollers. Once the its pulled all the way up, than run the hook under the lower roller and winch it down. Or move to a state that doesnt have such dumb laws!JK!
The Caracal loads very much like the PII. If the trailer is not deep enough, you hit below the bow roller.
I have gotten my to where loading it (PII) is a piece of cake. With the Fury 3 or 4 prop, it will try to push the truck up the ramp.
Also, Most important, have your engine trimmed way up!! As it loads the motor sinks lower in the water (deeper). This causes lower RPM while loading. Trimming it up keeps the RPM's high as the engine is driven down and raises the bow making it load easier!
My buddy has a Caracal and never has an issue loading it, regardless of the ramp incline. But its power loaded every time. Its how ALL BCB trailers are designed, though some models are less sensitive to trailer depth.
I power load and unload.
Last edited by Cajunhunter67; 09-30-2019 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Because I proof read it 5 times after posting like an idiot.
2016 BassCat Pantera II
Mercury 200 ProXs
I make sure my bunks are all wet and I power load trimmed all the way up and the power required to climb the trailer is excessive. You shouldn't be trying to push your truck up the ramp. What would happen if you broke the parking pawl in your transmission?? I dont really see the reason why these boats have to be any harder to load then other boats?I know some lakes in Michigan don't allow power loading. That would require backing the boat down as its floated on. Two person job.
You can winch it, but run the hook between the two rollers. Once the its pulled all the way up, than run the hook under the lower roller and winch it down. Or move to a state that doesnt have such dumb laws!
The Caracal loads very much like the PII. If the trailer is not deep enough, you hit below the bow roller.
I have gotten my to where loading it (PII) is a piece of cake. With the Fury 3 or 4 prop, it will try to push the truck up the ramp.
Also, Most important, have your engine trimmed way up!! As it loads the motor sinks lower in the water (deeper). This causes lower RPM while loading. Trimming it up keeps the RPM's high as the engine is driven down and raises the bow making it load easier!
My buddy has a Caracal and never has an issue loading it, regardless of the ramp incline. But its power loaded every time. Its how ALL BCB trailers are designed, though some models are less sensitive to trailer depth.
I power load and unload.
I am not sure you really know what it's like to load the caracal. Your saying you need to put your trailer in deep so you dont come under the roller... if you do that with the caracal you will float over the fenders... the bunks are so high in relation the fenders due to the extreme width of the caracal that you really have no play. I've often wondered about putting high side bunks yo I can bury the trailer in the water enough to come over the roller.I know some lakes in Michigan don't allow power loading. That would require backing the boat down as its floated on. Two person job.
You can winch it, but run the hook between the two rollers. Once the its pulled all the way up, than run the hook under the lower roller and winch it down. Or move to a state that doesnt have such dumb laws!
The Caracal loads very much like the PII. If the trailer is not deep enough, you hit below the bow roller.
I have gotten my to where loading it (PII) is a piece of cake. With the Fury 3 or 4 prop, it will try to push the truck up the ramp.
Also, Most important, have your engine trimmed way up!! As it loads the motor sinks lower in the water (deeper). This causes lower RPM while loading. Trimming it up keeps the RPM's high as the engine is driven down and raises the bow making it load easier!
My buddy has a Caracal and never has an issue loading it, regardless of the ramp incline. But its power loaded every time. Its how ALL BCB trailers are designed, though some models are less sensitive to trailer depth.
I power load and unload.
Last edited by franktank009; 09-30-2019 at 07:56 PM.
I assumed there was a sweet spot on trailer depth for loading the Caracal just like most all BassCats I’ve been in and around.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
I live in Michigan and fish St Clair multiple days a week as well as local inland lakes. All our public ramps are non powerloading ramps with the potential for a ticket if you are caught. Here is my simple straight forward retrieval routine.... back the trailer in as close to the dock as possible and deep enough that it glides on easy - but knowing it will come in with the bow under the roller. Hook up the winch. Crawl back to the dock. Get in the truck and pull the trailer forward enough for the bow to clear the roller. Get back in the boat. Crawl up to the winch. Crank the bow over the roller until I can’t crank any further. Crawl back out of the boat. Back the trailer down to loosen the boat up. Get back in the boat and crawl to the winch again. Crank it home. Get back to the truck and pull the boat out. Of course when I’ve got a buddy with me I don’t have to get out - I just have him jockey the truck back and forth as I crank.
I wish basscat would come up with a fix for this that doesn’t involve powerloading. This will be the one thing that will cause me to look at other boats when my current boat is ready to go.
2019 Basscat Caracal
225 Evinrude G2
Solix 12 Mega SI bow and console
Mega Live
36V Ultrex
Most of our launches dont have a dock that is positioned right beside the ramp which makes flip flopping from the truck and boat rather annoying.
I know this boat can be power loaded but I find it requires excessive power to load up, and sometimes if you let off a bit to make sure you are lined up with the roller you cant get it going again. When I have somebody in the truck I have them dunk the trailer to wet the bunks, then pull out till 2-4 inches of the short bunks are out of the water. Glide on and with the motor trimmed all the way I power up till the bow is just over the roller. I then jump on the step and hook up the winch, yes under the bow roller and not under the tie down roller, and have the person back in slowly while I crank it on. Very easy and quick to do when you have 2 people.
I don't understand how people just fold over and say well you just gotta beat the snot out of it and push your truck up the ramp to load these boats up...
Most boats I see at our tournaments glide on the trailer and very mildly power up to get closer to the roller and just jump down on the trailer and winch it up the last 6 to 12 inches. Some guys will power all the way to the bow roller. I dont recall ever seeing a puma or cougar having as much trouble getting up the trailer but I've never loaded one so maybe somebody can chime in about that... either way it would sway my next boat purchase as well... to have a really nice and expensive boat that loads like the caracal is a shame...
I hope you could smell the sarcasm in my “simple straightforward” comment. Trailer is a real PITA.
2019 Basscat Caracal
225 Evinrude G2
Solix 12 Mega SI bow and console
Mega Live
36V Ultrex
I could smell it from a mile away, I remember this issue since you had your 2015 caracal.
Glad I fish on TVA reservoirs where power loading is a way of life.
A guy on another site suggested raising my ball on the hitch. Said that would give a little height to help the bow over the roller. Anyone tried this? I’m right at the height bcb recommenced with my current drop hitch on my F150.
2019 Basscat Caracal
225 Evinrude G2
Solix 12 Mega SI bow and console
Mega Live
36V Ultrex
Im sorry franktank, I stand corrected. If your too deep, the bow wants to run below the roller. In fact when unloading if the bow is too deep the bow will drop and either hit the spare tire or the front of the TM. Thus the reason for power loading and unloading. It has to be shallow or the boat wont go over the bow roller. My PII is the same. And yes, I hammer down and get it up all the way. Its the nature of the beast.
The rest of my post is pretty much how I load the boat.
Last edited by Cajunhunter67; 10-01-2019 at 07:18 PM.
2016 BassCat Pantera II
Mercury 200 ProXs
I understand what your saying, and I still power load, always have. The Caracal is rather excessive though... I don't know about other BCB boats... It would be be nice for BCB to chime in... I just can accept that I need to beat the crap out of my equipment to load a boat because it is the nature of the beast...
I'm not sure on a Caracal never been around one. Mine is the same as others said. Wet bunks, outer bunks about 4 inches out, idle on to align boat, trim to the max before fast trim, drive to roller. It does take a decent amount of throttle and it does bump the roller but I would not call it excessive. If I ever back off for any reason it won't go up the rest of the way. Then the truck has to back in a little to complete it. But I can say I've had boats that were much harder to load. FYI mine is a Margay
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