Trailer unloading Woes

[john721]

Why would you not get with phoenix if they put the boat on the wrong trailer

[franktank009]

My 618 is a year old now and I have had the bunk supports raised 1 inch in the front and 1/2 inch in the middle and replaced the front roller with the Stoltz roller and I can successfully load the boat without a lot of trouble now. It is much more forgiving as far as trailer depth and with the modifications I can powerload without coming under the roller like before the modifications were made. Getting the boat off the trailer is another story. I have to back in until the fenders are under the water which is too deep and the boat will easily push back until the bow falls under the roller and it will not go any further by hand or power. I have to back in further to get it off and I feel I am already too deep. I am on my fourth set of inside bunks and they are properly installed with the nap making it harder to unload . Unless you guys can offer any help I am considering turning the bunks around with the nap the wrong way to help with the unloading. I have had bass boats for almost forty years now and I am determined to make this boat load and unload like all the others I have owned .

It's hard to imagine what you are doing to make it hard to unload... Watch this video of a 618 phoenix being unloaded at 4 minutes... The whole trailer is submerged including the spare tire... Tie a long rope to the boat and trailer, softly launch boat of trailer as shown in video, wait till the boat is past the back of the trailer, pull up on the ramp, untie your rope from trailer and pull boat to the ramp or dock, park truck and enjoy day...

Forgot the link...

[Nova Kaw 650]

I didn't see your link, but that's exactly what I posted to him earlier.

Trailer fenders under the water is not "too deep". Back in until the boat is free of the trailer, as far as it takes for that to happen, regardless of what your other boat/trailer combos needed.

[aj306]

Great video franktank but if I did that on the steeper ramps we have the roller could rip the trolling motor off the boat when the bow fell below it. After getting the bunks properly adjusted, adding the stoltz roller, and adjusting the drawbar to where the trailer is level the loading is good and the unloading is tolerable. Before the bunks were adjusted you could not load or unload the boat at any depth on any ramp with out coming under the roller. Get the shim kit if you have that problem. Some have asked why the plant was not involved in all the problems. MarineMaster has been responsible for all the repairs except the front roller replacement and that's because I didn't ask them for one.. I know most of them personally now and they are very good people who genuinely care about the performance of their products.

[franktank009]

But the bow should never fall below the roller... If you launch in one smooth motion in reverse the roller will stay tucked against the bow eye until the trailer is so deep in the water that it will push off without dropping... Your information is very contradicting: you think the fenders shouldn't be submerged yet you launch at ramps that are so steep they will rip off your trolling motor? We are just trying to help... It would be great if you could video the process.

[Jeff from Iowa]

Great video franktank but if I did that on the steeper ramps we have the roller could rip the trolling motor off the boat when the bow fell below it. After getting the bunks properly adjusted, adding the stoltz roller, and adjusting the drawbar to where the trailer is level the loading is good and the unloading is tolerable. Before the bunks were adjusted you could not load or unload the boat at any depth on any ramp with out coming under the roller. Get the shim kit if you have that problem. Some have asked why the plant was not involved in all the problems. MarineMaster has been responsible for all the repairs except the front roller replacement and that's because I didn't ask them for one.. I know most of them personally now and they are very good people who genuinely care about the performance of their products.

I have launched alone with a long rope for 22 years, I dont ease into it I back up fast like I know what Im doing and once I see the boat float tap the brake and the boat flys off.. As your backing up the pressure of the water pushes the boat onto the roller until you stop, Ive never hit a trolling motor but I dont dilly dally either.

My old boat had a terrova mounted off the center and it stuck off a ton, no issues.

If you go slow and are jerky your boat will start to come off before you hit the brakes.

I launch on a super steep ramp all the time.

[sdendy]

I used a Z Launch for many years as well they work great if you are launch by yourself

[idbefishing]

I don't see how your boat wouldn't come off the trailer after you have back in far enough to easily push the bow off of the roller. If you can easily push the bow off means the stern is already floating. If the back is floating and the front won't come off the trailer then that would suggest the front end of your bunk is too high. If you're coming in under the bow roller then your trailer is either backed in too far or the front of the bunk is too low.

[aj306]

Everything Idbefishing said is correct . When your ball height is to high and the ramp is on the steep side the back of the boat will float but the roller will be supporting the front . You loosen the bow strap and the boat will move back if you have a good roller until it comes off the roller and falls on the bunks. With the ball height to high the motor would not back off the trailer because the bunks are to high. Lowering the ball helped the problem a lot by lowering the bunks on the front and reducing the weight on the bunks allowing the boat to back off.

[franktank009]

Sounds like you are launching the boat by yourself and you are only putting the trailer in far enough so that you can still get into the boat and attempt to either drive it off the trailer or push it off... You will have a miserable time doing this. Once the trailer is in the water get out and take the bow strap off, use a 40+ foot rope tied from the bow to the trailer and keep backing up till the entire boat floats off the trailer. Pull up a bit, get out, untie bow from trailer and pull the boat to shore or to the dock.

STEP1: watch this video
STEP2: follow instructions in video
STEP3: avoid any future misery and enjoy your fishing

The video is shown on a pretty steep ramp. Only thing i may recommend not doing is pulling your boat to shore using your truck and trailer. If you misjudge your speed you may end up beaching your boat at a pretty high speed and causing damage. After you pull back up the ramp a bit get out and manually pull your boat to shore or to the dock.

[idbefishing]

I launch by myself a lot and I don't like the rope method just in case that one time your boat won't start then you would have a hard time getting it back on the trailer.

[sdendy]

I used the rope and stopped after that one time the rope got off track and pull tight broke and out in the middle of the lake my boat floated and water temp was 40 degrees. Had to watch my boat floating away while I waited for a friend to come and go get it! The rash of crap I took for years made me never again. The Z Launch however does this well.