Trailer Guides

[TejasNewbie]

Hi everyone. I trailer my 2017 Benny - obviously taking it in & out of the lake several times a weekend. I recently bought some 24 inch straight trailer guides to mount on the inside of the toons but now I'm questioning my purchase.

My dilemma is this - it appears the lifting strakes on the inside of the outer toons would get in the way - they look tough but would take a beating. I'm thinking about putting the trailer guides on either side of the middle toon - there are no lifting strakes on it.

Anyone have any experience with this? I'd welcome your thoughts....

 

[kaydano]

I have Express with 6 strakes and guides in between the toons. The guides have PVC pipes on them to protect the toons. My strakes beat them up, not the other way around.

 

[lakeliving]

I don’t think the strakes sit out past the edge of the toon anyway.

 

[kaydano]

They don't when the boat is on the trailer, but when loading it on the trailer at the ramp, the strakes can hit them when the back half is floating over them. Depends how far the trailer is backed in. Also, my back two guides are mounted a little behind the center toon (which is shorter than the other toons on the Express) so the sharp edge of the strakes beats then pretty bad. Bottom line is the stakes are very tough. Tougher than the guides.

 

[kaydano]

Back to the original post, I would rather have my guides against the toons with the strakes. They are a lot tougher than the center pontoon without the strakes. I wouldn't worry about damaging the strakes. I'd worry a lot more about damaging the toon that doesn't have them.

 

[TejasNewbie]

Thanks everyone. I bought some guides that, once mounted, come at the toons at a 45 degree angle - missing the strakes. I bought 2 for the back of trailer. Hope i don't need more...

 

[BulldogsCadillac]

Thanks everyone. I bought some guides that, once mounted, come at the toons at a 45 degree angle - missing the strakes. I bought 2 for the back of trailer. Hope i don't need more...

Hmmm, do you have a picture of them? I personally have always just had the straight vertical guides and never had any issues. They don't sit tight against your toons anyway. They just guide it to the right direction and help in wind. The cradle of the trailer should help seat them properly. A couple times when I was pulling out and it was slightly off center at the back, I just backed down a little and gave it a push.

 

[Tin Diesel]

Below are pictures of our guides. How far forward or aft you place them depends on the steepness of the ramp you're using. Biggest dilemma for itinerant boaters is that each ramp is different, so have to hope for a happy medium.

So far, this location has worked fine. With more experience I might decide to move them closer to the toons.

 

[Dougncrew]

I went with the ones on the outside of the boat. They are about 5 feet tall and I have had no issues at all with the wind since putting them on. The only problem I had was with the deck being 8'-6" wide I had to keep them close to the side so it gave me a small target. The first time i hit one of them I bent the bracket. So I had new brackets made that are stronger and like a receiver hitch. When I drive I have them tight to the side and when I launch and recover they move out 10" on each sides.

 

[Dougncrew]