What are the best trailer guide?

JimmyC

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What are the best trailer guides? 

Currently I don't have any. After the last two attempts to load my boat in various conditions to include wind and current I have had to do multiple approaches and then when I did get the front of the boat onto the bunks, I would start to pull out only to discover the rear of the boat had slid sideways and was resting diagonally on top of the bunks. 

I'm sure I'll get better the more I load but it seems too easy to get the boat loaded all cockeyed that I thought I should do something about it. I shudder to think about what would have happened if I wouldn't have stopped to ensure the boat was loaded properly. Thankfully I only live 3 miles from the boat ramp and I caught it before someone else blocked my re-entry to the ramp. The first time I pulled all the way to the top of the ramp and had to slowly make my way back around the parking lot to back the boat back in. I was a little worried the boat would slide further off the bunks so I took it very slow. The second time I pulled out just enough to see that the boat was not on properly and backed it back down without incident.

I've seen trailer guides on the outside and also some on the inside. After the problems I've had, I'd consider using both. I have a triple toon but my trailer only has supports and bunks that support the outside toons. Not sure if this is good or bad or easier or harder to modify for trailer guides.

What are your suggestions? 

Thanks again for the info! 
 
Don't know brand I'll look again and find them but they have PVC that floats up to help u see them. I don't have any but fixing to make some to put on. I tend to fabricate alot of stuff I need.
 
Plus cool boat. I have a blk tundra and blue Benny wife said I should've gotten blk Benny. I think just a new truck
 
http://m.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Tie-Down-Floating-Guide-Ons-Pair&i=81038 This is ones I seen look pretty nice don't know anyone who has them so I don't know about durability
I installed those on my trailer more to see the bunks underwater than as actual guides. One season and the orange cap came off one and one no longer floats up as it is supposed to. My trailer came with two guide bars and as long as you don't put it or them too far down in the water they work well.
 
I'm looking at adding supports for my center pontoon and then will have to figure out how to add the guides to make it easier to load. 
 
Check with the manufacturer. I ordered a new Karavan trailer for our triple tube (gets built on the 20th! :D  ) and guides came as part of the package. They may be able to give you the center tube support and guides to match all in one shot. Sometimes the manufacturer supplied pieces just assemble that much nicer.
 
A friend of mine and I just installed the 4-C innovation's rails on his boat after his wife fell in the "cold" water trying to align the boat on the trailer. They are custom made to each pontoon and trailer. They are aluminum and very easy to install. I must say I was surprised how well they worked on a steep ramp with lots of wind. He did not purchase the latch and go which I think would be a great feature. The best thing about this rail guide system is his wife is happy that she doesn't have put her hands on the boat while he is loading it.
 
Triple Ripple (perfect name),

Does your friend have the triple toons too? We were looking at getting that too. Getting tired of everyone watching us struggle to load, thinking it's so easy.
 
I tried to put some guides on the very back of the trailer but if the wind is blowing and there is a current they are of no use since you can't get the boat to load straight and you end up running over them. If you have somebody with you, you can put a rope in the center of the front and have them pull you straight onto ramps or have a push pole to help you get away from the boat ramps and straighten boat out. My Magic Tilt trailer is extremely hard to load on.
 
1Tiredlady, sorry it took so long to get back on the forum, too many projects going on. No he does not have a third float but from talking to the manufacturer it will work. That system is great on windy days.
 
Hey Jimmy,

I have some from extrememax.com and they are really heavy duty. We have bounced off of them a couple times and they hold up very well. east to install and like $120 or so.

I'll PM you too. I can send pics and a point of contact if you want.

Marc
 
Hey Jimmy,

I have some from extrememax.com and they are really heavy duty. We have bounced off of them a couple times and they hold up very well. east to install and like $120 or so.

I'll PM you too. I can send pics and a point of contact if you want.

Marc

Thanks for the info Marc! I would love to see any pics that you might have of your boat guides.

The biggest problem I'm having is that I have a tri-toon set up and the trailer I have is currently not fitted with a center pontoon support. 

I still haven't decided what to do yet and have just go better at docking without the use of any aids. 

Might end up waiting until the fall before I install anything but sure would help to see some examples of what others are using.
 
Hey Jimmy,

I have all 3 toon bunks. The trailer manufacturer had the wrong guides on when we got the boat and we damaged the front of the center toon on an unprotected piece of the guide(we floated right over it in the wind). On a 2 toon boat, that part of the guide would not have been close enough to hit the toon. Long story short, I pulled off the dealer guides and ordered the ones from extreme. About the time we got the new extreme guides, the dealer sent me the correct guides for the tri-toon trailer, 14 foot long covered guide bunks.I now have 2 sets of guides on our trailer. It is raining today but I'll sent you pics of the set-up we have now when it stops. We have loaded 2 times in a pretty stiff wind and the extreme guides caught us and centered us on the trailer. I have not tried just the bunk guides to see how they will help us but will in the future. What I like about the extreme guides is that they are easy to see and help with a visual reference point when aiming at the trailer.

I'll post pics as soon as possible....maybe the rain will stop soon..

Marc
 
Hey Jimmy,

Here are a couple pics of the setup I have now. I can get better ones for you if you'd like.

Good luck,

Marc

load guides 2.JPG

load guides1.JPG

load guides3.JPG
 
I am going to resurrect this thread because we are looking for guides that will work best for our setup and since it has been a couple years since this thread I'm sure a lot of you have found what works best for you!


So we have the SPS package, the middle toon has lifting strakes on both sides of it, the outside toons have strakes on the inside, so I would think we could only put guides on the outside of the trailer so we don't dent or damage them.  I've seen the float up ones, the rails and others, but not sure what would be best for us.  The boat landing we have at the marina has a slight current and we always end up not straight, forget it if there is wind!  Because of this I'm thinking the rails might be best on the outside of the trailer, maybe at the middle and rear of the trailer?  Thoughts/suggestions?  


/monthly_2016_06/large.IMG_20160614_165522052_HDR.jpg.50bb2dfdec0b79261a14e12593a527af.jpg/monthly_2016_06/large.IMG_20160614_165505117_HDR.jpg.fbd6f599def38ce369d8d3b5cf4ad839.jpg 
 
Not the best pic, but this is what I did. There are 4 vertical angle iron guides with rollers, then pvc pipe is inserted over the tops and secured. I was concerned about the back (inner) sides of the standard roller brackets scratching the middle ESP toon, so this works for me. I don't trailer much at all and the ramp we always use is fairly shallow and rarely busy, but this helps get the initial alignment right and then you go from there. With some deeper ramps these guides would just be underwater and probably do no good at all. In that case I'd move them forward to the next frame member.


/gallery/album_221/gallery_1431_221_28233.jpg
 
I didn't read through all of the posts, but something to think about. I've seen some suggest that the guides on the outside of the toons are the best, but I would have to use common sense to disagree. No matter where you put the guides, the boat is going to come up on the trailer at one time or another, crooked, due to wind, too much alcohol, etc., so if it goes up crooked, you can be assured that you'll get a dent or two in the toons. I've got a couple of dents in mine due to the guides straitening up the boat. If I'm going to get dents, I want them to be on the inside so it's not visible unless you are looking under the boat. I'm just guessing that is why the factory puts them on the inside in most cases. JMHO.
 
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