Trailer Guides

[claustralia]

Hey yall, lets talk trailer guides! Since this 22' tritoon will be my first ever boat purchase and we will have to trailer load/launch every time we want to go out (launch is 2 minutes away from house) I really feel that trailer guides will be a worthwhile investment. There are a few different options out there and I want to get whatever would make the process as easy as possible. My wife will most likely be on the boat while I backup the trailer, so as stress free as possible would be ideal!

Here are the different options I've found, price descending:

$700 - PontoonLoader:

$500 - Pontoon Boat Loading Guides (rollers):

$220 - CE Smith Roller Style Guide-Ons

$170 - Extreme Max Trailer Guides (2 pairs):

$162 - CE Smith Bunk Style Guide-Ons (2 pairs):

$142 - CE Smith Post-Style Guide-Ons (2 pairs):


If there are any others out there that I have missed, please share! I also want to select whichever one has the least potential to cause any damage to the toons, obviously.

Looking forward to hearing some feedback!

 

[Michiman]

Can't help you with your question but I know there are many folks on this site that can. That said, you might also want to search "trailer guides" in the upper right corner of this web site as there have been quite a few such discussions that might prove helpful. BTW, welcome!

 

[claustralia]

Yeah, I've searched through those but no real definitive answer. I just wanted a good thread to compare them all. Thanks!

 

[mtberry]

We are kind of in the same situation, wife loads while I back. We pick up our new boat this weekend and it has the guides like your top pic. I can let you know this weekend how it works out

 

[Major K]

I drive the truck and back it down the ramp and my wife is the one who takes the boat off the trailer and puts it on. I tried using just the inside guides but she was having a little trouble so I added the outside guides and now she gets it on every time now. Some may say over kill but it works for us.

 

[claustralia]

I am totally okay with overkill! That setup looks great. Did you install the inside guides yourself or did it come with your trailer?

 

[Major K]

I am totally okay with overkill! That setup looks great. Did you install the inside guides yourself or did it come with your trailer?

I purchased the boat used with 25 hrs on it. I added them, The trailer manufacturer was not to far from where I keep my boat at and did a road trip to pick them up. They are easy to install and I thought they were reasonably priced.

 

[lakelifeMN]

I purchased the boat used with 25 hrs on it. I added them, The trailer manufacturer was not to far from where I keep my boat at and did a road trip to pick them up. They are easy to install and I thought they were reasonably priced.

What brand trailer guides and what brand trailer? Thanks!

 

[rbtnt]

The type of guide that best suits your need will also depend on how steep the ramp is that you normally use and whether you are on a lake or maybe a river with a cross current. I am on a river with a cross current and use one of the outside uprights on the upriver side as a visual guide. I made it removable with a pin for towing.

 

[LaurencetheAdventurer]

Hey yall, lets talk trailer guides! Since this 22' tritoon will be my first ever boat purchase and we will have to trailer load/launch every time we want to go out (launch is 2 minutes away from house) I really feel that trailer guides will be a worthwhile investment. There are a few different options out there and I want to get whatever would make the process as easy as possible. My wife will most likely be on the boat while I backup the trailer, so as stress free as possible would be ideal!

Here are the different options I've found, price descending:

$700 - PontoonLoader:
View attachment 29185
$500 - Pontoon Boat Loading Guides (rollers):
View attachment 29186
$220 - CE Smith Roller Style Guide-Ons
View attachment 29188
$170 - Extreme Max Trailer Guides (2 pairs):
View attachment 29187
$162 - CE Smith Bunk Style Guide-Ons (2 pairs):
View attachment 29189
$142 - CE Smith Post-Style Guide-Ons (2 pairs):
View attachment 29190

If there are any others out there that I have missed, please share! I also want to select whichever one has the least potential to cause any damage to the toons, obviously.

Looking forward to hearing some feedback!

Well, since you asked: I think a combination of rear edge corner tall rollers AND angled runner Guides with horizontal 2x4's centered on trailer (starting from about 5' back from the corner rollers). Have not yet decided on Carpet or Poly Guides. Save a few dollars and keep boat trailer width down - then install just the Angled Runners but start from rear trailer edge. My Idea Board attached.

 

[BigKahuna]

When we trailered our boat every time we went out we were fortunate to have a launch area that was in a protected No Wake zone. For years we easily floated the boat on the trailer. We've never driven our boat on to the trailer. No guides needed. We have guides on our new boat trailer now. Although nice to have we only trailer twice a year now ....

 

[lakeliving]

I have 60” ones that are on the back and outside of the trailer. Love them and make loading and unloading, even in current a one man job. I believe mine are ce smith. Some of these are a joke how short they are. Depending on your ramp the end of your trailer will be close to 30’ away from the shore line. The water is likely to be more than 3’ deep, thus taller load guides will still be functional.

 

[lakeliving]

 

[claustralia]

The type of guide that best suits your need will also depend on how steep the ramp is that you normally use and whether you are on a lake or maybe a river with a cross current. I am on a river with a cross current and use one of the outside uprights on the upriver side as a visual guide. I made it removable with a pin for towing.

Can you give me an idea how you setup the removable pin with the upright guides?

 

[rbtnt]

Can you give me an idea how you setup the removable pin with the upright guides?

I used the CE Smith guides. I put spacers under the brackets for the u-bolts, so the the guides are not fastened tight on the frame. I put some non slip tread on the frame so the guides don't scratch the frame when sliding them in or out. I drilled holes through the u-bolt bracket and guide and used pins like these to hold the guides in place.