Trailering

[Greg23LSB]

Another question came to mind...trailering. For over 30 years I've trailered a fiberglass boat with a roller trailer. Have a galvanized trailer coming with the new pontoon with plastic glides on the bunks. I'm accustomed getting the wheels on the trailer just about submerged to launch then letting it roll off the trailer. Hauling it I would "float" the boat onto the trailer, hook the strap and crank it on the roller trailer for the remaining 10 feet or so. How do folks handle their pontoons? I don't think the marina is fond of powering on or off the trailer due to erosion. Do they glide pretty well on the bunks? I always have the back of the truck on dry ramp, never backed it into the water the way I see some do.

 

[CLDave]

For non-roller bunks you’re probably going to want to back further in - I usually get 80-90% of the bunks in the water. Having trailer guides at bottom will definitely help in loading - especially if you’re on a deep ramp the boat will tend to wander off a bit unless you have guides.

 

[Greg23LSB]

I was thinking about ordering some guides in advance so I will have them when I pick up the boat. Are they all pretty much the same?

 

[BigKahuna]

Don't over think it! Once you launch and retrieve your pontoon boat a few times you will see that it's pretty similar to your other boat. When we trailered we floated our boat onto the trailer and winched it the rest of the way up. When we launch our boat we would back down the ramp and it would slide right off with the plastic on the bunks. When we had carpeted bunks we would back down the ramp and hit the brake and it would slide right off. Once you do it a few times you will be fine!

 

[claustralia]

What BK said. I was nervous at first but after launching/loading a few times its relatively easy. We are able to power on though, so obviously that makes it even easier .

 

[PYC5 Dave]

When boating in Salt Water, is there a way to launch without dunking the wheels and hubs?

 

[lakeliving]

Negative. You’d have to find a marina to lift it off the trailer and dip in the water for you.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

When boating in Salt Water, is there a way to launch without dunking the wheels and hubs?

If you watch any of those boat ramp fail videos on Youtube, there are plenty of unintentional examples of this. But nothing that you'd want to purposely do!

What's the hesitation with the wheels and hubs? There is a maintenance and replacement aspect to this but generally it's an accepted part of life on the salt.

 

[Sue Olsen]

We launch in saltwater. We carry a hudson sprayer in the back of the truck and spray off the wheels immediately each time. (hose them off really good later too )