I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also. I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok, but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing. Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC

Usually the PVC pipes are on the outside. The boat should slide on the bunks
fairly well so you don't need to totally submerge the trailer. That assumes
there is something decent to pull on where the bow eye connects. If it is just
screwed into the first sheet of plywood that isn't much of a thing to pull on.

Don't worry about it, it sounds like you're doing fine.
Try different things. Next time try backing in a little less and see
how it goes....it's all a matter of trial and error and different for
each boat/trailer combination. I sink mine pretty deep when I'm doing
it myself, but less deep if I have someone to assist to allow me to
drive the boat onto the trailer. The PVC guide posts sure can help
keep you centered on a windy day! If they work , then they are in a
good position.

John C.

On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 21:56:40 -0500, "tcoop" wrote:


I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also. I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok, but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing. Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC

Can you tell if my guides are in the correct position? Do they need to be a
little closer to the tubes?
Thanks , have a great day...Tom


"jchaplain" wrote in message
...
Don't worry about it, it sounds like you're doing fine.
Try different things. Next time try backing in a little less and see
how it goes....it's all a matter of trial and error and different for
each boat/trailer combination. I sink mine pretty deep when I'm doing
it myself, but less deep if I have someone to assist to allow me to
drive the boat onto the trailer. The PVC guide posts sure can help
keep you centered on a windy day! If they work , then they are in a
good position.

John C.

On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 21:56:40 -0500, "tcoop" wrote:


I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating
and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it
ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the
PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if
you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also.
I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where
the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok,
but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing.
Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC

Can you tell if my guides are in the correct position? Do they need to be a
little closer to the tubes?

I would set them an inch or so from the tubes when the tubes are properly
seated in the bunks, just far enough away so they don't slap the tubes as you
drive down the road.

I've had to modify my trailer in three ways to help launch/recover.

1. I had the front/length of the trailer extended 36 inches. That allows me
to get the stern of the boat into the water without getting the Tahoe wet.
( I'm in sal****er, and I try to avoid getting the vehicle wet). The added
length helped in backing up, and did not cause any "sway" etc. while towing
my little boat.

2. I had the axle reversed under/over. That means that the axle used to
be -below- the springs, it is now -above- the springs. That lowered the
effective trailer height. It also allowed the boat to reach the water
sooner.

3. I added strips of plastic ( cut-offs from a PVC lattice sheet from Home
Depot) on top of the bunks . The strips allow the boat to slide more easily
off and on.

All three modifications have each helped in their own way. Sometimes, when I
am on a particularly shallow/flat ramp, I still have to get wet to launch or
recover.

Part of my troubles is the length of my little 14 foot Carolina Skiff. Until
I did the above modifications, the boat wasn't long enough to reach the
water to help floating on or off.
RG

I think the guides look in an ok position. You want to have a little
leeway. The fit isn't important..they're only there as "guides" to
help if you're having the boat drift off when trying to pull it up
against wind or current.
I trailer a 24 foot boat around all the time by launch and retrieve
it by myself. I'd say "Practice makes perfect," but it's always a new
challenge with every different launch site it seems, so some of it is
"take it as it comes."

John C.

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 06:11:54 -0500, "tcoop" wrote:

Can you tell if my guides are in the correct position? Do they need to be a
little closer to the tubes?
Thanks , have a great day...Tom


"jchaplain" wrote in message
.. .
Don't worry about it, it sounds like you're doing fine.
Try different things. Next time try backing in a little less and see
how it goes....it's all a matter of trial and error and different for
each boat/trailer combination. I sink mine pretty deep when I'm doing
it myself, but less deep if I have someone to assist to allow me to
drive the boat onto the trailer. The PVC guide posts sure can help
keep you centered on a windy day! If they work , then they are in a
good position.

John C.

On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 21:56:40 -0500, "tcoop" wrote:


I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating
and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it
ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the
PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if
you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also.
I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where
the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok,
but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing.
Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC

Thanks for all the help. Seems like maybe a few trailer modifications and
adjustments and practice is what I need. With the cold weather coming in,
maybe I will just go to the landing and practice putting it in and taking it
out. Sounds like a lot of trouble, but maybe it will keep me from making a
lot of people mad when the warm weather hits.
Thanks again and happy boating...
Tom at Lake Wylie


"tcoop" wrote in message
news

I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating
and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it
ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the
PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if
you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also. I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where
the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok,
but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing.
Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC

Dont worry about making anyone mad, most people at the ramp are not
professionals and others enjoy watching others because they were at that
point themselves. Just take your time, dont forget anything and proceed
safely.





"tcoop" wrote in message
news
Thanks for all the help. Seems like maybe a few trailer modifications and
adjustments and practice is what I need. With the cold weather coming in,
maybe I will just go to the landing and practice putting it in and taking
it
out. Sounds like a lot of trouble, but maybe it will keep me from making a
lot of people mad when the warm weather hits.
Thanks again and happy boating...
Tom at Lake Wylie


"tcoop" wrote in message
news

I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past
weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating
and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it
ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the
PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if
you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also.
I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where
the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok,
but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing.
Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC

On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 21:56:40 -0500, "tcoop" wrote:


I put my used pontoon in the water for the first time, this past weekend.
http://www.coopscorner.com/pontoon/pontoon.htm I am very new to boating and
would like some advice on my pontoon boat. As I said it is used, but it ran
good and it pulled well behind my Chevy truck.
I have what I think is a float on trailer and I was wondering about the PVC
guides. http://coopscorner.com/takealook/pontoon_trailer.htm
I was wondering if someone could take a look at the pictures and see if you
can tell if the guides are in the correct position..
Any tips on getting it on and off the trailer would be appreciated also. I
was able to get it back on the trailer, but I had to get in the water a
little further than I thought I should have. My truck was back to where the
exhaust and half the tires were underwater, which was ok, which was ok, but
I still had to wade out a little, which I didn't think should have been
necessary. Well maybe it want be necessary when I learn what I am doing. Any
advice and help is very much appreciated.
tcoop
Lake Wylie SC


Your setup looks good. It "might" be helpful if you added guides to
the outside of the tubes, where you can see them while loading, but
it's not necessary.

The one mistake I see most often at the launch, one that I have done
myself, is to dunk the trailer too deep if you don't have a "drive on"
rig. It's better (in my experience) to crank the boat onto the
trailer, rather than mess around, trying to get it to float above the
bunks correctly.

My pontoon trailer has rollers instead of bunks, and it's a nightmare
to "nest it" if I'm in too deep. I'd rather wet the tail-end of the
trailer, and crank it up. I hope to install bunks this Spring.

I learned this with my first "real boat", a fiberglass tri-hull. If I
tried to float it on, it was misery. Especially in the wind, or in a
river cross-current. If I dunked the tail of the trailer, and worked
the crank, it lined up every time.

For those of you that own "drive-ons", I know that this does not apply
to you.

Happy boating.
Regards,
noah

To email me, remove the "OT-" from wrecked.ot-boats.noah.
....as you were. )