Setting up rollers

Setting up your trailer for the first time will take an hour or so.  It is well worth investing this time to set the trailer up correctly for your boat.  It will make launching and recovering much easier and ensure the the boat is not at risk from damage from brackets.

To set up your trailer you will need to either lift the boat into position or float your boat on and off as you reposition the rollers to suit.

There are many different hull shapes that fit onto the trailers so most trailers are fitted with adjustable axles, rollers, side brackets and cross members.  check with your boat manufacturer to see if they have a particular roller configeration recommendation.

Smaller trailers with ordinary rollers

Pull up the boat onto the trailer using the winch.  To obtain the optimum centre of gravity, the distance between the boat’s hull and the mudguards must be as small as possible, preferably 20-30mm

If necessary unload the boat again and adjust the keel roller to the correct height.  If the boat is flat bottomed, adjust the keel rollers up around their top position.

Side Supports      Straighten up the boat with the side supports.  The distance from the hull down to the mudguards must be the same on both sides.  If necessary, use a jack to lift the side supports into place.  Under no circumstances may the side supports lift the boat from the keel roller.

Larger Trailers With Super Rollers

If the boat’s rear hull is flat, the super-rollers should in principle be mounted as close to the chassis as possible and the keel rollers adjusted upwards to near their top position.

Position the forward side supports where they will best support the boat in their lowest position.    Pull the boat up with the winch and check that the boat’s hull and the mudguards must be as small as possible, preferably 20-30mm. If necessary unload the boat again and adjust the keel roller to the correct height.

Adjust the super-rollers to the correct height.      The boat must not rest on the super-rollers, but instead on the keel rollers.  When the distance between the mudguards and the boat’s hull is correct, adjust the super-rollers to the correct position.  Raise the front side supports up to the boat’s hull, using a jack if necessary.

In principle the rear side supports should be mounted as far back on the chassis as possible, and the front side supports positioned where they can provide the boat with the greatest support.  The height of the side supports is in the lowest position.

Bow Support

Set the bow snubber to as to fit the boat.  Both the angle and height can be adjusted.  The bow support can be extended lengthways and fixed at the point where pressure on the tow-ball is correct, 40-50kg

During transport it will not be sufficient to keep the boat fixed in the bow support using the winch, as the strap/cable may gradually work loose.  The boat must therefore be fixed to the bow support with a short ratchet strap or the like.

To ensure the boat is totally secure on the trailer, it must be lashed in position with a strong ratchet strap.  Lashing eyes are a practical way of ensuring easy lashing of the boat.