Adjusting rollers on a boat trailer?

[CrappiesNeyes]

I have a 1750 fishhawk on a Karavan roller trailer. The majority of the time the rear of the boat loads off center to the left. I have measured all all of the rollers and everything appears to be centered symmetrically. I have also tried guide-ons to help. Does anyone have any advice to adjust the rollers or ??

Thanks in advance C&E

[BobT]

My brother-in-law uses a Karavan trailer, although I doubt brand has much to do with it, and he had trouble loading without ending up with the boat off to one side. One time I was helping him load and something caught my attention. There is a tapered roller located in the center of the rearmost crossmember on the trailer. As he approached the trailer with the boat I noticed that his keel contacted that roller way before the boat contacted the rest of the support rollers. In fact, his boat was riding that roller with the keel almost exclusively until it got about half way on the trailer. I suggested trying to move the other rollers closer to the center of the boat as this would allow them to contact the boat hull earlier to help guide it on straight. It didn't take much. I think he moved the assemblies about 3/4" closer to center and it helped a lot.

[fasternu]

One thing to remember is weight distribution side to side. I used to have a side counsel boat and I found most of my gear were in arm's reach. I could never get that boat to load centered unless I had someone sit on the passenger side. When I redistributed the load, it started loading much better.

[JohnMickish]

Yes, it loads to the left because the weight is on the right. Besides you there is the starting battery. It's been my experience that if you need it centered you have to get out of the boat and crank it up by hand. I put tall guide ons on the trailer for my boat and when it's pretty close to center there is about 3/4" clearance between the rub rail and the guidons. These are also offsett slightly to the right to help. Other than moving what weight you can to the other side of the boat, there really isn't much you can do.

[marine_man]

If it's a load balance issue I've had to stand on the passenger side of the boat while guiding the boat onto the trailer...

How balanced is your boat when it's floating on the water, in the configuration that you load it (by yourself likely)?

marine_man

[BobT]

I guess I wasn't thinking about power loading or assisted power. I load mine by hand and never run into trouble. Well....maybe once.

[FM_Mike]

I do the same as BobT. Get the boat on the front roller and crank it on by hand. Doesn't take long and it always (most Always) stays centered. Plus, Don't need to power load.

Mike

[timjones]

As BobT said, that is the best way to get it centered. If you have a side counsel and you drive it on, you have to get out of your seat and stand in the middle or slightly toward the passenger side to get it centered. That is if your in the boat alone. The key is to have the weight in the boat evenly distributed.

[BoxMN]

What we found when we would be off a bit, was when we had the trailer backed (even slightly) in too far/deep. We also quit powerloading years ago, and it comes up better now (99% of time straight), doesn't take much longer either, if at all. Good luck.