Trailer Guide-Ons

[cray]

I have a new boat with a roller trailer. My boat control stinks and it really shows when I land the boat. My old boat had posts on a bunk trailer and I still got pretty out of shape when there was wind or current. Do I need 5 foot guides or will the 2 footers do the trick? Should the guides be placed as far back as possible or up toward the front a little? Low profile or not? Thanks.

[Surface Tension]

First off don't back your trailer in the water too far.

When you do that the boat floats above the rollers and can't guide itself on. Guide-on placement if you feel you need it should be at the rear most place on the trailer.

[BobT]

Yes. With a roller trailer you really shouldn't need guides. The rollers should guide your boat on naturally, just don't rush it in rough water. Back your trailer in only until the rear rollers are just under the surface and let the rollers do the rest.

Bob

[musky hunter]

As near as I can determine guide ons are a misnomer for posts that show you the limits of the trailer. I have bunk guides on my roller trailer and they are worthless for anything other than showing me when the boat is positioned correctly. And they are made out of half inch thick steel, but in wind or waves it's only the rollers themselves that do the work, and I have to have the boat perfectly lined up, something that is a little tough in a crosswind. I tried setting them close together, but the weight of the boat just pushed them over. I am going to add another set of rollers to help set the boat in the correct position. Good luck, I feel your pain.

[efgh]

The best guide on I found is a 12 in. smaller v-ed roller mounted on the back center of trailer. Put a 6 in. wheel, can be obtained from Mills fleet, on each side of the roller and mount this lower than the side rollers or bunks, head the boat for this center roller, the wheels will center the boat on this roller, the boat will lift off this roller as soon as the bunks or side roller start to lift the boat.