"New" Boat Trailer is a bit big?

[-Jim-]

My Buddy bought a "new" to him galvanized EZ Load Boat Trailer Model EZB 17-20 3100 (2800) => with a spec to fit a 19 to 22 foot boat / 3100 pound capacity. It was to replace a painted Yacht Club trailer that came with his 19'11" Lund Adventure 2000 SE. We did the trailer swap this week and the EZ Load just seems a bit big to me. He wanted to try the existing setup once we widened the side sliders (?) to fit the width of the boat. Somebody moved them into about 6 feet whereas the Lund needs about 96 inches. The trailer hadn't been used in some time before my buddy bought it. I think he said the owner's father (who was selling the boat trailer for his son said the boat that was on it was a 22 foot Huey) I thought he had gone over all of the dimensions prior to purchase but I guess I was wrong.

I immediately noticed the winch needs to move down a couple inches so the belt is the same height as the D-Ring - which is not a big deal. I then noticed the Bunks stick out 27 inches from the back of the boat which is excessive. I also noticed the Stakes on the sides of the Lund were touching the Fenders meaning the boat is too low on the trailer. I then noticed the Boat seemed too far forward.

I think the Bunks can be reversed and that will take away some (all?) of the excess. I'll look to see if we can gain half an inch or so in height as well, to get the boat off the fenders.

I compared photos of the Lund on it's original Yacht Club trailer and it seems it's 4 - 6 inches more forward on the EZ Load =>from the center of the tire axel. So I'm thinking the tongue weight will be heavy and it could affect the trailer braking as well.

I haven't found much info in a single place on how to fit a boat to a trailer, but rather dribs and drabs of info from all over so far.

Do you know of any info or a place I can find some guidance?

Thanks for the assist.

 

[A-a-Ron]

I had the same issues when I got a brand new trailer last year. The main factor is making sure your center of gravity is not too far back but it sounds like you’re good in that regard. I wouldn’t be too worried about being too far forward a bit, but it’s definitely an issue being too far back. Ideal is to have 60% of the weight in front of the center of gravity, 40% behind. You tongue weight should be 8-10% of overall weight.

As far as the boat being low, you could slide the bunks a bit narrower (towards each other) which will lift the boat up a bit.

 

[-Jim-]

Just an update Gents.

My Buddy wanted to adjust the Bunks on the trailer so we took it to Maquabeak Park on the Fraser, just on the edge of being under the Port Mann Bridge, Thursday. By the time he got there and we launched the boat, I had him talked into moving the boat back 3 inches on the trailer as well.

We rotated the bunks which essentially moved them about 6 inches forward so less was sticking out the back after the boat was put back on. Below is a photo off the web of this trailer (but the winch & side sliders are totally different) I too thought moving the bunks closer together would raise the boat a bit. But I was wrong. I posted the picture so @A-a-Ron would see the cross member is in a V so we had to go the other way to lift it up. If the cross member was straight across, moving them together would have worked.

My research found that boat trailers are sized from the D Ring to the Transom, whereas Boats are from the Bow to the Transom. That difference is about 16-18 inches on this Lund. That is sort of where we are with the overhang remaining of the bunks.

We did get the boat off the fenders but just. It probably needs to come up another half inch or so minimum. But that's only a 10 minute job next time the Boat hits the water.

​

 

[scott craven]

If the boat is still overhanging the bunks, have you tried moving the winch stand forward ?

 

[wolf]

If the boat is still overhanging the bunks, have you tried moving the winch stand forward ?

Dont you mean back? moving it forward would make it over hang more ? have to be careful moving that front post as you want a certain amount of tounge weight dont want it too light or to heavy, I personaly had to un staple the carpet from mine and cut off about 8 inchs of wood. OR you can move that piece of wood up further.

Good luck wolf

 

[scott craven]

Foward towards the coupler, I guess thats back !

 

[-Jim-]

Thanks for the interest gents. My understanding is you position the boat -front to back- to balance the load over the center of the wheels. Here's the Lund on the EZ Load Trailer before any adjustments.



It's almost comical the way the boat was on the trailer. It definitely needed adjustment. (I have no idea what the tongue weight was either) The Bunks stuck out 27 inches from the Transom.

I had my Buddy send me a photo of the boat on the original trailer it was sold with when he first bought it. It always towed fine on that trailer.
From there I was able to determine the center of the load (see photo below) and figure out how much to move the boat back to get there.




Notice when the Boat was centered over the wheel it was a little over 6 rivets from the start of the strake near the transom. We used that point to calculate the shifting necessary. We moved it 3 inches. That required moving the post, jack, and spare tire.

Like I mentioned before, it still needs a little tweaking - notice the front roller isn't even touching for example. But it's getting there.

 

[noluck]

just fit the boat to the trailer by moving the boat back to the end of the bunks, move the winch stand behind the jack. then move the axle to get the tongue weight correct

 

[noluck]

i am in abby if you need it set up

 

[-Jim-]

Thanks for the offer @noluck , but my Buddy likes to work on it. Your approach may be the correct way, but that's what I could dig up on line, and we are where we are.

I agree the easy answer to the long 18 inch Bunk overhang would be to cut them back, but my Buddy says "they're fine". (I have to remember it's not my Boat.)

From a safety point of view the Tongue weight needs to be documented to be certain it's within specs.

From page 13 of the EZ Load manual: Five to ten percent of your trailer’s Gross Vehicle Weight should be supported by the hitch ball, with the tongue level. EZ Load Boat Trailer Model EZB 17-20 3100 has a GVWR of 3740 Lbs. with a Carrying Capacity of 3100 Lbs.(I forget what the boat, plus engines, gas, gear, etc., are but it's not even close to this trailer's capacity.) So according to EZ Load, the tongue weight should be between 187 and 374 pounds maximum when fully loaded and on level ground.

 

[noluck]

Thanks for the offer @noluck , but my Buddy likes to work on it. Your approach may be the correct way, but that's what I could dig up on line, and we are where we are.

I agree the easy answer to the long 18 inch Bunk overhang would be to cut them back, but my Buddy says "they're fine". (I have to remember it's not my Boat.)

From a safety point of view the Tongue weight needs to be documented to be certain it's within specs.

From page 13 of the EZ Load manual: Five to ten percent of your trailer’s Gross Vehicle Weight should be supported by the hitch ball, with the tongue level. EZ Load Boat Trailer Model EZB 17-20 3100 has a GVWR of 3740 Lbs. with a Carrying Capacity of 3100 Lbs.(I forget what the boat, plus engines, gas, gear, etc., are but it's not even close to this trailer's capacity.) So according to EZ Load, the tongue weight should be between 187 and 374 pounds maximum when fully loaded and on level ground.

it is the reason they are called adjustable trailers, more bunks up in height, the boat back to neering the end of the bunks and the axle back to get the correct tongue weight

 

[wolf]

) So according to EZ Load, the tongue weight should be between 187 and 374 pounds maximum when fully loaded and on level ground.

OR you have to really grunt to lift it !!! LOL

 

[brutus]

i am in abby if you need it set up

Hey hey, it has an outboard

 

[noluck]

Hey hey, it has an outboard

i have owned lots of them as well,