desparate female needs help driving challenger 180 onto trailer

[smilingprof]

I bought a 2006 Challenger 180 used. Before this boat, I had a 16 ft Boston Whaler for 10 years that I had no problem driving onto a trailer. I cannot figure out how to drive the challenger onto the trailer. If I put the trailer too far into the water the bow ends up below the trailer roller. If I do not back the trailer down very far, the boat will not drive up far enough. I am a 112 lb single female who has to trailer and launch my boat with a 6 year old daughter and a Jack Russell Terrier as my crew. I have a "camp" or weekend place that was destroyed in Katrina and is now finally ready to use. But it is only accessible by water so figuring this out is mandatory if I want to use my camp. I am not strong enough to lift the boat up or winch it inches. On weekends the public launch that I use can have 30 cars waiting. This is a real dilemma for me. For a while I thought it was just me. But recently my friend who has a 21 ft Seadoo could not do it either. And guys at our local boat shop tried it in the lake behind their shop and had the same trouble. Please someone help me!

 

[scooper77515]

With jet boats, you generally don't drive it all the way up.

Put the trailer in the water and back all the way in so the bunks get wet for lubrication.

Pull back out until your entire wheel wells on the trailer are out of the water.

Then drive straight up onto the trailer, give it a little gas, then when it stops, you will need to winch it up the last bit.

You may find that going in or out of the water a little more will help, but I do it with the wheel wells out and only have to pull the boat up the last 6", so that is what I found works for me. Experiment with it a little until you find where your most effective depth is.

 

[smilingprof]

bummer

Thanks for the input. My camp partner who has a 21 ft Seadoo drives his right onto the trailer. As a slender woman winching it up 6" is nearly impossible. I wish I had known this before I bought the boat because I would have never bought it if I had. I am willing to modify my trailer to solve this problem. Any one have any suggestions in that regard?

 

[scooper77515]

I think if you experiment, you will find the right depth to put the trailer in where you CAN drive it all the way up.

I just like to crank it that last bit so I don't hit the winch too hard.

That and having found that a simple point of reference on my trailer (wheel wells out of the water) gets me close is fine by me. You may find that yours works perfect with 1/3 of wheelwell or something like that works for you.

You just don't want the entire trailer in the water or you will damage your nose hitting that winch. I know, I just did a gelcoat job last week repairing when I did this when I first got my boat.

 

[smilingprof]

additional runners

The local boat shop (not a Seadoo dealer) is going to put a set of runners in the front of the trailer to keep the bow up. What do you think of that idea?

 

[scooper77515]

You don't need them.

If you don't have the bunks sunk, what happens is you drive straight toward the winch, and the center deep part of the hull will "funnel" into the space between the bunks forcing the boat straight and centered on th trailer, and since the front of the bunks are out of the water, your nose comes up automatically as you approach the winch.

That is why I stated Step 1 is to back the trailer all the way into the water so the bunks are wet and lubricated. Then pull it halfway back out of the water.

I promise this works. Before you spend any well-earned money on stuff to fix it, just give it a try.

First time, go out so the wheel wells are out of the water. Drive the boat up. If it doesn't go up all the way, leave it on the trailer and pull the trailer just a little deeper, or have your passenger back up just a little, then give it gas and see how much higher it goes up the trailer. Keep doing this until it just goes all the way. Then get out and see where your trailer is in the water and from here on out, just wet the bunks and pull back out to this depth. Put a piece of duct tape on the trailer or mark is someway if you don't have some portion of the trailer or sticker showing so you can remember where it is at water level.

If you are lucky, you have a sticker on the trailer and you can remember which letters need to be dry and which under water.

I was lucky to find that if I put the wheel well covers JUST out of the water, it goes where I want it.

 

[smilingprof]

No passengers

I will give it a try but like I said my passengers are a 6 year old daughter and a dog. I have to do this all by myself. I will try to go to the launch during the week when there are not 30 cars deep waiting to launch. As a marketing professor, this seems to me to be a major design flaw.

 

[scooper77515]

Hmmm. I don't recommend that EITHER of your passengers pull the trailer. :reddevil:

But I think that if you can catch the boat ramp semi-empty and experiment, I think in 10 minutes you could have if figured out.

Once you get it up halfway the first time, reach over and pull the winch hook out and hook the boat up so it doesnt float away on you. Then pull up 6 or 8 inches with the truck, and gun the boat up a bit. Repeat as needed. With any luck, you might be dead on the first time with the wheelwells out of the water.

If you do it one time, you will know from here on out where the trailer needs to be in the water.

This is how I figured mine out. Just took a little trial and error to get it so I don't have to guess at it anymore.

 

[FloorStreet]

Have you actually tried winching it?

I'm a pretty weak dude (maybe benching around 160lb) and I do a whole lotta winching cause we don't even power on, we pull it on with ropes (23 foot boat) so I'm probably toughin out over a foot or so of winching.

Give it a try when you go experiment with Scooper's advice.

I guess you could also ask someone at the dock to help you with it too. I know I personally wouldn't turn down a fellow seadoo jetboater.

 

[timmyboy76]

I guess, if yuo wanted to spend the money, have the 2-bunks at the spot where the winch is. The bow of boat will stay up, then just hit it, wont hurt anything, then jump out, boat then should be centered and up against those bunks, then throw winch hook/safety hook on, and pull-ur out...?

 

[ppandr]

Why not just get a power winch? I always winch everything on to my trailers. Get set on guide ons and simply back the trailer in pull the boat in between the guide ons with a bow line/or drive in between and connect the winch cable/strap. And pull on...the guide ons will align the boat on the bunks. I can't imagine anything simpler for a single person.

Winch like this...
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...Remote_Control_Trailer_Winch&r=view&from=grid

Guide ons...
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...t_Guide_Ons&str=guide ons&merchID=1008&r=view

 

[sporsterjoel]

Why not just get a power winch? I always winch everything on to my trailers. Get set on guide ons and simply back the trailer in pull the boat in between the guide ons with a bow line/or drive in between and connect the winch cable/strap. And pull on...the guide ons will align the boat on the bunks. I can't imagine anything simpler for a single person.

Winch like this...
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...Remote_Control_Trailer_Winch&r=view&from=grid

Guide ons...
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...t_Guide_Ons&str=guide ons&merchID=1008&r=view

:agree: just add a power winch. When you back the boat in the water STOP when the back end of the boat starts to float, this is "about" how far to back the trailer in when your going to pull it out of the water. every boats diffrent to load and unload just gotta find that sweet spot. :cheers:

 

[dlowings]

I agree with what others have said.. This is a winch problem... With the right gear set up on your winch it should be a non issue...

A. your wich is not working right.

B. you need to look for a winch with the right gear set up...


This is a small boat, it does not take an extensive set of gears, I'm thinking your wich is binding up or something.

 

[rexsteiner]

i can see your dilema. i usually have to crank mine up about a foot by hand and everytime i do i think: man i wonder how people do this that arnt strong enough to winch by hand?
these boats can be so difficult to load when your trailer isnt in the perfect position on the launch. and with constantly changing tides it doesnt help.

I would deffinatly get a power winch and solve your problem in a snap. id hate to see you regret the purchace of your boat because of a loading issue.

btw: its pry not a winch issue. if you havent tried to load a challenger 180 then its hard to grasp the concept of what happening.

 

[smilingprof]

specific to challenger 180

I am beginning to think this might be a problem specific to the challenger 180. Rexsteiner, you said you have a challenger. Do the rest of you have this model? Because my camp partner has a 22 ft Seadoo and has no problem whatsoever driving it on the trailer. I realize some places (not in Louisiana) don't allow power launching so it must be possible to do it without driving it on the trailer. I am just trying to figure out how I can do it. Like I said before I am a fairly slender women (5' 5" and 112 lbs) so cranking it inches has been problematic thus far. Does anyone have any experience with bunk glides?

 

[Sikiguya]

You do have to experiment.

We typically pull the boat by lines up to the trailer and then winch it up. People frown upon powerloading...although one day, I just get fed up and just did it. It is a matter of doing it a lot. We had a lot of rain and it made a difference in the lake level. I would say that it just take practice and some experimenting. Good luck!

 

[sporsterjoel]

We typically pull the boat by lines up to the trailer and then winch it up. People frown upon powerloading...although one day, I just get fed up and just did it. It is a matter of doing it a lot. We had a lot of rain and it made a difference in the lake level. I would say that it just take practice and some experimenting. Good luck!

total oppisite here... Everyone power launches. Why do people get mad when you do this???

 

[scooper77515]

It tends to dig a deep hole just behind where the boat sits over time, and then a shallow spot like a sand bar just before it where it should be deeper. Your engine blows the sand and rocks back creating a shallow spot before you get to the ramp, and then a big ditch that can cause some bigger boats to drop a trailer wheel in.

 

[4stroker]

Spray the bunks with silicone when the boats if off the trailer
Back in far enough so the boat doesn't hit the winch or roller
Drive on as far as possible
Attach the trap and winch the last 6-8"
BE CAREFUL when you unload, the silicone can cause the boat to slide off easily.

 

[EXPLORER]

Challenger 180 2008 with oem roller trailer &12v winch

HI! IF THE LAUNCHING RAMP IS GOOD YOU MUST SUBMERSIBLE THE TRAILER AND LIFT THE BOAT FLOATING BY HAND UNTIL 1 FEET FROM THE WINCH.
MY OPINION THE JET BOAT ENGINE MUST NOT WORKING DURING THE LAUNCHING FROM THE DANGER TO BRING ROCKS OR DEBRIS INSIDE THE IMPELLER.
I HAVE TRANSFERED THE TRAILER TO ROLLERS FROM BUNKS WITH A ROLLER KIT THAT PURCHASED FROM THE SEADOO TRAILER MANUFACTURER- KARAVAN TRAILERS( ASK George Kress <george.kress@karavantrailers.com>). YOU WILL NEED ALSO A SELF CENTERING 12INCH ROLLER FOR THE BACK TRAILER CROSS MEMBER.
I HAVE ALSO CHANGED THE MANUAL WINCH WITH A 12VOLT 2TON WINCH (TRY ONE WITH BELT -THE WIRE IS DANGEROUS IN CASE OF BREAKING) AND NOW WITH A PUSH OF A BUTTON YOU CAN PUT THE BOAT ON THE TRAILER.

 

[Thunderkat13]

Dang, never knew there was so much drama at the boat ramps....
Now trailering is a breeze.. Do not feel rushed at the dock, Also do not concern yourself with anyone else while there, we are all there for the same thing and If they are in that big of a hurry they should have left 10 minutes sooner. (THIS IS YOUR BOAT, AND YOUR LAKE TIME)
I solo loading/unloading my boat a lot, and a jet boat is so much easier then a prop boat..
I dock the boat, grab my keys and back the trailer down to the wheel wells are submerged and pull about 3 ft of strap off the winch. I idle from the dock towards the trailer using the low speed steering bumps to line up and center the boat take it up to a 1ft or so from the front and clip the winch... tighten the winch as much as I can... If there is still a gap, I cruise on up and out of the way and just tap the brakes a little harder then usually the boat slides up perfectly into spot. I then apply some pressure on lead strap with the winch, slap my chains on, pull my plugs, attach rear straps, and plug my lights back in, do a walk around and head home!

 

[jords]

you could just not disconnect the trailer:rofl:.....The best bet would be to get a self centering roller and a power winch. I do agree with the other members it takes practise, but I would never power launch it...I understand other people do it, but when you do suck up that rock and blow our your pump. taking the extra 10 mins doesn't seem like such a bad idea. Plus like scooper says it ruins the lake bed and creates holes.

 

[ThaiChi]

I have a '08 180 and had a similar issue 1st time trying to load boat onto trailer at a busy ramp. The main issue was that trailer was in WAY too deep so that the boat would float on easy but nose would not pop up over top roller. After a ton of frustration and a lot of bystanders offering their advice (most were saying to go in deeper) a helpful boater in the next ramp told me I was in WAY TOO DEEP. He said to pull trailer out until step on trailer that is directly in front of wheel fender was in line with water level. The wheel would be approx. 2/3 under water). With the bunks being wet and the trailer in the right level the boat came in with no effort. You just need to figure out the right depth and for me it is no where as deep as I though it would need to be. The next time it was just me and my 6 year old son and I and I did it in no time with very minimal winching. Find the proper depth and you'll be a trailing pro then enjoy the 180... it's an awesome boat and my kids (6,4 and 2) love it as do I!! I'm not going back to a prop...no way!

 

[DarbysDad]

Same problem...but solved it.

I had a similar issue as you state with the nose coming in under the roller sometimes on my Utopia 205. It would eventually get above (barely), so I added a keel roller onto the front frame intersection point of the trailer (where the 'V' steel plate is placed). This acts to raise the nose up when I happen to be on a ramp that causes the boat to float in too much as well as guides it to center automatically. (I would also invest in PVC guides as these are a DREAM when launching and loading).

No issues winching it up since installing it (and it was cheap too).

 

[RFoster130]

This looks like a bargain and might help.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/stro...TruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQQsalenotsupported