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I have recently purchased and Alumacraft Pro 185 and it has an all aluminum trailer. When I back the trailer in the water to load boat the trailer will start floating.It usually just happens on steep ramps where I have to back farther in.It makes loading the boat a challenge.Has anyone ever had to deal with this?
No I haven't. Drill some holes in the frame of the trailer.
I saw it happen lots down in FL (lots of aluminum trailers down there). Solution is to not back it down so far. Get your bunks set up properly and only the last few feet of bunk needs to be in the water. Center the boat and power it up to the winch stand.
If it didn't take much weight to keep it down, maybe some heavier rims would do the job.
only need to back in til bunk ends an inch or two under water
tractor supply has an adapter for hose; put some water in the tires (if you really need to)
no harm; and will self balance
I wouldn't put water in the wheels, it may freeze, and then you're in for a rough ride. I'm also not sure of the implications of liquid ballast in high speed tires.
The tires are most likely floating and causing the problem.
There are a lot of things you could do. I would strap a couple of sand bags on and play with it, see how much weight it needs to stay down, then start thinking about permanent solutions.
does the trailer have aluminum wheels (rims) ???? if so putting galvanized wheels (rims) on it might solve your problems !!!
The bunk ends or runners as I call them have to be about half way under water for me to load properly.This is a 18 and a half foot boat that weighs close to 2000lbs. and I hope you were joking about the water in the tires..lolQuote:
Originally Posted by ecoast
Dawg, I've loaded 6000lb boats with just a couple of feet of bunk in the water. It's all about the technique.Quote:
Originally Posted by hound dawg
It can't float if air escapes from the tubing and the tubing is filled with water. I don't know how it's water tight anyway if they wired it through the tubing, but it must be, or it wouldn't float. You can spend money to fix it, or just drill some 1/2" holes in the tubing frame. A couple at the back, a couple up front. That doesn't cost anything and will keep it from floating.Quote:
Originally Posted by hound dawg
Most aluminum trailers don't use tubing at all. They use I-beams. The floating is caused by the buoyancy of the tires. That's why I keep saying he's in too far. Got to keep those tires partially exposed out of the water to keep from floating the trailer.Quote:
Originally Posted by FurFlyin
Not to change the subject, but there are good reasons POWER LAUNCHING is BANNED at many boat launches.
I personally believe it should be avoided if at all possible.
We can come back to that discussion later in a thread appropriate for it.
Brad, got 3 friends with aluminum trailers. It’s air in tires that floats them. Couple have melted wheel weights and poured bricks made in 2x4 mold and mounted on tip of frame rail seems to solve the problem. These are all on tandem trailers and on our ramps ain’t no loading with just couple of inches of bunk in water.Quote:
Originally Posted by FurFlyin
If not for this thread I would never have believed it was possible for an aluminum trailer to float from just the air in the tires. The trailer on my new boat is aluminum and tandem axle and it hasn't floated yet. Our ramps are all shallow. Gotta back the trailer in a fairly long way, but both tires aren't submerged. Both are in the water.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cray
Let me offer you one tip that while good for ANY boater, it is especially good for one that needs to slide their boat a long way along the bunks to get to the winch post. Next time you go to the ramp and have the boat off, take a bucket of water and wet the bunks completely all the way from the bottom to the top. Then, take a bar of ordinary soap and soap the crap out of the bunk carpet and let it dry while you are out fishing. Your wet boat will slide up the bunks easier.
No, not kidding.Quote:
Originally Posted by hound dawg
We run water all the time in our rock crawlers, typically in the front wheels, it helps to climb.
Farm tractors have water in their tires with antifreeze all the time, hence the adapter to allow filling...
If it were in an area that it would freeze you would want to add antifreeze.
It is self-balancing so going down the highway is not an issue.
Just a thought, and probably the easiest way to solve your problem.
Sent from my MHA-L29 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
I have a 20' aluminum boat with a tandem aluminum trailer that will float every time I try to load the boat if I back down too far into the water. My trailer is made from tubing but it is the 4 tires that float the trailer. I was really frustrated until I learned how far to back it down before loading. I have to have the top of the tires exposed or it will float and it is almost impossible to hit a floating trailer. At some point I will probably drill some holes in the frame to help or add weight but I really do not have many problems since I learned how to load.
I'll trade bring me your trouble I have 2 steel ones won't float
Just going to throw this idea out there. Y'all know the tall guide post at rear of trailer with pvc pipe on them? Well they make some of those. That are galvanized steel.
This or silicone spray. Just don't unhook your boat till you get close to the water.Quote:
Originally Posted by DoyleAlley
That's why soap works so well. When dry, it isn't really slippery. When it gets wet, it instantly gets slippery.Quote:
Originally Posted by tlefire
I have a 22’ center console with a tandem axle aluminum trailer which is built with I beams. Over the years I don’t know how many people standing on the docks have told me that my trailer is floating. I finally figured out the easiest way to load due to most of our ramps they drop off real fast and there is always a current. I back down and get the bumps wet then pull up quickly to where the trailer is not floating. Then as the boat is being driven up onto the trailer the trailer is being backed under the boat at the same time. Works great just takes two people. On the positive side I haven’t ever had a problem with backing off the end of ramp.
The only aluminum boat trailer I have experience with is the one I have. It's made out of tubing. Capped on the back end. I had no idea a trailer could float until this thread and with that being the case, I would think mine would definitely float if I had to back it very far in. When loading where I fish, my back tire is about 2/3 under water and the tire on the front axle is half way or less.Quote:
Originally Posted by DoyleAlley
don't know to many tractors that go down the road at 50 or 60 mph. probably not a problem if your chugging along 4 or 5 mphQuote:
Originally Posted by ecoast
Wow, a great idea for a video!
During the winter, fill a mounted wheel/tire half full of water, lean it against the wall over night outside to freeze solid. Next day, take it to Walmart Automotive and find a young "Green Horn" in automotive and request He balance the tire for you.
When He puts it on the balancing machine and presses start, it will become a video sensation!
Shoot, at times I'll get up to 21 mph on our cab tractors. LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by shaved ice