Tips for trailering Marlin

Meanwhile

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
563
Reaction score
104
Points
43
Location
Warren, OR
Hello No Bail,
How do you get the bow to the roller?
That was only the emergency chain job to get it 6 blocks. After replacing the broken bolt on the winch and getting a new grade 8 safety xhain, she is back to loading just fine. She will rock back a bit when I pull her out, but with the UHMW plastic on the bunks I can winch her to the stop. If I'm lazy I can apply the brakes to snug up to the stop. I usually only load the boat twice a year.
 

Mr.crab

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2015
Messages
165
Reaction score
44
Points
28
Location
California
I tow around 15 times a year, usually around 45 miles oneway to 92 miles, would a roller trailer work better?
 

DennisG01

GreatGrady Captain
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
Messages
7,190
Reaction score
1,341
Points
113
Location
Allentown, PA & Friendship, ME
Model
Offshore
would a roller trailer work better?
In what way are you thinking/wondering about? Earlier you mentioned you simply hit the brakes to get the bow to/under the roller. That's a fully acceptable way to do things - with the caveat (as mentioned above)of sometimes you can't stop quick enough.

If this is about the bow not being all the way to the roller, a new trailer is an awful expensive way to accomplish that. Instead, it might be better to change the way you load. For example, load your normal way, then pull out a couple feet and crank again.
 

family affair

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
1,437
Reaction score
339
Points
83
Location
Ohio
Model
Islander
I'm reviving this one because now I have this issue. My 248 never had this issue, but the 270 is doing it every time. Couple observations:
  • The bow eye on the 248 was obnoxiously high. So much so that it forced me to launch deep to get the pulpit over the winch stand.
  • The 270 is lower. Initially I thought winching the d-ring up would be the way to go, but the load creates a lot of deflection on the stand.
  • I get the d-ring really tight to the roller, but every time I get half way out of the water, I feel the boat seemingly slide back.
  • Considering the 248 forced me to go deeper to load, I'm wondering if I should try the same on the 270?
  • I've been able to hit the brakes and the boat slides up easily. However, I've noticed this seems to be putting too much load on the target bunks. One of the bolts looks like it isn't far from coming out.
  • I'm still trying to get the trailer adjusted. I have the target bunks as low as they will go, but it seems like the front still is carrying too much weight. I only have 2" of clearance between the keel and the cross member. I'm afraid that if I spread the target bunks apart any more that the keel could make contact.
I'm making progress dialing this entire rig in, but damn is it fighting me at every turn. It has to get better - right?:confused:
 
Last edited: