Keel hitting concrete boat launch when loading.

Searayguy185

Searayguy185

Member
Jul 17, 2017
87
Wisconsin
Boat Info
2004 Sea Ray 185 Sport 4.3 V6,

2008 Toyota Highlander Sport
Engines
Mercruiser 4.3 V6, Alpha 1 Generation 2
Please somebody help. Every so often the keel of my boat hits the concrete ramp when loading on the trailer and it's taken some of the gel coat off. This happens right under the open bow area of the keel. It looks like that is the lowest point of the boat. I have a 2004 Sea Ray 185 sport and it's on the factory Shoreland'r trailer. I back it in until the top of the fenders are under water and then load it up. Not every time but a few times a season it will hit the ramp. I know this can't be normal and i've been racking my brain as to what could be causing this. I do use quite a few different boat ramps that of course have different depths and angles. My tow vehicleis a 2008 Toyota Highlander sport. Any thoughts or suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
 
Welcome to CSR!

Lower the ball on your tow vehicle. I had the same thing happening with my 185. My tow vehicle was too high so I got a hitch that lowered the ball height by 4 inches and all was well.
 
You also might try to not back in as far. Leave about 2" of the wheel fenders sticking out of the water.
 
I am guessing that this is a bunk trailer. If it is, make sure the bunks are in good condition. I just replaced mine because after ten years they were rotted and cracked. The boat (bow) sits considerably higher on the trailer with the new bunks
 
I think something else is going on here. Something that maybe you aren't aware of. If you have the factory, ShoreLand'r trailer (which is a bunk), and no modifications have been done to it... The way you're loading (water to fenders) is WELL within the normal range. You could fine tune it, but you're not even close to being out of the normal range. I can't imagine any scenario where the boat can contact the ramp. I have loaded countless numbers of not only customer's and the store's boats, but along with my own. Even the exact model you have (which, is really no different in this regard to other bowriders). The bow keel never even comes close to the ramp.

Of course, I only have what you wrote to respond to, but... A MUCH more likely scenario is that your bow keel is getting scraped up from beaching the boat - or from a previous owner doing that and you didn't notice it till now.
 
Last edited:
The only thing I'm wondering is that i have it back in the water to far. I noticed that even though the fenders are just under the water line, the bunks are completely submerged. Maybe by having a foot or so exposed will force the bow up and away from the ramp more.
 
Please read through my post, again.
 
I know it's from loading on trailer because i can feel it hit and after I the trailer out i feel little pieces of gel coat that falls into my hand.
 
Searayguy185 said:
I know it's from loading on trailer because i can feel it hit and after I the trailer out i feel little pieces of gel coat that falls into my hand.
Click to expand...

OK. Something is very strange, then. This is not normal - or anywhere near normal. Can you post a few pictures of the boat and how it sits on the trailer? From the back, sides and front. With a trailer set up normally (or even just somewhat close), I just don't see how this can be happening. The boat should contact the bunks, or the trailer frame, before it comes anywhere close to the ramp.

Think about it - let's say you're dunking the trailer WAY further than normal. In that case, the boat is still going to be floating and will simply run into the bow roller on the trailer. Here's another way to say it... Let's say you just floated the boat in towards the ramp with no trailer there. Most likely, you can get the boat in close enough to "shore" that you can hold the bow without getting your feet wet. Now, with trailer there, the boat is only going to be higher/further away from the ramp.

Could the bunks be spread too far apart in the front and you're actually hitting the trailer frame? There's something else that's going on here that we haven't figured out, yet. I can tell you for a fact the way you are loading it shouldn't cause the issue. If a couple inches too deep causes you to hit the ramp, that's not normal. I've loaded plenty of boats exactly the way you say you are.
 
Searayguy185 said:
The only thing I'm wondering is that i have it back in the water to far. I noticed that even though the fenders are just under the water line, the bunks are completely submerged. Maybe by having a foot or so exposed will force the bow up and away from the ramp more.
Click to expand...

I think your logic is backwards. Backing the trailer in further means the boat is deeper in the water and less likely to hit the boat ramp. With your logic, having the trailer exposed a foot or so means your boat is in shallower water and more likely to hit the ramp... AND, raising the bow as you described, will force the transom lower making a strike even more likely.

I guarantee you aren't hitting the ramp. Your trailer bunks are most likely not adjusted properly and you're hitting the trailer frame as you load the boat. Look at your trailer frame from back to front to see if there are any scuff marks.
 
Of course, there's another REALLY easy way to figure out what's going on... Have the person who is manning winch simply squat down and watch as the boat comes on.
 
There is no physical way to drag a keel when loading or unloading from any kind of trailer
unless your not putting the trailer in the water or the bow of the boat is standing straight up in the air. To damage the keel under the forward area you have to be dragging it on the trailer framework
some pics would be a great help
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all your input. It does look like it might be hitting the frame work where the cross bar located closest to the front of the trailer. The frustrating thing is that i've backed it in deep enough where my fenders are about 1-2" below the waterline and tried right at the waterline and even about 4" inches above the waterline. All of which i feel it hitting something wether it's the frame of trailer or boat ramp. Hard to say.
IMG_4170.JPG
IMG_4172.JPG
IMG_4171.JPG
 
Maybe get a welder and cut it out, weld a new lower cross beam to clear the boat. I guess... there is not alot of structural weight on the beam.

I've had issues on a brand new boat.... nice touch. :(

Myco%20winch_0169%20%28Medium%29.JPG


Myco%20winch_0171%20%28Medium%29.JPG


100_0451%20%28Medium%29.jpg


100_0452%20%28Medium%29.jpg


not from me... the dealer delivered it to me this way and did not for-warn me till we got there to finalize the deal. :eek:
 
What's going on with your bunk carpet? That doesn't look right - as if the bunks are broken or a piece is missing forward of the mounts. That could explain how the boat is hitting the crossmember.
 
Lazy Daze said:
What's going on with your bunk carpet? That doesn't look right - as if the bunks are broken or a piece is missing forward of the mounts. That could explain how the boat is hitting the crossmember.
Click to expand...


Not sure i understand what you mean regarding a missing piece. As far as I can tell the bunks are not broken. The only thing that I think this trailer needs is a black plastic protector that gets bolted on the cross member to protect the keel from hitting the metal. Out side of that it looks similar to other Shoreland'r trailers that i've seen at the launch.
 
The closeup picture of the bunk... it's really "puffy". Like a piece broke, then someone restapled the carpet back and there's excess carpet, now.

SOMETHING is going on that is out of the ordinary. Like mentioned a few times - the trailer should NOT need any plastic protectors. Take the boat off and check out the bunks REAL well.
 
Looks to me like the front of the bunks are too low, you are hitting the frame of the trailer, not the ground
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,143
Messages
1,427,143
Members
61,054
Latest member
MrMckinzey
Back
Top