Need some advice re turnbuckle on trailer

First time I've had a trailer with a turnbuckle rather than a winch.

I've been following this basic procedure: Loading the boat on the trailer under power (but not exactly 'power loading', just coasting onto the trailer, then holding it secure while truck pulls up the ramp slowly). Then attaching the turnbuckle on ramp, and hand tightening.

I've noticed that after driving for a few minutes, the boat must shift on the trailer and the turnbuckle either becomes incredibly taught or totally slack. If it's slack, I can usually tell because you feel the bow of the boat bouncing on the trailer, so I'll pull over and tighten it back down again.

Am I doing something incorrectly? I also have a comealong strap over the gunwales on the stern strapped to the trailer for extra security. Do I need another over the bow area? I'm generally trailering 20-30 minutes to reach the water so want to make sure I have this as secure as is reasonable.

Seems like East Coat guys know how to use turnbuckles. We dont' see them much in the west. my impression is that tighten them pretty close on while in the water on the ramp, and then tighten all the way on the trialer. I COULD BE WRONG. I would guess that to do so, you need to know your ramp and setup so that you have some kind of visual to get it right.

I can usually hit the breaks pretty firmly after pulling the boat, and it will scoot forward a couple of inches. I then tighten down the front strap. Seems like same concept would work.

BKH

SNobsessed wrote: In the absence of a winch, a good method is to not tighten the turnbuckle until trailer is on level ground. It also helps to stomp on the brakes, from about 10mph. That gets the boat tight against the bow stop. Re-tighten turnbuckle & you are good to go.

This is basically what I'm doing, except the boat will still move on the trailer while driving a bit, regardless. Yesterday I stopped twice on the way home to retighten the thing, even though it was hand tight and snug up to the crash pad. Is the crash pad truly designed to keep the boat stable while trailering? I had considered it basically a guide.

DVskier wrote: My process is load boat onto trailer, fasten turnbuckle loosely and pull boat out. At about 5 mph, hit brakes and boat will come forward to crash pads. Then tighten down turnbuckle and you're all set. I've towed in mountains before sand never worried about the turnbuckle.

This is the advice I would offer as well. Worked well when I had a ramlin trailer. Oh how I long for those days again. No other trailer comes close in my opinion..

TRBenj wrote: If you attach the turnbuckle on the ramp, make sure it is very very loose. I do not attach until on level ground. 10mph is a little extreme for a stop-short exercise, but it’s usually needed to tighten the rub rail to the crash pads. Once properly tightened, the turnbuckle should never loosen. If it does, either the boat wasn’t up tight to the pads to begin with, or perhaps you are lacking the proper hardware on your turnbuckle- it should have a large wing nut and lock washer to prevent movement once tightened.

Thanks guys, I think this pinpoints the problem. I didn't realize the boat was supposed to be snug up to the crash pads, in fact I've been trying to keep it a half inch or so back from them so that I can sneak the cover over the rub rail. But if keeping it up against the pads makes it more secure on the trailer, I'll do that with a 5 mph check stop before tightening the turnbuckle.

I do have the locking wing nut on there.

Tyler
I have a winch on my trailer if you want to check it out in person or use as a guide to install

I load snug to the crash pad, attach the buckle but leave it loose. If you tighten it on the ramp it will be way too tight as you pull the boat and the stern settles on the trailer. You can then do the stop to move the boat forward and get it fully tight. For short trips I leave it with that slight gap, that way I can get my cover on with the boat on the trailer. With a half inch or so gap the turnbuckle isn't going to fall out of the bow eye.

When loading, have the top of your fenders about 2" out of the water. Then load the boat. I have a cover that goes over the bow so I used a ratchet strap to secure the bow just a few inches off of the crash pads. This allows me to add the cover when the boat is dry. My storage is only a few miles from the ramp. When I am traveling long distances, with the cover off, I stop by the lake to re dip the trailer into the lake to get it tighter against the crash pads and to wet the bunks. Then do the 5 MPH stop on flat land and re-tighten. The previous owner of my boat and trailer added two retractable ratchet straps on the back of my trailer that attach to my platform brackets. They help to keep the boat placed on the trailer.

I love my Ramlin trailer and so sad they are no longer making them. We have not had a Boat Mate vs Ramlin smack down on the site lately.

Donald80SN wrote: When loading, have the top of your fenders about 2" out of the water. Then load the boat. I have a cover that goes over the bow so I used a ratchet strap to secure the bow just a few inches off of the crash pads. This allows me to add the cover when the boat is dry. My storage is only a few miles from the ramp. When I am traveling long distances, with the cover off, I stop by the lake to re dip the trailer into the lake to get it tighter against the crash pads and to wet the bunks. Then do the 5 MPH stop on flat land and re-tighten. The previous owner of my boat and trailer added two retractable ratchet straps on the back of my trailer that attach to my platform brackets. They help to keep the boat placed on the trailer. I love my Ramlin trailer and so sad they are no longer making them. We have not had a Boat Mate vs Ramlin smack down on the site lately.

The ratchet strap you're talking about, is that in addition to the turnbuckle? I also have a cover that goes over the bow so don't really want to have the thing snugged up against the crash pads, but at the same time want it secure on the trailer - it's a longer haul for me to the lake, 20 miles or so each way.

Also going to use ratchet straps on the swim platform brackets.

If you want to keep the boat from touching the crash pads, you can tighten the turnbuckle to your liking, then put a heavy ratchet strap from the bow eye BACK to a point on the trailer. I'm not sure if your trailer has anything to hook to between the axle and the very front, but my current one actually has two metal eye bolts (looks like eye bolts but they're welded) about 5' back from the crash pads if I recall correctly. If you do have such a thing on your trailer, this would keep you from having to re-tighten the turnbuckle.

This is how I tied boats down when transporting them on a huge bunk trailer, from the marina to the off-site storage building. Winch for forward tension, strap it back, then tie down the stern.

Also, I'll second the addition of a winch. If I had to trailer mine more than I do, I'd put a winch on the trailer immediately, especially where you're going to different ramps, which will each have a slightly different approach to get the boat just right. You could still use the turnbuckle, it's a nice backup to the winch strap.

Tyler, like you I've never had a boat with a turnbuckle till my Nautique - certainly a learning experience!   Sure am glad the PO gave me the short version of the loading procedure after we went for the text drive. Even so, there was an issue once when loading on a very steep ramp where I had the turnbuckle too tight and it started lifting the stern off the trailer as we drove up the ramp - not good. We ended up having to creep up the ramp with the turnbuckle completely off till the boat had settled fully on the trailer before connecting it. Then the boat was a mile from the crash pads and it took 2 or 3 quick stops up top to get here seated properly.   My experience is the flatter the ramp, the easier it is and less you have to worry about having the supper loose turnbuckle.

Doc,

This is what I do too. You found the two places to run the strap.

Donald