Pontoon guides

[Tums]

My wife bought me 2 sets of these http://www.etrailer.com/Boat-Trailer-Pa ... 27670.html. I have never worked with this particular style on a pontoon. I am thinking one set near the rear and another maybe mid trailer. Any advice on using these. Also it seems to me that these may bend the inside of the toons if you where to come in hot, is that the case?
Thanks in advance

[SamiGuy]

I have the exact product. Fact is , 2 sets just as you described. I did need to have my "rear" set taller, so I just cut some longer section of some 2" Sch 40 I had around. I couldn't see the rear set for line up. Works great for me even on some 'breezy' days. I did come in a bit and hot one day and the pontoon came down on one and bent it over pretty good. Just a quick stop at a muffler shop and they bent it back like new. Was all my mistake and let the pontoon come down on top of one. Overall, a good solution for my toon and always puts it right where I wanted it. Not the best, as full inside rail seem to be the best option, but the is a good value and works well.
Good luck with your decision. Let me know if I can offer any ideas!!
Sami
PS... No issue with bending, scraping the inside of the tube IF you take it slow!

[ralph]

I have a set (4) on mine. They look like vertical bunks but stand straight up like yours.

According to the manufacturer, they are self-sacrificial if you hit them too hard. This way your not damaging a pontoon and would only have to replace the guide. They work very well and they stand-off the pontoons about 3 or 4 inches.

I haven't come in hot on these (yet). I believe in slow-slow-slow.

[NonHyphenAmerican]

There is an age old wisdom that you only approach the dock or the trailer at a speed that you want to be going when you HIT the dock or trailer.

"Slooooowwwww" seems to me to be a prudent measure.

[ralph]

[quote="NonHyphenAmerican"]There is an age old wisdom that you only approach the dock or the trailer at a speed that you want to be going when you HIT the dock or trailer.

"Slooooowwwww" seems to me to be a prudent measure.[/quote]

You are a wise man....

[justrfb]

Hello.
When we got our boat we trailer'ed the first season or two. My wife bought me guides and I installed them. One of the best investments we ever made... They work great! I used to get all nervous and jerky when we had to recover our boat after a day of relaxation and fun. I used to try to fly up onto the trailer with limited success... Then, not sure if I saw someone do it or if the Holy Spirit put it on my heart or if I read it here... Now, cool as a cucumber, I approach my trailer at a "crawl" speed, gently slide up (guided by the guides) a few 5 or 6 feet, get off the boat, grab my winch hook, pull it out the 10 or 12 feet to the eye loop on the front of my boat go to the winch crank and reel it in, easy peazy... No issues, barely any effort and I am successful every time.

Sincerely,
Rich

[ralph]

I used to have that same problem Rich. Much easier now.

[Tums]

Thanks. I am having no problems loading at the lake and had mentioned to my wife we would need some guides before loading the toon at Indian Pass (pic bat bottom see red arrow for ramp). The Indian Pass Ramp is just that a ramp in the pass on the edge of the GOM. It makes for some pretty interesting loading at times. Tidal currents, wind, & wave action on the approach can get you into making the mistake of using to much throttle. I pulled a pic (below)off the net that you can see a little of how the current is there at times.
Edit (Indian Pass is on the West end of Apalachicola Bay in Florida)

[h20kim]

Tums

Can you post a pic of your trailer with guides? We have the same boat. The guides on our trailer have to go.

[Gearbanger]

I ended up making my own guides out of 2" PVC. I've got about $80 dollars in it maybe and it solved all my problems with loading. In fact, my wife loads it every time now its so easy. I got the idea from someone on this sight and the picture below is from his trailer.

PVC Guide.jpg (1.02 MiB) Viewed 6409 times