Turnbuckle for bow--strap failure!

Dave, The local shop that is recommending the hinged flat bar is very dated. The idea has come and gone on the CC trailers because of the problems with it. Try to imagine lining up the boat at the proper spot to engage the slot in the flat bar with the bow eye. How about by yourself? I'm sure some of our members had one and am certain you'll get some other comments on the PITA!
Consider a winch. There are numerous threads on installing winches.

I think that system is the same as the one my friend has on his 97 MC. What Pete says is correct. A couple of time he ran it to side and broke. Most of the time we end up driving it as close as he can and use the winch. IMO a good idea but impractical to get it right all the time. I think you have more risk to get it right all the time.

Not long ago, I was at the ramp and these two older men and a teen were loading a 04 Air Nautique. They couldn't figure out why the tip of the bow was going under the rubber wheel at the front of the trailer. I explained to them that the trailer was too deep, they pulled the trailer up some so the hull could slide on the bunkers. Another thing to think about on loading with the trailer deep, is that the back of the hull is way above the trailer, when you pull it out, the back drops down to the trailer and the bow will pull very tight as it raises up.

Hey guys, in the thread on adding winches to trailers:
Winches

"BehindPropeller" mentioned that he might make kits...anyone know if he got around to doing that?

Dave

Just get a turnbuckle and call it a day. Like TimD said, they should be available at at a local hardware store- or call your CC dealer directly if you cant find one. Winches are fine, but the bow stop and turnbuckle work great and are extremely simple.

Im a little confused as to how you dinged up the prop while loading- as long as the boat is kept between the guides, it should be nearly impossible to hit the trailer. Go back to putting the fenders *just* below the surface, and tell your wife to bring it in slowly. If it gets misaligned to the point where youre afraid of another strike, just dont put the boat in gear!

Hey guys,

Thanks for the all the good info.

I do have guides on the trailer...it's a stock CC trailer w/ everything EXCEPT the doggone turnbuckle.

My wife has driven/powered the boat on the trailer really well for years. The prop strike was a weird deal that took a combination of things to happen, but it did so I'm being a little more conservative than usual, but I'll probably get over it.

As many of you know, we've been battling a drought lately in the Southeast. We have a house on Lake Wedowee in Alabama which is an Alabama Power lake. They try to hold the lake level up as long as possible but eventually, if the rain doesnt come, they have to start generating power to the sacrifice of the lake level. That was the case big time last year and also to a lesser extent this year. The level had dropped a fair bit and we had to pull the boat out so we went to our standard launch ramp but where I had to put the trailer in was a lot further down the ramp where the angle is much steeper. I put the trailer in but the fender tops were just above the water line (vs. below, but going further would have essentially made the whole trailer disappear).

To add to this, my wife was battling a crosswind (and she had a pretty good "crab" going into it for you fellow pilots out there). She got it straightened out and her approach to the trailer looked good. The bow and mid-section glided right onto the trailer just fine, and it was straight---at first---but the tail end swung around a little bit and she put it in gear to straighten it out and, in fact, powered it on. The prop just contacted the structure that angles down from the right side of the trailer down to the horizontal bar that is underneath the prop/rudder. We heard BANG BANG BANG BANG and she cut the power immediately. I knew right away what it was. Here's what we found when we pulled the trailer out:



Anyway, we normally power it on but this time the boat just didnt "LOOK" as sideways as it obviously was. The nibral props are pretty darn soft cuz the trailer didn't show any damage...just some scuffed paint.

(And yes, I know the prop could have been repaired....but...well, I REALLY wanted a four blade and, well, my wife didn't protest. See? A win-win! )

Anybody have a used turnbuckle out there? It would sure make me, er....my beautiful wife...feel better! hahah.

(If nothing else, maybe some measurements of the stock turnbuckle)

Dave - I have the factory turnbuckle plus added a winch.

I am sure you can get a big turnbuckle at a farm supply store.   Dimensions aren't critical as long as you can tighten it & loosen it enough to detach.   Just add a snap hook to 1 end & you are good to go.

Make sure & leave it a little loose when your boat & trailer are still in the water, otherwise you will have the bow way to tight on level ground.

I like the winch because we just coast on & winch it up from there. Saves gas & supposedly the boat ramp from erosion.

turnbuckles aren't hard to find just go to a hardware store and you'l find them... even here in aruba i can find one easily so i doubt it will be hard to find there...

Dave - I would measure mine for you but it is now in storage 50 miles waway. i estimate the body was6 inches long, with 5/16-18 threads.

Here is a thread on my winch addition:

Winch

Dave,
On the turnbuckle, you may want to wait for some other measurements from other people. Chris (SNobsessed) may have 5/16" thread sizes but to me it seem to be on the light side. Turnbuckles are load rated (just like link chain) and come in many different types. My Tique trailer has 1/2" thread sizes but is a aluminum version. Chris's may be a forged type which may be the same load rating as the aluminum. Wait and see what others say.

TRBenj wrote: Im a little confused as to how you dinged up the prop while loading- as long as the boat is kept between the guides, it should be nearly impossible to hit the trailer.

Seems nothing is impossible Tim. My wife has done the same thing, and we're not exactly beginners at this BKH

Cool, another oxymoron...high class mudpuddle?!!?   LOL

I bet you'd find it at a farm supply or and 'old timey' hardware store.

Your mud puddle is higher class than our mud puddle, that's for sure!

The guy that works on my boat only has 3 teeth left, and he takes his time getting the work done. You have to be reeeeeeal patient. I wonder why he takes so long? He says he stays real busy...

I never knew about the turnbuckle, Mine came with a 1" webbing strap tied to the front. I replaced it with a heavy 2" 1700lb ratchet strap cut way down in lenght. Got me through the summer but now I wonder if thats adequate.

I would suggest a chain myself. Turn buckles could potentially rip the ubolt from your bow if too tight.

I have modified my trailer to get rid to the large rub rail destroying horse shoe arrangement that CC seem to love and replaced with a Vee arrangement. I also have tie downs on the rear too.

My trailer had absolutely nothing on the trailer to stop the boat falling off should the winch strap snap - which it did shortly after I got the boat.!!!!