Texas Fishing Forum

Disaster Avoided

Posted By: Pops0598

Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 08:56 PM

I'm glad I say a quick prayer before I get on the road. My son and I just got back to Keller from our 2 day trip to lake fork. When we were washing the boat we noticed this (clip ring broke). Yes, when we pulled boat on trailer the boat edge was sitting on the yellow roller. Has anyone had this happen before? What do I do next??k
Posted By: TwoLakes

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:12 PM

Glad the boat made it home safely!!!

Just guessing here, but I would say you need to remove the bow panel to access that area. Should be able to buy a replacement and bolt it back on. Someone with experience should answer soon.
Posted By: Donald Harper

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:15 PM

Easy fix. Pull front bow panel, use a ratchet and take it out to install a new one. All boat dealers sell them or can get one shortly.

EDIT: use silicone on both bolt holes.
Posted By: Rhino68W

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:15 PM

Yeah I would go buy a powerball ticket if I were you
Posted By: Bobby Milam

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:21 PM

Wow you were lucky. I think about this every time that I drive the boat onto the trailer until I feel the ring contact the roller. I always think that it is a lot of pressure being applied to a small section of the boat and wondered how they don't fail. I guess they do. Glad you made it home safely
Posted By: Bass&More

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:35 PM

If you can find the broken piece, JB weld might be a quicker fix than taking off the bow panel noidea

But if I were you I would pay attention to Donald Harper's advice.
Also it looks like the shear of the hold down was from a severe or several frontal impacts peep
Posted By: BigLeslie

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:49 PM

Wow, I've had the strap break but not that. I'm not sure how much of a difference it made in this case but this is a good example of why secure tie downs in the rear are sort of important too.
Posted By: 9094

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:54 PM

It looks like it was installed wrong from the factory.
Usually the loop is installed vertical with the keel. Yours looks horizontal.
Definitely install a new one or have one installed, there is not a good fix for that.
Posted By: beartrap

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 09:56 PM

how many people have forgotten to hook up the bow winch and driven home with it unhooked....I've done it several times and driven 65-85 miles home including 75 mile trips to Eufaula which includes several steep hills........it's about like when you power load your boat and push the bow eye up against the winch stop...when that 3000 lb boat sits down on that trailer,you can have your partner ease up the ramp without hooking up because it ain't coming off unless you have slicked up your trailer bunks or have a wreck....

if you don't believe what I'm saying,leave your winch strap hooked up,put about a foot of slack on it,pull about halfway up the ramp,then you and your buddy go back there and try pulling the boat backwards.....
Posted By: Douglas J

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 10:21 PM

Not really a potential for a "disaster" unless you do not secure the stern of your boat. The weight of the boat will keep the boat on the trailer.

Really not a big deal to fix, replace it or get it replaced and be careful hitting the roller too hard with the bow eye, while loading.
Posted By: GROD

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 11:09 PM

When loading the boat use the crank shaft to pull the boat securely where you need it instead of slamming it into the roller. More importantly how was the fishing on fork?
Posted By: beartrap

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 11:41 PM

Originally Posted By: GROD
When loading the boat use the crank shaft to pull the boat securely where you need it instead of slamming it into the roller. More importantly how was the fishing on fork?


bass boat trailers are drive on trailers...they are not float on or winch on and you should rarely if ever have to use your winch........back your trailer to the correct depth,usually with about 2 ft of the bunks showing,put the nose of the boat between the bunks and give the engine enough gas to push the nose firmly against the winch stop....if your partner is in the truck,have him slowly ease up the ramp while you hold the nose against the winch stop with engine trimmed up....when the prop clears the water and you feel the boat sit down on the bunks,shut off the engine....
DO NOT DO THIS IF TEMPS ARE BELOW FREEZING OR IF YOU ARE LAUNCHING,DO NOT UNHOOK YOUR BOAT UNTIL TRAILER IS IN THE WATER
Posted By: bloo_rainger

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/16/17 11:53 PM

Originally Posted By: beartrap
how many people have forgotten to hook up the bow winch and driven home with it unhooked....I've done it several times and driven 65-85 miles home including 75 mile trips to Eufaula which includes several steep hills........it's about like when you power load your boat and push the bow eye up against the winch stop...when that 3000 lb boat sits down on that trailer,you can have your partner ease up the ramp without hooking up because it ain't coming off unless you have slicked up your trailer bunks or have a wreck....

if you don't believe what I'm saying,leave your winch strap hooked up,put about a foot of slack on it,pull about halfway up the ramp,then you and your buddy go back there and try pulling the boat backwards.....


These were my thoughts. I make short runs with my boat on the trailer with nothing holding it. My boat is not going anywhere unless I am in a wreck.

Having said that I've seen boats that will rock while sitting on the trailer. In my opinion there winch is not properly located so they can pull far enough on the trailer.
Posted By: 361V

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 12:12 AM

Y'all saying just drive on and pull out without hooking on: try that at Welsh or Squaw Creek or....... That maneuver works on MOST ramps not all. I've seen the boats sitting on the concrete ramp when that plan didn't work out.
Posted By: basseditor

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 04:52 AM

This is the second picture I've seen this week of a broken bow ring. I hadn't seen it before in ten years in the marine business.
Posted By: lipjerk

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 12:42 PM

Originally Posted By: bloo_rainger
Originally Posted By: beartrap
how many people have forgotten to hook up the bow winch and driven home with it unhooked....I've done it several times and driven 65-85 miles home including 75 mile trips to Eufaula which includes several steep hills........it's about like when you power load your boat and push the bow eye up against the winch stop...when that 3000 lb boat sits down on that trailer,you can have your partner ease up the ramp without hooking up because it ain't coming off unless you have slicked up your trailer bunks or have a wreck....

if you don't believe what I'm saying,leave your winch strap hooked up,put about a foot of slack on it,pull about halfway up the ramp,then you and your buddy go back there and try pulling the boat backwards.....


These were my thoughts. I make short runs with my boat on the trailer with nothing holding it. My boat is not going anywhere unless I am in a wreck.

Having said that I've seen boats that will rock while sitting on the trailer. In my opinion there winch is not properly located so they can pull far enough on the trailer.


Not sure I understand this line of thinking hmmm
Posted By: ChanceHuiet

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 01:34 PM

Originally Posted By: basseditor
This is the second picture I've seen this week of a broken bow ring. I hadn't seen it before in ten years in the marine business.


My buddy just broke his bow eye on his ranger.
Posted By: Bruce Allen

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 01:57 PM

I didn't avoid a disaster when some sucker stole my front roller and when I put the boat on the trailer not noticing that it was gone had two rips in the fiberglass that were pretty deep and mean.

Lifted the bow and waded a bunch of towels in place of the roller until I could get to a store to buy a new one.

Happened one lake west of here back in 03.
Posted By: TinRangerJim

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 02:10 PM

Originally Posted By: Bass&More
If you can find the broken piece, JB weld might be a quicker fix than taking off the bow panel noidea

But if I were you I would pay attention to Donald Harper's advice.
Also it looks like the shear of the hold down was from a severe or several frontal impacts peep

JB Weld is good, but there's no way that it would put that broken "U" bolt back together and hold.
Posted By: kiamichisooner

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 02:40 PM

Originally Posted By: beartrap
how many people have forgotten to hook up the bow winch and driven home with it unhooked....I've done it several times and driven 65-85 miles home including 75 mile trips to Eufaula which includes several steep hills........it's about like when you power load your boat and push the bow eye up against the winch stop...when that 3000 lb boat sits down on that trailer,you can have your partner ease up the ramp without hooking up because it ain't coming off unless you have slicked up your trailer bunks or have a wreck....

if you don't believe what I'm saying,leave your winch strap hooked up,put about a foot of slack on it,pull about halfway up the ramp,then you and your buddy go back there and try pulling the boat backwards.....


I watched a guy lose a brand new Ranger in high school trailering his boat up the ramp without hooking up. I understand something went terribly wrong and I understand the chances of that happen are near zero. However that encounter is burned into my memory. I hook up every time.
Posted By: Longeye

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/17/17 02:41 PM

Originally Posted By: GROD
When loading the boat use the crank shaft to pull the boat securely where you need it instead of slamming it into the roller. More importantly how was the fishing on fork?


Sorry but disagree with this big time. These boats are so heavy that if you try and winch them snug you could either bust the eyebolt or worse (and then what are you going to do?)..
Posted By: SteezMacQueen

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/18/17 01:04 AM

Originally Posted By: TinRangerJim
Originally Posted By: Bass&More
If you can find the broken piece, JB weld might be a quicker fix than taking off the bow panel noidea

But if I were you I would pay attention to Donald Harper's advice.
Also it looks like the shear of the hold down was from a severe or several frontal impacts peep

JB Weld is good, but there's no way that it would put that broken "U" bolt back together and hold.


I think he HAD to be joking.
Posted By: Happykamper

Re: Disaster Avoided - 06/18/17 01:09 PM

I have pulled mine home a couple of times without the bow being secured, boat never moved but I did have the ratchet straps on the transom secured.
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