C248 on/off trailer thoughts, side posts/bunks, etc

bmcminn · May 23, 2026

I use the trailer for my C248, almost always at Squalicum Marina. It's a really nice ramp for both low and high tides.

I got the boat September 2025. My previous boat was a 19' C-Dory and obviously getting it on and off the trailer was very simple.

Both are the Cutwater and trailer are new, so intended to fit. Sometimes when I tried to float the boat off the trailer the anchor got caught on the bow stop/winch stand. And sometimes if I tried to use lines to guide the boat onto the trailer, then winch it the rest of the way, the same things happens. Sometimes this requires moving the trailer deeper, floating the boat off, etc. Total pain in the butt and not something I want to do on a busy ramp day.

The Cutwater dealer recommended driving the boat on and off the trailer.

I'm learning to do this, but it feels kind of crazy still, especially getting it all the way up to the bow stop, and really it's almost always a few inches short. Sometimes I tried driving it up and not liked the way I saw it pushing my truck forward. And using the winch for the last 5% seems like the strap is going to tear and cut my head off.

The last few times I've been using a marker on the bow stop the extends up about 4' so now I know how far to drive the boat forward. This has helped a ton.

I am thinking about getting guide posts too, so that I can drive the boat onto the ramp from further back and not have to worry about side wind or current pushing the boat laterally and getting the weird hull shape caught on a bunk. Not that I would rely on them so much for actually holding it, rather just to get it lined up visually before I bring the RPMs up.

Does anyone else use side guides on their trailer, particularly for the C248 or R27/29? My trailer has I-beam construction, any examples for DIY to this.

Thoughts in general about getting a "larger" boat on/off a trailer would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!!

BTW, sure love this boat.

Tug & Deck Barge

bmcminn
May 23, 2026

Straight of Georgia, just north of Sucia

scross · May 23, 2026

We have a similar issue with our Rocna 10 clearing the trailer’s bow stop. The top of the winch hits the bottom of the anchor.
Solution was to move the anchor onto the boats deck next to the windlass during launch and retrieval. Yes, an extra step but not difficult. BTW we also launch from Squalicum. We have never driven the boat onto the trailer. Just hand walked it on.

Bought C. E. Smith 60” Post Guide-On with I-Beam mounting kit from Overtons. Replaced the included PVC top tube with a taller piece of PVC pipe. Works well for us.

KKRCRACE · May 23, 2026

I have a C242 and we primarily use two ramps. The one in Maryland is steep and gives us problems. Sometimes I have to reposition the boat a couple times to get the winch handle to clear the bow pulpit and I have to pull the boat hard against the stop and then depending on tide once the boat is on the trailer I have to do the drive and jam on the brakes to get the boat to slide forward an inch or two. The ramp in Florida is a lot flatter and gives us no problems at all. I just winch it hard against the stop and it’s positioned as needed. My trailer has guide posts on the rear.
Ken Keir
Sunny Daze.

S. Todd · May 23, 2026

Power loading is forbidden in many locations because it causes washout at the rear of the concrete ramp pad. I have never power loaded any of our prior 5 Sea Rays or our Two Ranger Tugs. With the trailer in the water at less than the full depth I winch the boats up as far as it wants to go then put the trailer in deeper and winch some more. Our R29 requires this a third time. This two or three step process tends to get the boat perfectly aligned on the trailer without the need for guide posts at the stern (although I have never used them, I see no harm in those that do). There are sometimes issues with the anchor hitting the upper bow stop roller, but it is resolved by manually pushing the anchor higher while launching or winching. Depending on the slope of the ramp and the depth the trailer is in the water this doesn't happen all the time (so I need to remember to look for it on those occasions when it does occur.).
On both our prior R25SC (2015 inboard) and our 2021 R29 the boat does not winch all the way to the bow stops despite both having custom built trailers that otherwise fit the boats perfectly. They both end up about 4 inches shy of the bow stops. This is something our dealer expected and other Ranger Tug owners experienced. We do what the dealer recommended and is known as the Ranger Slide. Once on level ground and moving at five miles per hour I hit the brakes and with wet bunks the boat slides forward and stops up against the bow stop. If it doesn't make it all the way it gets a second quick stop. I have sprayed our bunks with Liquid Rollers which helps when trying to get 13,000 lbs to gently slide. (I have a theory that if I put on a significant drop on the ball to lower the front of the trailer, I could eliminate the need to do the "ranger slide" but have not tried it and don't want to have to unhitch and raise the ball before traveling down the road.) I attribute the need to do the "ranger slide" as a result of the rather plumb bow on the Ranger Tugs that we did not have on the Sea Rays and the fact that the boats' sterns floated over the back of the trailers due to the slope of the launch ramps.

Eddyprice · May 24, 2026

After I changed the stock Lewmar 11 lb anchor and bow roller to a 27 lb Mantus M2 anchor and bow roller assembly on our C24 I needed to cut down the trailer winch stand 5 inches so that the boat would load unload without having the anchor contact the winch stand on steep ramps. The increased clearance is a game changer for loading on steep ramps like at Blaine Harbor.

bmcminn · May 25, 2026

Thanks everybody! I’m going to put on guides tomorrow and I’ll comment on the difference next week.

@scross I’m going to try moving the anchor up next to the windlass.

@S. Todd I’ve tried the Ranger slide a couple times. Heard/saw someone execute it well at Squalicum a couple weeks ago! I’ll look at liquid rollers too.

Havinfun · May 27, 2026

We launch many times a year at Squalicum with a slightly larger boat and different hull so my comments may not work directly for you. 27’ Classic Ranger Tug.

When launching, I back down the ramp until the stern is just starting to float. While the Admiral is grabbing the bow and stern lines I remove the safety chain and winch cable. We then confirm verbally she is ready and that the winch cable and safety chain are disconnected. I slowly back into the water until I can see the bow drop in the winch stand and hit the brakes hard. 8 times out of 10 the boat slides off and a quick wrap on a cleat stops backwards motion. Surprisingly, backing up less than a foot and hitting the brakes will slide the boat off the trailer easily.

When loading, I stop when front of rear bunks submerge and we walk the boat into the front alignment bunks and power load with minimal power until close to bow stand. I judge distance from experience and do occasionally smack the bow stand still. I find alignment works best with at least a foot of winch cable out to hand crank in.

I also stop driving the truck out of the water when I see the stern settle and take up a couple more turns on the winch. Normally about 3-4’ from when loading.

At the top of the ramp It normally takes 2 bumps followed by taking up slack on the winch each stop for the boat to sit tight to the bow roller.

We launch and retrieve with only 2 of us and occasionally a grandkid or 2 to complicate things.

At Squalicum the south ramp closest to the pay kiosk is tilted with starboard high at a lower tide.

Curious if you are submerging slightly deep? Also curious if stern guides would provide false confidence of putting trailer too deep. Not a huge fan of stern guides unless it’s a flat bottom boat.

A Porta-Band can reduce chance of interference between the anchor and winch stand…….

Hope you find a less stressful loading sequence.

tlkenyon · May 28, 2026

We put two sets of guides on our trailer. It really helps when loading in challenging conditions.

IMG_3734[1].JPG

tlkenyon
Sep 16, 2024

bmcminn · May 29, 2026

I installed the posts on Monday during different work breaks. It was a pretty easy install. The only thing outstanding was that I needed to use separate bolts/nuts than the shipped u-bolts. The kit wasn't built for I-beam flange installation. But NBD. It was affordable, so as an experiment low cost.

Amazon.com

Context, I am almost always doing this alone. I'm slowly teaching my 12 year-old daughter when she is with me.

Launch:
I moved the anchor up into the anchor well and Umi Nami slid off the trailer no problems. This happens more than not so far. This was Tuesday around 1300, so +5 at Squalicum.

Retrieval:
I was determined not to power on. I was tied up port side with a good breeze from the stern, a little on the starboard every now and then. Thursday at 1700, +7 at Squalicum. Anchor was in the anchor well.

It took a few attempts to get the trailer to the right depth to be able to get the pulpit over the bow stop. Weirdly, I think it has go to a little deeper than it does at launch, but I'm not sure that makes any sense. At this point the pulpit and ladder are sitting on the rubber bow stop. (When I had powered on I would have the trailer further out of the water by 2' or so, which tilts it so the boat angle is actually elevated a little and the pulpit would clear everything. I used a piece of bamboo tied to the winch stand so I could tell how far to run up...)

Then I got the bow strap to the bow eye, which is a pretty long haul at that point. I was glad I had the posts because if I had to do a starboard tie I think the breeze would have kept blowing the stern around. Pretty much the entire length of the trailer is over the water at this point, and I'm getting wet walking back and forth. NBD during the summer months but I don't want hip waders in February.

I moved the truck back/forth a couple times and barely had to use the winch to get the boat all the way into position with the safety chain attached to the bow eye and a tiny bit of slack. 😀

Pulled out of the water and as usually happens the boat eased back a bit and was around 4" off the bow stop, which makes for a bouncy ride and I'm guessing is unsafe at high speeds. Tried doing the RT Slide a couple times and I'm not crazy about it (at least without bunk lube, which doesn't get here till Wednesday). What did work though was putting the stern transom (I guess that's the only one huh) straps on, then backing into the water a little and winching forward till extra tight and on the bow eye.

This got it pretty snug and I'm guessing the bunk lube will help with the rest.

Also, I think I have too much tongue weight regardless, just by a little. I think I'll drop it off at TuffTrailer this November and have them take a look and maybe move the axles. Not a DIY project I'm interested in.

All things said, I think I can figure out a no-power-on solution and appreciate all the suggestions. I'll try to post again later this summer with an update.