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Trailer Guides
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 2:00 pm
by JNorris79
I'm sure there is a thread on this topic, but I didn't see it or look back far enough.
I bought a new 24' Crest Tri Toon last year and I had the hardest time loading it on the trailer. I have had boats all my life and never had problems like I am with this boat. Can someone please recommend trailer guides for me. Note that it is a TRI because I know that makes a difference. Thanks.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 2:14 pm
by Woody
I've had good luck with these:
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... aQodfD0DSg
I have them mounted pretty close to the inside of the outside toons. Anything put on the "outside" of the toons will most likely put you over the legal width limit, but there are plenty of people that do that without being bothered by the fuzz.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 2:55 pm
by Bryden24shp
I used 2 pairs of those on my Premiers trailers. Worked good, except for in real strong side currents. The boat would want to get caught between them. So I took an afternoon last spring and welded these up in my boatshop for the Manitou trailer I bought. I used 1/4" by 4 for the base where the U bolts fit to the trailer. 1/4 X 2" L stock for the risers, 1/4X 1 1/2" for the inside guides extensions. I had about 50 bucks into everything. Most costly was the carpet. They work in the strongest currents and winds. And kept the boat real steady all the way up to the cradle.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:43 am
by JNorris79
Bryden than looks interesting. Unfortunately I'm not the handiest when it comes to metal. I can't weld.
What I need is something to keep my back in from drifting over. I get the front on no problem, but the back in will drift over and won't be on the bunks as I pull out. Then I have to back back into the water and move it over by hand and get wet again. I load and unload by myself a lot of the time. I never had problems putting or taking out my old boat by myself, but this one is terrible.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:06 am
by Bryden24shp
I think that the guides Woody mentioned, from Overtons would work fine for your needs.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 7:22 pm
by Budoff
https://4c-innovations.com/
I bought and installed the guides from these people. I really like them.
Not the cheapest but really do help with cross winds.
Picture on their website of a trailer for tritoon is mine.
Good luck.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:26 pm
by ROLAND

- 100_0953.JPG (373.67 KiB) Viewed 7167 times

- 100_0953.JPG (373.67 KiB) Viewed 7167 times
[quote="JNorris79"]I'm sure there is a thread on this topic, but I didn't see it or look back far enough.
I bought a new 24' Crest Tri Toon last year and I had the hardest time loading it on the trailer. I have had boats all my life and never had problems like I am with this boat. Can someone please recommend trailer guides for me. Note that it is a TRI because I know that makes a difference. Thanks.[/quote]
JNorris79... I had the exact same issue when I got my pontoon boat... I was so frustrated trying to load it on the trailer I was damn near ready to get rid of it... but then someone suggested I try these trailer guides. Since I put the guides on several years ago, I have only had one time where I didn't load the boat on the first try, and that was because of a stiff cross wind... when I'm coming in I just line up the right side of the boat to about 2 inches inside the right trailer guide... just an option to consider.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:37 am
by Gearbanger
Check this thread.....
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24105
I made my own guides out of 2" PVC and it worked really well. My wife guides the boat on with ease and it only cost about $80 bucks total.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:55 am
by JNorris79
Gearbanger - nice design. I have a 3 toon boat so that wouldn't work for me.
Roland - Have you had any problems with being two wide? I'm sure if the Lawman wanted to technical they could pull you over for that. That is the last think I would want coming home from the lake.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:02 am
by Gonefishing
I second on 4 C have system on mine. Best investment
I made. Loaded in over 15 mph wind no problem.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2017 2:10 am
by Gearbanger
JNorris79- My boat is a tritoon as well. It works, I promise. I realize you don't see a center bunk on my trailer but that's they way I got it. You should be able to do the same anyway. It's actually doing the same job as the metal rails w/ wood bunks picture above it's just made out of PVC and uses stainless hose clamps to hold it to the trailer.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2017 2:21 am
by ROLAND
[quote="JNorris79"]Gearbanger - nice design. I have a 3 toon boat so that wouldn't work for me.
Roland - Have you had any problems with being two wide? I'm sure if the Lawman wanted to technical they could pull you over for that. That is the last think I would want coming home from the lake.[/quote]
No sir, never had an issue with them being too wide... I suppose if a cop wanted to pull you over he could.. I asked a cop who was sitting at the launch one day if they were an issue and he said no... but here's the nice thing about them.. you can slide the white plastic pvc guides right off the bracket when towing and just put them back on when you're at the launch.. no tools or anything like that needed.. just slide one end over the bracket attached to the trailer and you're all done.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 6:03 pm
by bryan
I agree with BuDoff. We installed the guides from 4cinnovations and love them. Have never failed to load the toon the first try. Easy Pease. Best 500.00 we ever spent. If our toon wasn't skinned we would have bought the latch system too. 4cinnovations.com. not an employee. Just a very happy customer. Free shipping too
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 4:53 pm
by dwelter
I just bought the 4c-innovations guide system and I'm putting it on my trailer tomorrow, for the first test on Sunday. I'll check back in with the review from windy Kansas.
Re: Trailer Guides
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:10 pm
by Rick McC.
[quote="ROLAND"][quote="JNorris79"]Gearbanger - nice design. I have a 3 toon boat so that wouldn't work for me.
Roland - Have you had any problems with being two wide? I'm sure if the Lawman wanted to technical they could pull you over for that. That is the last think I would want coming home from the lake.[/quote]
No sir, never had an issue with them being too wide... I suppose if a cop wanted to pull you over he could.. I asked a cop who was sitting at the launch one day if they were an issue and he said no... but here's the nice thing about them.. you can slide the white plastic pvc guides right off the bracket when towing and just put them back on when you're at the launch.. no tools or anything like that needed.. just slide one end over the bracket attached to the trailer and you're all done.[/quote]
I have an airboat in addition to my 'toon.
The tires on that trailer cover the lane on our smaller local roads from the outside line onto the center line.
I've never been pulled over for it yet; so I doubt that add-ons like the pvc guide-ons would cause any problems, either.