Trailering Issues

This topic has 11 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 10 months ago by Hemifun.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

Author

Posts
August 12, 2019 at 1:26 pm #676848

tarinfl34
Participant

I just purchased my first Bass Cat (2017 Caracal) and just love it!! However, I have been experiencing problems getting the boat back on to the trailer. I have owned several other boats over the years, and have never had any issues trailering my boats. This is the issue, the front of the Caracal is always trailering under the Lower Bow Roller no matter how much trailer is in the water. As a result, I am forced to lift the front of the boat up over the top bow roller in order to winch it down.

Has anyone else experience a similar issues? Any suggestions? Thanks

August 12, 2019 at 2:30 pm #676853

surfrat57
Participant

To my knowledge the only thing that will do that is the trailer is in too deep. Of course the ramp angle will determine where the trailer needs to be. Just a suggestion, when the boat is on the trailer and short of the roller, if you see that it is going under the roller, just pull the truck up a little at a time. The bow should pop up as you pull forward and when the bow is up where it should be that should show you the depth you need to be for the boat and that ramp. I have a 2017 Cougar and it loads up great. Good luck and welcome to the family. Good choice!

August 12, 2019 at 3:15 pm #676854

SLumpp
Participant

A rule of thumb that I have used with all of the cats that I have owned (P2, Cougar FTD, Cougar AE) is to sink the trailer and get all bunks wet, then pull it up until the ends of the outside bunks are just showing. This seems to work the best for me. If your trailer is in too deep you will not get the nose over the roller, each boat is a little different but what I just wrote has seemed to work for me with all of the basscats that I have owned.

August 13, 2019 at 5:54 am #676865

surfrat57
Participant

I left out that important point. As SLumpp said, I leave 6-8 inches of bunk out of the water and on most ramps that should get you loaded correctly.

August 13, 2019 at 6:29 am #676866

Cajunhunter67
Participant

What Slumpp said.

Bass Cats are power loaded unlike most brands that are floated are barely throttled onto the trailer. The Caracal, PII, and Classic are most prone to the bow going under the roller. Keep those outer bunks 4-8 inches out the water, and your bow should go over the roller. Steeper the ramp, the outer bunks will need to be out the water a bit more. Also, trim your motor up when loading. Helps raise the bow and slide up the trailer easier.

Don

August 13, 2019 at 11:34 am #676883

tarinfl34
Participant

To all that responded to my trailering issue. Thank you for you suggestion very much appreciated!!

August 13, 2019 at 3:46 pm #676892

schodackbassman
Participant

Good advice above. The hardest thing is having folks(co) used to putting a trailer in a certain way for retrieving to not back in to deep. I give instructions before dropping them off at the dock and also tell them to watch me and I’ll let them know when to stop.

August 13, 2019 at 5:22 pm #676896

Ricochet15
Participant

What everyone has said is spot on.

It does cause other people to question you though. Multiple times when I’ve backed in then got in to load I’ve had people tell me it’s not in deep enough and I won’t be able to load it there.

I have the same issue people have on cats but swapped. When I back my friends boat in (non BCB). I always leave it to shallow and he has to motion me in deeper. It’s just what you get used to.

August 14, 2019 at 5:35 pm #676919

mark thompson
Participant

2019 pantera classic it loads a little different from my 2010 puma . leave the bunks 8 to 10 inches out of the water.the first time i tried to load like my puma.

August 15, 2019 at 2:08 am #676922

Cajunhunter67
Participant

90 percent of the time I am loading or unloading alone. If you unload to deep, the bow will drop and either hit the roller, TM, or the spare tire. What I have found when unloading is to leave the strap hooked up tight (duh). I back in until I see the rear of the boat start to float. I than pull up till I see it settle back on the bunks. It wets the bunks below the rear of the hull and makes it easier to power off the trailer without the bow dropping.

August 16, 2019 at 6:54 am #676937

southernyankee
Participant

I have a new caracal and I have no loading or unloading issues at all. On mine the outside bunks are just barely out of the water when I load the boat I do power load but it doesn’t take that much to get the boat up against the roller.

August 19, 2019 at 6:35 pm #677037

Hemifun
Participant

I have a 2018 Caracal and find that having the front of the outside bunks just out of the water usually works. Trim your motor way up and this will cause the bow to raise up and go over the roller. I find this boat loads much easier than the 92 P2 I had.
Author

Posts

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login Register