One of the most challenging aspects to boating is launching and retrieving the vessel. Watercraft are backed into the water and loaded back on the trailer in salt and freshwater through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Aligning the vessel to remain balanced on the boat trailer presents a challenge. Boat trailer guide poles assist in the process. Here is what to know about boat trailer guide poles.
What Are Boat Trailer Guide Poles
Guide poles are upward extensions protruding from the frame of the boat trailer. The purpose of the guide poles is twofold.
Launching Boats
We have all experienced the situation when the trailer is backed into the water, and the boat floats freely to one side or the other of the trailer.
To prevent the trailer from drifting towards the port or starboard, guide poles inhibit the boat from swaying off to either side by being held in position. The guide poles serve as barriers by touching up against the rub rail and holding the vessel in place.
Retrieving Boats
Like launching boats, boat trailer guide poles perform the same function when retrieving. Driving a boat square onto a trailer is a tricky proposition, particularly with stiff wind or current.
Without the boat lining up equally on the bunks at the boat launch, the vessel does not sit squarely upon the trailer and risks rocking while in tow. Guides align the boat with the bunks to ensure the stern does not travel to the left or right but instead centered.
How Tall Should Boat Trailer Guides Be
The trailer guides’ height depends on the size of the vessel between the hull to the top of the gunnel.
When the gunnel measures a significant distance from the trailer frame, the guides must exceed the high of the rub rail.
Boats with minimal clearance between the waterline and gunnel require short guides to properly direct the vessel onto the trailer.
When it comes to measurements, the minimal height of guides is eighteen inches while they reach heights in access of sixty inches.
Remember, at no time should the vertical guide make contact with the hull unless padded with soft materials. Most boat guides extend to above the rub rails as the primary point of contact to avoid scratching.
Where Do Boat Guides Go On A Trailer
Guides are positioned in various areas on a trailer but the most frequent location is towards the back of the trailer or stern of the vessel.
The aft positioning prevents the boat from drifting. When submerged in water, boat trailers sit in deeper water towards the back than the front. The deepwater allows the boat to float freely and away from the trailer. Rear-mounted guides hold the vessel in a position central to the trailer.
How Do You Put Guide Posts On A Boat Trailer
Installing guideposts is a simple process and can be accomplished in a driveway or boat storage area.
Boat trailers utilize U-bolts to secure critical components, including suspension, axels, and more. To add posts, connect the forward and back U-bolts from the top of the frame with the threads pointing downwards. The downward portion of the U-bolts connects through the base of the post. Apply the nuts hand tight, slide the post into position, and snug the nuts firmly with a socket wrench.
The process of installing guide posts requires less than one hour of time. Ask a friend or friendly member to assist in the process by holding the guide vertically in position to prevent it from falling and causing injury.
When it comes to the best guidepost on the market, we recommend the CE Smith Trailer Post Guide. The U-bolts are designed for 3” frames and come in forty-inch and 60-inch height options.
How Close Should Guide Poles Be To Boat
The clearance between the hull of the vessel and the guide post is instrumental in holding the boat in position.
When driving a boat onto a trailer, the most narrow section called the bow enters first. The stern is far wider, but no need to worry because the boat will be well-positioned when the stern approaches the trailer bunks. Position the guides between two to three inches from the rub rail on the port and starboard side.
A two to three inches measurement prevents the stern from drifting off-center. When the boat is pulled up, and out of the water, the vessel remains in the appropriate position.
Are You Ready To Install Boat Trailer Guide Poles
Save yourself the trouble and install boat trailer guide poles. The poles are convenient when winds and currents are stiff. Avoid pulling the boat out of the water on the trailer only to realize it is far off-center. We have utilized guide poles for years and can attest that they make launching and retrieving amore straightforwarde process.
