Boat Buddy Installed

[PeteS]

If anyone is looking to pick up a Boat Buddy for your trailer, the only place I was able to fine one was at the Bass Pro Shop online store. Word had it Overton's carried them for a while, but I couldn't find it last week.

I picked up the Boat Buddy "I" model, and I think it was $44.00 on sale. It installed last night in about 15 minutes. I may carpet the plastic like some people on here have suggested to prevent rub marks, but overall I think it was a good investment.

It appears that with the boat loaded, the locking pin is about 4 inches shorter from the bow-eye then previously with the v-block. Not sure if that makes much sence, but should I try to slide the "bar" forward from where it was set for the v-block, or will things be OK? I guess the boat will be about 4 inches more forward on the trailer, and I'm not sure if that would be a problem or not.

[6ballsisall]

Pics please! :D

[PeteS]

Pics please! :D
No problem, Jrandol. I'll shoot a few tonight when I get home from work.

[Leroy]

If your boat is 4" more forward it will increase your tongue weight a little, probably around 50 pounds.

[east tx skier]

Another place I've seen the boat buddy for sale is www.boatersworld.com. I haven't checked recently though.

[tex]

Another place I've seen the boat buddy for sale is www.boatersworld.com. I haven't checked recently though.

www.kodiaktrailer.com

[jclose8]

If you have never loaded a boat using a boat buddy before, the best advice I can give is to err on the side of too shallow rather than too deep. DO NOT back the trailer too far into the water.

The 4 inches shouldn't make much difference.

[PeteS]

I utilized the Boat Buddy last night when loading, and it worked well. There didn't appear to be an issue with the boat being 4" more forward on the trailer.

However, after the pin engaged, I must not have tightened the winch strap enough before pulling the trailer out of the water, as the boat slid back up against the locking pin. Now I'm having difficulties releasing the pin, as the weight of the boat is resting against it.

I guess before I launch the next time, I'll try pulling the boat up with the winch, and then releasing the pin. Anyway, attached are some photos taken shortly after the install was completed. Thanks for the advice Jclose and Leroy.

[east tx skier]

Just drive about ten feet and do a good brake check. This will relieve the pressure on the pin so you can disengage it for the trip home if you like.

[Ben]

Pete,
Next time you launch, just sink the trailer a bit more than normal. The boat will float away from the pin. Easier on everything than cranking on the winch & dragging it across the bunks....

I know this isn't the standard, but we basically use the boat buddy as a helper, not the only thing holding the boat. I back truck up, wife drives on until we hear the click, then I attach the hook and winch it tight. This prevents the boat from sliding and alleviates and questions as to if the buddy is ok for towing or not.

I used to have the sliding issue with an older I/O about 5 years ago. Always slid back, it had a rope (instead of strap) for the winch. I refused to buy a nice winch (boat was only $100 and pulled a skier), so it was usually 1-2 inches behind where it should be. Did that w/o problems for 15-20 visits to a lake via the highway.

[AirJunky]

I know this isn't the standard, but we basically use the boat buddy as a helper, not the only thing holding the boat. I back truck up, wife drives on until we hear the click, then I attach the hook and winch it tight. This prevents the boat from sliding and alleviates and questions as to if the buddy is ok for towing or not.

I'm just curious.....in this type of use, whats the point of having the buddy?

[jimmer2880]

I'm just curious.....in this type of use, whats the point of having the buddy?

I use mine the same way Ben does. I can tell you, from my stand point - the point is I can (well - actually, my wife loads the boat, I work the truck/trailer) drive the boat onto the trailer until we hear the click. The pin keeps the boat from sliding back into the water. We then hook up the winch strap & take pressure off of the buddy. But - we leave the buddy engaged until we put the boat back into the water. That way, we have the strap with the buddy as the backup.

Worth 3x what they sell for in my book.

[Ryno]

We have one on our 01 X-star and we never really use it. We leave the pin disengaged all the time.
A dealer told us that if the locking pin ever gets bent from the boat (happens often), you have to use a cutting torch to remove it and get the boat unlocked.
So the winch strap and hook are the only thing we use to keep the boat on the trailer.

[DAinAZ]

My wife does the tow vehicle, and I do the boat. (Had to take her to an empty parking lot with the boat to learn to back up, but that is another story...)

We have both the strap and pin attached when we get to the ramp. I undo the strap and pin at the top of the ramp. More specifically I tighten the strap to get the load off the pin, open the pin, and then undo the strap. I get into the boat and she backs me down. I motion her to stop and then start the boat and back off.

When loading, she sets the pin open to release when she goes to get the trailer. She backs in so the trailer wheel wells are just at the water level. I pull the boat on and hit the boat buddy. The pin locks and the boat slides back against the pin and stops, so I know it locked on. She pulls the vehicle to the top of the ramp where we get out, clean the boat, etc. and I hook the strap onto the boat for the ride home, while keeping the pin through the eye. Extra security on the road and no one has to get their feet wet.

I know that I am going to hear something about not having the boat attached at all to the trailer while backing down, but I'm in AZ and it is sooooo dry here that the bunks are dry and nothing will slide on the carpet. If I ever get the boat waxed where it lies on the bunks, or replace my carpet, I might think twice. But til then....

[AirJunky]

Hmmm, well, talking to Kodiak, they don't suggest you leave the buddy engaged while driving the boat on the trailer for extended periods. The reason being the exact reason why I replaced mine, the pin easily gets bent.
It's funny, I have never once had my boat slide back on the trailer when in the water. Once it's on the bunks, it stays there really well, long enough for me to turn off the engine, pick up things in the boat, & work my way up to the bow to hook up the winch strap. Only when I have the trailer way deep in the water will the boat still move around on the trailer.
When the ramp is really busy is when I love it...... drive the boat up the bunks till it clicks & then drive way while the fishermen gawk in amazement. Then later, when out of everyone's way, we can clean things up & hook up the safety chain (since the winch is about the most untrustworthy safety device on the trailer).

[PeteS]

What was interesting to me, was that I had thought the winch strap WAS tight after I had locked in the Boat Buddy. But, it still slid back slightly as I was pulling the trailer out, and rested on the pin.

So Boat Buddy is telling us to lock the boat in the Buddy, then pull the boat out of the water (meanwhile it slides back against the pin), then winch in up while it's out of the water and on the trailer to allow the pin to move, disengage the pin, and drive on? I don't know what to think about that. I'd try Doug's brake check method, except the boat would throw me and my Grand Prix into the ditch. :)

It seems that my winch would have a difficult time moving the boat away from the pin when the boats on the trailer out of the water, not to mention maybe hard on the winch as well.

[AirJunky]

It seems that my winch would have a difficult time moving the boat away from the pin when the boats on the trailer out of the water, not to mention maybe hard on the winch as well.
I do it all the time. I doubt it's any harder on the winch than driving down a bumpy road with the transom not tied down. It really doesn't take a lot to move the boat a little so you can reset the buddy.

[PeteS]

I do it all the time. I doubt it's any harder on the winch than driving down a bumpy road with the transom not tied down. It really doesn't take a lot to move the boat a little so you can reset the buddy.
Good point, Bill.

[east tx skier]

I'd try Doug's brake check method, except the boat would throw me and my Grand Prix into the ditch. :)

You'll be fine. The boat will slide against the pin. The pin is there to keep the boat buddy on the trailer while you pull it up the ramp. I agree with Bill that I see little point in having the boat buddy if you're going to winch up before pulling the boat out of the water. Just something else to forget to do, and then you get the pin bent back, or worse, you don't pull the pin before ramming the bow eye into it and it's bent forward. With an open bow, I just use the winch strap (I replaced my boat buddy with a non-marring bow roller long ago. With a closed bow, I'd call the b-buddy a necessity (unless, like Tex, you've got Inga).

Just pull on there until it clicks. Pull the boat forward and give the brakes a good test. You don't have to do it hard. The boat slides forward almost as easy as it slides back. Then just attach the winch as tight as she'll go and disengage the boat buddy.

I was also told to disengage the boat buddy before heading up the road. But the online trailer manual says to leave it engaged. Of course, the people that wrote the manual make money selling replacement boat buddies.

[jimmer2880]

It's not all that difficult to crank the winch enough to release the pressure on the pin on level ground. But - I do it while the boat is still in the water. For a closed bow (like mine), the buddy is priceless.

[erkoehler]

Looks good, I am sure it will pay for itself!