Trailer Guides

[Steve-Regan]

Hey Y’all! We just bought a Yamaha 252s and we love it. However, we’re coming from a pontoon to this jet boat and man is it different! The trailer is a challenge for us especially in the wind! We still have a lot to learn but we are sure we need trailer guides! I don’t even know where to start and would appreciate your suggestions!! Thanks so much!

 

[YoDaddy292]

I am happy with the CE Smith 60” posts off of Amazon.

 

[AZMark]

VeVe are very nice and some of the strongest I think

 

[Robbyw]

I bought VeVe and about the third time I pulled the boat out after installing them I clumped the boat shed and bent it all to $&@:$ I pulled them both off and meant to order more, but never got around to it. I am on my 3rd summer with my AR250 and have realized I just don’t need them: once I learned how deep the boat likes the trailer and how to use my throttles and stealing wheel Figured it out. I have had a few time where I needed to back up and try again (usually when there is a crowd watching) but I manage with out them. Give it some time and you can figure it out

 

[zipper]

Veve guides are built strong. Buy the pads to slip over the pvc pipe roller. Yes, these roll when in contact with the boat.

 

[Babin Farms]

I bought the CE Smith and would try another brand if buying another set. The strength is just not there.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Hey Y’all! We just bought a Yamaha 252s and we love it. However, we’re coming from a pontoon to this jet boat and man is it different! The trailer is a challenge for us especially in the wind! We still have a lot to learn but we are sure we need trailer guides! I don’t even know where to start and would appreciate your suggestions!! Thanks so much!

I hear you on how much the boat moves around when the wind is blowing, however I don’t use the guides and I think guides would be more of a hindrance than help.

When I retrieve the boat I put the forward set of trailer fenders just under the water, on windy days I might come onto the trailer slowly at 45° and let the bow gently contact the far side bunk then slowly slide up towards the front using a tiny bit of thrust, and as it straightens out perhaps a bit more thrust-differential if necessary to bring the bow around. If I had guide poles I couldn’t do that, and I think that in some of the windier days the guide poles would have made it more difficult.

If you have not practiced using differential thrust, one throttle in forward the other in reverse, you are missing out on a large part of the maneuvering capabilities of your boat. You should go out and practice a lot using this technique. Here is an important note when using differential thrust, always keep the steering wheel centered. If using both throttles together then use the steering wheel. Differential thrust on our boats won’t have enough control authority if the winds are very high though, having said that 90% of my docking / retrieving is done with differential thrust. And be sure you know how to use the TDE position of your throttles and no wake mode in concert with each other, this is an excellent tool for slow speed operation and is described in your manual.

 

[anmut]

VeVe guides on my setup. I bought some spray on black bed liner for the metal pieces of the guides so it matches the boat and painted the pvc black where the pads stick up. I can attest to the strength as we dock in currents and have bounced the boat off many times getting it aligned, but it's perfect every time!

Also, if you've every had to back your trailer around a corner and/or down a hill with the boat off you'll be super happy to have tall posts as corner indicators.

Pro-tip on installation - put them on your trailer while you have your mooring cover on so you can align the guides away from the cover ratchet straps.

 

[anmut]

I hear you on how much the boat moves around when the wind is blowing, however I don’t use the guides and I think guides would be more of a hindrance than help.

When I retrieve the boat I put the forward set of trailer fenders just under the water, on windy days I might come onto the trailer slowly at 45° and let the bow gently contact the far side bunk then slowly slide up towards the front using a tiny bit of thrust, and as it straightens out perhaps a bit more thrust-differential if necessary to bring the bow around. If I had guide poles I couldn’t do that, and I think that in some of the windier days the guide poles would have made it more difficult.

If you have not practiced using differential thrust, one throttle in forward the other in reverse, you are missing out on a large part of the maneuvering capabilities of your boat. You should go out and practice a lot using this technique. Here is an important note when using differential thrust, always keep the steering wheel centered. If using both throttles together then use the steering wheel. Differential thrust on our boats won’t have enough control authority if the winds are very high though, having said that 90% of my docking / retrieving is done with differential thrust. And be sure you know how to use the TDE position of your throttles and no wake mode in concert with each other, this is an excellent tool for slow speed operation and is described in your manual.

This is good info on how to recover a boat, but it's presuming that their boat landing is the same every time.

As a boater that travels frequently I can for sure say that guides will help when going to new, unknown, and possibly sketchy boat landings. I've been to landings where the ramp was so cocked that one side of my trailer was off the cement pad - that's where trailer guides really shine.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

This is good info on how to recover a boat, but it's presuming that their boat landing is the same every time.

As a boater that travels frequently I can for sure say that guides will help when going to new, unknown, and possibly sketchy boat landings. I've been to landings where the ramp was so cocked that one side of my trailer was off the cement pad - that's where trailer guides really shine.

The hardest retrieval I have done thus far was with 30-40 winds blowing perpendicular to the trailer… I had to use the throttles together, and lots of power, including using the no wake / cruise assist button to raise max rpm’s in reverse along with a couple of attempts to get it on the trailer, it wasn’t pretty but got it done without hitting or damaging anything.