First day highs & lows

[Lpennington]

First day owning a boat ...
First day driving a boat ... both on the same day. Picked up our new 18' AR195 from Performance East in Goldsboro, NC. They were very patient and thorough and then took us to the lake to give a launch/retrieve tutorial and some on-the-water tips. All in all, the anticipation, the dealer experience, and the time on the water was great.

Then we got home and the lows started ...

1st, it took a WHILE to turn the trailer basically 90 degrees to get into our driveway.
2nd, the trailer coupler stuck to the ball.
3rd, I think I over-extended the trailer jack & now it won't lower/raise ... prolly messed the gears up
Finally, with the jack stuck in the extended position, I moved the truck about an inch and heard a pop. Got out, and it had worked. The ball was free and the couple was 4-5 inches above it! LOL. However, the jack is still jacked up.

Any ideas on what to do with the jack? I read to try spinning the lower tube (whatever that means), however, there's really little it'll move with the jack in extended position supporting all that weigh. I wouldn't even know how remove it to replace it (jack it up with a 2nd jack?).

All suggestions appreciated!

Tomorrow, I'm going to install the Cobra Viper steering system!

 

[Beachbummer]

Jacks are cheap. So don't sweat it even if you managed to break it.

Worst case, secure the trailer with a car Jack, and once the weight of the trailer is off the trailer Jack, you may be able to get it to re-engage with the mechanism.

Trailering requires practice, a lot of it, specially reversing. Practice will make perfect.

As you saw, sometimes the car needs to be moved slightly to get the trailer to disengage.

 

[swatski]

First day owning a boat ...
First day driving a boat ... both on the same day. Picked up our new 18' AR195 from Performance East in Goldsboro, NC. They were very patient and thorough and then took us to the lake to give a launch/retrieve tutorial and some on-the-water tips. All in all, the anticipation, the dealer experience, and the time on the water was great.

Then we got home and the lows started ...

1st, it took a WHILE to turn the trailer basically 90 degrees to get into our driveway.
2nd, the trailer coupler stuck to the ball.
3rd, I think I over-extended the trailer jack & now it won't lower/raise ... prolly messed the gears up
Finally, with the jack stuck in the extended position, I moved the truck about an inch and heard a pop. Got out, and it had worked. The ball was free and the couple was 4-5 inches above it! LOL. However, the jack is still jacked up.

Any ideas on what to do with the jack? I read to try spinning the lower tube (whatever that means), however, there's really little it'll move with the jack in extended position supporting all that weigh. I wouldn't even know how remove it to replace it (jack it up with a 2nd jack?).

All suggestions appreciated!

Tomorrow, I'm going to install the Cobra Viper steering system!

Congrats on the new boat - those SVHOs are the very best!

Sounds like you will need to relieve the pressure on that jacked up jack to remove it/ replace. I would make sure to chock the trailer wheels REALLY well, so the trailer does not slide up or down.

The good news is, those jacks are generally very inexpensive. As far as OEM replacement, may want to consider an upgrade.

--

 

[dietz]

Typical first day/weeks.
...it all gets so much easier , and quickly.
Nothing more than practice & finding a pattern that works for you.

Wife and I started with forward/back over 10 times to make it in garage (lots of frustrations) for our tight driveway, now it's I forward, and did it once with straight back in. ...just time

Our ball still gets jammed at times. Pulling truck forward always works, but can usually fold the trailer tongue if we lift up while folding.
...sounds like your answer might be to put a block under the trailer jack wheel, so it lifts high enough without having to max out the jack fully (thus getting it stuck).

Good luck

First day owning a boat ...
First day driving a boat ... both on the same day. Picked up our new 18' AR195 from Performance East in Goldsboro, NC. They were very patient and thorough and then took us to the lake to give a launch/retrieve tutorial and some on-the-water tips. All in all, the anticipation, the dealer experience, and the time on the water was great.

Then we got home and the lows started ...

1st, it took a WHILE to turn the trailer basically 90 degrees to get into our driveway.
2nd, the trailer coupler stuck to the ball.
3rd, I think I over-extended the trailer jack & now it won't lower/raise ... prolly messed the gears up
Finally, with the jack stuck in the extended position, I moved the truck about an inch and heard a pop. Got out, and it had worked. The ball was free and the couple was 4-5 inches above it! LOL. However, the jack is still jacked up.

Any ideas on what to do with the jack? I read to try spinning the lower tube (whatever that means), however, there's really little it'll move with the jack in extended position supporting all that weigh. I wouldn't even know how remove it to replace it (jack it up with a 2nd jack?).

All suggestions appreciated!

Tomorrow, I'm going to install the Cobra Viper steering system!

 

[haknslash]

Go to an empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice backing up, making turns, whatever. Use some cones or plastic bottles to act as obstacles. Before long you will be a pro. I have to back into my driveway 90 degrees every time I take the boat out so I know how ya feel. You'll get the hang of it soon but I highly recommend going to a large empty parking lot so that you can practice maneuvering a boat around simulating parking. There you can take your mind off of hitting things and just focus on learning how to maneuver a trailer.

As for fins, personally I think you should use the boat a little more to get used to the jets and only after then should you make a decision. Right now you're probably over correcting on a lot of the things that makes jet boat maneuvering work since you're so new to it. I have the same boat and if you learn to use No Wake Mode around the dock you will find this boat responds and turns pretty good with the stock rudder. Thrust is key. The only thing that sucks for maneuvering is reverse but now there is a fix for that with the new TDE from jetboatpilot.

The stock jack sucks so if you damaged it just replace it with a better quality jack. Also get you a Stoltz bow roller to keep your new boat from looking like mangled crap from the stock hard plastic bow roller.

 

[Lpennington]

Thx for the replies. The Stoltz bow roller is already sitting in the truck waiting to be installed.

As far as the jack ... I can see the 2 bolts but there's no way to access the nuts ... looks like I'd have to remove the winch stand (@&$?*) with the boat on it. I'm going to borrow a floor jack, raise it more and see if spinning the bottom tube will get the jack's gears back.

 

[haknslash]

Yes the only way to access the nuts is to remove the winch assembly. Been there and done that . Be careful the winch assembly is kind of heavy and the nuts holding it on are kind of a pain to deal with because they are stainless. Also be sure you mark where your winch was positioned on the trailer so you know where to put it back to when it's time. Not a bad idea to use some blue medium strengt loctite on the nuts of the jack when you put it back on because last thing you want is to have to do this crap again due to the jack nuts backing off.

For your ball not releasing inside the trailer tongue, just extend the jack wheel down to where you think it would be and then get on the back of the truck bumper and do a few bounces. This usually releases a ball. Sometimes it can be that your truck or vehicle needs to pull forward or back a hair to relieve the ball being in a bind but usually that's on a slope when that's an issue. I know you know this now the hard way but when you're using the jack to lower the wheel it's important to pay attention to how much the wheel is being extended. If you keep an eye on your tow vehicle you will see it begin to rise if the ball hasn't released yet and this is when you should stop and bounce on the bumper to dislodge the ball.

 

[Beachbummer]

Since it's such a pain to get to those nuts, it may be worthwhile to try to re-engage by releasing the weight of the jack with another car jack and then wiggle the lower part of the jack and turn the lever. It might re-engage and not require more disassembly. As stated earlier by others this can be done unsafely and give you big trouble if it falls of the jack the wrong way, so chuck the wheels and lift the minimum required with another jack to get to this state with great concern for your life and property,

Best of luck!

 

[swatski]

I would not wait another hour to install the Cobras.

I came to jetboats strictly from outboards, and I could not stand the lose stern feeling crossing the chop. In my case the Cobra Ultimates (set up down at speed, all the way) were the answer. The Vipers were not available back then but that is what I would do nowadays - on day one.

Why suffer?

--

 

[Lpennington]

Since it's such a pain to get to those nuts, it may be worthwhile to try to re-engage by releasing the weight of the jack with another car jack and then wiggle the lower part of the jack and turn the lever. It might re-engage and not require more disassembly.

Just borrowed a neighbor's jack to give this a go. The lower tube of the tongue jack separated pretty easily. If I can't spin the lower tube back into the upper tube easily then I'll have to go thru this:

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

As for removing the jack you can release the round lock ring where it pivots and take the jack from the mount pretty easily just use a set of lock ring pliers to remove the ring and reinstall it. Then you are leaving the base on the trailer avoiding the bolts etc. there will also be a thin washer behind the lock ring Also when you back a trailer and place pressure on the hitch once you get the trailer where you want it chock the wheels if you are on a hill or incline even a slight one, then place the vehicle in neutral for a second and it will move just enough to release the tongue .
As for the fins get them on a s a p and you will see what a real reverse will feel like plus stopping power and faster planing , tighter turns and the ability to carve out of wakes from other boats in heavy traffic areas easily, plus a planted tracking at speed that allows you to slow rapidly and continue to maintain your course without slipping out even change course while reducing your speed. And power steering all for only $159, however you obviously already know all this .

 

[Peelz]

trailering. practice, practice... practice...

then when you're done, practice some more.

I once incorrectly assumed this was an across the board skill for guys to possess. Loaned my truck with trailer to a guy I knew well to haul a motorcycle. Didnt even think to ask. he cocked it sideways in my driveway, couldnt figure it out. left it that way. LOL
cost me (HIM) a new bumper and tongue.

Oh, one more thing...did i say practice?

enjoy the new boat!

 

[Ilmmct]

@Peelz your first day lows, mirror my own. Trailering is harder than operating these boats. Glad the on-water experience was enjoyable. There are some great trailering videos on YouTube that have helped me hack through this least enjoyable part of “boating”.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

One thing that you may want to do being new to boating in general is use a dry erase board to make a list of things that you want to always remember when you go out in the boat. I think I need to make myself a new one since I forgot my small cooler yesterday .
list things you always need like your wallet and keys yes I have forgotten those a time or two As time goes on the list gets longer and it gets more difficult to remember everything you need to bring

 

[Lpennington]

I wanted to post my jack resolution in case anyone is in this pickle and wants to avoid taking off the winch assembly. The inner tube screw was compromised so I just purchased that piece and will replace in what'll be a 10-minute project.

Thanks for tips.

 

[Rufusthedog]

One thing i do every time when backing the trailer in for putting the boat in; I keep my drivers window down so there is no way to lock my truck keys in the truck.

As someone who is also new to this, It's one less thing to think about at a time I am fully concentrating on getting the boat into the water without issue. And it sure would ruin an outing to have the truck locked running with the boat 1/2 in the water taking up the launch while forming a line of angry boaters behind you.

I found I was jumping in and out of my truck to take a look back there and just made this a rule for myself.

Also, congrats on the new boat and achievements.

For me It quickly went from "stressful" to "fun" to "this is what i should be doing in all my free time from now on".

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Interesting but if you get a door key made not one that will start the vehicle just an inexpensive key that will open the door only then if you glue an earth magnet to it using super glue , you can place it under the back of your hood or in other spots that are not visible so you can get in if you lock yourself out, I did this for my G/F since she was always doing that and calling me to bring a key to get the door open. Using a non chip key blank is just incase someone did find the key it would not start the vehicle and they could not steal it as easily anyway.

 

[biglar155]

It doesn't sound like anything abnormal for a first outing. On the plus side, you've already learned how one part of your system works (the jack). I always tell the new guys that work for me: "You learn more about your equipment when it breaks than you do when it's working right." It's the same on your boat.

As to the trailering: I suffered through that at a young age. The day before I got my driver's license my Dad asked "You're off of school tomorrow right?" "Yup." "Is Mom taking you to get your license?" "Yup." "I expect the boat in the water and tied to the dock when I get home from work. I want to go for a ride." (Keep in mind that my Dad NEVER went boating after work.) So my buddy and I spent the day at the un-crowded little dirt launch 2 blocks from the house trying to figure out how to back a trailer. Stick-shift, two-wheel-drive and all. Granted, it was only a 14' boat but it might as well have been the Queen Mary. Just getting it out of the garage was nerve-wracking.

Needless to say, backing a trailer hasn't been an issue for me since - and Dad was always irritated because I got to use his boats more than he did.

 

[Beachbummer]

The shorter the trailer, the more unforgiving it is to mistakes on reverse. So that was a very challenging set up. Practice makes perfect.

 

[adrianp89]

I am still getting a hold of it. Some days I get it exactly where I want on the first try. Other days I have no idea what I am doing lol.