# Some things I learned after getting a bigger boat....



## notnksnemor (Apr 19, 2010)

After years of having a 17' boat I finally moved up to a 
20+. 
Some things I learned:
>Bigger boat is great, more room, rides better, more comfortable.
>Bigger boats come with bigger trailers that usually have brakes. Sometimes the brakes are surge brakes, and *surge brakes suck*. After only having single axle trailers, I can now tell you surge brakes suck. This is my first encounter with them. When I bought the boat I saw that the brakes were rusty and didn't work, no problem, figured that into the price and moved on. Next I replace 2 caliper/rotors, clean the brake line, replace the actuator on the tounge, bleed and brakes work like new.
Hook to trailer to move it and* It won't back up*. Who would a thought surge brakes work just as well going backward as they do going forward. 
So now I find out I have to change from a 4 pin flat plug to a 5 pin flat plug to pick up power to a little solenoid to shut the brakes off when the back up lights come on........In the process of doing that, notice the wire on the trailer looks old, and the lights are not submergeable. So I change wiring harness and lights on trailer. Now trailer backs up and brakes work. So I'm thinking, I usually unplug the lights when I back it in the water, can't do that now or brakes won't work. Get a 4 pin flat plug and wire it in line with the 5 pin flat, so now I can unplug lights leaving wire hooked to brake solenoid so trailer will back up. 

Oh Yeah...... the boat runs great.


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## d-a (Apr 19, 2010)

Its always something. 

d-a


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## sea trout (Apr 19, 2010)

ha ha! glad the boat runs great!
d-a is right....there's always somthing!!!! ha ha


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## Parker Phoenix (Apr 19, 2010)

Welcome to my world.....


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## PaulD (Apr 19, 2010)

Bigger boats=bigger issues, and more of them!


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## Capt. Scott Griffin (Apr 19, 2010)

Check your actuator...there should be a lockout on it that you can slide something into that will keep your actuator from sliding and locking your brakes up..when I move my trailer with my lawn mower I use the lock out.


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## notnksnemor (Apr 19, 2010)

Trollin_Fool said:


> Check your actuator...there should be a lockout on it that you can slide something into that will keep your actuator from sliding and locking your brakes up..when I move my trailer with my lawn mower I use the lock out.



There is a hole for a lock pin. The actuator has to be all the way out. It came down to: do I want to put in a couple of hours to wire it right or jump out and put a pin in the tongue everytime I want to back up?
It wasn't bad, just seemed like one thing lead to another. Trailer is like new now.


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## kingfish (Apr 19, 2010)

B.O.A.T:  Bring On Another Thousand !!


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## Robert 31320 (Apr 19, 2010)

Sometimes, a bigger boat will also teach you how much you actually liked your smaller boat.


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## notnksnemor (Apr 19, 2010)

Robert 31320 said:


> Sometimes, a bigger boat will also teach you how much you actually liked your smaller boat.



Smaller boats are great.......here's a shameless plug for one that needs a good home.......


http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=524638


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## Robert 31320 (Apr 19, 2010)

That is a nice one.


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## Capt. Richie Lott (Apr 19, 2010)

Amen.....


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## Tide-Dancer (Apr 19, 2010)

Replace your trailer lights with Peterson LED lights and you will not have to unplug them. LED lights run cool and are waterproof.
Why Peterson? They work!!! There are many LED lights on the market that are junk. Bass Pro, West Marine and most of the big box stores carry the price point lights. Go to a Northern Tool store and buy Peterson and be done with it.
I retired from 35 years in the trailer parts business so I speak from experience.


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## Cricket Chunker (Apr 22, 2010)

Superbrightleds.com - best deal on submersible LEDS for boat trailers.  I have replaced both my boat trailers with these (one for the 17' small lake boat and the other for the 22' bay boat). 

SUPEBRIGHT LEDS - Submersible Trailer LEDS

PS - I also convered my plug from the flat 4 pin to a 7 pin to match my trailer outlet on the truck.  Now I don't have to bother with any adapters.  Found the plug with 6' cords for less than $10 on ebay.  This mod was well worth the small amount of time it took to install.


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## Bubbaforsure (Apr 22, 2010)

kingfish said:


> B.O.A.T:  Bring On Another Thousand !!



Amen....................!


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## skiff23 (Apr 23, 2010)

I am having trouble with my surge brakes now. I think I am just gonna remove them completly.


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## T-Boy (Apr 25, 2010)

Bubbaforsure said:


> Amen....................!



Double Amen

New used boat:

Carbs rebuilt
Livewell pumps
Livewell drain switch
Timing set
Trolling motor foot switch
New depth finders, then replace bad transducer
Replace gravel shields on trailer
Boat cover
three batteries

$2000 later, good to go ( till something else breaks)


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## Steve762us (Apr 29, 2010)

Working on replacing leaf springs, U-bolts, etc on a 1996 trailer now.  It's amazing how good you can get, laying on your back, swinging a 4# sledge, on a cold chisel, after the 2d day!


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## d-a (Apr 29, 2010)

Steve762us said:


> Working on replacing leaf springs, U-bolts, etc on a 1996 trailer now.  It's amazing how good you can get, laying on your back, swinging a 4# sledge, on a cold chisel, after the 2d day!



I feel your pain.

After have 2 leaf springs break on 2 separate occasions, Im on a 3 year replacement cycle for the leaf springs and hardware.  I always try to have the boat sitting in the water to make things easier. That and a ton Of PB blaster sprayed on everything seems to help. 

d-a


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## shakey gizzard (Apr 30, 2010)

d-a said:


> I feel your pain.
> 
> After have 2 leaf springs break on 2 separate occasions, Im on a 3 year replacement cycle for the leaf springs and hardware.  I always try to have the boat sitting in the water to make things easier. That and a ton Of PB blaster sprayed on everything seems to help.
> 
> d-a



PB blaster is your friend!


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