I offically hate my Boat Buddy

The first time I used it I had no problems. But I wasn't at the lake I normally go to. Now I've been twice and I'm ready to throw that thing in the lake. The ramp I use is shallow, so when I put the boat on the trailor the front hits and the back keeps floating so the nose try to go under my boat buddy. Lucky I hit reverse soon enough to put the smallest nick on the nose but it could have been bad. So then I pull the tailor in deeper but you have to up it so deep to get it the boat buddy under the nose the boat dosen't hit any of the bunks and trying to get a 24 foot boat to hit a 3" wide V isn't the easiest thing I've ever done. So thats it next time I go to the lake I'm taking that thing off. Anybody want to buy a used boat buddy I'm taking offers LOL.

Having a roller in place of the boat buddy isn't going to fix your problem. It will be at the same height. You just need to figure out the proper depth that your trailer needs to be at. ie- Fenders even with water, just under, just out of, etc. Then, put your trailer in at the same depth everytime. How "far" in you are doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is how "deep" the trailer is.

I understand your frustration as I felt the same way about Boat Buddy at first. Your trailer is to deep if the nose of the boat is trying to go under the BB. Try backing the trailer all the way in (Dunk the bunks) to get them wet before driving the boat on the trailer. This will decrease the friction and allow the boat to glide up the bunks easier on a shallow ramp.

Let me know when your ready to sell it.

Simple solution. You are backing your trailer too deep. If your boat is on your bunks it will work perfectly each time. The only way your boat is not on the bunks is that you are in too deep and the boat will be floating in the back. Do as Charlie says and you should find the happy spot.

It is funny how the boat buddy really is a love hate relationship. You either love them or hate them.

I didn't think about dunking the trailer first. The first time I tried it at this ramp I didn't have the trailer in this deep and I couldn't get the boat to slide all the way up to the boat buddy even with then winch and given it some gas. Getting the bunks wet first might help. I just don't like hitting the trailer at raming speed.

i have had boat buddy on my previous supra and now mastercraft. dunking the bunks really helps a ton then pull forward the trailer forward to where the top of the fenders is level with the water.

user error.

the boat buddy works if you know what your doing. Like other's said your trailer is in to deep.

It kills me because I've been using this ramp with my super sport for 3 years with no problems. Now with this boat buddy I look like a rookie out there.

You might try a can of liquid rollers too, you can get it at West Marine, spray it on the bunks and the boat will slide on much easier. I use it on my 24v, helps alot. I am also of the opionon that the boat is just way too heavy for the boat buddy and dont use it, it was great on my x-star but this 24 is way heaveir. Just us it as a nice guide and hook the strap up before you pull the boat out.

The thing I don't like about the boat buddy is the pin. I've had 2 pins already and they keep bending. I don't know if it's just how I drive the boat up on the trailer but I'm pretty sure I don't overpower up it. That's the only thing I don't like about the boat buddy. Otherwise it "usually" works really well every time.

As stated I would agree that your trailer is too deep. I will also say dunk the bunks then pull out a bit. You boat should rest on your bunks as you drive it up to engage the boat buddy. I usually hook mine up with 600lbs all the way in the nose and never come close to hitting the buddy. It's all about trailer placement.

x3 about too deep.

I always recomend dunking the bunks all the way, then pulling the trailer out so that 1/2 of the top of the fender (tandem axle) is out of the water. This seems to be a good starting point on just about every ramp. Never had a problem on 10 different boats with this strategy. You just have to not be afraid to drive the boat up the bunks.

On bending boat buddy pins. Its not in teh loading, its in the transportation. Use a winch strap to take the tension off the pin (or even disengage the pin) while trailering. You won't have future problems.

The other thing that causes the pin to bend is driving the boat around on the trailer with the pin locked. As per Kodiak's instructions, after you pull the boat from the lake, you should always unlock the Boat Buddy & secure the boat with your winch, safety cable & transom straps. The Boat Buddy is only designed to be used during the load process & should not be locked any other time.

I have had the same problem with the nose going under the boat buddy or roller when the ramp is too steep on two diffent Supra's. If the ramp is steep when you put the fenders in at the same level as on a lower angle ramp it puts the boat buddy or roller too high, going over the nose. If you don't want to try and hit a 3 inch target, put the boat on the trailer stopping on the bunks then attach the strap and lower the trailer deeper and winch the boat into the boat buddy like you would a roller.

what is a boat buddy? I never have a problem, even at low level water. you don't have to hit it at ramming speed. 4.5 to 5mph is what I pull on the trailer at. works perfect every time. no winching involved.

Boat Buddy automatically locks your boat to the trailer when loading it on the trailer. Speeds the loading process 100 times.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_1052_225010004_225000000_225010000_225-10-4

User error is the problem.

Really I am not suppossed to have the boat hooked in the boat buddy while trailering it on the highway? I thought it was awesome that the boat didn't bounce around while towing using the BB.

I really like it but my pic will actually fall out and into the water if I am not carefull. Any solutions there? Is that pin suppossed to be removable??

Sounds like it's already damaged, Mike. I'd call Kodiak Trailers & find out what they can do for you. Their the manufacturer of the BoatBuddy, located in Ft Worth, TX. and have great customer service with parts available.

http://www.kodiaktrailer.com

once my trailer is in the water, it only takes less then a minute to put it on and drive off, I really don't see how it can be any faster.

I don't know that it's faster, Anthony, as much as it's more convenient. I can't tell you how many times we've been stared at by other boaters as we stab the trailer in, drive the boat on & pull out in seconds.
I just pulled the Vride on the trailer last night. Air temps were dipping fast, probably high 40s. I had to walk in on the slippery slimy ramp, hook the boat up & then walk out, now with cold wet Reefs on.
With the BoatBuddy I wouldn't even get out of the truck.
But to each his own. Some guys don't trust them. The ironic thing is they will trust their winch driving down the freeway. I personally have had the winch strap break & the winch itself implode, but have never had the Boat Buddy fail & drop my boat on the ramp.

As Bill mentioned, the beauty of Boat Buddy is that when done correctly, the guy backing the trailer never has to get out of the vehicle and the guy driving the boat never has to get out of the boat. 30 seconds and your off the ramp. In regards to using a winch strap vs. BB while towing, I use them both. Why not have double the protection?

Why would the pin bend while trailering??? What is the point of having a boat buddy if you don't keep the pin hooked between the bow eye?? I like the fact that it snaps and you can drive off but I use both the strap and the boat buddy while trailering. I was never told that the pin would bend if I trailered it by my dealer. Kinda seems pointless to pull the boat out then winch it then put the boat buddy in safety position.

Sounds like an issue to bring up with your dealer. The point of the BB is so you can LOAD the boat quickly & safely without leaving the truck & boat. If you have the longer bow eye, then theres a good chance you can keep the BB locked all the time without bending the pin. Don't like it? Call Kodiak & tell them yourself.

Look at the BB. It's a pretty delicate, spring loaded mechanism. The pin itself is 1/2 the diameter of your bow eye, and way smaller than your winch hook.
When the trailer goes over bumps & the boat shifts, it can pull on the BB pin, bending it. Not to say that happens everytime. But it happens enough that people complain about their BB being bent.
My Extreme trailer has a safety cable on the front, which is a heck of a lot stronger than the BB. I hook that up for driving around.


(Message edited by bill_airjunky on October 02, 2009)

My Boat Buddy always stays connected...I've never had a problem with it bending, but the pin ends up pretty much centered in my bow eye when it's engaged. So, as long as the boat doesn't shift on the trailer (which, with the winch and the transom straps connected it shouldn't) I don't think I'll ever have a problem.

The Boat Buddy is a great product, and any problems with it are more than likely operator error. Sorry.

Charlie,

Same for me - I have only had a few problems
and that was when I wasn't in enough, or was in too far -

All other times - I love the BB!

Once, the boss hit the BB a little too hard,
popped the pin - and I had to get WET to load
the boat ... haven't had that experience since
owning the buddy except that one time.

But - you do have to get the "proper depth" down. I also back in farther than I need
and pull back forward to "lube" the bunks.

Todd

That's what you get for selling the Nautique!

Ditched our boat buddy this summer. It was beat to shreds, even the guts. A roller is just much simpler, If you dont mind hooking up the winch strap before you pull out.

If the pin bends its probably because you have it closed when you load the boat and hit it with the bow ring.

One of the features I love about my boat is the boat buddy. Still learning the perfect depth to put the trailer.

With my winch holding the boat I don't think the boat would move a half a inch back and forth to bend the pin. I could be wrong but I highly doubt it. As for having it closed when I load, every time I go to the ramp I unhook the winch then I put the pin in the set position so when I put the trailer back in the water to take the boat out I don't have to remember. Like I said I think it works great, but somehow I bend the pin easy.

Andrew,
most of the people I have talked to with bent pins we have actually narrowed down the problem to trailer depth. I have come across 5-8 people who used to regularly come in with bent pins. We narrowed it all down to loading. What would happen is they would power load like you should, but then their trailer would be just a bit too deep and the boat would actually come back and bend the pin before the even moved out of the water. Had them pull up a bit and viola. Never a bent pin again.
It may seem like you are at the right depth, but just pull up a small bit. That would be where I would start.




I have been towing with boat buddies pretty much since their inception, on some of the bumpiest streets in America. Chicago's side streets and train tracks. I always have my boat buddy engaged and the winch strap attached. Never have suffered a bent pin. I think if you were to not leave the winch strapped it would cause a problem, but with the winch starp hooked and my transom straps attached my pin stays centered.

(Message edited by xstarrider on October 04, 2009)

Blair,

I bought my 24v back in the beginning of July and only got the hang of loading it about 3 weeks ago. What I do is dunk the bunks then pull up a particular distance (it'll vary depending on the slope of your ramp, on mine I pull it out until the front part of the fender is about to come out of the water). It shouldn't be the Boat Buddy that frustrates you based on that; however, my Boat Buddy frustrates me sometimes when it simply won't trigger the locking mechanism when I hit it right on. The 24v doesn't seem to do too well in small areas so I line up a good distance back and bring it in, I give it a good dose of speed as it goes onto the bunks. You want it to be smooth and non-stop to the boat-buddy. Atleast on my ramp, if you have to stop going up it, you're going to have to back out and do it again because it doesn't want to keep going. Or you could have someone lower the trailer and do it as you mentioned you had done it before. At my ramp you can lower the trailer deep enough where the guideposts stand maybe a foot out of the water and work just enough to let you guide it into the Boat Buddy but the back end will be floating and will almost never sit properly if there is any current at all.

These are my experiences with it. In the "What Do You Not Like About Your Boat" thread this was the only thing I put, haha.

Alright I tried it this weekend (it was not at the ramp that is giving me the most trouble I didn't go to that lake). I did have someone back it all the way in and then pull it out until the top of the fender is about come out of the water. It worked great and no one had to get out and get wet. The boat did stop before the boatbuddy so I had to back it off a some and get alittle bit of a running start. I guess I just need to get used to, that a 24 foot boat dosen't slide on as easy as a 21 foot boat and just hit it with a little more speed!

Yea, that was the trick for me, a little more speed. It scares everyone on the dock but you have to do it to get the nose past the boat buddy and onto the eye. It definitely doesn't slide on as well as a 21 foot boat. I went from a 17' I/O to t his and it was a giant change in loading methods.