Do you have a hard time maneuvering your vessel in your trailer? A trailer guide makes loading and launching your boat much easier, especially in windy conditions. Trailer guides can vary in price, and a lot of them on the market can be on the expensive side of the range. If you wonder how to make a boat trailer guide post in no time while saving money, you are in for a treat.
This guide will help you gather around the materials and build your trailer guide posts to fit like a glove for your boat. They are easy to make. The materials needed are easy to find, their assembly and installation are stress-free, and most of all, making these posts won’t hurt your pocket.
Table of Contents
- What You Will Need To Follow Along
- How to Make Your Boat Trailer Guide
- Step 1: Prepare the materials and tools needed to make the boat trailer guide posts.
- Step 2: Cut the PVC40 PE Pipe into two.
- Step 3: Know where you will mount the PVC40 PE Pipes as posts.
- Step 4: Measure how far out the PVC may stick through.
- Step 5: Cut the PVC40 PE Pipe based on your measurement on your trailer.
- Step 6: Combine the two pipes.
- Step 7: Mark the frame.
- Step 8: Drill holes on the shorter PVC40 PE pipe.
- Step 9: Secure the pipe.
- Step 10: Level the pipe.
- Conclusion
What You Will Need To Follow Along
These DIY boat trailer posts will need a few things. Most of the materials required may be already in your garage, while some are in your nearest home improvement stores.
They will most likely cost you less than the regular boat trailer posts you can find online or in stores. One of the best things in having a DIY post is that it perfectly fits your trailer boat. You can adjust the height of this post according to your needs. By having a custom-made one, you can assess your trailer’s needs and adapt to it quickly.
Here are the things that are needed to make boat trailer guide posts:
- Steel tape or measuring tape
It will be used to measure the post’s height. The height of the posts can be pre-cut. Having a measuring tool will make sure they are even. A measuring device can also be handy for future adjustments.
- Hex bolts, nuts, and washers
You will need at least four pieces of each. This will ensure your boat trailer guide post is secured at all times. The size recommended for this DIY is 3/8 inches. You can always adjust the size of these bolts, nuts, and washers, depending on the posts’ size and how thick the material on your trailer is.
- PVC40 PE Pipe
This pipe is about 10 feet long, and about 1 and 1/4 inches. Of course, you can have a longer or thicker one for your posts. One pipe will be cut further, so about 4-feet tall posts can be accommodated in this PVC pipe. The PVC40 PE Pipe will be the main guide post for your trailer.
- Elbows and Caps
You will need two pieces of each. The cap will cover each post, while the 90° elbows will connect the pipes. Make sure that the PVC pipes, the elbows, and the caps have sizes that complement each other so all will fit upon installation.
- Cable Ties
These nifty ties are needed to secure the PVC pipes together with your trailer. Cable ties will act as an additional reinforcement to keep it still. Weather-resistant cable ties are better for more durable support.
How to Make Your Boat Trailer Guide
Here’s a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to do it yourself easily.
Step 1: Prepare the materials and tools needed to make the boat trailer guide posts.
Having the materials at hand will lessen the time needed to assemble and set up the posts. Have ample space where you can have the materials ready. Having it near the trailer is also a great option.
Step 2: Cut the PVC40 PE Pipe into two.
With the 10-foot PVC40 PE Pipe, cut it in half to have two posts, one for each trailer side. This height is an estimated size, so if you need a longer post, have a longer PVC40 PE Pipe at the beginning.
If you don’t have a cutter for the pipe, have it cut in the store where you bought it. They can usually cut it to the number of pieces and size you choose.
Step 3: Know where you will mount the PVC40 PE Pipes as posts.
In your trailer, locate where you will mount the PVC40 PE Pipes. Not all trailers are the same. Some trailers only have space where you need to assemble the pipes as posts, while some have a designated spot where you can place the tubes directly on top. It all depends on your trailer.
Step 4: Measure how far out the PVC may stick through.
At the trailer’s frame, measure how far the pipes may stick out. At this point, the pipe will be further cut to that specific measurement. Later, the shorter pipe will be connected with the longer one through the elbow pipe.
Step 5: Cut the PVC40 PE Pipe based on your measurement on your trailer.
With one 5-foot PVC40 PE Pipe cut a portion based on your previous measurement on Step 4. After cutting, compare it with the length on the trailer’s frame earlier.
Step 6: Combine the two pipes.
Using the elbow fitting, connect the longer and the shorter pipe. Try to position the frame of the guide posts at this point.
Step 7: Mark the frame.
Using a marker, mark the frame on where you will drill holes for later. The marking on the trailer’s frame is then aligned with the shorter pipe. Try to draw the pipe as well. Mark 2 holes that are adequately spaced for each other.
Step 8: Drill holes on the shorter PVC40 PE pipe.
Drill 2 holes going all the way through the pipe. These holes should complement where you marked the frame of the trailer earlier. One side of the hole should fit the bolt, securing the pipe. The other hole across it may be larger to cater to the socket wrench.
Step 9: Secure the pipe.
Once the holes have been drilled, secure the pipe with the bolts, nuts, and washers using a socket wrench. You can easily access the spot using the giant hole on the front side. Once this has been secured, you can additionally reinforce the pipe with the cable ties. Place two cable ties on each side to keep the pipes neatly tightened.
Step 10: Level the pipe.
Cap the top part of the pipe once each of them is secured. Level both tubes and make necessary adjustments. You now have a boat trailer guide post that’s held safe and secured.
Conclusion
Have you enjoyed making your own boat trailer guide posts? Having these posts will make maneuvering your boats a whole lot easier. It can also act as a visual cue as you transfer it through. The steps in how to make a boat trailer guide post are essential if you want to have a comprehensive and neat process.
What do you think of how to make boat trailer guide posts easily in your place? Doing it on your own saves you from shelling out extra cash, keeping your posts more custom-made. If you enjoyed this article, you could share it with your friends, especially those wanting to ploy their watercraft even better. Besides, you also can refer to other posts such as bass boat weigh or boat trailer weight if you have interesting.
“I am James Harvey – founder of Boating Basics Online. It is established with the drive to help out first-time boaters, which are those desiring to explore their way through the water. So if you are new to boating, start from here with me. “