A position locating system to determine relative position information between a marine vessel and a trailer includes a first GNSS receiver located on one of a marine vessel and a trailer to receive a positioning signal from a positioning satellite, a second GNSS receiver located on the other of the marine vessel and the trailer to receive the positioning signal from the positioning satellite, a registering unit to register a current position of the trailer based on the positioning signal received by the first GNSS receiver when the trailer is stationary, a direction obtaining unit to obtain a direction of the marine vessel, a generating unit to generate correction information in real time based on the current position and the positioning signal received from the positioning satellite by the first GNSS receiver, and a position locator to determine relative position information between the marine vessel and the trailer.

Methods and systems described herein can assist a user when loading a watercraft onto a trailer (e.g., at a boat ramp). For example, position data generated by sensor(s) coupled to the watercraft and/or trailer can cause one or more propulsion devices associated with the watercraft to automatically (e.g., without user intervention) position the watercraft onto the trailer, for example, by controlling the power and/or thrust direction of the propulsion device(s).

A composite boat trailer for use in saltwater. The beams, bolts, hangers, fenders, guide poles, suspension, and bunks of the trailer are formed from a composite material that cannot rust or corrode. The trailer employs a manufacturing technique that reinforces all beams to distribute forces anticipated during the movement of a boat on the trailer at highway speeds.

A navigational system for guiding a boat onto a trailer comprising at least a portion of a tow vehicle which forms a natural marker for the navigation system. A camera is located on the boat to assist the navigational system with aligning a longitudinal axis of the boat with a longitudinal axis of the trailer. A central vertical (mid) axis of the camera is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the boat. An image processing unit receives and processes images from the camera. The image processing unit, based upon a determination of a position of the central vertical (mid) axis of the camera relative to a target area of the detected natural marker, generating guidance commands to assist a user with alignment of the longitudinal axis of the boat with the longitudinal axis of the trailer and thereby facilitate proper loading of the boat onto the trailer.

Various examples are provided related to boat loaders for trailers. In one example, a boat loader includes a primary tube extending between a first end and a second end and a light tube that can move within the primary tube. The light tube can include light elements extending along a portion of the light tube at a first end and a float attached to the light tube at a second end. The primary tube can be coupled to a trailer at the second end and the first end of the light tube can extend outward from the first end of the primary tube exposing the light elements as the primary tube is submerged in water and can retract into the primary tube as the primary tube is removed from the water.

A boat trailer and a method of backing up a boat on a trailer. The boat trailer includes a trailer back-up system having a first image capture device, a second image capture device, and a transmitter. The first image capture device is mounted on a left guide pole of the trailer in a rear-facing direction, and the second image capture device is mounted on a right guide pole of the trailer in a rear-facing direction. The transmitter is in communication with each of the first image capture device and the second image capture device and configured to transmit live video images from the first image capture device and from the second image capture device to a display device. The method includes moving the trailer with a boat loaded on the trailer in a rearward direction and capturing, in real-time, a first view and a second view.

A position locating system to locate relative position information between a marine vessel and a trailer includes a laser scanner on a first object, that is one of a marine vessel and a trailer for the marine vessel, to reciprocatingly scan a predetermined range in a horizontal direction with laser light, a laser light receiver on a second object, that is the other of the marine vessel and the trailer, to receive laser light emitted from the laser scanner, and a position locator configured or programmed to locate relative position information between the marine vessel and the trailer based on light receiving timings when the laser light emitted from the laser scanner is received by the laser light receiver.

An illuminating bow roller assembly to facilitate loading a watercraft onto a trailer under dark conditions is disclosed. Example components of the assembly include a pair of end bells, a roller, and a yoke into one or more of which lighting elements are recessed into, and a fastening assembly to connect the components to form the assembly. Generally, the lighting elements are arranged such that light therefrom is emitted toward one or more of the end bells and roller. The end bells and roller are composed of a translucent material that propagates light emitted from the lighting elements, which extends illumination to areas surrounding the bow roller assembly in addition to the bow roller assembly itself. A water-activated switch can be implemented to control the illumination of the assembly such that the lighting elements only emit light when the trailer is contacting water.

A lighted guide post assembly for a boat trailer is provided. The assembly includes a square tubular angled support post that attaches to a boat trailer, a translucent circular outer tube that covers the square support post, and strips of lights that suspend within the interior of the outer tube between the outer tube and the square support post. This arrangement allows the guide post to glow on four sides without light bleeding together from adjacent sides of the guide post.

The present invention relates generally to boat trailers and, more particularly, to an improved, automatic, self-leveling floating guide-on post assembly mounted to a pontoon boat trailer. A pair of floating guide-on post assemblies are mounted on the rear member of a trader frame in the cavity between the pontoons of a pontoon boat. The floating guide-on post assemblies each include an upwardly extending cylindrical shaped exterior support tube, and a buoyant interior cylinder tube and wheel assembly adapted to contact and guide a pontoon during loading on and unloading off a boat trailer. The floating guide-on post assemblies include a mounting system comprised of U-shaped bolts and clamps that allow the guide-on post to be mounted to a pontoon boat trailer frame. Accordingly, when a pontoon trader is backed down a boat ramp, the guide-on post assemblies will automatically extend to the water level, thus remaining visible and capable of assisting in the loading on and unloading off a pontoon boat to and from a boat trailer.