Trailer Question,

[fishinmagician_IV]

I've got a heavy Robalo and the bunk trailer that I spray with "Roller Glide" is the smoothest on and off entry IMO. I've had 5 boats and all of them with bunks and never had a problem with the bunks as with rollers I hear, you have to replace them at times?

[nautiduck]

Frank, how do you go about your loading and unloading sequence I think that has alot more to do with it than the style of trailer. I originally had a roller trailer with my old 29' scarab when the rollers wore out I replaced them with bunks because I feel they support the hull better. I never really noticed alot of difference between the two except with rollers I didnt need to back down quite as far. When I would load or unload by myself first of all you need to pick a ramp right beside a dock. I run a long line from the bow to the stern, it allows complete control of the boat from the dock. Back the boat down unhook and use the line to manuever the boat to where you can tie it off. On a boat the size of yours its kinda difficult to board from the bow off the trailer but you can find bow ladders, they make a automatic "clip" for the bow eye where when you drive up onto the trailer it snaps shut I think it also has a rope that allows you to release it from on the boat. A friend has this setup on his 38' powerquest you back down walk out the tounge of the trailer un hook the safety chain and winch, climb up over the bow (we actually welded an extension up the front of the winch support and welded steps on) start the engines the pull the release, off you go. Hope it helps but your situation may not work as well.

[tomfrmnh]

I guess this is why I'm still confused on theis issue. If you'll look it's split 50/50. I guees there's good and bad points for each. Thank's, Frank

Frank,
You are correct sir. It is a matter of preference. Like all things in boating kind of like electronics. Anyway, for what it is worth, I have a bunk trailer with my current boat. The last boat I had was a roller trailer. Both have their advantages. If you are single handling a lot the roller type makes it easy to "crank" the boat up the trailer no matter how steep the ramp is. Don’t look for perfection here though, often times the boat comes up not quite perfect. That used to drive me crazy. Powering up on a roller trailer is tough unless you want to keep the boat in gear (not a good practice) while you secure the bow or she will slide back down if there is any slope to the ramp. I like the way my current bunk works, though I am not single handling a lot. Have the person backing trailer down just "wet" the bunks, drive up to the trailer to align the boat, have the person in the car/truck back down another 3-4 ft and drive the rest of the way up. It works for us. I do think that most problems you see at the ramp are due to lack of preparation and a good plan. My two cents.

[seapower]

The problem with this trailer isn't how hard it is physically to get the boat up or down. The problem comes with the first contact with the first center roller (it has 6 keel roller's). If you don't hit it dead center , you go off to the side and eat your gellcoat up (deep scratches, ouch!). On the roller trailer's that I see now there are no keel roller as on mine. There is nothing to hit, pretty much keep it in the center and your OK. This an old design, that hasn't been built for many year's to my knowledge. Anyone that has had a "Long" trailer with the "horse shoe's" will know exactly what I am refering to. If you hit dead center (not 2" off) all goes well. On the other hand I've seen guy's at the ramp have a real hair pulling time with both types of trailer's. Thank's, Frank

[cdail28590]

Frank I had one of those Long trailers and that horse shoe piece rusted in the middle, so bad it had to be replaced. I put a replacement one on but it didn't last long. Eventually, I took all the rollers off and put bunks on it. The rollers were nice in shallow water but I didn't see where I had to go that much deeper to get it off with the bunks. My boat was a 25' and weighed about 6,000 lbs. I did have those slides that help the boat slide off. I don't think they were rated for the weight I put on them but I didn't have any issues. I did notice with the bunks the boat didn't seem to wiggle as much on the trailer when I was pulling it.

[seapower]

sent you a PM on your wiring issue. How did you put the bunks on, do you remember? I was thinking about the same thing. What type boat did you have on the trailer? I've not had much experience with trailer's and don't know what can be done, or what should not be done. The concensis here is split right down the middle. The biggest positive I see with the bunk style is the less maintainence. Frank

[cdail28590]

I took 2 2x12's and screwed them together and covered them. I then set them on top of the trailers frame. I did have to notch were some of the u-bolts went over the frame. You can buy brackets that will then bolt the bunks to the frame. If I remember correctly the brackets were about $15 a piece. After everything was mounted I put the bunk slides on top of the carpet. I left my very front horseshoe on the trailer to keep the boat from hitting the fram in the fron and to give it some support as well as guide the boat on the trailer. I had 25 walkaround Grady. The only issue I had was the boat had to be perfect on the trailer in order for the chines to sit in between the bunks. Another thing is to make sure you don't put a bunk trailer to deep in the water. If it was to far back it was terrible trying to get it lined up on the trailer without a chine sitting on top of the bunk it just floated around to much. When my trailer was a roller trailer it was fairly easy to load, it did make it easier having another person to hook the winch up so when you let off the power the boat wouldn't roll back off the trailer. When I would load it by myself I would keep the motors in gear and just keep enough power on the boat to keep it from sliding back down and I would jump off the boat and hook the winch and then get back on the boat and cut everything off. Those black rollers are piece of crap and by the time you pay to replace all of them its would have been a lot cheaper to convert to bunks.

[PLAN 9]

I have used bunks for my last three boats and have been very pleased with them. I have found the biggest help on loading a v hull is to have both rear bunks and front bunks. The front bunks are set in a v pattern wide towards the stern and point up front. Mine are set-up about as wide as the inside of the rear bunks. That with guide posts makes my 21' Mako a breeze to single-hand. I guide so I launch and recover my boat single-handed about 150 times a year.
I found that having the front bunks makes loading alot easier.

[Bodie]

I have bunks on my trailer and it's the only way i would buy a trailer. I put a 25' carolina classic on and off by myself and its a heay SOB of a boat with no problem by myself. Just get the slick pads or spray for your bunks makes a world of difference.