If you're alone with no dock help, I know the bunks hold the boat upon recovery. But can you do it alone with rollers?? Thanks. The forum guys who answered up have been a huge help. Thanks.
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Trailering Alone: Bunks or Rollers?
- Thread starter hotajax
- Start date
croixboy
Well-Known Member
jimmy's marine service
Well-Known Member
no need for centering poles on a roller trailer...i launch and retrieve boats constatnly by myself....never any problems....all my service trailers are rollers...you couldn't give me a bunk trailer... :wink:
magicalbill
GreatGrady Captain
Hey Jimmy;
I've had both, a roller for my Seafarer 22 and presently a bunk galvanized for my 232 Gulfstream.
In both cases, I back in to where the trailer is not so submerged that the stern won't come in contact with the trailer bunks(or rollers.)
With the bunks barely breaking the surface, the boat is forced to track on the same way every time, whether I power on or winch on.
The secret for me is to not let the stern free-drift over the back of the trailer.
This procedure has worked great for me with both bunk and roller trailers..How come you don't like bunks? I've had no problems with mine...
hey, thanks for the saltwater tips awhile back..flushed and washed them in Fla, and Twin Cities Marine re-winterized them when I got home...Clean as new.
I've had both, a roller for my Seafarer 22 and presently a bunk galvanized for my 232 Gulfstream.
In both cases, I back in to where the trailer is not so submerged that the stern won't come in contact with the trailer bunks(or rollers.)
With the bunks barely breaking the surface, the boat is forced to track on the same way every time, whether I power on or winch on.
The secret for me is to not let the stern free-drift over the back of the trailer.
This procedure has worked great for me with both bunk and roller trailers..How come you don't like bunks? I've had no problems with mine...
hey, thanks for the saltwater tips awhile back..flushed and washed them in Fla, and Twin Cities Marine re-winterized them when I got home...Clean as new.
okletsfish
Well-Known Member
I have had both and I kinda like the bunks.Now if my launching was mainly at shallow ramps then I think a roller trailer would be a better choice.
croixboy
Well-Known Member
okletsfish said:I have had both and I kinda like the bunks.Now if my launching was mainly at shallow ramps then I think a roller trailer would be a better choice.
I've had both as well with different size boats. I prefer bunks on larger, and rollers with smaller boats.
gradyfish22
GreatGrady Captain
I prefer the rollers, never had any issues getting the boat to go on level, we launched a buddies 24' grady a few times late in the season to extend the season, I do not think we had a single trip where it went on right, took atleast 3 or 4 times. If you use the roller trailer right, as mentioned above, it will track onto the trailer a lot better. I agree with rollers you should not have to submerge it as far, and a power winch is a must. A bunk trailer is desiged to be submerged more, and the stern can sway more, even with guide bars.
jimmy's marine service
Well-Known Member
rollers...i never submerge my trailers,the back wheels are wet...that's it...
a bunk trailer,you've gotta sink the trailer...here's another thing you guys probably never seen...the aluminum bunk trailers,they will float...i promise you it's true...i've seen it first hand...
roller trailers are self aligning..when i see guys trying to "line the boat up" i get a little scared...with a roller trailer,you crank it up and it straightens itself...i have 2 winches on my service trailers,a power winch,this pulls the boat on,and a pull off winch,this will pull the boat off the trailer,allowing me to unload the boat onto blocks...trying to get a boat off a bunk trailer is a real pain in the butt...remember this,you guys who paint your own bottoms...launching the boat from a bunk trailer is gonna take water,forget all this crap you're gonna hear,"i have starboard strips on the bunks,the boat will launch like it's on ice skates"...it's crap,not true...if you boat in an area with a big tide swing,you can forget about launching or retrieving the boat on a bunk trailer,in a low tide situation...i know the bunks are popular in the southern states,these states have less of a tide swing...
retrieving a boat by yourself...back the trailer down the ramp,run the boat over to the trailer,poition the boat in the trailer and hook up the winch cable....whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr it's loaded....takes me around 3-5mins,start to finish....
a bunk trailer,you've gotta sink the trailer...here's another thing you guys probably never seen...the aluminum bunk trailers,they will float...i promise you it's true...i've seen it first hand...
roller trailers are self aligning..when i see guys trying to "line the boat up" i get a little scared...with a roller trailer,you crank it up and it straightens itself...i have 2 winches on my service trailers,a power winch,this pulls the boat on,and a pull off winch,this will pull the boat off the trailer,allowing me to unload the boat onto blocks...trying to get a boat off a bunk trailer is a real pain in the butt...remember this,you guys who paint your own bottoms...launching the boat from a bunk trailer is gonna take water,forget all this crap you're gonna hear,"i have starboard strips on the bunks,the boat will launch like it's on ice skates"...it's crap,not true...if you boat in an area with a big tide swing,you can forget about launching or retrieving the boat on a bunk trailer,in a low tide situation...i know the bunks are popular in the southern states,these states have less of a tide swing...
retrieving a boat by yourself...back the trailer down the ramp,run the boat over to the trailer,poition the boat in the trailer and hook up the winch cable....whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr it's loaded....takes me around 3-5mins,start to finish....
GWcpa
Well-Known Member
Don't believe what people say about the tides in the south. They don't have a clue. Try 4-8 feet in areas of the Carolinas.
What about the SKA guys? You know, the really big boats with triple axles trailers and engines?
What kind of trailers do the use? Uh, aluminum bunk. They travel all over the south and east coast. The ASA guys same thing, but north into Jersey, Maryland, De, VA. Bunk.
Nothing worse than waiting for a guy with a roller trailer to get his boat lined up, unwind his cable, walk the cable out, and retrieve the damned boat, wrrrr, wrrrr,wuuuuuurrr...wangwangwang.
In the mean time the guy in the 27 foot contender just powered on and pulled out.
Posi lube hubs and SS/Cad disc brakes have changed bunk trailers. No reason to worry about dunking the brakes and hubs anymore. Keep them greased and basic maintenance and they last a long time. The old steel drums and even galvanized backing plates sucked.
If you haven't used a good bunk trailer and learned the tricks, it is hard to recognize the advantages. The guys that float bunk trailers back them in too deep. The tires float, especially triple axles. Problem is worse on long shallow ramps. Many larger trailers use aluminum bunks now to prevent this.
Kind of a Ford vs Chevy deal I guess.
What about the SKA guys? You know, the really big boats with triple axles trailers and engines?
What kind of trailers do the use? Uh, aluminum bunk. They travel all over the south and east coast. The ASA guys same thing, but north into Jersey, Maryland, De, VA. Bunk.
Nothing worse than waiting for a guy with a roller trailer to get his boat lined up, unwind his cable, walk the cable out, and retrieve the damned boat, wrrrr, wrrrr,wuuuuuurrr...wangwangwang.
In the mean time the guy in the 27 foot contender just powered on and pulled out.
Posi lube hubs and SS/Cad disc brakes have changed bunk trailers. No reason to worry about dunking the brakes and hubs anymore. Keep them greased and basic maintenance and they last a long time. The old steel drums and even galvanized backing plates sucked.
If you haven't used a good bunk trailer and learned the tricks, it is hard to recognize the advantages. The guys that float bunk trailers back them in too deep. The tires float, especially triple axles. Problem is worse on long shallow ramps. Many larger trailers use aluminum bunks now to prevent this.
Kind of a Ford vs Chevy deal I guess.
Brad1
Well-Known Member
I launch and retrieve my boat with a bunk trailer. Very easy to do. If your bunk trailer is set up properly, it will center itself when loading without the need for side guides. The key is to have the bunks just to the outside of (by about 1/2") of the lifting strakes. This way, the bunks serve as guides along the strakes. You also have to make sure you don't back in too far. While I do prefer bunk trailers over roller trailers, I only boat in fresh water so I can't comment on what it's like to deal with tides at the boat ramp. I can only imagine that it must be a challenge in some situations, and that's probably when I'd want a roller trailer instead of a bunk trailer. Grady White says you can use either roller or bunk trailer for their boats. Other manufactorers (Boston Whaler for instance) recommend only bunk trailers for their hulls.
GWcpa
Well-Known Member
The SKA guys are not launching on small, shallow country gravel or shell ramps no doubt, but check out these boats for sale and the size boats they have on bunks.
http://www.fishska.com/classifieds/boatsover24.asp
http://www.fishska.com/classifieds/boatsover24.asp
okletsfish
Well-Known Member
jimmy's marine service said:no need for centering poles on a roller trailer...i launch and retrieve boats constatnly by myself....never any problems....all my service trailers are rollers...you couldn't give me a bunk trailer... :wink:
If you're by yourself, the poles can help keep the boat in place if there's a decent wind.
I wouldn't bother with a power winch, if you can't pull it up in low gear something is wrong.
magicalbill
GreatGrady Captain
okletsfish said:Why would anyone paint a boat`s bottom when it lives on a trailer?
okletsfish;
I do it 'cause I HATE cleaning scum lines all the time, plus when I go on vacation, the boat sets in the water for a couple weeks...Bottom paint eliminates me worrying about it.
Plus, I don't have to wash/wax the bottom when I do the rest of the boat.
For folks who aren't obsessive/compulsive, it probably doesn't matter, but to me, the bottom would have to look like the top, or else I'd go nuts.
This bunk vs. roller deal is like Yamaha vs. Merc.
I have been trailering boats for over 40 years and have owned both rollers and bunks. If the trailer fits the hull you will not have any problems. Maybe. I have seen boats come off roller trailers 3 times. Twice on the road and once at the launch ramp. Guess the guys didn't believe the second half of the "easy on/easy off" part of the ad.
toolguy73
Well-Known Member
Rollers for me. And no guide posts, either.
Most trailers have never been set up to fit the boat. Everything is adjustable on a roller trailer, and it takes time to set it up right.
When I first bought my boat, we had loading issues. It never went on straight. 3 or 4 tries to get it right. A real PIA. At the beginning of the second season, I removed the boat from the trailer to bottom paint. Before setting her back on the trailer, I loosened everything up, played with it for a while and then tightened it all up. Took about four hours.
Two years now, and no problems, even in wind and running tides. The rollers really do guide the boat into position. They are supposed to.
Most trailers have never been set up to fit the boat. Everything is adjustable on a roller trailer, and it takes time to set it up right.
When I first bought my boat, we had loading issues. It never went on straight. 3 or 4 tries to get it right. A real PIA. At the beginning of the second season, I removed the boat from the trailer to bottom paint. Before setting her back on the trailer, I loosened everything up, played with it for a while and then tightened it all up. Took about four hours.
Two years now, and no problems, even in wind and running tides. The rollers really do guide the boat into position. They are supposed to.
capt chris
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Boston Whaler not only recommends bunk trailers, they will void your hull warranty if you put it on rollers!Brad1 said:I launch and retrieve my boat with a bunk trailer. Very easy to do. If your bunk trailer is set up properly, it will center itself when loading without the need for side guides. The key is to have the bunks just to the outside of (by about 1/2") of the lifting strakes. This way, the bunks serve as guides along the strakes. You also have to make sure you don't back in too far. While I do prefer bunk trailers over roller trailers, I only boat in fresh water so I can't comment on what it's like to deal with tides at the boat ramp. I can only imagine that it must be a challenge in some situations, and that's probably when I'd want a roller trailer instead of a bunk trailer. Grady White says you can use either roller or bunk trailer for their boats. Other manufactorers (Boston Whaler for instance) recommend only bunk trailers for their hulls.
Low Gear
I think these guys are talking about a winch to put the boat on the trailer, not to pull the trailer out of the water. What is the situation you are referring to?? Thanks..
I think these guys are talking about a winch to put the boat on the trailer, not to pull the trailer out of the water. What is the situation you are referring to?? Thanks..