Question about guide slicks

isimar

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
81
I bought some for my bunk trailer... the trailer hauls my 24 Trophy Pro and is a bear loading it up.. well, a friend of mine stopped at 3 dealers to try to find another 4 piece set and none of them sold them, they said they recommend NOT using them due to issues... one customer demanded they put his on, they did, and he lost his boat after traveling a couple hundred miles...LOST IT OFF THE TRAILER GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ! broke 2 straps, the safety chain and the winch strap ??? how in the world ?? they also said the slicks are bad for the hull because they're unforgiving and there's no "bounce", or give... now, at the launch I see dozens of these slicks on the bunks, so now I have to ask, any of you have any bad experiences while hauling after you installed these things ?
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,525
I don't know about them being too slippery, but the idea that they don't have enough 'give' sounds like bunk (pun intended). No way that the thin carpet that covers most bunks would provide much cushioning.

I do wonder about whether grit might get trapped between the slicks and the hull, but if the boat is loading from the water, and if the bunks are submerged (or partially submerged), I have a hard time believing the slicks would trap grit any more than carpet does.

My carpeted bunks get treated with silicone spray regularly, and they are very slippery, but it is no simple task to crank the boat even an inch or two toward the bow stop when the boat is out of water. Maybe for a lighter boat the slipperiness would be a problem.
 

ihearth2o

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Messages
187
Have you tried Mary Kate Liquid Rollers? Works just fine. Can load the my 21' bow rider until about a couple feet of my bow roller. Crank the rest of the way (elbow grease required). Never looked into slicks again.
 
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smokeonthewater

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
9,838
I've done 3 1000 mile (75 mph) one way trips with at least one 75 mph to 0 foot to the floor panic stop and a few years of local towing w them under the front half of my 30' cruiser.....

Not even a hint of trouble... plan on adding more to the trailer at some point
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,201
Slicks would have NOTHING to do with losing a boat off of a trailer. Well unless you unstrap it prior to backing down the ramp.... I can't imagine a 'professional' believing that either. The forces involved to break even lightweight straps, a chain, and a winch strap is way more than anything a bunk slick could add to the equation.

I've never heard of the other 'issues' and I did a bunch of research before I put them on. Only been on 2 years but no problems.
 
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isimar

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
81
some good responses here, I was thinking along the same lines, I mean, you see trucks hauling stuff down the road on hard surfaces and they're tied down good.
if the boat is secured properly, it shouldn't bound or bounce enough to break anything.
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
I have Glyde Sliks on 2 of my boat trailers - all in alI I would guess 20+ years experience. Better than the proverbial sliced bread. All positives and no negatives If I ever buy another trailer they will be put on the first day.
 
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