Rebuild flat bottom trailer, must be made easier to push boat off, more rollers???

[poida]

Hi all

I have a 15-16ft flat bottom boat and the back end of the trailer is rusted out so i am going to rebuild the back 2/3rds. The boat often launches in extreamerly shallow water and it almost kills me to shove it backwards off the trailer and into the water. (there is oftern a foot drop between the back roller and the water.) On normal boat ramps with water and an incline this is not too bad but on a horizontal ramp into a foot of water it is back breaking. I do wonder if a broke back trailer would be the solution but this is probably past my stick welding abilities. It is still hard to push off on a normal ramp so i think it needs work anyway.
The trailer has 2 rollers and 2 skids.
The boat winch's back onto the rollers and skids perfectly every time.
I am wondering if i just need to raise the rear roller and add a middle roller?
Or perhaps i need to replace the skids with rollers? (it gets back on the trailer so well i want to keep the skids)
Or add a middle roller and 2 sets of outside rollers.
Any idea's or suggestions would be appreciated.
I'll add photo's in the next post.
Thanks.

 

[poida]

photo's

 

[poida]

photos

 

[smokeonthewater]

http://www.iboats.com/Roller-Bunks/dm/cart_id.271060732--session_id.476037415--view_id.40434

 

[Brian 26]

Have you shopped around for a used roller trailer? For the price of restoring that one and adding rollers you might be able to get a decent used one and then sell yours for 1-200 dollars.

 

[poida]

Those roller bunks look good, i had not thought of a flat roller on the hull, was presuming a roller on the "Chimes". I would be up for $1000 to cover 10ft of the trailer though which is way too expensive. I could certainly fit flat rollers myself if i can find them though.
Hi Brian, there are very few flat bottom boats here in western australia and even fewer that are 16ft long, i think a 2nd hand one is wishful thinking and i will have to modify it to fit my boat anyway. I was hoping that the cost of the rebuild would not be to bad if i tackled the welding and everything else myself. Metal is certainly not to expensive, keep the ideas and comments comming guys.

 

[smokeonthewater]

$1000?????? you get a pair of 5'ers for $148... by my count that's $296 for 20 total feet of roller plus you put a foot or so between the 5' bunks and end up with rollers on each side for 11' or so

 

[poida]

Yep they come as a pair so i'd need 2 pairs not 4, $460 australian then postage. Where/what would you suggest i do with them, replace the skids or use them and the skids?

 

[smokeonthewater]

You would use the roller bunks instead of the skids.... OR If you can figure out a source for the rollers you could probably build your own roller bunks for less money... one roller per foot.

Carpeted bunks certainly wouldn't do you any favors... the plastic skids you have now would be considerably slicker than carpet.

 

[smokeonthewater]

he already HAS slicks.... he specifically asked how to add rollers and make it EASIER to launch the boat on very shallow ramps.

 

[smokeonthewater]

no worries... we're all on the same page now

 

[poida]

Would the trailer bunks or rollers run on the flat of the hull (where the skids sit) or on the chines.? I just have a 4" gap between chines so i might be able to run 4" flat rollers here, or perhaps 3" I am very happy with how the boat aligns its self on the trailer and don't want to loose this and have a boat that takes a few attempts to get on the trailer. I am wondering if i have the outer rollers between the chines that the boat might be easier to get on the trailer straight, as opposed to the rollers being under the chines.
Should it have a middle keel roller or a self centering roller?

 

[smokeonthewater]

the roller bunks would run on the flat part of the hull.... self centering keel rollers are better than sliced bread... WELL worth having

 

[poida]

Should it have a 3rd keel roller? One in the middle and should it be a self centring one as well?

 

[smokeonthewater]

the more rollers the better ... I personally will never again buy a new keel roller that isn't self centering.... If you currently have rollers try em and if you have issues you can then replace em w self centering

 

[acdc96]

i would go with bunks for a flat bottom boat. i have a small loadrite lil rider trailer for my 14ft jon boat and it has bunks. i load it on and off with ease. their is 3 feet of bunk boards on the back that tilt backwards to allow the boat to load and unload easier. i plan on putting bunks all the way to the front to have the boat be more stable on the trailer but still keep the tilting bunks in the back.

heres a trailer similar to mine. it works great for shallow water launchs and the bunks keep my boat centered. but i plan on have bunks go all the way to the bow.
http://www.spmw.com/tral603.html

 

[poida]

How far do you think i could space the flat rollers out. To do it every 2ft would obviously halve the cost (rollers and brackets) rather than doing it every foot.

 

[smokeonthewater]

I think every 1' would be the correct choice..... it's all about square inches of contact... too little and you end up with a dented boat... also you don't want to be hitting the trailer between rollers when/if you do a deep water launch

 

[poida]

I have found some parts that might suit.

http://www.boattrailerspares.com.au/91220-4-1-2-bilge-roller-17mm/

i can fit these with either
http://www.boattrailerspares.com.au/92002-4-flat-bracket/
http://www.boattrailerspares.com.au/92049-4-flat-stem-bracket/
I spoke to the guy who is happy to supply and he can do the roller in a 4" version for me.

The other option with a touch more cost is

http://www.boattrailerspares.com.au/91963-short-bend-wobble-roller-assemblies/

Not too sure which is best, any thoughts?

 

[smokeonthewater]

I think you need to revisit the roller bunks....
Your new plan will cost you at least $15 per roller by the time you buy stainless axle bolts and then you also have to come or with a way to attach them all... You won't really be saving any money and the roller bunks have better rollers with end caps to better protect the hull