Bunk vs. Roller

Jello Shot · Feb 14, 2009

What are the advantages of both the Bunk and Roller type trailers?

mthieme · Feb 14, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

Well, we haven't had a good bunk vs. roller thread in a while.

Check out these threads...

forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=212768&highlight=bunk+vs.+roller

forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=191505&highlight=bunk+vs.+roller

forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=190692&highlight=bunk+vs.+roller

forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=36465&highlight=bunk+vs.+roller

Jello Shot · Feb 14, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

Thanks

a70eliminator · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

Never had a trailer with roller bunks so I can't say much about them other than there appears to be more moving parts to maintain.

derekpfeiffer · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

I had a roller trailer and loved it but the two biggest downfalls are some of them will leave black scuffs on ur hull. And if you pull it alot some people claim they create pressure points on the gelcoat and can cause spidering...never seen this myself but have heard of it.

Just some food for thought

Don Hansen · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

I worked with a guy who had a trailer that was the best of both worlds. The boat sat on bunkers but when you wanted to launch the boat you cranked a boat wench and these rollers would rise, lifting the boat off the bunkers. Can't remember the name of the trailer but I think it was made here in Wisconsin.

Anyone here happen to know the name of it?

Don H

zach103 · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

dad has helped me launch everytime just easier .. the 77 is a bunk trailer . larson is a roller.. he said its a lot easier with the rollers.. the rollers seem to help center the boat. just remember with rollers never unhook the bow line on the ramp when its not in the water..

Floatsum · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

zach103 said:
dad has helped me launch everytime just easier .. the 77 is a bunk trailer . larson is a roller.. he said its a lot easier with the rollers.. the rollers seem to help center the boat. just remember with rollers never unhook the bow line on the ramp when its not in the water..

Good point!

derekpfeiffer · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

zach103 said:
dad has helped me launch everytime just easier .. the 77 is a bunk trailer . larson is a roller.. he said its a lot easier with the rollers.. the rollers seem to help center the boat. just remember with rollers never unhook the bow line on the ramp when its not in the water..

Yeah last summer before I traded my old boat in that had the roller trailer a buddy of mine was helping me launch my boat and i turned around and saw out of the corner of my eye him unhooking the bow line and said WHAT THE HECK ARE U DOING!!!! Hook that back up...he said it'll be fine I said NO IT WON'T lol

dave11 · Feb 15, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

derekpfeiffer said:
Yeah last summer before I traded my old boat in that had the roller trailer a buddy of mine was helping me launch my boat and i turned around and saw out of the corner of my eye him unhooking the bow line and said WHAT THE HECK ARE U DOING!!!! Hook that back up...he said it'll be fine I said NO IT WON'T lol

You are lucky you caught him doing that. That could have hurt. That is why I always launch and retrieve by myself even when others are going out with me.

tashasdaddy · Feb 16, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

i have had both, from now on bunks, properly set up. proper depth in the water for launching and retrieving. no need for rollers.

Fingernip · Feb 16, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

First time my uncle and i launched his boat we sat and watched a guy with a bunk trailer launch his by unhooking the bow eye strap and backing it into the water with nothing but a long rope attatched to his trailer hitch. We loved how easy it looked so we tryed it..... my uncle has a roller trailer! Boat ended up rolling back when he slowed down just before the water and i thought i was superman and grabbed the roap and wraped it around my hand. The boat ended up tipping and resting on the skeg and i ended up with a severe roap burn plus some flesh removed from my fingers. The painful reminder lasted as he has a crack in his skeg and i have some scars on my hands. Didnt stop us from cranking the boat back up and going on with our fishing trip though.

Navy Jr. · Feb 16, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

I've only owned a roller and like it a lot, especially in shallow ramps. My brother-in-law is an avid fisherman/boater and has only had bunk trailers, and he was (pleasantly) surprised at how easy it was to winch my boat. Like TD said, proper water depth is crucial, but in shallow ramp areas you may not have much choice.

Another thing I learned when shopping boats last year is that rollers appear to make the boat sit up a little higher on the trailer than bunks. This is an unscientific observation I made at the boat show. This is an important point to some people who, like me, have garage door openings that are a couple of inches lower than normal. We ended up with a roller trailer where the boat cleared the top of the garage door by a whopping inch and a half (lots of measuring and re-measuring!).

mthieme · Feb 16, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

I have noted just the opposite.
But in either case, bunks and rollers can be adjusted for height.
Noone has seemed to touch on the weight or size issue.
With a bigger boat (heavier) rollers are advantageous.
Some hulls simply don't lend themselves well to rollers - e.g. tri-hull or flat bottom, sailboats.
My hyrdoplane is on bunks and due to the fins, I have to lift it over parts of the trailer along the way. Rollers would be complete overkill and would need a lot of them as the skin is quite thin. (Guess this is why they use cranes & slings). Not to mention that the post is totally useless.

Wee Hooker · Feb 16, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

"That is why I always launch and retrieve by myself even when others are going out with me."

Wise man! For me it's not just a safety issue but a necessity. Everytime somebody "helps" me, I end up forgetting to check/do something becasue my concentration has been interupted. Once I forgot to check the bilge plug and nearly sank the boat at the ramp! Now, I politely insist on "going through my routine" and guests always understand.

ShaneCarroll · Feb 19, 2009

Re: Bunk vs. Roller

Bunk vs. Roller . . It depends on what kind of ramp for the most part. For a steep ramp, bunk is good, you can unhook the winch, with no fear of boat sliding off trailer. If you are on a ramp without a steep drop, the rollers are much easier to launch / recover the boat. The rollers tend to leave scuff marks on the keel, however, there are special rollers you can buy, which are clear or gold, and do not leave scuff marks. Personally, I have used both, and would never go with a roller again.

Bunk vs. Roller

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