Bunk and Keel Roller adjustment?

[Condor1970]

So, I noticed one of the forward keel rollers is cracked because the bunk has settled over the years, and is about 1" below the roller. So, the keel is heavily resting in the center roller, and the rubber roller has now cracked.

How should the elevation of the bunks be adjusted in relation to the keel rollers?

I thought the bunks should be about 1/4" below the rollers, so the rubber rollers can center the keel when you winch the boat onto the trailer.

Is this not correct?

 

[redneck joe]

thats how I have mine. We'll see what they say.

 

[Maclin]

On my Vee hull boats the Vee/Keel comes in on the center rollers until right at the end when the rest of the hull so to speak comes up and rests on the bunks. Then when winched up the Vee/Keel is about an inch above the frontmost roller. I have always let the bunks hold the weight as they are usually about where the stringers are. On a boat I have now I have been thinking about raising the rollers some to take some weight but it centers so nice now I am leaving it as is.

 

[Maclin]

Condor, what do you mean the bunk has settled... that the wood compressed? Or the bracket(s) slipped?

 

[Condor1970]

The forward bunk brackets have slipped, and caused too much pressure on the forward keel roller, crushing it and splitting the rubber. I lifted the bunks up, but now need to get a new roller and shaft. Also snapped one of the bunk U-bolts when adjusting it (installed a temp bolt), so I need to get a new one of those as well.

(parts are on order)

 

[Maclin]

The load should be shared between the bunks and the rollers if you want the roller to be part of the support. The rollers are not designed to hold that much weight AND roll. Need to get those rollers replaced and brackets reset.

Here is how it works for me when retrieving my 22 foot I/O...The trailer is at an angle on the ramp of course when the boat approaches, front of bunks just at water level or slightly above, so the first two rollers are not even in play, I have 5 total. The #3 middle one catches the keel first (rollers are wide v shape with center flat channel) and then catches the next one, #4, and the boat is centered, and that is about the time that the hull feels the bunks and slows down, and the #3 roller is relieved of most weight. Boat gets winched up from there. The #4 roller has the keel until the last 1-2 feet then the boat raises up some and comes off the roller. There is a frontmost roller, #5 that just catches the keel on that last foot or so of winching. This is a custom trailer for the boat. A lot of the design of the trailer cross members depends on how deep the Vee is at the front and how much it flattens out at the stern. My Vee is prominent and "low" out front then tapers up towards the stern as it flattens out into the planing surface.

One other thing, I back the trailer in and dunk the bunks so they are water-lubed up, then pull back up until the bunks just come out of the water.