If you have a roller trailer used in salt water....check this....

[Lou C]

So I was replacing the aluminum roller bar mounts on my old Load Rite with lower ones to get the boat a bit lower on the trailer. I found that the 1/2" diameter bolts were getting pretty rusted and deteriorated so I replaced all 4 of them (easy to get parts right from LR, order on their website it comes in 2 days). I figure that each of these, had close to 1000 lbs on it! All the other fasteners get sprayed with water first, then Corrosion x but these being inside, never really got sprayed with either enough.....so if you have one....check them out....

 

[dingbat]

Those bolts still have a lot of life left in them…lol

Here is what I found this Spring when I went to investigate why the boat loaded with the bow sitting a couple inches off center in the bow stop.

Despite the thru bolt probably in the same condition as those above, and the nuts completely rotted away on the support bracket, how the heck did the pivot bracket get bent like this?

Went to install a new pivot bar but found a crack running down the underside of the starboard frame rail. Good excuse to buy a new trailer

Trailer was OE (1997) with a major hardware overall in 2013. It owes me nothing.

 

[Lou C]

I've seen that on a few trailers (bent roller bar) over at the local marina. Not sure how it happens, other than the boat may load in such a way that too much weight is going on the front roller bars and the rear still floating? Angle of the trailer when loading? Who knows....
Yep once you see cracks, it's time. Everything has a service limit. I'm amazed that I'm still using this franken-trailer. The only parts I haven't changed are the frame rails (not possible that's the one part you cannot buy) the crossmembers and winch post. Everything else has been changed over the years....longer tongue, axle (2x) 15" tires, 12" brakes, longer roller bars, added more rollers in the rear, 2 speed winch, ladder to climb over the bow, etc. Like the story of Grandfather's Axe.
I guess I coulda bought a new one but what fun would that be?
I probably should get a tandem next time, the boat weighs about 4200 lbs. Didn't know that at first but that's why I changed the axle from a 3500 to a 6000. But I only tow from home to the ramp/boatyard which is like 1/2 mile. Rarely more than that.

 

[dingbat]

My first boat came with a single axle trailer. Hated that thing with a passion. A balancing act if the trailer wasn’t hitched to the truck.

Done with roller trailers in general. Getting too old to walk the tongue to hook up the winch. Went with the Loadrite aluminum I-beam bunk this time. Stainless hardware package with torsion axles, stainless rotors and Vault hubs to minimize maintenance needs.

Still working on the “drive on” loading thing when I’m by myself

 

[Lou C]

My trailer is a roller & my brother’s is a bunk. Our boats are about the same size & weight. On the nice steep & wide town ramp either works. On the shallow one I use at my local beach association it would be tough to get the boat off it with the bunk. There are pros & cons to either one. I find it much easier to winch the boat up with the roller.
The beach Assn is rebuilding the ramp sometime this year I hope they make it steeper. As it is even with the roller it can be tough at low tide. Tides here change by 6 feet water depth low to high. The majority of trailers used here are rollers.

 

[bruceb58]

Done with roller trailers in general.

Agreed...roller trailers suck. We had one...never again.

 

[Lou C]

Not here you’d be stuck launching only at high tide. No tides steep ramps yeah the bunk is ok. Tides shallow ramps if you don’t have a power winch lots a luck. There is only one local ramp where you can easily use a bunk trailer here. The rest, all you see are roller trailers. When my brother got the Chapparal with the bunk trailer I told him use the town ramp not my local or any other local ramp if it’s not high tide…

 

[bruceb58]

Not here you’d be stuck launching only at high tide. No tides steep ramps yeah the bunk is ok. Tides shallow ramps if you don’t have a power winch lots a luck. There is only one local ramp where you can easily use a bunk trailer here. The rest, all you see are roller trailers. When my brother got the Chapparal with the bunk trailer I told him use the town ramp not my local or any other local ramp if it’s not high tide…

Since I launch and retrieve once a year for both my boats, wouldn't be an issue.

Even when I did launch in salt water with tides, never an issue with a 24' boat at any ramp.

 

[Lou C]

The local ramps are not anywhere near as nice as the town ramps. But the are close and convenient. They are all shallow, and unless you want to put your rear wheels and differential in salt water, that boat's not coming off the trailer if it's not high tide. Local conditions mean everything.
Hopefully when they get done rebuilding ours with this stuff over at the beach, it will be steeper and wider. Right now it's narrow and shallow, hence, roller trailers.

 

[dingbat]

My trailer is a roller & my brother’s is a bunk. Our boats are about the same size & weight. On the nice steep & wide town ramp either works. On the shallow one I use at my local beach association it would be tough to get the boat off it with the bunk. There are pros & cons to either one. I find it much easier to winch the boat up with the roller.
The beach Assn is rebuilding the ramp sometime this year I hope they make it steeper. As it is even with the roller it can be tough at low tide. Tides here change by 6 feet water depth low to high. The majority of trailers used here are rollers.

Our tides are in the 1 to 1.5' range.

We are very fortunate in that we have a lot of well maintained boating infrastructure. This is three of ten double wide ramps at our local State Park


The one thing I noticed is the boat sits about 12" lower and the trailer is about 2.5' longer.

Based upon 3 launches to date, the water depth required to launch is the same, maybe less with the bunk

 

[bruceb58]

We are very fortunate in that we have a lot of well maintained boating infrastructure.

Same in California. I used to launch all the time in Marina Del Rey and Channel Islands. Both have awesome public ramps.

Bunk trailers are lower than roller trailers so no need to back in as far.

Now I only launch in freshwater at Big Bear Lake and Lake Tahoe and the boats sit in the water all summer at my docks one of which is in my back yard.

 

[JimS123]

Agreed...roller trailers suck. We had one...never again.

Had a bunk trailer once....they suck. Never again.

The "Trailer Boater's Guide Book" explains it in great detail. Als you have to do is read the directions.

Bunks are storage trailers, rollers are launching trailers.

When I bought my last new boat the dealer replaced the bunks with rollers. $3,600.00 upgrade. Money well spent.

 

[Lou C]

Different strokes for different folks. If you have 6-7 feet tidal swings & shallow ramps the roller is the only way unless you restrict yourself to the (2) high tides each 12 hrs. Damned inconvenient!

 

[bruceb58]

Had a bunk trailer once....they suck. Never again.

The "Trailer Boater's Guide Book" explains it in great detail. Als you have to do is read the directions.

Bunks are storage trailers, rollers are launching trailers.

When I bought my last new boat the dealer replaced the bunks with rollers. $3,600.00 upgrade. Money well spent.

LOL..based on the size of your small boats, I can see why you have no idea what you are talking about.

Had a 27' sunbridge boat on a roller trailer. Having an already high center of gravity boat on an even higher trailer was a VERY poor combo. It's also why you rarely see heavy longer boats on roller trailers ever anymore.

 

[bruceb58]

Different strokes for different folks. If you have 6-7 feet tidal swings & shallow ramps the roller is the only way unless you restrict yourself to the (2) high tides each 12 hrs. Damned inconvenient!

Shallow ramps are better for roller trailers? I beg to differ. Shallow ramps require you to back in further. Roller trailers also make you back in further. Double wammy!

When we used to launch our 27' boat on a roller trailer in Lake Powell, our truck was practically under water.

 

[JimS123]

Everyone is convinced that theirs is the better platform, and nobody could sway them otherwise. It is what it is.

I have seen people make a fool out of themselves at the boat ramp, regardless what type trailer they use. Watching the shipshow has convinced me that 75% of trailer boaters are simply clueless.

It's just too bad that the guidebook is long out of print.

 

[Lou C]

If you peruse your trailer manufacturer’s part’s catalog you might see that there are different roller bar & crossmember mounts that allow you to lower the boat on the roller trailer. The way they come from the factory is not always optimal. I was able to lower mine approx 2” this way. I could not go with a lower trailer where the boat sits between the fenders due to the narrow ramp I use & my narrow driveway. Yes the bunk trailer is simpler, less to go wrong but here it would be very limiting and that’s why 85% of the trailers on the north shore of Long Island are rollers.

 

[bruceb58]

My bet you guys haven't shopped for a boat/trailer made in the last decade. Do your tow vehicles still have carburetors too?

 

[JimS123]

My bet you guys haven't shopped for a boat/trailer made in the last decade. Do your tow vehicles still have carburetors too?

My 2 most recent boats/trailers are 2017 and 2019. My 2 most recent daily driver autos are 2017 and 2018, and all are fuel injected. However, my classic car and antique boat both have carbs. In fact, the boat even has points and the car an 8-track.

Many years experience with a variety of platforms and venues is what guides a person in the right direction.

 

[bruceb58]

deleted...not worth the bandwidth