Keel Rollers on Trailer

[vote4me4pres]

I am looking at a new trailer to replace my old rusting away. Asked about adding rollers to a bunk trailer like I have now to keep my v-bottom from banging against the trailer. This is the response I got -

"Don?t know where you plan on using it but we don?t use rollers around here"

I live near Tampa, FL and have a 15' aluminum runabout. What could he mean? I would ask him but he is away from the office till Monday. Thanks

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Rollers are nice and do keep the keel from contacting the frame on a light aluminum boat I think they are optional. Here in naples you'd be hard pressed to find a salt water trailer without keel rollers...

 

[q5ka]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

I dont think it is a regional thing but a convienience thing. My trailer has them and I would not have it any other way. Maybe everyone there just lowers the trailer to just enough and then hits the gas real hard to load their boats so no need for the roller to assist with cranking the boat up and preventing damage.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

That guy didn't know much.
Why did your trailer rust out? because you dunked it in salt water. With rollers and your boat, you never need to get your axles wet again--or most of the trailer for that matter. "drive on" and "float on" are easy and fine in fresh water; and they are popular in salt water, especially with the trailer sales and repair businesses!
You want a roller on each strut, and short bunks at the back to stabiize. carpet them (and put some dish soap on them) or better, teflon pads. One push with your baby finger and you are launched, from a dry trailer (you back down so that the water is just below the hubs).

So not so much a regional as a salt v. fresh thing.

Note: some hulls require keel rollers (Whalers). Some should never be on them (carolina skiff J series). Since (I assume) your keel is fairly flat, you want flatter rollers rather than the ones with sharp ears.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Here's my setup

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

I too just added 10 to 12" (forget which.....widest they make) for the same reason (to keep the keel off the trailer cross braces). I set them to where they just touch the keel when the boat is on the trailer. They have a pair of u shaped brackets and are universal mounting.

Back when I was a kid, a lot of trailers were home made. They would add a set of rollers and a lever that you could pull and it would raise the boat off the bunks and it would roll into the water with the trailer never getting wet. Main reason it worked was that the boats were light and small (like 16' was about the upper limit). Can't do that with a big boat, but I have seen the yellow plastic roller assy's on larger boats since then. Problem with that is the boat sits on the rollers all the time and they can deform, or deform the boat.

My 2c,

Mark

 

[fch2cxr]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

With the boat seating on the rollers... and not on the bunks? what supports the boat to the trailer??? what is good set up?? my trailer has both rollers and bunks but I think my rollers are too low, the boat hits the rollers but there is a point in which the boat seat completely on the bunks, but my issue is that my the boat stops before it gets to the anchor point in the trailer, having to practically drag the boat in to the trailer anchor point my boat weights about 2500 pounds...

 

[fixb52s]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

I think what they are talking about is the boat should be supported by the bunks, and if properly set up, no rollers are needed. My Magic Tilt does not have rollers, but does have pads of some kind of plastic that supports the bow in the front. Most of the weight is supported on the bunks. There are a few of them that help guide the bow when loading, but when the boat is loaded, it only touches the front one.​

You are in Tampa, so you need to head over to the St. Pete/Clearwater side. There are a lot of trailer dealers over there. I would stay away from any steel trailers. Have you checked Craigslist? A lot of trailers are currently on there now.​

 

[Seon]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Depending on the angle of the trailer while in the water or the height of the bunks, at times when loading the boat, the keel will make contact on the rollers before it settles on the bunks. That's what the those rollers are design to do, not to support the boat while on the trailer for transporting.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Depending on the angle of the trailer while in the water or the height of the bunks, at times when loading the boat, the keel will make contact on the rollers before it settles on the bunks. That's what the those rollers are design to do, not to support the boat while on the trailer for transporting.

If you google this subject you will get a lot of different "opinions" on this subject. Many people do things diffrently today. I leaned how to set up a boat trailer long long ago and now some of the youngsters say I'm wrong.

A boat should be properly supported on the keel. That's where the beef of the boat is. The bunks are there merely to keep the boat stable when driving down the road. Plus, they support the weight of the engine.

I have 2 boats that were set up that way when they were new. There has been no deformation of the hull, no hogging, no hooks or rollers (those terms refer to a warping of the hull.)

Besides, it makes the boat easier to launch and retreive.

My oldest boat has been sitting on that trailer for 58 years.

 

[vote4me4pres]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

The trailer is probably as old as the boat and its in Florida so it has probably seen some salt, but not much. My current trailer is set up like ez's but with 2 less rollers and the back cross piece is lower.

fixb52s - I plan on getting a galvanized trailer. Price (half) and weight (250lbs to 400lbs) are on its side against aluminum for what i need. If you have a specific dealer in mind I will give them a call.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Well I do not wish to get into this argument again and will not post again in this thread. But, I will relay that I was taught, and what makes the most sense to ME, is that the trailer should be set up such that the bunks support the majority of the weight of the boat and that the keel rollers are mainly there as a guide.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Well I do not wish to get into this argument again and will not post again in this thread. But, I will relay that I was taught, and what makes the most sense to ME, is that the trailer should be set up such that the bunks support the majority of the weight of the boat and that the keel rollers are mainly there as a guide.

I agree with that 100%
Mine has 10 or 12 keel rollers and bunks.
The rollers are adjusted to take just a little weight.After all most keels are the thickest part of the hull.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

I'm with Jim--because the keel is the thickest part, it can support the weight just fine, especially in front. So to me, a good rig is to triangulate--have the bow points on the rollers, and stern quarter on flat bunks.

But check the manufacturer--you can void a hull warranty, or damage a hull, if you do it wrong.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

Well, if you use rubber rollers and your keel is rather dominant, not pointed per se, but extends from the hull by an inch or so, leaving the boat weight on the rollers will deform them and when it's time to roll the boat on or off, the roller ceases to roll and the boat slides over it rather than rolls over it.

I used the yellow plastic material only in a bow chock and it didn't last as long as the rubber ones did. Have no idea as to what their longevity is when fully supporting the boat as I have seen in rack installations where there are no bunks, not counting hull deformation if placed in a tender section of the hull, or used hulls of light weight/strength.

Mark

 

[bowman316]

Re: Keel Rollers on Trailer

my trailer has no keel rollers, and is entirely supported by 2 sets of rollers on either side of the keel. But i did bolt on a keel roller up front, to get the keel away from the frame of the trailer.
My rollers cradle the boat, kinda like how you would hold a bowl in your hands.

Seems the boat would be unsturdy if more weight is on the keel rollers.
You also may be able to raise up the bunks/rollers to get the boat away from the frame.