rollers or bunks

[aitkenkingfish]

I have a 1970 Trojan center consol i have completly rebuilt from the hull up. I now need to rebuild the trailer the boat is 25' with a 9'2" beam and a keel aproximatly 14 inches deep. I have had problems with it hanging up on the rollers launching it on and off the trailer, Just new boat learning I believe but the last cross member rotates back and the roller member about 2 feet long rotates up.where I beilieve this is what I am hanging on. any thoughts on changing to bunks the bottom of the boat sits approxamantly 16 inches off the trailer.

 

[DJ]

Re: rollers or bunks

aitken,<br /><br />I would definetely go with bunks. The support they give to the hull is far superior. I'm sure that you want to protect all of that hard work.<br /><br />The conversion process is relatively painless and not that expensive.<br /><br />You should be able to find whatever you need at:<br /><br />www.championtrailers.com

 

[boater4life]

Re: rollers or bunks

I agree. Bunks are maintenance free with a lot more full-hull support and are self-centering.. Do yourself a favor!<br /><br /> http://www.greatlakestrailers.com/ <br /><br />

 

[aitkenkingfish]

Re: rollers or bunks

thankyou for your input I am going to look at the web sites and see what I will need to change over.

 

[TOMMYM]

Re: rollers or bunks

Before you make the switch, be sure your ramp is steep enough for a bunk trailer. Are others using the bunks at that ramp? At my ramp,the angle is so low, <br />that anything bigger than a 18'will not come off the trailer without a fight ! My .02, Tommy

 

[Reel Appeal]

Re: rollers or bunks

Hi,<br /> In Tommy's and my area the rollers are widely used.If you do not have a steep enough launching ramp,you may have to dunk half the tow vehicle to get your boat to float off the bunks.They do make roller bunks as well.Gives the support needed and launches easily.

 

[Boatist]

Re: rollers or bunks

I agree bunks do support the hull better but I prefer a roller trailer. I have pulled my 21 foot boat from the water many times when the guy with 14 to 18 foot bunk trailers could not and were just waiting for the tide to rise. When you pull to the dock they will be saying forget it for at least 1 hour. I back down to the end of the ramp, float the boat up on to the rollers and hook up wench and crank it right out in less than one minute. When I bought boat and trailer I did go to EZ Loader trailer guy and ask If I could get extra roller put on for extra suport. After telling him size of boat he did some checking and found could double the number of rollers on the standard trailer for my size boat for about $100. Took an extra week to get it but well worth it. Only time I ever worry is when we go to ocean for a week stay and the wife has boat filled to top with gear and that does include the kitchen sink.<br />If do go with roller trailer inportant to adjust your rollers to sit under your stringers. On my trailer was very easy to do as every roller very adjustable. My trailer self centers very good unless one side is way lower than other side, then it can be as far off as 2 inches.<br />Can you tow your boat without special permits?? Out here anything over 8 foot 6 inches requires signs and has lots of restrictions

 

[aitkenkingfish]

Re: rollers or bunks

sorry I couldnt get in to the web site earlier. I can tow only durring daylight hour. My boat wont self center it may just be adjustment problems. and I may be putting the trailer in to deep. on your trailer does the last crossmember swing and allow the rolers to move up and down. I see people at the ramps with bunks but my concern is with the rollers because the boat sits almost 16" off the trailer I have to sink the suberban to the back wheels to get it to float. I have to get the engine running right. this has been a pain to get the motor right.

 

[TOMMYM]

Re: rollers or bunks

Did your trailer come with the boat or seperate? My EZ Loader had adjustments to raise or lower the rollers up to three inches. I set-up the trailer at the ramp on a rainy day, made adjustments one at a time until the boat came off the way I wanted it to. My front set of rollers were one inch higher than the rears and that made a huge difference. Having the rear crossmember pivot can sure help out at low tide when I run out of ramp. Sometimes the drop off is almost a foot. Without that feature I would have to wait out the tide! Once I get the bow on the first roller I can winch up from there....TOMMY

 

[Boatist]

Re: rollers or bunks

I bought my trailer same day as the Boat at the San Francisco Boat Show. To get a good trailer was very important to me so ask lots of questions. I ended up buying a trailer two feet longer than dealer normally used for my boat. This put the boat back and extra two feet so truck does not get so far down the ramp. Also makes a lot eaiser to get to front of boat to unhook the straps. It was kind of hard to get it exactly like I wanted as dealer had no price for options I wanted and did not know how to order. I made several trips from Boat Dealer to trailed manufacture to get dealer info on what to call options and how much more it would cost. That is good part about a boat show.<br />On my trailer all cross members pivot and each roller arm pivots in two planes. Each roller support also has three holes for height and I lowered all to get boat as low as possible without hitting frame. Motor down still clears ramp by about 8 inches but I raise it anyway.<br />Yes to get boat to center correctly is important not to back in too deep. I usually crank on about the last four feet. Also must leave the winch strap hooked up until over the water otherwise if had to hit brakes for a kid dog or car could launch boat right on the ramp. If I ever buy another trailer it will be aluminum, galvanized works well but my 1980 trailer has some bolts that have rusted some. Mostly the one I took off to adjust trailer just like I wanted it.

 

[aitkenkingfish]

Re: rollers or bunks

The trailer was not made for the boat the place I purchased It from had pulled the boat on to it In Fact when I got it it had damage to the keel where they had pulled the boat on and it was sitting on the Keel instead of the last rollers at the back of the boat. I had longer mount made for the rear rollers and got the boat off of the keel and onto the rollers. But my front rollers are lower than my rear rollers could that be my problems. first time getting it out I had to give the 454 all she had while another guy cranked on the wink to get the boat on the trailer without sinking the rear of the subberban.

 

[TOMMYM]

Re: rollers or bunks

That trailer could have been set up for a different style boat. The winch post is also adjustable from front to back. I believe you meant that the boat went too far up on the trailer<br />and went over the last rollers?? If that is the case, the winch post needs to be moved toward the rear. Have you checked the tounge weight? That can tell you a lot. An overloaded tounge means just that! Having the front rollers lower than the rear is a big part of the problem. <br />Another thing to check is the height of the tounge. Are you using a drop on the ball hitch so the main rails on the trailer are tilted toward the Suburban? Could you post any photos of the rig.I think these problems are all adjustment related. When I adjusted my trailer from a deep V fishing boat to a cuddy model, It took many hours to get things just right !Take your time,....TOMMY

 

[aitkenkingfish]

Re: rollers or bunks

I can post a pic after christmas I am the local santa for the kids on the island. But the boat is not going past the last set of rollers on my ez loader the last frame crossmember has only 1 bolt ataching it to the outside frame allowing it to pivot forward and aft if I explained that correctly mounted to the crossmember onboth sides of the keel is a roller bunk aproximatly 2 feet long running forward to aft. these rollers are allowed to rotate with the boat when you launch the boat. the boat is almost 5000 pounds I cant push it off the trailer. I have adjusted the bow stop and moved the boat to the rear of the trailer about a foot.I will send picks asap. I will send some today but they wont have it hooked to the truck.

 

[TOMMYM]

Re: rollers or bunks

The one bolt crossmember setup is on all ez loaders.Looking from the back of the boat,the rollers can also be moved left and right.When mine was setup for the cuddy,the back rollers<br />were only about 12" from each other at the "v".<br />Can you raise the front set to get them higher than the rears? Or lower the rears? Also, is your ball higher or lower than the receiver inlet?<br />Maybe the pics will help. ..........TOMMY

 

[aitkenkingfish]

Re: rollers or bunks

sorry tommy I was bussy being santa for the comunnity today. I will get the pics into the computor and post them om monday or tuesday. have yourself a merry weekend. Ho Ho Ho

 

[Arnold96]

Re: rollers or bunks

I have bunks on a 23' cuddy and loading and unloading was a chore at the very least. I bought and installed some "trailer slicks" and it makes all of the difference in the world. I have come in at some really poor angles due to wind/tide and it self centers like it has eyes.