Trailer Conversion

[johnnywhale]

Working on my project, with an eye towards using it soon.
Boat came with a large roller type trailer, and the boat sits very high on it.
Steel trailer, I am a capable weldor.
Thinking about converting to a bunk type.
I have looked at many, looks doable.
Are there any hard and fast rules for bunk placement?
The ones I have seen appear to be support some of the keel and shove in a couple of others.
Has to be more to it than that, no?

Thanks for any advice,
Johnny

[gcarter]

Th bunk brackets can be bolted to the same crossmembers the roller brackets are bolted to.
The bunk brackets need to be adjustable, side to side, to allow the hull to fit the trailer.
There's probably no welding necessary.

[johnnywhale]

I am more concerned with placement on hull, thinking two 8-10' in a V at bottom, two shorter bunks on the outer strakes.

[gcarter]

I think you'll usually find the bunks just outboard of the inner strakes where the stringers are.
That location gives the best support of the hull and the internal loads.

A lot of folks like some smaller flat bunks under the bow.

[johnnywhale]

makes sense, thanks!

[maddad]

John, next time you get a chance take a look at Ralphs trailer. Set your bunks up in the same spots his are in relation to the strakes and you'll be all set.
I hope your motor is coming along nice.
Mike

[johnnywhale]

Picked it up from the machine shop Friday, ready to start assembling.
Picking up interior this week too!

[Carl C]

Make sure the bunks extend just a little past the transom for proper support.

[mattyboy]

to get the general idea

here are 3 custom trailers

the orange is for a sharp keeled 18

the yellow and silver are for 22 classics which will be the closest to yours but not exact your deadrise "might" be a tad shallower and your beam is 8.5 inches wider

the bunks are as George said are just outboard of the strakes

[johnnywhale]

the pictures are perfect, thanks!

[Planetwarmer]

mattboy--

Do you need the guide-ons for easily loading the 22? My trailer is very difficult to load my 22C on. The bunks sit vertical as opposed to flat like those. It is the most difficult trailer ive ever loaded.

[Carl C]

I have the two vertical bunks and my boat centers itself very nicely.

[mattyboy]

Planet,

those are performance trailers out of lake george ny each custom made and fitted for the boat they will not make one without the boat to fit it even on a trailer that they have made in the past. they are a pleasure to tow ,launch and capture. I had one for my 16 and I have never seen one have an issue with centering they are the perfect float on and float off trailer. the trailer for my 16 was over kill it was a tandem and as large as a 22 trailer I never had an issue with at the ramp.

the pics were to show the simialrity in the bunk arrangement for the classic style hull

[mattyboy]

Planet,

when you pick up one of these performance trailers up you get the same instructions.
when you are capturing the boat dunk the trailer until the bunks are wet the pull out until the tips of the center bunks are just above the water. they act as a guide for the nose the boat will glide on to the bunks and then just when the boat stops a inch or so shy of the stop clip the nose and a half crank and you are done.

I would think it is not an issue if the bunks are flat or on edge but how long the inner bunks are to keep it centered and that the bunk is at the right angle to the hull.


the only time it didn't center for me was when i had a good size passenger in the boat, the trailer was designed to float on with no one in it. it took me a while to figure that out.
i asked him to stand in the middle of the boat right on it went

[gcarter]

My Minx trailer had vertical bunks, and after spending an hour or two at the ramp making adjustments as to bunk location, it was very easy to use.
Also, installing guides at the aft end of the trailer is a lot of help. I find it remarkable more members here don't use them.