Bunk vs Roller

[Sandy]

This should start some lively conversation. I am going to replace my EZ Loader roller trailer and am considering an aluminum I beam bunk style. I keep the boat on the trailer year round and use it nearly every Saturday on the Chesapeake Bay. My EZ loader has served well but is getting tired. What are the pros and cons of a bunk trailer? I am not one to "Power load" a trailer....is that what needs to be done with a bunk? Your thoughts are appreciated. Sandy

[Sandy]

This should start some lively conversation. I am going to replace my EZ Loader roller trailer and am considering an aluminum I beam bunk style. I keep the boat on the trailer year round and use it nearly every Saturday on the Chesapeake Bay. My EZ loader has served well but is getting tired. What are the pros and cons of a bunk trailer? I am not one to "Power load" a trailer....is that what needs to be done with a bunk? Your thoughts are appreciated. Sandy

Oops It's a 22C

[gcarter]

Here's the part of my TR thread that dealt w/the '93 or so aluminum trailer that came w/the boat.
I ended up changing everything, including new TieDown Torsion axles w/replaceable spindles, and Kodiak stainless disc brakes.
I spent a total of $3,500 on it which included relocated cypress bunks and every piece of hardware on it.
You may see some things you like....

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthre...erious/page111

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthre...Help-Questions

[Ghost]

I had a Loadmaster (Ohio) custom built for my Cig 24. Similar hull shape. It's a bunk trailer. certainly a lot more support surface on a properly bunked trailer, making for far fewer PSI on the hull.

I've never had to power load. I go pretty deep on the back-in, it centers itself pretty well and winches very gently forward. A slow pull and she settles right in most of the time. VERY happy with Loadmaster. Can't say enough good things. Really honest, knowledgeable, honorable family business.

(I'm in Annapolis)

Mike

[Rob M]

I agree with Ghost - I prefer bunk trailers for fibreglass boats. Rollers are OK for aluminum hulls - no issues with full pressure points. I converted one of my rollers to bunk and have no added issues loading or unloading - it actually centres better on the bunks. If you put the majority of the bunk surface under water (except about a foot of the top) there is no issue hand bombing it on then driving off the ramp slowly until it settles in place.

All that said, I am dealing with a max 19' boat length - 3000 lb boat. So for all I know bunks are more challenging for hand loading bigger hulls.

Also agree with the comments on Loadmaster from Ohio. Extremely well made trailers - and Gary and family are great to deal with. My only issue is the trailer crank lift leg is pretty shakey with a single pin. I crank it all the way down when it is off the hitch cause it looks like it could kick out.

[f_inscreenname]

Great info. The only thing I will add is it depends on your ramp. If you are dealing with shallow water all the time rollers are the way to go. I just doubled up the rollers under the transom /motor area to spread the weight around. If not bunks are better.

[Ghost]

I agree with Ghost - I prefer bunk trailers for fibreglass boats. Rollers are OK for aluminum hulls - no issues with full pressure points. I converted one of my rollers to bunk and have no added issues loading or unloading - it actually centres better on the bunks. If you put the majority of the bunk surface under water (except about a foot of the top) there is no issue hand bombing it on then driving off the ramp slowly until it settles in place.

All that said, I am dealing with a max 19' boat length - 3000 lb boat. So for all I know bunks are more challenging for hand loading bigger hulls.

Also agree with the comments on Loadmaster from Ohio. Extremely well made trailers - and Gary and family are great to deal with. My only issue is the trailer crank lift leg is pretty shakey with a single pin. I crank it all the way down when it is off the hitch cause it looks like it could kick out.

Wow, Rob, spot on. Thanks for the reminder. I'd forgotten about the crank lift leg. That's the only thing I've run into that I don't like. I talked to Loadmaster and I think they've concluded the same thing, and switched to a jack that mounts on the centerline, rather than off to one side. I bought a railroad tie and chainsawed 4 blocks out of it. I keep them in the truck bed at all times when towing, so if I need to uncouple and want the tongue up, it's blocked and never left on the jack. I even slide the blocks in as I jack it up, as soon as there's room for the next one. So if it gives, it only falls a couple inches onto the blocks.

I also had some gussets welded into the jack's pivoting bracket, which was getting noticeably bent into a curve, headed towards failure. Had it straightened, and then supported with the gussets. Should be much better, but I NEVER trust the jack. Only use that long enough to lift it and get blocks under. And I pay attention to making sure it's flat enough where i'm parked. Angles make failure that much more likely. I will probably spring for a centerline jack at some point.

[Ghost]

Great info. The only thing I will add is it depends on yourramp. If you are dealing with shallow water all the time rollers are the way togo. I just doubled up the rollers under the transom /motor area to spread theweight around. If not bunks are better.

Agreed. If I didn't find enough depth, I'd be looking for another ramp with my bunked trailer.

[Greg Guimond]

This should start some lively conversation. I am going to replace my EZ Loader roller trailer and am considering an aluminum I beam bunk style. I keep the boat on the trailer year round and use it nearly every Saturday on the Chesapeake Bay. My EZ loader has served well but is getting tired. What are the pros and cons of a bunk trailer? I am not one to "Power load" a trailer....is that what needs to be done with a bunk? Your thoughts are appreciated. Sandy

I have boats that use each style of trailer and also have a jet dock for another. To me you need to take a look at the ramp you will be using, assuming you are using the same ramp each time. What is the incline, does the end of the ramp go forever or is there a fixed bump curb that stops trailers at a certain point, and have you seen the ramp at "dead low" tide and what you would be dealing with for water heights. All of these would play a factor for me in which style of trailer I buy. You then can go over to the Fleet Reserve and think through your options.

[woobs]

I'm a "bunk" man.

This is strictly due to the amount of support for the hull. All my boats live on the trailer. As this comprises more than 97% (probably 99% in reality) of the boats lifespan, it is the prime consideration. Over time , the pressure points of the rollers can compromise the hull. Of course, the weight to # of rollers is key but, given enough time in life... everything sags.

Launch and recovery are no big deal and the same amount of work... just different details. Btw: I never "power - load" on to my trailer.

I have had ShoreLand'r, EZ Loader and Load Rite galvanized trailers with no complaints about any in my sweetwater world

[f_inscreenname]

Agreed. If I didn't find enough depth, I'd be looking for another ramp with my bunked trailer.

Ya one late night I came back to my ramp and basically beached it cause the water was so low at the bulkhead. Didn't even tie it up when I went to get the trailer. When backed in you could still see the tail lights of the trailer out of the water. It took a lot of cranking but it rolled right on the trailer and the 19 is no light boat.
A bunch of years ago I picked a 18' Larson I/O up off the beach with a tilt/roller trailer after spinning a coupler way back in a river.

[Sandy]

I appreciate all the responses....it looks like I am heading the right direction thinking about a bunk rather than another roller. It has always worried me how much time it has spent sitting on those rollers. I will look into Loadmasters and maybe Load Rite. It seems LED, torsion bar, and stainless calipers are the way to go? Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

Running from the Magothy River

Sandy

[Ghost]

I'd say LED and galvanized for sure if you do steel. Stainless calipers, yes. But I went with leaf springs, not torsion axles. (More forgiving if you climb a curb, for one thing. Easier to deal with a breakdown if something fails. Can get leaf springs anywhere. Torsion axle might well need a day to arrive.) FWIW.

IMG_1110.JPG

[JParanee]

Like was mentioned before a boat that lives it's life on a trailer needs something supportive on the hull and I don't like the way rollers support


only boat I could see on rollers is an aluminum boat for river use

my riverboat is an air boat and it is a bunk trailer and I power load aggressively