Bunk vs Roller trailer ? Easy choice in NE

[tartuffe]

Originally Posted by spareparts

allowed to power up a boat on the trailer, unlike some areas in the NE

Did not know that, geesh, take all the fun out of loading the boat.

[phatdaddy]

i think spares right on with the salt issue. first boat i had was a 19 mako w/ a trailer that had 21 rollers. i could launch in a bird bath, but every year i was replacing rollers , brackets , axles, gang brackets, etc. after 3 years , i pulled all that off and put on two cypress bunks and only had wheel bearings to contend with.

no doubt a roller will do it all, but if local ramps will allow, i'll stick to bunks.

[bgreene]

Got a new roller recently so I'll inquire about any roller related maintainance.

Had a bunk - carpet wore out - put slip strips on - a litle better.

Roller - so easy to ease it off................ and winch it back up.

[Destroyer]

Not aware of anyplace in the NE that prohibits driving onto a trailer. Not saying there aren't, just that I don't know of any. But give me a roller trailer anytime... easy as pie for us old guys to get the boat back on the trailer.. Something you youngsters should think about when you get to our age...

[tartuffe]

I back my trailer to where the bunks are about 3/4 underwater, line her up relatively straight and drive her right up to the point where it hits the roller at the winch. Lean over the bow, hook it up, 1 or two full turns of the winch, cut engine, tilt, and tell whomever is driving to drive.

Do you have to roll the boat all the way on or does it roll off when you quit giving the engine throttle?

[bgreene]

Originally Posted by tartuffe

I back my trailer to where the bunks are about 3/4 underwater, line her up relatively straight and drive her right up to the point where it hits the roller at the winch. Lean over the bow, hook it up, 1 or two full turns of the winch, cut engine, tilt, and tell whomever is driving to drive.

Do you have to roll the boat all the way on or does it roll off when you quit giving the engine throttle?

I don't drive on - it's generally bad for the ramp - blowing out the dirt below the ramp and forming a deep hole over time from guys doing the same thing, again, again......

I let it roll off under control........then use my dock lines to ease it up about 1/2 way back onto the trailer. I then connect the cable, and winch it up easily across the rollers. I do this alone, or with assistance.

[phatdaddy]

and the deep hole allows us guys with bunks to launch,

all is good

[phatdaddy]

maybe i don't understand, but with a bunk, you drive it up to the bow stop. with a roller, if you drive it up to the stop, it will roll back down and then you have to winch it back up to the stop. i have had my trailer for about 14 years and have never had more than 3 ft of cable off of the winch.

edit:tartuffe, you are a faster typer than i am.

[RidgeRunner]

Faster than I on the typing as well.. My finger gets tired.

Too many working parts. Advantage bunk trailer. I too have not seen more than 2' of winch strap in the past 10 yrs or so. Until I drop the boat off on the ground for one reason or another, then I wish it was a roller trailer with a power winch for getting the boat back on again. Bunk trailers have a tendency to float without the boat on so backing off the end of a ramp isn't as hairy, unless the boat is still on it.

[jasoncooperpcola]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

Faster than I on the typing as well.. My finger gets tired.

Too many working parts. Advantage bunk trailer. I too have not seen more than 2' of winch strap in the past 10 yrs or so. Until I drop the boat off on the ground for one reason or another, then I wish it was a roller trailer with a power winch for getting the boat back on again. Bunk trailers have a tendency to float without the boat on so backing off the end of a ramp isn't as hairy, unless the boat is still on it.

Same here. They ought to sell 3' winch straps.