Replace front bunk with roller?

[Biggems]

Hey everybody. Some of you may have read in an earlier post that I have some trouble recovering my boat nice and straight on the trailer. I'm sure some of it has to do with noobness but I was thinking it may be easier if I replace the forward bunk with a roller. If you look at the picture, you'll see that there is a single 2X4 that is laide accross the forward part of the trailer where the hull just sits on it. I was thinking of replacing that with a roller to better guide the boat straight up the trailer.

Should I do this? Pros Vs. Cons? and how easy would it be to do?

Thanks!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

I'm not seeing a picture there. Still, if you have a keel up there, a roller would be a better deal for alignment purposes...maybe. The problem is that you still have to hit the roller.

Having a grooved roller or one of those self-centering rollers at the stern is the most important factor, really. If the boat lines up at the stern, then the winch will help pull it straight up the trailer.

See if you can get that picture to show up. That'll help a lot.

 

[KurtG]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

I agree that the rear of the trailer is most important for the roller. I think you'd be better off mounting some guides along the sides.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Is that your boat in the photo next to your name?

If so, then I'd definitely add a grooved roller to the front, instead of a crossways bunk.

Also, if that's the boat and trailer in question, try loading with the trailer shallower. Lightweight boats like that one load best if the rear roller (grooved of course) is at the surface of the water when you retrieve. That way, the keel has to center.

What I do is bring the boat to the trailer with my 20' bow rope. I drag it onto the trailer as far as I can with the bow rope, then hook up the winch cable and winch it on the rest of the way. The rear roller and the centered pull from the winch always straightens the boat right out as it comes on the trailer. But, then, I don't mind wading.

If you're trying to retrieve with the trailer as deep as you put it when you launch, any current or wind will get you off center every time. Experiment on a quiet day to find out what works best, then stick to that every time.

 

[Biggems]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

yes the picture by my name is the boat and trailer in question.

I had posted a thread a while ago about recovering the boat and I learned to launch deep and retrieve shallow.

So you think I need a roller at the front to replace the sideways bunk and one in the back? And keep the other bunks?

I can't seem to post a pic that will work. In order to get it at 97.7MB which is the max, it's so freakin' small its not even worth posting!

 

[KurtG]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Do you have trailer guides?

http://www.iboats.com/Boat_Trailer_Guides/dm/*******.782977382--**********.636253163--view_id.238441

 

[Biggems]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

No I dont. The boat is usualy off center just an inch or two. So I dont think guides would help. I think that rollers, because of their "V" shape, would center it every time.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Absolutely. A grooved roller at the stern and a grooved roller for the bow. If it were me, I'd add one in the middle, too. With those, your boat will load straight, as long as you retrieve shallow.

For the front roller, you can get a roller assembly that attaches to the single frame member with two bolts, one on top and one on bottom that angle the mount to the height you need. I'll see if I can find one like that here on iboats.com and will add a link to it.

Got it:

http://www.iboats.com/Boat_Trailer_...2388556--**********.495177792--view_id.238442

What you need is called an "adjustable keel roller" on that page. There's a wide assortment of other keel rollers and brackets shown there. I'd go with three rollers, total, and adjust them so they share the weight with the bunks for easy loading and launching.

yes the picture by my name is the boat and trailer in question.

I had posted a thread a while ago about recovering the boat and I learned to launch deep and retrieve shallow.

So you think I need a roller at the front to replace the sideways bunk and one in the back? And keep the other bunks?

I can't seem to post a pic that will work. In order to get it at 97.7MB which is the max, it's so freakin' small its not even worth posting!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

I always pretty much considered a trailer with a forward cross bunk as being meant more for a flat bottom jon boat than a v hull.
If it were mine, I'd add a pair of guide on posts and a few keel rollers, if for nothing else but to keep the bow from contacting the trailer frame when loading and unloading.
Don't bury the trailer in the water, back in just enough to get the bunks wet, then let the ends of the bunks center the bow of the boat, the pull of the winch line will straighten the boat from there. If the stern comes on off center, chances are you can manually adjust that once out of the water as you tying it down.

 

[Biggems]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Here are a few pictures of my trailer without the boat. I'm thinking that just 2 rollers + the bunks would be sufficient. But tell me if you still think 3.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Two will do it. Depending on the type of rollers and brackets, you may have to adjust the bunks up a little.

 

[Biggems]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Update;

The Fiance and I took the boat out for the first time of the season yesterday. When retrieving the boat, we retrieved shallow as suggested to try and get the boat on there nice and straight. I put the trailer in untill the bunks were about 1/3 of the way in the water. Problem was that when I started pulling her up the trailer with the winch, the keel at the bow was bumping, scraping, and dragging along the center trailer frame untill it reached the sideways bunk.

So at this point I think rollers are deff. a necesity. I was also noticing that as CATransplant said, I'll most likely need to adjust the bunks up as well. What is the best way to do this? It seems like it would be hard to do with the boat on the trailer but if the boat isn't on the trailer, then how do I know how high to adjust them?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

Yah, you're going to need a roller midway on that trailer. You may not have to raise anything. It all depends on the construction of the trailer and what type roller you buy. With the boat on the trailer, measure the distance from the center frame member to the keel. That will give you an idea. Then go look at rollers and brackets and see what you can come up with. You'll need a roller at the stern, of course, but I think you have that already, right?

You can do all of this with the boat on the trailer. Just install the midway or front roller, blocking up the bow of the boat, if necessary. Then, with the roller in place, you can adjust the height of the bunks to maintain contact with the hull.

As I said earlier, I'd have three rollers on that trailer. Stern, midway, and further forward. That way, you won't have to worry about the keel rubbing on the trailer frame as you load.

 

[upinsmoke]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

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im thinking of replacing this bump pad with a roller. i have a 25 ft wellcraft, weighs 4500 Lbs. do you think i should do 2 rollers? 1 on each side of the crossbeam? you can see the pad has been worn down and the bolt that holds it is chewing up my keel.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

OMG!

 

[upinsmoke]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

probably looks worse than really is, but thanks for your input, i guess

 

[Arabian180]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

OMG!

X2

Anything through the gel to the glass is bad on the side that's suppose to be in, and move through the water.
After you're able get the boat on the trailer with little to no friction I would see about fixing that before becoming a honorary member of the delamination club.

 

[upinsmoke]

Re: Replace front bunk with roller?

will do, and am doing. shes going to rockport tomorrow. my dad does fiberglass repairs, so hes gonna help me out. he said to use 3m filler, the green can instead of marine tex, due to its easier to sand and as strong. i will get some pics up monday or tuesday.