Trailer to Boat?

[BuzzStPoint]

I have a Bunk trailer, 3 rollers down the middle.
Fiberglass boat 14 foot.


It's a tilt trailer but someone put a bolt through it..
Last year before my boat rebuild, I noticed that my last roller doesn't touch the boat when winched up. Also about 3/4 way up while winching it up the bow would hit the trailer.. I don't know if it's a mis-adjusted trailer, or my launch/retrieve.

The rollers were worn and shot, I replaced those.
Right now my boats is on blocks while I paint the bottom.. "Paint should be dry now. So before I put the boat back on the trailer.

What is the proper placement of the bunks and rollers.

Any tips?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

Those rollers probably are just meant to protect the hull if it manages to contact the crossbeams while loading.

I had a 15.5 foot trihull that had a combination 3 roller/bunk trailer. The thing was IMPOSSIBLE to load straight if the bunks were too low. (aka it had weight resting on the rollers) I moved the bunks enough so the hull is at least 1 or 2 inches above all rollers, and it loads 100x better.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

Hi BUZZ,

I'm down in Kenosha Co. about .5hr from Lake Geneva.

My 1st question is, how long are your bunks? Are they just attached to the end of the trailer and swing up and down? How are the keel rollers attached to the trailer? In a fixed position on the trailer or can they be moved fore and aft?

W/O seeing the trailer and if it's like I'm thinking it is as it's a tilt trailer I believe the rollers should be in contact with the keel and you may need a 4th roller in the spot were it's contacting the trailer. Most tilt trailers are pretty adjustable.

Any way you could post a picture before you put the boat back on it?

My old tilt Gator has 4 keel rollers and bunks for my 14' Lund and all rollers are in contact with the keel. I use the tilt on mine most all the time as the semi-private ramp at the end of my road is unemproved gravel and most of the time the transom is barely touching the water when I launch. Though I have no trouble launching or retrieving it in those shallow conditions.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

The three rollers are adjustable up and down, The forward most roller can slide back to front. while the back 2 are fixed.

The bunks are a fixed with 2 posts each. I can raise them up and down if needed. They are sitting, at the lowest settings.
I didn't measure them, But by memory I think they area about 3-4 feet long.

I put the boat back on the trailer last night.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

Understood, bunks are mounted in two places as are mine. Only 3-4' long as are mine.

OK, may have to move the front (bow) roller to a spot a few inches back to were the keel will contact it before it contacts the trailer. If that is too far back another roller may be needed. Are the bunks adjustable in and out also? Wider/narrower.

Sounds to me as though the trailer is not set up correctly as mine was when I got it.

Try this, set the front roller to just before were the bow hits the trailer and set the bunks so they are level when the boat is setting on just the front roller and bunks. Then move the other remaining rollers so there is just a slight pressure on the keel. This way everything should work as it should if/when you decide that you need to use the tilt. Otherwise just set the remaining rollers to just contact with the keel and use it as a bunk trailer.

 

[dude11]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

I swear we have close to if not the same set-up on trailer.Sounds like you've gotten some good advice;But I've also heard that if the keel rest on the rollers(and not the bunks)that bounching down the road could damage the keel--sounded right.So I set mine so the keel is about 1" above the rollers.Just to be on the safe side.dude11

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

Understood, bunks are mounted in two places as are mine. Only 3-4' long as are mine.

OK, may have to move the front (bow) roller to a spot a few inches back to were the keel will contact it before it contacts the trailer. If that is too far back another roller may be needed. Are the bunks adjustable in and out also? Wider/narrower.

Sounds to me as though the trailer is not set up correctly as mine was when I got it.

Try this, set the front roller to just before were the bow hits the trailer and set the bunks so they are level when the boat is setting on just the front roller and bunks. Then move the other remaining rollers so there is just a slight pressure on the keel. This way everything should work as it should if/when you decide that you need to use the tilt. Otherwise just set the remaining rollers to just contact with the keel and use it as a bunk trailer.

As for the Bunks. No other adjustments other then up and down. I'd have to look at the brackets, but I dont think I can angle them. From memory, they are a post and pole bracket with a stop screw to hold it in place from the side.

I'll try to move the front roller back a but to keep the bow from hitting the trailer. Then I'll also take a peek at te other 2 roller and adjust so they are slightly adding pressure.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

The keel is the "backbone" of the boat and will not be damaged by the rollers. They are there to support the boat "along with" the bunks. Rollers do no good if all they are doing is going along for the ride. Lastly, if your boat is bouncing around on the trailer then you are leaving yourself wide open to damage regardless what the setup is. Fasten the boat to the trailer with stern tie downs. The bow strap or cable should pass under the bow roller when attached to the bow eye, and a safety chain is necessary to keep from launching the boat into the back of the tow vehicle in a sudden stop or crash. If you don't believe this, here is proof.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

After you move the roller back so the bow is not hitting the trailer you may still want to add another roller closer to the bow for added support. The more contact points the better it will distribute the weight.

Usually there are additional bolt holes in the frame to allow you to move the bunks closer together or farther apart. Though with my trailer when I replaced the bunk boards I had to bevel one side about 1/4" to get them to fit the boat because the holes were in the wrong places

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

Must have been one slick trick to get that thing to slide that far up the bunks. Suprised they didn't jacknife it or throw it completely off the trailer.

 

[dude11]

Re: Trailer to Boat?

The keel is the "backbone" of the boat and will not be damaged by the rollers. They are there to support the boat "along with" the bunks. Rollers do no good if all they are doing is going along for the ride. Lastly, if your boat is bouncing around on the trailer then you are leaving yourself wide open to damage regardless what the setup is. Fasten the boat to the trailer with stern tie downs. The bow strap or cable should pass under the bow roller when attached to the bow eye, and a safety chain is necessary to keep from launching the boat into the back of the tow vehicle in a sudden stop or crash. If you don't believe this, here is proof.

That makes sense too."Bouncing" down the road-refered to the trailer,not the boat around on the trailer,is what I said. Or at least what I meant.dude11