Roller bunk or bunk board trailer....?

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:12 pm

john55c wrote:

Jdpber wrote:

custom bunks. MAIN reason.. LARGER support impact zone on the hull of the boat...

ROLLERS suck. they have multiple failure points. and can fail easier.. BUNK IS BEST hands down

...except in all the other situations and places where bunk trailers are difficult to use because of natural conditions...

please name one,

I launch bunk trailers in the swamp, lakes, oceans. no issues. and smaller trailers a tilt bunk you can launch damn near literally on the shore in a piss trickle of water. I am not a fan of rollers had a few and they all were constantly a pain in the damn ass.. BUNKS last longer.. and you just add bunk slides and the boat launches like a hot knife in butter..

LouC · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:30 pm

7-8 ft tidal swings
shallow ramp
no way I could get the boat on or off, at low tide, without putting the Jeep in salt water!

Jdpber · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 7:00 pm

You do realize that the tide swing makes no difference launching a boat. It is the angle of the ramp. If your ramp is designed like crap with no angle then it will not come off of the trailer. Complain to your local core or engineers and have them build you a proper boat ramp.

LouC · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2014 7:53 pm

You have never lived in New York have you?
It's the land of NO....they take your tax money and give you crap.
I stay here only because I can make far more money in my field than I could anywhere else.
The town ramp is better but there would have to be a major time and money wasting fiasco to reace that ramp involving the DEP, Suffolk County and the township etc to rebuild our local ramp.
Still even at the better town ramp it's 85% rollers.

meinmelb · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 4:18 am

I've always had bunks as I trailer long distances but now have galvanised roller trailer. Reason for Gal - rust. Sick to death of rusty trailers falling apart!

Jury is still out for me on Rollers. Bunks do obviously provide a greater foot print against the hull and therefore provide better support, but with sufficient rollers it should do no damage. Launch and retrieve does seem a hell of a lot easier with rollers in a river current though. Aim the boat semi centre on the trailer, slow power on and the rollers self centre, and up you go.. easy as! Bunks seem to need guide polls to be as easy...

Capt. Hoss · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:32 am

Guide poles can and do help when you have a cross wind or current, but with my bunk trailer I back in just enough to cover the fenders, and the boat goes on straight (when I hit the center bunks right) I am sure both types have their advantages but I have only ever used bunks.

204Angler · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:25 am

Yeah from what I am reading, there are actually legit reasons for needing a roller trailer...like in the case of a ramp not built with enough angle. I know in the ICW off the NC, SC coast, every boat ramp I have used is mostly sufficient using a bunk board trailer. However, I am sure if you launched at low tide that might be different on some ramps. Also, have the rollers to power up while retrieving and having the self-center...that would help.

I will still try to keep a bunk board trailer I guess. Maybe it is something I have to get over but I just like knowing the boat won't prematurely exit the trailer either on the ramp, or hi-way. Also, having proper transom support and PSI makes more sense to ME. I have seen boats that have been sitting on a trailer without enough transom support and the hull develops a hook.

Thanks for your input guys. Didn't want to start any arguments! :twisted:

john55c · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:46 am

204Angler wrote:

Thanks for your input guys. Didn't want to start any arguments! :twisted:

No arguments here, the bottom line is that there is no "one size fits all" solution, and everyone has their own reasons for choosing which works best for them. The condition of the ramps used, tides, and many other factors all come in to play. There's plenty of reasons why each style has its merits.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 10:17 am

LouC wrote:

You have never lived in New York have you?
It's the land of NO....they take your tax money and give you crap.
I stay here only because I can make far more money in my field than I could anywhere else.
The town ramp is better but there would have to be a major time and money wasting fiasco to reace that ramp involving the DEP, Suffolk County and the township etc to rebuild our local ramp.
Still even at the better town ramp it's 85% rollers.

one ramp that socks to be you .. i have 7-10 i use on my side of town split between the 2 lakes. between 3-9 miles from my house. Depends where i am going..

I Have a self centering with side guides FACTORY 4 bunk Four Winns trailer and it is dead nuts center every time.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:14 pm

BUNK TRAILER !!!!

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Jdpber wrote:

BUNK TRAILER !!!!

But with Surfix bunk slides and you are golden

Jdpber · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:24 pm

BUNK TRAILER WITH SLIDERS !!!!

204Angler · **Posted:** Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:42 pm

Well...I absolutely HATED the roller trailers (two of them) that I've had before. One under a 21' CC and the other under my Wellcraft I currently have. However, I just got back from the lake with my 195 SD that sits on a roller and I must say, I didn't mind it. I can see the appeal. I might still PREFER bunks with sliders for my big boat but with this small boat I think the roller bunks will work just fine

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:20 am

Here it's the opposite; the only boats you see on bunk trailers are smaller ones, bigger boats are mostly on rollers.
We have 4 local ramps but the one that is closest has a shallow angle and it's impossible with a bunk if it's more that 2 hrs before or after high tide. Dealing with tides is different than lakes but we never have low water levels due to drought either.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Sat Jul 26, 2014 7:15 am

24 years on the Charleston SC coast I have launched at hundreds of ramps up an down the east coast. I know all about tides. My father was a harbor pilot for 20+ years. I now live at a height controlled lake that is +\- 3'. South Carolina state wide does a great job maintaining the ramps and waterways.

www.iFourWinns.com

Roller bunk or bunk board trailer....?

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