Advantage of roller bunks vs. solid bunks

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

No one leaves the boat, your hand's never more than a metre from the throttle and similarly for 10 to 15 seconds. No one in the water, who's at risk?

It’s certainly possible to overstate the risks but at least one person here jumps off the boat whilst the engine is in gear unattended. It’s also been suggested extending kill cords (generally a bad idea).

Some of the perceived risk variance might be down to different types of boat (and maybe different slipways). On a large boat you are a long way from the helm, and likely high above the winch post for clipping on. On a small boat a bunk trailer may not need to be that much deeper to float on/off than rollers etc.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Poly

On a large boat you are a long way from the helm, and likely high above the winch post for clipping on.

Yep, on my boats it's impossible to reach the winch post from the bow, rollers or bunks.

On a small boat a bunk trailer may not need to be that much deeper to float on/off than rollers etc.

Indeed. Bunks are frequently lower than rollers because rollers need height for the support bars and then more height for the axle bars.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

There tendered to prevent being drawn into thrusters human error can and has been a factor

Every dsv I've worked on in the last 15 years the umbilicals have had a physical stopper that prevents intentional or accidental deployment of too much umbilical its never left to the tenders or bellman

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Yep, on my boats it's impossible to reach the winch post from the bow, rollers or bunks.
Indeed. Bunks are frequently lower than rollers because rollers need height for the support bars and then more height for the axle bars.

I think the lower profile of bunks is a big advantage of a bunked trailer keeps the load closer to the road and helps stability

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

No one leaves the boat, your hand's never more than a metre from the throttle and similarly for 10 to 15 seconds. No one in the water, who's at risk?

OK...... on most RIB's if your hung over the bow reaching for the winch post your way, way more than a metre from the helm controls, are you not? ( unless you've got a baby size boat )
'No one leaves the boat' - jeffstevens has slightly different approach to your extraordinary long arms technique , and I quote 'jump over the side and attach the winch' - he's not aboard!!

As touched on by other posters, common sense is the key, many local slips to me are very,vey busy and not places to risk (however small) someone else's well-being I'm with the "nursery-paddling committee" at Lymington ( come-on, what would they know?? All those decades of experience and knowledge ) FYI the RYA training is the helm (if running) is manned at ALL times, one hand on the throttles and no excuses - period!

[69cmw]

I see the launching police are on patrol again .....

[Fender]

Originally Posted by 69cmw

I see the launching police are on patrol again .....

Who mentioned launching, we're having a nonsensical argument about boat recovery

[breezeblock]

Originally Posted by 69cmw

I see the launching police are on patrol again .....

yep the common sense police are needing to make a few arrests

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Fender

...... many local slips to me are very,vey busy and not places to risk (however small) someone else's well-being I'm with the "nursery-paddling committee" at Lymington ( come-on, what would they know??........

The reason they're so busy (and probably the reason you don't need an aux) is people getting in everyones way spending most of their day paddling about on the slip trying to launch and recover their boats and never seeming to get much further than the harbour entrance.

PS

I'd imagine the Lymingtons "nursery-paddling committee" probably know how to make lovely fairy cakes and real lemonade..

[Last Tango]

Looking at the OP's first post, there may be some confusion.

He refers to "roller bunks". Most (not all) roller trailers here are swing-beam rather than roller bunk and the "V" in the swing beam is what gets the height of the boat down for easy launch/recovery. The straight axle can scupper this a bit and is the limiting factor. I have heavy duty rubber "D" fendering on top of my axle and the boat does tend to contact it during launch and recovery but that's the price of getting the boat as low as possible on the trailer.
Never tried roller bunks, so can't comment.

[Orwell boy]

Never tried roller bunks, so can't comment.[/QUOTE]

love my what tends too be referred to as "genuine roller bunks "
just ordered my third set rb28 to replace swinging cradle on a 2015 as new extreme 1300kg trailer
reason being loading is so easy .......never put trailer wheels in past the tyre wall ,can load it off the lawn !............Bunks set so base of vee just misses axle , so nothing moving and no variables ,need a quality two speed winch for ease of loading ,I never attempt to drive the boat on the trailer as total winch on from start with engine swtched off and raised .........can present the bow to trailer at any angle and winch will pull it square .......no split pins in rollers to rust ......roller arms and rails all lightweight ally and have a lug on brackets to stop them laying wrong way .....because system is mounted on straight rails securing the tie downs is easier and more effective ,and lastly if you fit led lights to your side rails you set them as far back as you can miss the boat loading and unloading and you never have the faffing of putting them in and out as their are no variables so you will never smash them.
i am nothing to do with rollerbunk systems just a convert !

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

I'd imagine the Lymingtons "nursery-paddling committee" probably know how to make lovely fairy cakes and real lemonade..

It's quite clear that you feel Lymington Harbour Authority have over reacted regarding a situation they deem a safety issue ( the mocking and belittling gives it away ), so I’m fascinated to know what you feel about the RYA and their training regarding leaving a boats controls, is the UK national governing body getting it wrong as well?? Is their safety training out of proportion?? If your unsure about their policy regarding the helm then speak to them, you might learn something

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Fender

? If your unsure about their policy regarding the helm then speak to them, you might learn something

Did..............
That's how on top of 50 years boating experience I have a commercially endorse APB. cert.

Maybe you should you should talk to them yourself and you'd learn what "while underway" means.

[neil.mccrirrick]

Underway or making way [emoji1]. Underway is being steered by rudder where there is enough water. Making way is being propelled. IMHO a rib ticking over in gear is making way. Absolutely no idea where that leaves this tangle [emoji23]

[xpertski]

How about making “little way” [emoji23]

sorry couldn’t resist

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by neil.mccrirrick

Underway or making way [emoji1]. Underway is being steered by rudder where there is enough water. Making way is being propelled. IMHO a rib ticking over in gear is making way. Absolutely no idea where that leaves this tangle [emoji23]

Hmmm.

"Making way: being propelled through the water by sail, machinery, or oar" .......IRPCS.


Technically "aground". so not travelling through the water.

[neil.mccrirrick]

The way I read it is underway your afloat with no restriction, anchored moored etc. Clearly not that nosed up to a trailer with the engine on, so it must be making way, there are no other choices lol

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Did..............
That's how on top of 50 years boating experience I have a commercially endorse APB. cert.

Maybe you should you should talk to them yourself and you'd learn what "while underway" means.

BS, my RYA contact is a Safety officer whom I spoke to yesterday, there's no situation in the RYA training syllabus where the helmsman leaves the controls of a powered boat if the engines are running / in gear, its one hand on the throttle/s at all times - simple as that. He also didn't think much of the idea of abandoning the helm with the boat trying to drive forward whatever the excuses

I'm pleased to say we obviously have different standards on boating safety ( even with your 50 years of experience and extra long arms ), lets hope no-one gets hurt using this 'technique'

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Fender

BS, my RYA contact is a Safety officer whom I spoke to yesterday, there's no situation in the RYA training syllabus where the helmsman leaves the controls of a powered boat if the engines are running / in gear, its one hand on the throttle/s at all times - simple as that. He also didn't think much of the idea of abandoning the helm with the boat trying to drive forward whatever the excuses

I'm pleased to say we obviously have different standards on boating safety ( even with your 50 years of experience and extra long arms ), lets hope no-one gets hurt using this 'technique'

Really..... "your contact". Get a few years experience under your belt and start thinking things out yourself.

You have a car sitting on a wet slippery, steep ramp, probably loaded to near it's max design limit and being held by a brake operating on only two wheels that only has to, by law, be 17% efficient and you're going to stand behind it cranking a winch? Surely you can see that that is a much more likely scenario for someone to get injured?
"Power loading" (we can call it that now?) means there is NO ONE IN THE WATER so you really have to explain how someone could be injured.

If the Harbour authority are not managing the facility properly and there are people playing around on the slip then that's the issue they should be addressing.

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by neil.mccrirrick

The way I read it is underway your afloat with no restriction, anchored moored etc. Clearly not that nosed up to a trailer with the engine on, so it must be making way, there are no other choices lol

Not afloat......sitting on the trailer completely restricted totally unable to move right or left or forward in any way shape or form.so not underway.

Not "travelling through" the water ("International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea's" definition of making way.) so not making way.

So neither making way nor underway.

So the only option left is "loaded on the trailer awaiting road prep". (probably even get away with turning the nav lights off)....sorted