roller bunk system

[Orwell boy]

Hi , anybody got any experience of this system for a rib ,,, any good ,bad or indifferent thoughts ? ,,can I really winch my rib off my back lawn ? ,, any guidance appreciated ,, thanks

[beamishken]

Lots of people like them
Personally I prefer bunks
Yes you need to get the boat deeper in the water but you don't get point loading on the rollers
I've seen several boats hit the concrete when the winch slips or gives up on the initial pull out of the water before its fully strapped on
Usualy heavier for a given gross weight so lower carrying capacity
Seen several boats with gouges in the hull from roller spindles after the roller has decided to pop off the spindle
Usualy more expensive
But you probably can winch off your lawn!
No doubt I'll get mauled by the majority of roller trailer lovers for my opinion but I'd prefer a bunked trailer every time

[Bigtalljv]

My new trailer has bunks. For a 7m rib. Where I live in the USA the ramps are usually pretty deep. That said ribs generally have a pretty low draw so I'm not sure how much the deeper vs shallower debate is worth. I prefer the bunks for the long trailer trips I take. No reason why, I just. Feels more solid, less bouncy

Jason

[Sibbo90]

I've just replaced the rollers on my trailer with aluminium rollerbunks with the cranked guide roller system ... transformed my boating life!

[Sibbo90]

Would really work for unloading and loading from the garden!

[Sibbo90]

Pic this time.

[Chris Caton]

I winched the rib off the trailer onto the drive at home so that the trailer could be re-furbed, then winched it back on, not a problem as long as you've git the space, I used some rubber matting to sit the hull on 👍

[HDAV]

Also winched off a dry beach when tide has gone out a bunked trailer would have meant either finding lots of willing hands or waiting for the tide to refloat the boat......

[Orwell boy]

Thanks people ,this is looking really positive for the rollerbunk system ,as my previous post I am currently on an extreme unbraked but currently refurbing a braked trailer(change of plan ) ,so I really do not want to dunk the brakes ,where I launch is steep and deep so it should be easily possible ,I have 24 swinging rollers at moment but rollerbunk may just pick the bow up quicker
Chris C , any big advantage in all your x members swinging ? does a swinging x member make a difference ? thanks to all

[Simon666]

I replaced my bunks for roller bunks last year.

Ive gone from standing in waist deep water at the slipway swearing at the boat to dry feet and driving the boat on and off the trailer.
Bliss.

Only problem i had was setting them up. I had some rollers taking loads of weight while others barely touched the hull.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Simon666

Only problem i had was setting them up. I had some rollers taking loads of weight while others barely touched the hull.

That's the art, boat hulls are never planar, juggling the rollers around to distribute the weight, whilst keeping the hull as low as poss without catching the keel is a long process.


Lions led by donkeys

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Thanks people ,this is looking really positive for the rollerbunk system ,as my previous post I am currently on an extreme unbraked but currently refurbing a braked trailer(change of plan ) ,so I really do not want to dunk the brakes ,where I launch is steep and deep so it should be easily possible ,I have 24 swinging rollers at moment but rollerbunk may just pick the bow up quicker
Chris C , any big advantage in all your x members swinging ? does a swinging x member make a difference ? thanks to all

I guess I could have got away with a fixed beam for the front set of rollers, but as I was doing the refurb myself the money I saved on paying somebody else to the work was spent on re-galvanising the existing frame, swing beams etc, so it just seemed the easy option to go for a 3rd swing beam, certainly makes for easy launching and recovery so no regrets