Trailers - bunked or roller?

slimtim · 12 November 2004, 14:50

What the title says, bunked or roller?! I feel that bunks might give more support and wouldn't mark the hull (if covered in carpet) but rollers would make launching and recovery easier.

I will soon be ordering but need to specify which one I want (there is no price differnence). Is there anything I need to look out for/ask for on either types of trailer?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers

Tim

Jono · 12 November 2004, 14:52

Rollers! Bunks can be hard work... rollers shouldn't mark the hull unless, like me ..ahem...you make the odd "cross-wind" approach...

slimtim · 12 November 2004, 15:06

Thanks for the advice Jono.

Just seen your ad in sportboat mag, very nice!

Cheers

Tim

Bilge Rat · 12 November 2004, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jono

Rollers! Bunks can be hard work... rollers shouldn't mark the hull unless, like me ..ahem...you make the odd "cross-wind" approach...

Depends what size and weight of boat your putting on them, mine sits on a bunked trailer and i can almost pull the boat half way up the trailer by hand, the rest is winched and very easy even if at a steep angle, if its windy or choppy the bunks keep the boat in position while i faff around with the winch strap.

End of the day both will do the job though and it all depends what your willing to put up with !!

DJL · 12 November 2004, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

Depends what size and weight of boat your putting on them, mine sits on a bunked trailer and i can almost pull the boat half way up the trailer by hand, the rest is winched and very easy even if at a steep angle, if its windy or choppy the bunks keep the boat in position while i faff around with the winch strap.

I would agree - my bunked trailer works really well, boat slides on and off pretty easily, but it won't roll off on its own if the winch fails etc.

Jono · 12 November 2004, 21:12

I really ought to read peoples "profiles" before opening my mouth.... if you've got a little 'un, I'm sure a bunked trailer will work.

However, you asked for an opinion and that's mine..I had a bunked trailer for my 4 metre Avon and it was a pain in the ass.. you needed to get the trailer quite deep before launch/recovery. True the friction on the bunks would hold it if the winch fails, but how important is that? If you are just relying on the winch strap, it might be a good idea to add a back up, whatever type of trailer..plenty of tails on this forum to attest to that..

I know a man who recovers off the beach.. and when I say off the beach, I mean he sticks his boat on the beach.. then fetches his trailer when the tide's gone out and winches his 225HP outboarded 23' sports fisher straight onto the trailer... try doing that with bunks...

Daniel TD5 · 12 November 2004, 21:57

i agree with jono my first trailer was a roller i found it very good and easy to
use my new dr 450 came with a swing back type witch will recovery from a very low water mark or from the beach. which is top class as the back swings
it will pick up the angle of the front of the boat from much lower than any
bunk type

Tim M · 12 November 2004, 22:37

I have a bunked trailer, and it's a real pain. The bunks have to be submerged to have a chance of letting the boat go, and when it comes to recovery at low tide, you need some serious effort on the winch to get it back on. If I had some spare cash I would buy a new roller-coaster trailer!

slimtim · 13 November 2004, 13:24

Thanks for the help guys.

The trailer is for a 5m boat. I think I'll go with the roller option having read your comments!

Cheers

Tim

The Jackeens · 13 November 2004, 21:58

yep. Roller is good Tim

Paul

seafariskye · 13 November 2004, 22:04

I have no roller trailers for any of my boats ... my commercial theory is that they should never really be on them anyway, but to say a 4m is a pain to get on a trailer with bunks, is tragic -- do you have to put your handbag down to recover it??

otherwise, rollers are easier, but the difference in the price is down to how, and where you launch it most often, and how much is in your pocket --
c'mon i recover my 9.5m on bunks..............

Pete

The Jackeens · 13 November 2004, 22:09

All that porridge you lot eat

Paul

ADS · 13 November 2004, 22:13

For my 4M I have a Hallmark 'Merit' trailer with bunks, the bunks work fine for me and the boat is very easy to get off although it is a light boat. My trailer came with very small wheels on it which are useful because you don't have to push the trailer out too deep before the skids get wet. I would have put some decent sized wheels on it but I only tow it half a mile down the road. Infact with mine I don't even need to get the skids wet I can just lift the bow up and push it off. Plus if I had a shiny new roller coaster I would be worried about leaving it anywhere whereas my trailer is delibrately scruffy.

seafariskye · 13 November 2004, 22:18

All that porridge you lot eat

True, but 'oat so simple' is quicker in the microwave --- gives us time to make high tide ..........
with extra honey as well ........

pete

The Jackeens · 13 November 2004, 22:22

Rogue Wave · 14 November 2004, 07:15

we have a few trailers and my Favoutite is a combination of bunks and rollers.

I'll just get these splinters out of my Arse an carry on! It has mostly bunks but two sets of rollers in a V formation to assiste the recovery. If you want to make the bunks a bit more slidy put sheet teflon on em

Jono · 14 November 2004, 09:39

So, Seafari, you recover your boats onto bunks without getting your hubs/brakes in the oggin?.. I am impressed...

seafariskye · 14 November 2004, 10:19

Quote:

So, Seafari, you recover your boats onto bunks without getting your hubs/brakes in the oggin?.. I am impressed

Of course............. we have a heli recovery system up here, surprised you have not got it down south??

No the whole thing goes in the water, in a bubble of grease.
works fine though and as long as all is well washed down and all that, no probs apart from the usual wear and tear...

Pete

slimtim · 14 November 2004, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jono

So, Seafari, you recover your boats onto bunks without getting your hubs/brakes in the oggin?.. I am impressed...

Can this be done with a roller trailer then Jono? You put the trailer into the water so the hubs are just above the water line and you can still get the boat on and off? sounds good.

Tim

George8910 · 15 November 2004, 09:48

I found a bunked trailer straightforward to use - but very slipway dependent, as you need to go quite deep to float the boat off - I often had to resort to a towrope to be able to get the trailer deep enough - unless on a lovely slip like yarmouth (and even there I managed to drop a wheel over the 'toe' at low water!)

Having said all this the trailer was a budget indespension with leaf springs and quite high - also it had cheap 'high friction' carpet on the bunks which didn't make recovery a dream either...