converting a bunk trailer to a roller trailer

Ed in 2005 I don't think covers were an option, at least not one I knew about. Not even sure when I learned the "new" pressure treated wood was bad for aluminum. I did know carpet didn't cut it for dry launch and recovery. And I was too tight to pay for carpet I was covering with the slicks. I don't even have a loyalty to slicks I used a different style on my sneak box trailer rebuild, picked them up at the local Cabela's. I'm simply documenting whats worked well for the last 7 years in a similar application.

Scott
 
Scott,

I've never saw the covers until I moved to Florida. Then when I got back up north I started looking for an outlet where I could buy them. Must have been a salt water thing. As a matter of fact I couldn't afford the slicks when they first came out. I would back the trailer in far enough that the carpet was completely wet then I'd pull up the ramp so my bunks were about 3/4 out of the water. Our ramps are steep around here so anything that lessens friction is a plus.
 
Mike,

I do not know what kind of boat you are putting on your trailer. Glass, wood/glass combo, aluminum, etc., but here is all I know, (my 2 cents). I have owned Boston Whalers for the past 25 years, and the Whaler people are adamant about using a bunk trailer, with the MAIN support being carried by the center keel rollers, and the bunks being used to support the side to side movement.

This is because the Whalers have a foam core in the hull, and the glass shell can form dent where the roller is supporting the boat. If you notice how many rollers are on a roller trailer, and where the boat is supported on them, there is a lot of weight concentrated on a few small square inches of support. If you boat is light, it probably isn't an issue.

On a side note, I've watched guys loading their boats on a roller trailer, and it seems that they cannot drive it up on it, and get it centered just right, whereas a guy with a bunk trailer, can pull it up the first time, right in the proper space. The roller boys will power their boat up on the trailer, get in their vehicle, pull up the ramp, and have to back down, push the boat off and get wet, walking in the water, to set the boat up correctly on the rollers.

Also make sure, you are backed down the ramp BEFORE you remove the front winch strap from the boat, as if you back down with it removed, and stop fast, your boat will be sitting on the concrete boat ramp. Seen this happen with a brand NEW Alumacraft 17, with a 70 Yamaha on it.

Luckily, my son was with me, and we help the elderly couple reload their first boat on their roller trailer. Lots of scrapes, but no real damage.

Good luck,

Art
 
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On a side note, I've watched guys loading their boats on a roller trailer, and it seems that they cannot drive it up on it, and get it centered just right, whereas a guy with a bunk trailer, can pull it up the first time, right in the proper space. The roller boys will power their boat up on the trailer, get in their vehicle, pull up the ramp, and have to back down, push the boat off and get wet, walking in the water, to set the boat up correctly on the rollers.
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Art,
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[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]I use rollers under aluminum boats and bunks under glass boats. [/font][/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Ninety nine percent of the time I drive my boat on once, and only once, each time I load it.

[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] By design a roller trailer loads different than a bunk trailer. [/font][/font]The guys you have been watching do not know how to load a boat on a roller trailer. The most common reason folks are having troubles centering their boat, is because they have backed the trailer into the water too deep. Having the trailer too deep in the water does not allow the rollers to do their job of guiding the boat onto the trailer.

Driving a boat up onto a roller trailer is a piece of cake once you understand the proper procedure. The term "up onto" is exactly what should be occurring. Most of the boat should be out of the water when the bow hits the bow stop. One does not "float" a boat onto a roller trailer (like you would a bunk trailer) one drives the boat "up onto" a roller trailer.

[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][size 2][size 2][size 2][size 2]I know it sounds like it, but [/font][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font]please do not take this to mean I am preaching to you personally. I am just throwing this out there, in hopes it will helps speed up the line at the launch.

PS. Sorry to derail the original question.
 
I have heard this issue with BW boats before. It is my understanding that my boat has 7 layers of glass. It is an all glass boat and it is a tank.

I am the guy driving the truck but I need to make things easier on the guys winching the boat. Being that it is salt, I do not want to make it a habit of dunking the tires. Checked my bearings last night. Has grease but it is turning brown, so a clean out is needed very soon.

I am not happy with the way that my trailer sits my boat so with all the modifications and such, a new trailer might just be easier. So back and forth, back and forth...
 
Mike, another thought, can you lower your trailer? I lowered my boat close to 5 inches by moving the axle above the springs. I was having issues at low tide having to back the trailer beyond the edge of the concrete of the ramp.... I have not launched yet, but think I may now be good.
 
LOL....well there you go. Like I said there are guys that swear by the slicks and lets be honest if there is any gassing to this stuff what percentage can there be? The EPA would be all over this stuff if it was that corrosive. And as far as contact would I notice anything in my life time? I just repeated what I was told at the boat shop because I don't know any better and I'll let someone else decide if it's important to them.
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Pressure treated wood + wet bunk carpet + saltwater + aluminum boat = ELECTROLYSIS

And yes, it starts to happen immediately once the paint wears on the aluminum hull!!!

I've posted plenty of pic's on this site of the effects.

Older floatation foam is just as bad!!!
 
Can't lower the trailer since the rear has a pretty pronounced V. It's not flat like the TDB is. I actually switched trailers with the TDB when I bought this boat. The cross members on the trailer that the boat came with had straight cross members and the bottom of the boat was kissing the cross member so this obviously had to go for fear of hitting a bump and the cross member cracking the bottom of the boat. My cross members for the trailer for the TDB were more beveled to allow for the room that I needed.

I am going to take it to a Marine dealership and have them look at the boat/trailer setup and see what we can do.
 
If you end up purchasing another trailer, keep an eye out for a tilting bed trailer. In the old days, most all ramps were not very good. We all used roller trailers and many also tilted. These allowed you to launch onto and load from dry ground if you had to. Since the trailer bed tilts, instead of trying to lift the bow onto the trailer to get the boat started on, you can simply tilt the front of the bed to get first center roller below the bow eye and start the boat onto the trailer.

Lastly, most trailer manufacturers will extend the tongue of the trailer for you. So long as they reposition the axle to adjust the tongue weight, this is another good way to add reach without having to dunk your truck tires. Switching from spring to torsion axles will lower the trailer bed to ease loading as well.
 
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