Self centering rollers.

Yukon Mike

Yukon Mike

Well-known member
Do any of you guys have one or more on your trailers? WHat about the side guides? I have a terrible time getting my 18'er on the trailer straight. It has a tilt back with wobble rollers and just doesn't go on straight easily. I really like the tilt for launching and would hate to switch to bunks as boats tend to freeze to them. Most places we go have incredibly crappy launches.

Thanks,

Mike
 
Mike,

I've used roller trailers like your's exclusively for my Vee hulled boats forever. You can and should be able to load dead straight every time. The rollers that are already there will guide you properly when given the chance to do their job. Give me a call tonight and I'll discuss it with you.
 
Mike,

I've got a Shore L'ander trailer with rollers for my 18 ft. Lund. I've measured and remeasured trying to get both sides the same and the SOB still loads crooked 80% of the time. It's very finicky about how much is in the water before you start loading also. The bunk trailer for my BB3 on the other hand loads great every time. I have had the boat freeze down as you said but a small price to pay for easy loading. If the freezing gets too bad I'll put glide slicks on the bunks.

Roller trailers 'should' load great but don't as often as one would like.
 
Yes I do Mike. Just bought 1 this past summer and the roller, which is placed in the middle of 3 rollers (the first roller is deep in the water at the ramp) get the boat straight - quickly.
 
Maybe I don't have a 'centering' roller, didn't catch that part of the question. Disregard my obvious uninformed reply :)
 
I have had a couple of setups for my 18' Lund Alaskan. First were the side rollers that attach to the frame with a bent tube. They lasted about a year. Currently I have the ones from Cabelas, link below. These are the bomb. I have had them 2 seasons now and they are like new. I have learned just how deep to set the trailer so I can drive it on. I have the tan/yellow rollers that work very well. If I get in too deep the side guides save the day. I have also found that if I'm off by an inch or 3, the boat will self center driving home.
These rollers give you great flexibility to adjust to the width of you boat.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0042952018953a&navCount=1&podId=0042952&parentId=cat21382&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat21276-cat21382&catalogCode=IJ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat21382&hasJS=true
 
Mike, I have no experience with the self centering rollers. I assume they are keel rollers. I have no keel rollers on my trailer. Seems you would need to have to crank or drive the boat on with enough contact to rotate the roller for it to do it's job. In theory it looks like it should work just fine.
The Cabelas side rollers work great for me, especially with wind or a hard running tide. Ken
 
Mike, that's exactly what I have.

It really works. I have a brass half oval down the center line and the half oval goes right into that roller and the boat straightens right out.
 
Hey Mike,
I have a couple of them on my broadbill trailer (got them on clearance) and they work great.
Even without an actual keel the steep angle of the hull makes them work.
Just my .02 John
 
Mike, Thanks for asking. I have been looking at them too, sounds like they might be the trick. I have a trailer with both keel rollers and bunks. The trick is to get them set so the boat rests on the keel rollers til you snug her down. Then the bunks STABILIZE the boat and carry some of the weight. The keel is the backbone of a boat and should be the strong point. The boat on that trailer never sees freezing weether but in the summer it loads like a dream. Don't be skeered of bunks.
 
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