Trailer setup correct?

paul sparkes · 03 February 2015, 20:36

Hi all,

Collected my new boat today and have a question regarding the trailer set up.

It has rollers on the bottom and a bunk either side.

My question is: should the v of the hull be sitting on the rollers or suspended a few inches above by the bunks or should i lower the bunks so that the rollers take the weight and the bunks act as a support to either side of the v of the hull?

Hope that makes sense!

Thanks in advance

Peter_C · 03 February 2015, 20:58

They should all work together. Where the rollers are mounted plays a part in it. Some rollers are just used to get the boat onto the trailer and then sit all alone and do nothing. Any mounted directly under the keel should be touching it and providing a small amount of support. The bunks should do most of the work.

Do make sure the transom is supported too.

paul sparkes · 03 February 2015, 21:03

Thanks Peter,

the rollers are directly under the keel but none are touching, however, the transom is supported by a roller. Will get some pictures tomorrow as it may help

Peter_C · 03 February 2015, 21:58

I would recommend spending a little while looking at others photos.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sib+...ed=0CAsQ_AUoBA

paul sparkes · 04 February 2015, 14:30

These photos might make it a bit clearer........

Ovey · 04 February 2015, 14:42

I personally would lower the bunks a little (looks that an inch may do it), so that the boat sits evenly and is gently supported by the rollers and the bunks. (Bunks taking slightly more of the weight).

This should make it slightly easier to launch/recover and take some boat weight off the bunks. As has been said - ensure the last roller is within an inch or so of the transom. Otherwise the weight of the engine is able to "bend" the boat about the point of the last roller.

paul sparkes · 04 February 2015, 15:10

Thanks Ovey, thats what i thought. The roller under the transom is only 1/2 inch or so beneath. Only got the boat yesterday and want to do anything i can to help make life easier at the slipway to avoid a row with my wife!

Ovey · 04 February 2015, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul sparkes

want to do anything i can to help make life easier at the slipway to avoid a row with my wife!

I agree with that one! I've played with my trailer so I can happily launch/recover all on my own if needed. That way the wife (and two young boys) can go off to the marina cafe/shop/toilet or sit in the car if needed, or help if she wants to!

Peter_C · 04 February 2015, 17:49

If it were my trailer, I would be looking hard at replacing the bunks with something far longer. Since it is a hard hull, some Trex bolted on (No need for carpet and the boat will slide on and off easier), with maybe one new stanchion forward on each side would do the trick. Just doesn't seem like the hull is well supported enough. They should extend out from under the transom too to support it. A twist would have to be put in the bunks to follow the curve of the hull.

JamesF · 04 February 2015, 18:20

Quote:

Since it is a hard hull, some Trex bolted on (No need for carpet and the boat will slide on and off easier),

We must be thinking of different things:

Although it would lubricate the bunks I suppose!

office888 · 04 February 2015, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesF

We must be thinking of different things:

Although it would lubricate the bunks I suppose!

It's a USA product... composite wood stuff.

kerny · 04 February 2015, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesF

We must be thinking of different things:

Although it would lubricate the bunks I suppose!

Do they still make that

Quote:

Originally Posted by office888

It's a USA product... composite wood stuff.

So is Trex

Peter_C · 04 February 2015, 19:27

Trex is far superior to pressure treated wood in so many ways. The chances of wearing Trex out or it breaking without doing something stupid is slim. "Do it once, do it right, and never do it again". It tends to be a slightly slippery product so it makes winching a boat easier, as it slips up the trailer. Not quite as easy as rollers, but that is good in other ways as the boat won't slide around as much, and the contact surface is larger. Never would I move a Trex bunked trailer on a slope though without the bow strapped down. (I have loaded and unloaded many boats by just driving them on and pulling the truck/trailer out of the water, to later strap the boat down, but they all had carpeted bunks. The trailer is only in the water for 20 seconds, so it keeps the tow vehicle line moving.) Trex makes launching easier as you just give it a push, or a little reverse, and it slides off the trailer.

Explore Trex Decking, Railing, Outdoor Furniture & Lighting - Trex

I am sure they have a similar product in the EU.

JamesF · 04 February 2015, 19:30

They do indeed — we use it at home. Weird stuff, like a cross between snow and fat, but it fries a decent egg

.

Quote:

It's a USA product... composite wood stuff

Quote:

Explore Trex Decking, Railing, Outdoor Furniture & Lighting - Trex

Thanks

.

We once tried some blocks of green plastic — possibly HDPE — but it was too narrow and made it difficult to get the boat off. It was much improved by the addition of wooden tops about the size of that Trex decking. That looks like it'd do the same job in one go, although we've gone back to rollers since replacing the launching trolleys.

beamishken · 04 February 2015, 22:35

There is little wrong with the trailers design all that is required is to drop the bunks a little so the weight is on the keel rollers too,this will spread the load throughout the hull

We store our 8.5tonne cruiser ashore & it is supported on a set of blocks at the front of the keel & a set at the rear & 4 stands at the outer edges of the hull
The keel is the strongest part of the boat & most boats will support their own weight on their keels. take a look around a few boat yards & you will see many boats sat on minimal keel blocks & props
No need to start over complicating things & modifying a perfectly adequate trailer

paul sparkes · 05 February 2015, 06:51

"No need to start over complicating things & modifying a perfectly adequate trailer"

Agree with that! Its the same trailer that the boat has been on for years so cant be that bad...plus, i am fast running out of dosh to do any major mods what with having to buy radios, new seats/upholstery, RYA courses, the list goes on........

Xk59D · 05 February 2015, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul sparkes

i am fast running out of dosh

BOATS

Break Out Another Thousand Sucka!!!!

You are not alone in this club my friend, welcome, have a swim as the water is deep and LOADED with other members :-)

cheers

Peter_C · 05 February 2015, 17:27

There is a big difference between a boat stored on blocks in a yard, and one bouncing down the road going airborne at times. Light trailers bounce off the ground, plan for it, and strap the boat down.

I will agree it is a light boat and doesn't need to much, just make sure the transom is supported.

SBH2OMan · 05 February 2015, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_C

If it were my trailer, I would be looking hard at replacing the bunks with something far longer. Since it is a hard hull, some Trex bolted on (No need for carpet and the boat will slide on and off easier), with maybe one new stanchion forward on each side would do the trick. Just doesn't seem like the hull is well supported enough. They should extend out from under the transom too to support it. A twist would have to be put in the bunks to follow the curve of the hull.

+1

I was thinking the same thing. Those bunks appear too short to be supporting the weight of the hull properly. I'm not fond of rollers in general, but since you've got them, the majority of the hull weight should be spread across them, rather than on the last 1/3 or so of the trailer (where the bunks appear to be).

BTW, "Trex" is a recycled plastic composite "board" material that can be cut and utilized like a wood board but is impervious to water, since it is plastic. It also tends to be more slippery than a carpeted bunk, helping get the boat on and off. Wood-plastic composite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia