Changing from a roller trailer to a bunk

[thing]

What is involved, is it hard to do? I have a 12 footer with a roller trailer. I need to replace some rollers, spend a little money on it. I was thinking of changing over to bunks.

I'm aware the disadvantges with a bunk with loading/unloading with regards to water depth, ramp etc. Obviously with a 12 footer..I can just pick it off the trailer and throw it in the water if need be.

I'm guessing any 1/2 decent trailer shop could install bunks. What do you guys think it would cost? Who would you recommend?

[Tdog_2005]

There pretty easy to install , just buy the brackets and bolt them to the trailer on a cross beam and buy a 2x6 and carpet them .. I bought somet trailer supplies from cerka.ca.

[TROLLER]

Buy pressure treated and ask that they only give you fir. It is what most bunks are made of.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

Buy pressure treated and ask that they only give you fir. It is what most bunks are made of.

Not a good idea if your boat is aluminum.

http://www.oaa.on.ca/professional+re...ted+wood+alert

The new style of copper based preservatives (used in this new generation of treating wood versus rot) caused pretty dramatic corrosion on aluminum.

I'd say go with standard SPF and you should be good for years - after all it's cheap and easy to replace.

The carpet would certainly be a barrier, but the wet wood would likely wick some of the chemicals up to the carpet and it would remain in contact for long periods of time .....

I wouldn't do it myself.

[TROLLER]

Don' t think any of that is true.

No problem with my aluminum Crestliner and it is now 15ys. old. Have changed the bunks out and never had an issue.

Crestliner was the one told me to use pressure treated fir in the first place. copper preservative would have to eke it's way out of the wood and through the carpet to the bottom of the boat.

Not too likely IMHO

[TJG]

Originally Posted by Jet

If getting off the bunks becomes an issue (not with a 12ft, but if you have a larger boat), here's a tip....

Use Silicone spray on the bunks. I soak em with about 1/2 a can after I launch on a sunny hot day and let it dry. Reapply every 3 months. Ajdust amount of spray to your sliding preference.

IMPORTANT: leave your safety chain / strap attached until boat is in the water, unless you want to drop your boat on the ramp.

When doing this, it makes it very easy to launch, boat slides off with a light push, if it doesn't slide off by itself. Basically, like rollers.

The only negative is when driving your boat back onto the trailer, you'll want to leave a tiny bit of throttle on the engine to keep your boat up against head of the trailer if you're attached the strap yourself (it will want to slide off).

If you need to do this to your boat, stay with rollers. Driving on and off should not need silicone on the bunks. Correct depth and water will get your boat off the trailer. IMHO

[Jamie Black R/T]

Originally Posted by TJG

If you need to do this to your boat, stay with rollers. Driving on and off should not need silicone on the bunks. Correct depth and water will get your boat off the trailer. IMHO

x2

not necessary.

[Tdog_2005]

X3 - I have 18ft deep hull boat no problem going on bunks, i do have a combination with some rollers

[Dan Foss]

Slight Derail, Bunks vs Rollers overall. Whats your preference. My personal thoughts are the heavier the boat, the more I prefer bunks, but under 2000lbs(including gear), rollers aren't gonna harm anything if the boat is set on the trailer properly.

Thoughts?

[Jamie Black R/T]

Originally Posted by Jet

Depends on the size of your boat, your trailer, vehicle and the ramp.

I do, if you have a smaller boat, maybe you don't.

1875 Lund here. no issues. this new shorelander is the best trailer ive ever used. the boat just slides right on there and always settles right in place. No power loading or manipulating after the fact is required.

I do NOT like the idea of slicked up bunks while approaching the launch.

Just my .02

[EZM]

Me too - back the boat into the water??? the boat will, in fact, ironically, float ..... no need to be muscling anything for any reason.

Loading - find the sweet spot .... mine is when the bottom of the load guide is just touching the surface of the water. Coast the boat onto the bunks at a speed about the equivalent of a moderate to brisk walk. She slides up and settles about 12"-18" short of the yoke - no worries.

If it's a little windy and choppy, I back the trailer in a touch less (more out of the water maybe an inch or two) and increase the load speed slightly (brisk walk to slow jog) to eliminate the time the wind or the waves push me off course.

Watching guys wrestle their boats off/on trailers or power off/on to trailer bunks does nothing but scour the boat launch up, cause excessive wears and tear on motors, bunks and hulls not to mention the occasion crash into a yoke. Never understood this.

This works on big boats, small boats, deep vees, tri hulls, pontoons etc.... you just have to take a mental note of the depth on a known part of your trailer. The angle of the launch is somewhat secondary and much, much less of a factor.

Bunks are the way to go ..... don't be scared to get them wet.

[cube]

Originally Posted by Jet

Sometimes you may not be able to back the boat in far enough due to the physics of it. Backend may float, but front can still be glued to the bunks.
If you need it, you'll know it and there's the easy solution which many of us use. If you don't need it, you don't have any awareness of the issues some of us have.

I certainly have seen very shallow boat launches where unless you had a jacked up truck you would not be able to launch your boat with out getting your cab full of water, and that's on calm days with out the waves.

My one question though is: What is the environmental impact of silicone spray on the water body in question, as I imagine that most of that sprayed on silicone will be ending up in the lake?