Let's talk bunks

[Brian Reiber]

So.....I'm thinking I am going to swap out the rollers for bunks this season. The two reason's for me are:

1. Better weight distribution especially important when travailing on gravel roads.
2. It will lower my boat on the trailer which will reduce how often I have to dip the tow vehicles wheels in the salt water. (the disadvantage to this is that we currently tow with the outboards all the way down. Lowering the boat will mean I need to raise the main motor and support it for towing.

What are other thought on the bunks vs rollers debate?

Those of you with bunks what are you using for your bunks? I am thinking pressure treated 2"x6" wrapped in a marine grade carpet. Pretty simple and cheap. I initially though more elaborately about glassing the 2"x6" to make it permanent but in hindsight that is a lot of work for something that is so cheap and easy to change out when it rots.

 

[Cmiles]

Always had roller trailers just bought a new bunk trailer with the plastic guides on the bunks am really happy with how the boat slides on and off the bunks and sits solidly on it. No regrets

 

[Sir Reel]

My trailer has the bunks with the plastic guides and I am really happy with it. Easy to launch and retrieve. A friend has just carpet and it seems to dig into his strakes and remove the gelcoat. I had that happen on my previous boat too.
The carpeted bunks had white streaks on them from my hull gelocat. No issues with the plastic guides on this boat.
If you use a treated 2 x 6 should last a long time. Not sure your boat size but mine is 8000 pounds and my bunks are 4" x 8".

 

[scott craven]

I think it depends where you will be launching ?
I have always had roller trailer's which are great for
launching and retrieving at a ramp that flattens out at low tide situations.
I would go for the 50/50 trailer the next time and get best of both.

 

[Clint r]

Mines bunks with rollers in the front. Sometimes gotta winch it on but not often. With Guide ins on the trailer and the rollers in the front the boat kind of centres itself. Makes loading in the current or river easier.

 

[Sr SQ]

Bunks all the way for me, never liked any of my 3 roller trailers compared to my bunk trailers.
Like Sir Reel mentioned I added UHMW strips to my centring bunks about 5 years ago for the times I use a low slope ramp and what a difference, almost too slick now.
My main bunks I covered with old fire hose skin ( don't know the name of the stuff but its grey and indestructible) and give it a spray of silicon spray once a season and with this combo the boat slide off the trailer as easy as my roller trailers but I get the convenience of perfectly centred loads every time.
The size of your material will depend on your boats weight, my 10k trailer came with 3x10 main bunks

 

[Damien]

Not sure if any of you guys are referencing using pressure treated bunks and run aluminum boats. Thats a no-no. Even if the bunks are covered in carpet.

 

[Brian Reiber]

Thanks for the advice. My boat is a 19' CC. It weighs about 2500lbs loaded. It actually loads quite nicely on my roller trailer but i see some advantages to bunks for sure. Damien.....what is the consequence of pressure treated and aluminum?

thanks everyone,

Brian

 

[Damien]

The chemicals in PT wood ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) or CCA (chromated copper aresenate) eat aluminum. Dissimilar metals are a no no, galvanic corrosion is not your friend.

Better off using plain lumber and using Thompsons water seal then carpet or something like that. And just replace the bunks as wear items.

 

[Birdsnest]

Not sure if any of you guys are referencing using pressure treated bunks and run aluminum boats. Thats a no-no. Even if the bunks are covered in carpet.

Please expand on this post.

 

[Brian Reiber]

Ah ha. I didn't know there was copper in Pt wood. Cu and Al definitely do not get along in salt water

 

[chris73]

I had a Highliner roller trailer for my first ever boat and it worked like a charm for 12 years even though the trailer was not new when I bought it with the boat. The rollers never seized and I could push the boat off by hand even if it sat high and dry on very flat ramps. I never knew any different because this was my first boat/trailer. I was wondering why so many others struggle launching or retrieving their boats.

Then I bought another boat with a bunk trailer. Now I had to jerk several times to bump the boat off which is difficult when you launch alone. I added the EZ plastic caps on the bunks and they would make it somewhat easier but scratched the gel coat. Centering when loading was also a pain often.

Because I didn't like this trailer altogether I finally sold it and bought a brand new one where the boat would sit lower between the fenders. Trailer dealer loaded my boat on it and was supposed to adjust it for my boat. First time launching my keel hit the axle and damaged the gel coat. Pissed but not willing to deal with the trailer dealer again I fixed the damage myself and added a couple center guide bunks to help the boat clearing the axle and centering the boat. Works fine now but wow was my first rig a slick setup and I had no clue how lucky I was.

 

[Whole in the Water]

I have bunks in the back where most of the weight is for more support and rollers on the front for easier launching. This combo has worked well for me.

 

[tubber]

Question for the plastic bunk guys: When retrieving the boat and you motor up the trailer toward the winch, then jump out of the boat to wind up the last few feet, is there any chance the boat will slip back down? My carpet has never slipped. I almost always fish alone.

 

[Brian Reiber]

Question for the plastic bunk guys: When retrieving the boat and you motor up the trailer toward the winch, then jump out of the boat to wind up the last few feet, is there any chance the boat will slip back down? My carpet has never slipped. I almost always fish alone.

Good question. My rollers are tight enough that I can back down the ramp dry with everything unhooked if the ramp isn't too steep. I only do this when the ramp doesn't have a dock and I want to launch the boat with someone in it

 

[Sir Reel]

Mine does not slip however the ramp I am on is not overly steep. I also have guides so the boat goes on straight every time.

 

[Damien]

I watched a boat slip right off like the plastic was teflon coated at the Alouette launch a few summers back. He had the bow strap unhooked as he backed down the ramp though.

I've always been fine with carpet sliding enough to shove the boat on or off or get it seated right. But only had relatively light aluminum boats.

 

[Tidal Chaos]

Carpet on the rear bunks and UHMW on the front cradle; boat stays put until it is off the carpet and can slide easily off the cradle; launch with myself and an 8 year old and a 12000 lb boat, he has no problems since I installed the UHMW on the cradle; when it was all carpet I would have to bump the boat off the trailer, not now. Boat easily slides back into position when retrieving even at low tide at the Brechin ramp in Nanaimo.

 

[Sir Reel]

I saw a very funny, for the guys watching, launching at Brechin Point Marina a few years ago. I had just launched my boat and was tied up to the wharf when i heard a horrible screeching sound and turned to watch a 19' fiberglass boat skid down the ramp and into the water and gently float away. The guy had unhooked his strap and chain before backing down the ramp. It left an ugly white fiberglass and metal streak halfway down the ramp. A fellow boater had to go an retrieve his boat before it drifted away.
Was a good reminder to get your boat 3/4 of the way in the water before undoing the strap and chain.

 

[spring fever]

Sh-T happens-I never undo my strap and safety chain until an unexpected launch wouldn't hurt a thing. Doesn't matter how steep or shallow the ramp-if you have to brake suddenly for a dog or kid--there goes the boat---usually bigger the boat the more damage. I have guides, double center rollers at the very rear, cedar bunks with UHMW for the rear 8ft and tilting rollers at the front plus an electric winch and then a 12000lb working strength logging turnbuckle as the safety. The turnbuckle allows me to loosen the strap a little while still being engaged on the ramp and highway so as not to over-stress the strap and winch