Roller bunks or Polyethylene topped...which is best?

[Ringo Steele]

Hi folks,

On my trailer, I have a set of roller bunks about 4' long. I have a 16' semi-vee boat. I have noticed what seem to be slight dents that look like that are being caused by the roller bunks. Would plastic-topped bunks be a better option for the aluminum boat hull?

 

[baseball_guy_99]

I noticed the same thing on my boat. So I ditched the rollers and went with carpeted 2x4 bunks. The 2x4 mod cost me about $25 after purchasing the brackets and everything. My rollers were shot so it would have cost around $100 to replace them.

 

[flatboat]

yep if you spray the carpet with silicone and let em dry they work pretty good . weight is spread over a larger area= no dents in bottom . with carpet and silicone much softer on the bottom .

 

[whistler]

yep if you spray the carpet with silicone and let em dry they work pretty good . weight is spread over a larger area= no dents in bottom . with carpet and silicone much softer on the bottom .

R U speaking of regular automotive silicon type lube? Wonder how long an application would last?

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Dry silicone spray.

 

[optaylor823]

I have had rollers and UHMW bunks and if you have a heavy boat there is nothing like rollers for loading and unloading in shallow spots. I have never really had any issues with the rollers denting the bottom, but then again I have had 100 to 190 gauge bottoms. If you are worried about dents then I would say go with 2x4's covered with UHMW to allow the boat to slide on and off easily. If you never load or unload in shallow places I would say go with 2x4's covered with carpet.

 

[baseball_guy_99]

I have not noticed any difficulties in loading/unloading my boat after putting the carpeted 2x4s on.

 

[reedjj]

I have not noticed any difficulties in loading/unloading my boat after putting the carpeted 2x4s on.

I never thought I had any trouble with my carpeted bunks either. And I thought I had used some shallow ramps... I learned that I was spoiled. Some guys are putting in using ramps where the boat is barely touching water or just the back of the bunks are in the water. Floating on is not an option, even power loading a drive on trailer doesn't work.

One day a few weeks ago when My daughter was home on leave from the Air Foce, my Wife, daughter and I towed the boat and hour to St Augustine Fl to go out around the lighthouse and do some sightseeing in Matanzas Bay. I had used this boat ramp before and never had an issue. People put in offshore boats up to 40+ feet here. When we got there it was low tide, I mean really low (2 days after Hurricane Irene went by us and was hitting NY). When I backed down the boat ramp the trailer went in the water and then leveled off (on thebottom). I was in all the way to the front tires of the truck and the bunks were just barely wet. The boat was no where near floating. I tried to shove it off the carpeted bunks unsuccesfully. I got my daughter to help push and that didnt help either.

With UHMW or silicone I would have not drove 1 hour each way for nothing. Getting it back on would have been a non issue because thats what the winch is for.

I have heard of guys using the UHMW and being used to unhooking thier bow eye before backing down the ramp have thier boat slide off the trailer before they got it into the water just because of the angle of the ramp!

This winter when I replace my bunks Im going with UHMW or something similar.

It would have been like unloading with the trailer this deep https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE0XnjLh6dY&feature=related

 

[Hanr3]

There is a difference between rollers and bunks. Bunked trailers are meant to have the boat floated onto it. Rollers are meant to have the baot driven onto it.

 

[jasper60103]

There is a difference between rollers and bunks. Bunked trailers are meant to have the boat floated onto it. Rollers are meant to have the baot driven onto it.

Hanr3,
I think you meant the opposite?... Drive on bunks. Float on rollers, especially the wobble wheel type.

 

[muskiemike12]

Well when unloading you need to float the boat off a bunk trailer, where as you can push a boat off a roller trailer. Unless you have a lightweight tin, then it doesn't matter. My lightweight 14' I can push off the bunks.

 

[flatboat]

i learned that spray silicone trick from a young man with a alison bass boat on a carpeted bunk trailer . that thing slid off there so purtty. all he did was get the back of the boards in the water and off she went

 

[Hanr3]

There is a difference between rollers and bunks. Bunked trailers are meant to have the boat floated onto it. Rollers are meant to have the baot driven onto it.

Hanr3,
I think you meant the opposite?... Drive on bunks. Float on rollers, especially the wobble wheel type.

Nope. Bunks provide no slippage or mechanical action for motion between the hull and bunk. The boat must be floated into place.
Rollers do just that, roll, thus providing the mechanical action to carry the weight of the boat needed to move the boat without floating.

 

[jasper60103]

There is a difference between rollers and bunks. Bunked trailers are meant to have the boat floated onto it. Rollers are meant to have the baot driven onto it.

Hanr3,
I think you meant the opposite?... Drive on bunks. Float on rollers, especially the wobble wheel type.

Nope. Bunks provide no slippage or mechanical action for motion between the hull and bunk. The boat must be floated into place.
Rollers do just that, roll, thus providing the mechanical action to carry the weight of the boat needed to move the boat without floating.

Yea, I guess where the confusion lies is what I call a "drive on" is what you call a "float on"?
In any case, where I launch, I see guys with bunk trailers retrieve their boats like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUHVnJY1IDY&feature=related

 

[Hanr3]

A lot of people load that way.

The below info is from American Boating Association.

Boat Trailers How to Choose the One That's Right for You

by Mike Selvon

Boat trailers are as diverse as boats themselves. Just as you researched your boat before you bought it, you need to do the same thing with your trailer. There are a number of styles, shapes and prices, so doing your homework will benefit you. Reading magazines and searching online will give you access to all of the information you need to pick the ideal trailer for your boat.

Boat trailers are sold in two basic types: bunk and roller. Although the bunk trailer is generally considered superior for riveted aluminum boats due to their thin hulls, most boats can be equally supported on either type of trailer. The major difference has to do with how you will load your boat into and out of the water.

Your choice of boating marinas may help you choose between the basic types of boat trailers. A roller trailer is generally preferred if you will mostly load and unload your boat in shallow water. The drive-on, drive-off configuration makes it unnecessary to back very far into the water.

By contrast, the bunk trailer's float-on, float-off configuration makes this type of trailer ideal for those who will mostly load and unload in deeper water. You will need to back the trailer fairly far into the water. Bunk trailers are generally less expensive than roller trailers. Combination bunk-roller trailers can also be found, combining the best of both technologies. These are generally the most expensive boat trailers.
https://www.americanboating.org/equip-trailers.asp

 

[jasper60103]

A lot of people load that way.

The below info is from American Boating Association.

Boat Trailers How to Choose the One That's Right for You

by Mike Selvon

Boat trailers are as diverse as boats themselves. Just as you researched your boat before you bought it, you need to do the same thing with your trailer. There are a number of styles, shapes and prices, so doing your homework will benefit you. Reading magazines and searching online will give you access to all of the information you need to pick the ideal trailer for your boat.

Boat trailers are sold in two basic types: bunk and roller. Although the bunk trailer is generally considered superior for riveted aluminum boats due to their thin hulls, most boats can be equally supported on either type of trailer. The major difference has to do with how you will load your boat into and out of the water.

Your choice of boating marinas may help you choose between the basic types of boat trailers. A roller trailer is generally preferred if you will mostly load and unload your boat in shallow water. The drive-on, drive-off configuration makes it unnecessary to back very far into the water.

By contrast, the bunk trailer's float-on, float-off configuration makes this type of trailer ideal for those who will mostly load and unload in deeper water. You will need to back the trailer fairly far into the water. Bunk trailers are generally less expensive than roller trailers. Combination bunk-roller trailers can also be found, combining the best of both technologies. These are generally the most expensive boat trailers.
https://www.americanboating.org/equip-trailers.asp

Good reference. Thanks.