ROLLERS OR BUNKS HELP PLEASE

[Noah II]

I need to buy a trailer for a 25 foot 5500 Lb. boat. Since I have little experience in the boat trailer area, I am hoping to get some opinions and assistance to help me make a decision.

If you would be so kind as to take the time, which do you like better, rollers or bunks, and why?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies. [img]graemlins/program.gif[/img]

NoahII

[Miss B Haven]

Tough choice actually.

Bunks- pros....cheaper, lighter, better support for the hull. Cons... Can be a REAL problem on shallow angle launch(can't winch a heavy boat up like you can on rollers), makes using a sling a lot trickier (have to lift partial and block it up on the bunks).

I would highly recommend a 3 axle with full brakes on that heavy of boat. Is that your "wet weight" (fuel/water/gear etc) or the book weight. My last trailer boat was 2000 lbs heavier than the stripped down dry weight in the book. The trailer that came under it new was undersized for the boat when I got done. I ended up buying a 9,000 lb 3 axle/3 brake Caulkins with 4 double (2 2x6's per bunk) bunks. Now that was a trailer! (paid dearly for it too- 5,500 4 years ago).

[fish assassin]

What Mel said!! I've always liked rollers better for those shallow ramp
launches and retrieves ...

-assAssin-

[Miss B Haven]

Noah- that sounds familiar. My 24 AFB was 4500 book weight. The one I bought had all the option goodies which adds weight over book (sink/stove/ refer / micro/water heater, etc etc)
After the electronics, a second engine bat, 2 house bats Downriggers, radar arch, rocket launchers, kitchen stuff, food, fishing gear, water oil, a kicker motor, fishing tackle, a couple a beers and a partridge in a pear tree that I added...I weighed the thing on the highway scales at 7200 for the axles and about 1000 lbs of tongue weight. :shocked:
The trailer they sold me under it was good for 7500 max gross (trailer weighed about 1500 so it was only good for 6K of boat).
The dealer didn't understand my concern. The trailer distributor on the other hand took one look and said the trailer was to small for the boat (they didn't even know the weight).

It's tricky getting a trailer that fits the boat right too. The HD 3 axle I got to replace it was actually for a boat up to 29 feet (smallest 3 axle they made). The extra tongue length is great for backing and pulling but with axles all the way back the boat still sat 6-8 inches forward on the bunks. Nice support for the hull/transom but it sure looked strange. Made strapping the transom down a challenge to. The other thing is that my thru hull transducer was already there. The new trailer with 4 bunks was an issue. They couldn't palce the bunks where they really shouldhave goen because of the transducer. The strakes ended up on the bunks. Could have an issue with rollers as well.

If I was you I'd call a Skipjack dealer and find out what trailer really fits your boat nice. Oh- and plan on spending some additional bucks to get it all set up for the boat. Axle position, bunks (or roller) positioning, front stop position, winch cable height (to the bow eye) etc etc.
I think it cost me another 300 to have them set it up. Check your tongue weight first thing too. The trailer palces don't usualy have the capability to scale your tongue weight on a boat that size s othey're guessing. I'd want 750 lbs on that boat of your's (10%). Hope you got a 10K hitch on your truck.

[kamloops]

Noah,

What kind of hull do ya have? Glass, Alum, Steel, Wood or Ferro Cement.

Think that I would only place a glass hull on rollers. Wood must always go on bunks rather than rollers. Alum or Steel I am not an expert.

[Noah II]

Hi Again and thanks for your help.
It is a fibreglass hull. A Skipjack actually.
5500 Lbs. is the dry weight and I expect it to go as high as 7500 max fully fueled and loaded.
It's in dry storage up in Edmonds now and we would like to bring it home for the winter and then to the Oregon Coast for TUNA (Gee, it makes me shiver just to type that) next year.
Thanks again for any input.
NoahII

[SlabQuest]

Bunks offer a considerably lower center of gravity than rollers for better road handling.

Bunk trailers must be completely submurged for launching/retrieving while with a roller trailer & electric winch you can usually keep the hubs out of the water.

[Miss B Haven]

Slabquest- Not sure I agree with the CG thing. My bunk trailers have all had the keel sitting right on a roller that was barely above the cross memeber of the trailer frame. Roller trailers are the same. The frames/center rollers are the same. You can convert a bunk and roller trailer back and forth by replacing one with the other on the same frame. On either type the bunks or rollers move up to match the bottom shape (except for the keel rollers).
The keel clearing the cross memember is the limiting factor on height on either type.

[STGRule]

I had a very nice custom trailer built by Tricker Trailer for our 26' Almar. It is a tandem axle, disc brake trailer that is rated for 12,000 lbs. The axles and tires were the upgrade. It is a bunk trailer. I have no trouble loading at any ramp we have found up and down the Columbia and a few coastal ramps. The low center of gravity makes it a dream to tow and to board when it’s trailered. No trouble loading yet and we've had it for almost three years now. I have changed both big boats over to bunks.

[Onokai]

Bunks are best for heavy boats such as yours. Rollers can dimple heavy glass hulls.Rollers work well on non glass hulls and light wieght glass hulls Check with your boat manufacture on recommendation on bunks or rollers.I've got two boston whalers -18 ft and 23 ft both have trailers with bunks from the dealers.Mark

[CAPT KUJO]

I can give you the best deal on either style you choose. Brand is Shorlander.

CAPT KUJO

[Reel Creel]

Bunks are what I recommend, I've had both. It's nice to have a boat on bunks because most of all when you get to the ramp and you want to put the boat in the water, after you take off the straps and chain you don't have to worry about the boat rolling off the trailer. the one downside I have found is you have to motor the boat onto the trailer,I cant crank the 5000lbs up without rollers, but I'd rather do that then have to worry about it coming off the trailer when I'm putting it in or taking it out of the water.

[Noah II]

Gentlemen
Thank you all very much for the input. I think I have decided to go with Bunks.
Capt. Kujo, I look forward to hearing from you when you get back from Hawaii. And also look forward to seeing your pics.

Again Sincere THANKS to everyone!!
NoahII
Jim