Bunk vs. Roller Trailers

[Stoisy]

Hey Guys,
Just curious if anyone has pros/cons for either a bunk or roller trailers? What are the major differences people have experienced and why they would choose one over the other? We are looking at a trailer for a 22 foot Grady walk-around cuddy.
Thanks for any advice!

 

[spring fever]

I have a 24 ft Skagit Orca-I trail 4-6ooo km per year. Originally all rollers for the first 9 years. Switched to rear bunks this year-I always felt that with the amount of weight I carried I felt better with rear bunks. Some of my rear rollers were starting to crack and needed replacement-switching to rear bunks and Hi-grading rollers back to front was the cheap option. Plus I changed out all the nuts for the front rollers. The rear rollers really did little for me as the rear of the boat usually floats on so I have noticed little if any difference on launch or recovery.

 

[scott craven]

Think of where you'll be launching the most.
If it's a steep ramp, bunks work fine and better yet with 2 guys
one to fetch the truck/trailer and one to drive the boat on.

If launching at a gradual ramp, rollers help get the boat off better
and really help loading if you are by yourself.

 

[pescador]

Bunk is the way to go. I've got a 228G and use bunks. More stable platform for the boat to rest on. You can cover the bunks with plastic which provide good release/sliding when wet. Rollers wear and need to be repaired more frequently that your bunks ever will. When you have a heavier boat and come into the trailer hot (when loading), you can knock off rollers. I had a combo of bunks and rollers on last boat and prefer straight bunks.

 

[fshnfnatic]

Bunks for sure! As mentioned above,rollers crack,bushings wear out,swing arms sieze up. Far less moving parts on a
bunk style trailer. My 2 cents.

 

[Peterman]

Bunks are great.. and you can take it one step further by adding slides... Id use the type that Sculpin put on his trailer... the "easy slides" type can scrape you're hull a little when the salt dries on the ridges...

 

[vetteman]

My trailer was a roller trailer. I've converted it to rollers on the front and bunks on the back. It's always easy to get off the trailer and easy to get back on. It gives me the added support at the back that rollers alone can't give.
Dave

 

[profisher]

Shallow ramps in Sooke = rollers for me.

 

[Foxsea]

I'm a bunk fan too. It really provides the best hull support especially on the rough roads - like to Bamfield or from Gold River to Tahsis, etc. Also better for long-term storage. Several manufacturers of cored hulls recommend only bunks. One thing I have noticed on more than a couple of trailers- both bunk and roller, is that the support ends ahead of the transom. I'd think it's an important consideration that the trailer is long enough for the boat and is adjusted correctly, considering two engines hanging there.

 

[kanuckle head]

When I had my last boat a 228 Seafarer GW I dialed the launch & recovery by myself, on a tandem roller trailer
I would drive up & winch to snug on the tower roller or to launch & have the motor power her out.
I just gauged the depth of water height by the level of the last set of wheels. deeper when launching & shallower when driving the boat up the trailer. Trailer depth is the key!!!! for a successful launch or recovery

Now I own a 10K boat on a triple axle bunk trailer, cannot imagine the rollers would stay round after a winters slumber, & the maintenance of the amount of rollers on a 28ft boat would be, out of reach on my pocket book
From my deduction to minimize drag on the bunks would take more refined depth height for trailer gauging

IMO roller or bunks are adequate of specified applicationz...............it is up to the user to utilize the best for what U have

Kh

 

[beemer]

bunks with sliders all the way. Less maintenance , better weight distribution and less cluster f"s if you have a sticky roller.

beemer

 

[kanuckle head]

One aspect I liked about a roller trailer was the ability to center the boat better upon recovery
But a bunk trailer had more weight support in the bunks displacement

Kh

 

[FishNmemories]

I have mostly used bunks, which are great to distribute the weight better. We have trailered extensively off-road, but one time a bunk broke in half, causing the bracket to puncture a hole in my tinny. We fixed it upon arrival at the campsite, using a section cut out of my rear aluminum seat, with silicon, and self-tapping screws.

This also happened to a guy towing a fibreglass boat with rollers. His rollers were in bad shape and the bracket did considerable damage to the hull. He had no option for repairs and returned to town to have it fixed.

I now have a different boat/trailer (still a tinny) that has rollers. The back rollers were stationary that did not tilt, so I converted them to tilting, which allows for better shallow water entries/exits. The boat launches much easier on the rollers compared to the bunks on the old trailer and boat. Hand cranking is easier as well, but the logging roads will be a bit more of a challenge.

 

[Hook'Em Hard]

I like bunks as others have said rollers require more maintence and I find with properly installed bunks I never have to think about boat allignment the bunks guide the boat into position for me. How many times have you seen that guy at the ramp taking his boat on and off the trailer 6 times trying to get it to sit correctly while a line of boats forms in the water also waiting to use the ramp. If you have bunks and they are installed correctly you won't ever be that guy.

I have a 17ft boat with bunk sliders and even on a shallow ramp loading/unloading isn't really a problem. You need to crank hard loading on a shallow ramp that is true and sometimes I need to use the reverse and brake method to kick the boat off when launching but it works well even by myself.

 

[Foxsea]

I like bunks as others have said If you have bunks and they are installed correctly you won't ever be that (propblem) guy.

I have a 17ft boat with bunk sliders and even on a shallow ramp loading/unloading isn't really a problem. You need to crank hard loading on a shallow ramp that is true and sometimes I need to use the reverse and brake method to kick the boat off when launching but it works well even by myself.[/QUOTE

Yep... and if it's a little shallow, just power the boat on to the bunks (if the marina allows that.) Otherwise, on most ramps float on, float off, quick and easy - hardly ever need to crank the winch more than 1/2 a turn, strap 'er down and we're gone.

 

[kanuckle head]

At times shallow angle launch & recovery would require my tow vehicle front wheel is close to half submerged, like that of ruff launch of the Fraser

Water height of bunks & rollers is key on any trailer................find'n tat sweet spot iz up 2 U

 

[jeffb]

Im going to pick up my new boat this weekend and the bolts and rollers that are on the trailer have seen better days. I run a galvanizing company and getting the bolts re-galvanized is no problem, however, can someone tell me where I can find parts for an older EZLoader???

EDIT, I should have googled EZLoader parts... found EVERYTHING!!!

 

[TheSookesOfHazzard]

Another vote for bunks. As already stated, bunks help guide the boat onto the trailer. If you have to deal with lots of shallow ramps, put the plastic on the bunks.

 

[scott craven]

Bunk savers

All 7 are BRAND NEW 4 still in original box with price tag showing $28.95 (2 per box or over $15.00 each after tax) 2” x 7”

www.usedvictoria.com

old thread, maybe someone looking for sliders ?

 

[Totally unexpected]

7000 lb boat Teflon bunks slides on like butter no matter what the conditions are....