See full version: Bunk Trailer or Roller Trailer? What s the Difference
Do you expect to be launching at low tide? How high is the water at that point? Do you expect to have some assistance or are you rolling solo? Perhaps you simply want the best all around choice, and I will let my personal opinion on that be known at the tail-end of this article. So let's jump into it, bunk trailers or roller trailers? Which is better?
By this point you're probably like "Heck yes roller trailer!". Well before getting too excited about that possibility, you might want to check with the manufacturer of your vessel. Some boat manufacturers require the use of a bunk trailer. While it shouldn't be a deal-breaker it can certainly be a littler disheartening. Don't let it influence you too heavily, bunk trailers are absolutely fine and you're buying the boat for the boat, not for the trailer.
I've had my fair share of discussions about whether or not bunk trailers actually save cash due to the friction that is applied to a boat when launching. If you end up needing to redo your paint job, it can easily overtake what you saved when buying the bunk trailer. Luckily there are plenty of lubricants or sliding trailer pads you can buy to reduce the amount of friction that your boat is experiencing. more
I was looking at your bunk rollers .. no where does it state if they are safe for aluminum boats?/ Also they said on your video that theres a tongue extension for your trailer so you dont need to get your truck so close to the water?
All of the tongue extenders we carry were designed specifically for the Yakima Rack and Roll trailer or the Magneta SportsTrailers. We do not offer tongue extenders for standard boat trailers.
Our roller bunk manufacturers do not exclude aluminum boats, however, one issue that you could run into when using roller bunks on an aluminum boat is that the only support the boat's hull will have is the small surface of the rollers. If the boats hull is not strong enough to support it's weight on the small surface area of the rollers, then you could see dimpling on the hull from the rollers. A carpeted bunk provides more surface area for the boats hull to rest on. more
There's this inertia thing that keeps them where they are. Lightweight boats are too light to roll off alone and heavy boats are too heavy to roll off--trailer rollers aren't like ball bearings, and many hardly roll at all!
Re: 18' aluminum boat; bunk or roller trailer?
Re: 18' aluminum boat; bunk or roller trailer? [links]
there are various scenarios. If the boat is floating, it doesn't roll. If the engine is running and in forward gear, it doesn't roll. If the bow line is looped around the winch stand, it doesn't roll. If the winch has been allowed to feed out to the point that the boat is off of the trailer, it doesn't roll. [links]
there are various scenarios. If the boat is floating, it doesn't roll. If the engine is running and in forward gear, it doesn't roll. If the bow line is looped around the winch stand, it doesn't roll. If the winch has been allowed to feed out to the point that the boat is off of the trailer, it doesn't roll. here
Here I prefer carpeted bunks. Had a couple boats with rollers and always thought it was a good idea till I owned them. Our launches are always sloped.We usually get ready to unload before the ramp. But with a roller you cant unhook then back up with out loosing the boat. You need to back to the water and let it in easy before unhooking. Requires to much help and time for me.
Thanks for the insight! Do you have the ability to adjust the brackets that were connecting the boards to your trailer frame? I had someone once ask me to help them determine the height needed for each bracket to fit best with their boat but unless the boat manufacturer has recommendations it is essentially a trial and error process to make sure everything is supported. Glad to hear you're happy with your rollers! 79418 [links]
If the brackets holding your current roller bunks are adjustable then you probably just need the bunk boards. Rollers are typically preferred over the standard bunk board setup though. Is there a specific reason why you're wanting to go from the rollers to the bunk boards? 80189 here
Interesting article and mostly accurate. I always hear the "Bunk trailers have more support because the boat is sitting on a board that runs the length of the boat." statement. I had a boat that was sitting on bunks and I had it off the trailer 10-15 times a year and I looked at the bunks every time and after about a year, I found was, that where the bracket was that the bunk was attached to the trailer at was the only spot that was supporting the boat. The carpet was flat where the bracket was and the rest of the carpet stood up like new and you could seem the spots on the boat if you got it off position. My brother has bunks on his trailer with composite slides on them and I see the same spots on them as well. So, in my opinion, if you have rollers (not the old rock hard small diameter ones) your actual contact area is as much if not more than bunk trailers and the pressure points are spread out over more of the boat. Again, just my observed opinion. (I did switch over to a roller trailer and never regretted it.) 113770
Great thoughts! Something to definitely keep in mind is that if you're buying expensive toys then be prepared to purchase expensive equipment to keep said toys nice. Far too often I've seen someone buy a bike that cost over $1,000 or a brand new 5th wheel trailer but then hesitate when it comes to buying a really nice bike rack or a really nice 5th wheel hitch. In this instance it's the boat and trailer that make up the scenario. 79433
I think your comments are too limited, there are more considerations to take into account. Rarely do the heavier, higher quality boats have a longitudinally straight bottom so Bunks rarely support it properly whereby a good roller trailer with self adjusting sub-frames will support these boats bow to stern. Cheaper boats work OK with cheaper bunk trailers because neither are expect to last very long. Also, driving a boat up onto a bunk trailer is asking from trouble, I've seen them end up in the tow vehicles trunk, this should never be tried. Lots of people think they can do this, until the one time they can't. To me the choice is simple, if you can afford a good quality trailer make it a roller trailer. And remember not all roller trailers are of equal quality, the more complex the roller system the better. 113783 more
I have an ez loader trailer with rollers with 16 foot lund aluminum boat. What do I need to convert to bunks? 116268 more