New England Trailer Advice
 

I finally sold my old trailer and was hoping to get some advice on replacing it. I'm trying to make the decision between rollers and bunks. I know bunks support the boat better are cheaper and easier to maintain but the one I just sold had carpeted bunks and was useless at anything less than high tide. I was planning to go back to rollers but, I keep hearing about bunks made out of various materials that are more slick than the carpet. Has anyone ever tried them up hear. I don't like to power on or off the trailer. I use the winch.

Bottom line, should I go with rollers or bunks? Any suggestions for dealers in the area? Right now my ideal would be aluminum with rollers and disc brakes. I'm worried about finding a brand that uses enough rollers though.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

I'm using a venture-I think it's rated to 6600- caries 5400 and has 48 rollers. Handles my 23 cc beautifully.got it from Riverhead trailer out here on the island-great guy to deal with-services the trailer for 3 years no charge and is definitely the best-priced dealer on Long Island. I bet he would be worth the trip for you.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Then why not rollers and bunks?

My friend and I set up my trailer with short bunks to the rear and rollers in the front. I feel it really works great, the short bunks support the real weight and the front rollers make for an easy on/off alignment.

Mine is a 20' boat if it makes any diff.

Just a thought .... :D

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

cSickNick- I'd love to see a photo of how you set that up. Sounds like the best of both worlds!

rockdoc

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Here is an old pic;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...k/MVC-056X.jpg

I have a short run to the ramp and need to launch in a puddle. Longer runs i would feel better with a beefier bunk or bunks and more rollers. I also moved the bunks under the stringer area after this pic.

Not sure why trailer manuf don't offer a style on these lines. I recall one having the rollers to the rear and bunks in the front though? Maybe they do, just did not look too hard.

I asked a few dealers at the boat show, they liked the idea and then looked at me funny .... i am getting used to that look with most of my ideas!! :D

- Nick

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

I do like that hybrid idea. I haven't seen any manufacturer's doing it though and I'm not going to start modifying something that I buy new. Maybe as parts wear out but not something brand new.

Has anyone had an issue with a roller trailer dimpling their hull. I've always suspected that this was much ado about nothing but I'd like to hear from people who've had their SeaCrafts on rollers for a while. I've never had a problem with them on other boats and I beleive the SeaCraft has a thicker hull than either previous boat.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Mostly you hear about that on Whaler's. The skin is so thin.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Magic Tilt offers a bunk roller combination on their heavy duty series. If you buy a quality trailer with a lot of rollers, support is not an issue because the weight is distributed over 48-50 rollers and usually a couple of keel rollers too.

I like all roller trailers over bunks....because they give you more versatility. For instance....yesterday when i got back to my very steep ramp after fishing...it was dead low...and I could not back in much because of the drop off. So I just backed in enough so that the rear rollers were wet....and then Iwinched the boat on the rest of the way. With a bunk trailer....I would still be winching.

In the end, they are both a compromise and you need to buy what works best for you and your ramp.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Is there any conventional wisdom to how many rollers I'd need to support a 23' Tsunami w/ the outboard on a bracket?

I think I'm sticking with rollers. I'm just not comfortable trying the newer slick bunks. I've never seen one in person and those I've spoken to about them powere launch & load which I can't do. I still suspect that when winching there's no substitute for rollers and if done right they'll do fine supporting the boat all winter.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

My buddy has a Venture bunk trailer with that slick white plastic and it works pretty well. However, as some of the others guys have said, rollers work much better in the Northeast due to greater tide changes and steep ramps.

My dad has had his 23 Sceptre on a ShoreLand'r galvy roller trailer for 5 years now without any hull dimpling issues. Before that, the previous owner had a roller trailer under the boat too.

With rollers, the more the better. Get as many as you can afford, and go with the non-marking, Stoltz-type rollers if you can.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Does your buddy with the bunks winch it on or use the motor? What about launching?

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

He motors on about 75% of the way and winches the last few feet (21' Hydra-Sport CC). The boat is at a slip all season, so he's not trailering it much and can pick & choose when to launch/retrieve based on tide. He hasn't run into any ramp issues so far in the 4 years he's had the boat & trailer.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

If you're winching on rollers are the only way to go. I have bunks under by 25' Grady and can't move that boat in inch with the crank...

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

I have a venture bunk style trailer that I bought new in March 2005.

Here are my likes and dislikes

1. Cheaper up front cost
2. Boat is more secure
3. Bunk style trailer is a little liighter than roller style

Dislikes:
1. Can't go to the ramp at low tide
2. I am replacing all of the bearings. The salt water kills them. This is becuase the tailer has to get pretty wet for me to dump the bpat.

Net/net, if I had to do it over I would consider roller.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Why spend decent money and still have tradeoff's when you can get the best of both!!

Can not be that complicated for a dealer to set up. Magic Tilt offers and i am sure others will match.

Heavy duty bunks to the rear, lots of rollers(non marking preferred, right on Scott!) on the front.

Don't forget the 2-speed high/low wench for the weak link in your group.

My next trailer will be a new hybrid! :D

- Nick

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Honestly I'd never seen such a thing but you're not the first to suggest it. I'm waiting to hear back on a quote but have been told to expect it to be closing in on $5k.

I can get a Venture for near $3k. I'd do it except I don't like that the crossmemebers are galvanized instead of SS. I'm beginning to wonder how awful that would really be. I'v always had galvanized trailers before and never lost one to corrosion. Then again, there's really no way to flush the crossmembers. That and I have no idea if it's leaf springs or torsion axles and I think they're tie-down drum brakes.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

I have 48 rollers, plus two keel rollers under the bow.

I think each rear arm has 16 on each side and then the fronts have 8 per side plus the two bow keel rollers. As an option, you can get 16 rollers per side on the bow for a total of 64 rollers.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Ed, do you have the magic tilt? I'm still waiting on a quote from the (kind of) local dealer. It sounds like it's gong to be prohibitively expensive though. Remember, I only paid $10k for the boat. I'd like to stay south of $4k on the trailer.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

I know, i never get credit :D

I am also the guy that just wanted Mayo in a squeeze plastic container years ago. What's up with only glass jars? :D

Back to the subject, i am with you and would not pay a dime more for a hybrid. But would still be determined to find someway/somehow to set up a hybrid with all the advantages and see no disadvantages.

Good luck, - Nick

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Yeah, I have the Magic Tilt aluminum roller trailer. It cost about $3900 three years ago. Since then, prices have gone up considerably.

Road King also makes aluminum roller trailers too. There is a distributor in the Grafton, MA area (North Atlantic Trailers.......508-639-2226) who can tell you who the nearest Road King dealer is. They are a good trailer...we sell a bunch of them.

OUZO's hybrid trailer is pretty slick and offers a lot of support but it does require more winch effort than a properly adjusted all roller trailer.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Not sure if I can offer any assistance in advice for your trailering needs but I can make a suggestion. Aluminum Slide-On, Jeff (Owens and Sons) of Tampa area. Give him a call. Every trailer custom built to order. I have an '03 and an '06 for each of my Whalers. Part I also just purchased one for his '87 18 SF. Jeff knows Seacraft. I'm traveling from Sav. to the Cape 9-12-06. I can get it there. His sister Kim answers the phones. He is very knowledgable and usually cheaper than all mass produced. Check him out at Owensandsons or aluminumslide-on. Part II.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Vezo, that is beyond generous of you. Thanks you so much for the offer. Jeff was among my first phone calls. The trailer that I sold was one of his from 1987 and it was still in very good shape.

Unfortunately, he doesn't deal with rollers...at all. With the tides I have to deal with, I could only load or unload a bunk trailer about 2 out of every 12 hours.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Small world. Well at least I don't have to feel like I'm opinionated. That guy is as good as his product in my book. Thought I could have helped. Stopping in harbor east of Mystic to see some old Jersey Skiff friends, owners of the Gwen-Mar Marina. Hoping to go to lunch in their converted/working Tug. Tell me the stripers are GROWING!!! Part II.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

Ed, I'm trying to track down a Road King dealer. Who is OUZO? I cant find anything from them on the web?

Are you a dealer? Every dealer I talk to tells me right up front that they make no money selling trailers and basically warns me that they don't know much about them and can't be too helpful. Diamond was the exception to this but, I'm not completely sold on them. I'm annoyed that they put on mag wheels but then use Tie Down components and galvanized instead of Aluminum cross members.

Are Tie Down brake components really that bad. I've yet to find a roller manufacturer that uses Kodiak.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

"OUZO" is a custom hybrid Greek/American trailer shop located in Saugus MA.

They will custom make any trailer to your specifications.
The process starts with a bottle of OUZO and results with a Greek/American passed out in the driveway and the final product looks nothing like you ordered.

Please feel free to contact them at csicknick@yahoo.com

BTW; I believe his boat is named OUZO also ….

I know, wise arse …. :D :D :D :D

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

sounds kind of like the Grappa line, the Fiat of of trailers.

Re: New England Trailer Advice
 

1973 Tsunami-

Yes, we are a dealer for Road King. Send me a private email with what kind of options you want and I will get a quote for you.

OUZO is the name of CSICKNICK's boat....