Bunk or roller trailer

[riprunner]

My current bunk trailer is getting a little old and I plan to trailer the boat more this summer to take advantage of the Bluefin tuna bite in Cape Cod Bay. The Falmouth ramp is only a couple hundred feet from where I wetslip the boat so throwing it on a trailer is much easier and more cost effective than the trip across buzzards bay & the canal.

The current trailer is a bunk and I have owned both but the roller trailer I owned was for an outboard boat. So what do you guys prefer and this is for a straight inboard 23, so I'm not even sure if a roller trailer will work. Also the two ramps I will use are both great and I can load/unload on any tide (Falmouth Inner Harbor & Sandwich Boat Basin). Any input is greatly appreciated.

[3rdday]

Bunks!

[ocuyler]

IMHO - a bunk trailer is the way to go if you have good ramps. The days of winching your boat from way out on the first set of rollers is long gone for most of us. I don't like the support rollers give you on the hull.

I also like the second set of bunks forward to keep the front of the boat unitized with the trailer and allowing you to tie down the bow without putting all the pressure on one roller.

[thehermit]

rip,
WOW...I was thinking on my way home today of posting this exact thread but for a 20sf outboard. Just today I got a quote for a roller trailer (20 rollers) from Coastline in Falmouth. I was woried about the 20 rollers and if they would stress the hull at all.

[htillman]

I am staying with bunks, they are much better for the hull.

[Bushwacker]

There are good and bad roller trailers, but I've had a galvanized EZ Loader w/24 rollers and a Powerwinch for over 20 years and I love it. The higher capacity tandem models have even more rollers. EZ Loader seems to have best roller system, with nylon bushings on large aluminum shafts; very little friction, no lube required. Can load and unload singlehanded, anywhere, including my front yard if I have to. Virtually zero maintenance because the only thing that gets dunked in salt water is the tires;I've never had to even get the rims wet! I did change some of the rollers to yellow urethane to eliminate black marks on hull.

Regarding hull support, I was concerned too until I did some engineering analysis . . . with that many rollers the actual load on each roller is only about 100-150 lbs, and the bearing stress is actually quite low. There are no signs of flat spots on the rollers, and you can actually wiggle each roller with the boat sitting on trailer, even at the transom. I've checked the bottom of my boat and it's as straight as the day it was built. Look carefully at the EZ Loader system and you'll see how all the supports are free to move in two directions and distribute the load so no single roller can be overloaded. I've seen bunk trailers that also had keel rollers on each cross-member; if one of those rollers sits just a little higher than the rest, it can easily see a much higher load than the balanced rollers on an EZ Loader.

Only complaint I have is it's heavy - 900+ lbs for a 3500# capacity single axle; an aluminum float-on type is probably much lighter. Plus boat sits higher on trailer because of the big 15" tires; probably more of a concern with a 23. With a straight inboard, you might also need a special rear cross-member; not sure mine would clear the prop.

[Blue_Heron]

Bunks!

Me too. Never had a roller trailer, but I've seen plenty of boats with black streaks on the hull left by rollers.

My trailer has bunks under the stringers aft to support the hull and keel bunks forward to align the boat on the trailer. I drive it on, winch it about 4" to snug it to the winch stand roller, and drive it up the ramp. Twice a year or so, I'll spray silicone lubricant on the bunks to make things slide easier. Cuts down on wear & tear on the carpet too.
Dave

[1bayouboy]

The problem with rollers is salt water. I had a roller for a 24 WAC that had 48 rollers....it had great support for the boat....but after two years in salt water all the roller hardware was pretty much done. It sure was easy to launch and recover......although typically I'd have to start the motor and take the stress off the strap when launching....then it would just roll off. It could be a disaster if you unstrapped before backing in....

[jongolds]

If you don't have a problem with ramps at low tide, I'd opt for bunks because they're simpler and cheaper. That said, I switched from bunks to rollers because bunks were useless at low tide here.

[riprunner]

Thank you for all the replies and it's pretty much what I had thought I would here.

So now I guess I'm looking for a good bunk trailer, any suggestions on good brands and or brands to steer away from?