I have always thought roller was the best. But reading info on a trailer company website and they suggested bunk if the trailer is used to store the boat as it supports better.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Boat trailer - roller or bunk
- Thread starter Donald
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Depends on your typical launch site. I prefer roller due to the shallower nature of many of the places I launch - much easier to get a boat on a roller trailer in that situation.
My question is has anyone seen any issues with storing the boat on a roller trailer? Where the hull might develop slight divots over time.
How big is your boat? I had a 16 foot aluminum v hull for years and used a bunk-type trailer. With the hand winch, I had no problems getting it back on the trailer, even in shallow water. And I liked the support it gave to the boat while traveling on the highway. It was an outboard equipped boat and the best trailer accessory I bought was an arm that attached to the back end of the triler and held the weight of the motor as you traveled. It prevented flex of the transom.
The boat being considered is 27'. Big boat. Maybe a triple axle trailer.
Bunk all the way. I would NEVER store a boat on a roller trailer, especially a boat of that size and weight.
Can't speak to that size. Mine is a 17' Aluminum. Boat is supported on 24 Rollers. 20 years old and some slight marks from the rollers, but no dents. Key is having enough rollers.
roller is easier on you, bunk is much easier on the boat hull
Storage facilities all use bunks and I would not use rollers especially in a big heavy boat. The trick to using bunks at the ramp is getting the bunk to the right depth. Once you find that sweet spot the process can be painless. I typically submerged till the tips of the front of the bunks were at the water surface. I no longer boat since the hoard noobs started showing up at the ramps and clogging the area while they mindlessly ran around doing the things they should have done at home or while waiting in line for other noobs. Rant over 
One disadvantage of carpet covered bunks in salt water is that the carpet gets soaked and then (unless you have a lake on the way home from the salt to dunk the trailer in) leaches that salt out over the hardware, even if you otherwise rinse the trailer and boat with a hose.. My galvanized trailer is starting to corrode after 8 years starting at the bunk hardware.
I have bunks on my trailer with white 1/2 inch thick by 4 inch wide slicks. I countersunk them down with stainless screws. The boat slides right off the trailer. The carpet wears out too quick and too much resistance. I would not use rollers. I have a Boston Whaler and they are very specific about supporting the hull.
the big troubles if you get those divots is that they can seriously affect your boats abilities depending on how and where they form. It might for example steer funny, pull , plane badly and who knows what else. I had a dent in the very bottom of an aluminum bass boat. It was fairly small but made the boat behave strangely on plane. It also in some weird fashion tossed a thin blade of water up over and just curled back into the back of the boat. Impossible but somehow it did. The point is you just don’t wanna go there period.
Rollers let the boat launch and retrieve easily. It also will get away more easily either into the water or possibly even the parking lot.
That area happens to pretty much be where The bunks or rollers sit. I’ve seen a few that over time created dimples in The hull where the rollers sit. I’ve never seen dimples on a bunk trailered boat. My Bayliner bunks are now 30 years old. All I’ve done is re carpet the 2x 6 frames 1 time using old carpet. When mines settled On the bunks it’s not trying to go anywhere..
When I’ve been in big water areas like Michigan and Florida, I always see massive trailers with rollers.
Bunks are used at storage facilities because they are essentially boat shelves that you simply rest the boat on. Rollers could allow the boat to roll off since they don’t tie them down.
Bunks are used at storage facilities because they are essentially boat shelves that you simply rest the boat on. Rollers could allow the boat to roll off since they don’t tie them down.
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