Roller trailer vs bunk

[old guys rule]

I am thinking of getting a new trailer. I am looking at an EZ Loader roller trailer. Has anyone had the opportunity to try their boat on a roller trailer?

 

[Badboyr6]

ive heard of boats sliding off the roller trailers if not hooked up to the winch..so if you do go that route, be careful and dont unhook until your trailer is in the water and the boat is ready to go

 

[kustomkarl]

The bunk type is cheaper, and you won't need a roller type on a light seadoo boat.

Karl

 

[old guys rule]

Tanks for the replies. My concern is will the boat sit correctly and will it be easier or harder to load the boat on at the ramp?

 

[kustomkarl]

It will be easier to load and unload...just be careful it isn't too easy, and it slides off or on and damages something...usually there is no friction and it will work against you. I prefer bunks, over the roller systems, I have owned both types. Even on 6,500# Chris Craft, I like bunks to float it off, and drive it on.

Karl

 

[RFoster130]

It's way to easy to load these little boats on the bunks. I couldnt really justify the cost of the roller type. I use a short section of rope and pull mine up onto the trailer by hand.

 

[flyingarmy]

A great alternative to the rollers is the Taco Glyde Sticks. Just installed them on my trailer and it makes launching and recovering my Speedster a breeze. But like the rollers, you need to makes sure to leave the winch hooked until you are ready to launch. West Marine sells them for about $36 and they go right on top of your bunk boards. I added one strip each side but for the heavier boats they say add two strips per side. Here is my build thread..

http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?t=36712&highlight=bunk+board

 

[seadooya]

bunks

roller bunks dont "give", when your boats', boucing down the road, like wood bunks do.

 

[BRJ]

Dont do it.

Unless you do a lot of launching at very shallow ramps they are not worth the hassel. They are very easy to unload but as stated make sure your winch strap and saftey chain are hooked until you are in the water. Unless you buy the high end non marking rollers the black ones will leave streak marks on your hull. Pulling out at the ramp almost becomes a 2 person job, when you power on the trailer the second guy needs to hook the boat before it rolls back off the trailer. Also, you almost always load crooked as rollers dont guide you into place like the bunks do.

 

[custompartsguy]

To be honest I do not like roller trailers, I always use bunk type, now if you want a very cheap way to make it very easy to load and unload the boat buy a bunk trailer then buy a sheet of king starboard and cut strips to fit on your bunks, then drill and counter sink screws through the starboard into the bunks, what this does is acts as a very low friction surface and will help in shallow water where you have to normally back the rear wheels into the water for the boat to float high enough here you simply winch it on and its not like winching dead weight, take a look at some of my posts and you will find a jetski trailer I did this way, I have also done boat trailers this way and will do so for my speedster as well, just be carefull as while rollers spin these bunks also offer very little friction but are well worth it, expect to pay around $80 for the amount of starboard you will need, next a table saw and a router to make the edges pretty, then a drill and counter sink, and only use premium stainless screws. Once you use a trialer with these guides I doubt you will look back.

Also roller trailers are expensive and costly to maintain.

As always no matter what type you use always remember to have winch tight on front and both rear straps on and tight to hold the rear.