Around here, the low-tide guys with power winches often use a clip on pulley at
the bow so the effort on the winch is 1/2 as is the retrieval speed. They still
burn our their winches - probably due more to corrosion than load.

Harry, I you are pulling that Parker with the Tundra, you are pushing its
limits! They are rated for 7100-7200#.

Dan


Harry Krause wrote:
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 08:57:44 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:


Matt Lang wrote:

"David" wrote in message news:tCO3d.8843$464.5346@trnddc01...

Looking for a trailer for my 2750 Victoria Command Bridge, 5,500 # approx.
What are the pros and cons to bunks or rollers. Originally wanted rollers
but, might keep it on a trailer for a while. I have it at dry dock now. I
like the support of bunks. I haven't loaded a heavy boat like this one so
not sure what either is going to be like. See both on boat this size. Any
opinions?

Thanks
David

I had rollers and have bunks now ... I find bunks a lot easier to use
and support of the boat seems better. My boat is light. With a heavy
boat you may get it off the trailer easier with rollers as bunks have
some friction to the hull.

Matt


I trailer (on occasion) a 7000+ pound Parker on a bunk trailer. I find
the ease of launch and retrieval depends almost entirely on the angle of
the ramp and the level of tide. If the ramp is relatively steep and the
tide is moderate to high, no problem with even single-handed launch or
retrieval. If the ramp is not steep, but is paved a distance out into
the water, still no problem. A short, flat ramp is problematical.

That is a good point and one reason why rollers are much better than
bunks. In particular if you have a power winch.


I do not power on, by the way. I tie the boat up at an adjoining finger
dock, retrieve the trailer and then pull the boat onto the trailer with
a line snapped onto the bow ring. That brings the boat to within 30" or
so of the bow rest on the trailer. Then I winch it on the rest of the
way. Easier on the boat, easier on the boat ramp.

I power my Ranger onto bunks and only have to winch it about 3" or so.

If I couldn't do that, I would use rollers and a power winch - that
boat is freakin' heavy.

Take care.

Tom

"The beatings will stop when morale improves."
E. Teach, 1717



The ramp I happen to sue about 90% of the time is fairly steep, and the
tidal drop on Chesapeake Bay is minimal. Launch is never a problem, even
single-handed. Retrieval is ok, so long as I can back the trailer into
the water to a marked spot on the trailer...and the trailer's wheels are
still on concrete. So far, so good.

Pulling the boat onto the trailer is a moderate strain. Once it gets as
far as it is going, winching it the remaining two to three feet is a
pain in the ass but...

All I ever see on trailers with power winches is...burned out power winches.

Do you routinely launch the boat at the same ramp?

What are the conditions there?

If the water gets deep pretty quickly, the boat will float free from the bunks
without a problem.

If you launch at places where the water is more shallow, rollers have some
advantage. With rollers, once you have established at least some buoyancy you
can often *roll* the boat into the water.

If you go with rollers, put as many rollers under the boat as you can. It is
true that bunks will support the boat better. Try to adjust the rollers so that
they are under the stringers, and remember that there is a specific risk of
"hook" at the transom.

"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Do you routinely launch the boat at the same ramp?

What are the conditions there?

If the water gets deep pretty quickly, the boat will float free from the
bunks
without a problem.

If you launch at places where the water is more shallow, rollers have some
advantage. With rollers, once you have established at least some buoyancy
you
can often *roll* the boat into the water.

If you go with rollers, put as many rollers under the boat as you can. It
is
true that bunks will support the boat better. Try to adjust the rollers so
that
they are under the stringers, and remember that there is a specific risk
of
"hook" at the transom.

Go with bunks with UHMB plastic on the bunks.

On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 03:47:51 GMT, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Do you routinely launch the boat at the same ramp?

What are the conditions there?

If the water gets deep pretty quickly, the boat will float free from the
bunks
without a problem.

If you launch at places where the water is more shallow, rollers have some
advantage. With rollers, once you have established at least some buoyancy
you
can often *roll* the boat into the water.

If you go with rollers, put as many rollers under the boat as you can. It
is
true that bunks will support the boat better. Try to adjust the rollers so
that
they are under the stringers, and remember that there is a specific risk
of
"hook" at the transom.

Go with bunks with UHMB plastic on the bunks.

I tried those strips on my Ranger bunks.

They worked too well. I had to really crank down on the stern straps
to keep the boat from sliding while being towed.

Instead I waxed the carpet with beeswax.

Works great.

All the best,

Tom
--------------

"What the hell's the deal with this newsgroup...
is there a computer terminal in the day room of
some looney bin somewhere?"

Bilgeman - circa 2004