ADDING BUNKS TO ROLLER TRAILER

[FISHLESS]

Any reflection on the addition of bunks to a roller trailer, such as size, make and if they really do help in loading a boat on a
Shorelander Trailer (I've tried just about everything but still
every ten times or so the boat is really difficult to load with
no common factors affecting it) Thanks in advance

[mr. yuk]

i also have a shorelander trailer and i cant stand it. it's a piece of junk!it has one set of rollers in the rear and then it has a piggy back (keel) roller up front. it's just not enough. in needs another set of rollers just like the ones in the rear,up front! and cabelas has roller sets for sale for $89/pair.short of that i always end up backing the boat in far enough to float it off, pathetic excuse for a trailer. shorelander could take some lessons from spartan.

[Cangl]

When going to bunks they do hold the boat better once lined up but do not make the mistake of eliminating center rollers you will need three to keep your keel lined up and without them the need for seriuos cranking and strap wear will be excessive. A little of both is pretty much optimun, your overall traveling and launch height will go up also as the first center roller guide is important and the bunks need to sit higher so as to hold each side of the lower bow, bunks outside the keels but that is less to matter. Shorelander has several options on their trailers, conversion friendly.

[dakota angler]

After fighting with a roller trailer for two years I finally got smart and traded it in for a full bunk trailer. Now I can load it first try every time. No more backing in an out to try to get my boat centered, and no more worrying if it will roll off the trailer. I have no problems loading or unloading by myself. The bunks also give much more support when driving on these great South Dakota gravel roads. Bunk trailers also sit lower, meaning you don't have to back in as far to load or unload. Bunk trailers are also less expensive to buy and maintain. Most dealers should be willing to let you try out a bunk trailer so you can see the difference for your self. Also if you go to boatshows you will see that all the big name boats are all on bunk or combination type trailers.

[Fish out of Water]

I had the same problems loading my boat on a roller trailer and finally broke down a bought a set of bunk guides. I got them from Bass Pro and think they are around 24" long. For me, it really made the difference. I have them set about 1-2" off the walls of the boat. Even in extremely windy conditions or strong currents, I'm able to guide the boat in place.