Trailer for a 16 Cruiser used in the Pacific NW

hayb

Roller or Bunk? Which is preferable and why? Thoughts? Thanks much.

lloyds · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:26 am Post subject:

I have the EZ loader trailer for my 16' cruiser. It is a bunk trailer. Properly set up, these trailers automatically place the boat correctly on the trailer each time you load. I trailered a couple boston whalers for 35 years on roller trailers. They loaded and unloaded a little easier but sometimes they loaded off-roller, which was a real pain. Happened most often with a current broadside or wind. I think in the long run the bunk trailer is best, now that I am getting used to it. It is a little harder to winch it up or push it off. I never had to even submerge the axle on the whalers, but the bunk trailers require getting way back in the water. Only downside.

Da Nag

oldgrowth · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:15 pm Post subject:

I have a 16 with a roller trailer and like it very much. As Bill said, you have more options with it, however as lloyds said, they do not always load evenly. Once loaded and out of the water, I don't have any trouble putting my shoulder into the stern and moving it over to center it.

Pat Anderson

Huh? You certainly can power the boat up rollers - David does it every single time with his CD25, and we have done it enough times to know it works fine too...Patty is uneasy about powering on the trailer at all, but not related to rollers versus bunks...

Da Nag

oldgrowth · Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:46 pm Post subject:

Bill – from my experience, you are right about powering on a roller trailer. Under the right conditions, it can be done, but on steeper ramps or when there is wind and waves, your boat will back off. If you have another person to hook the boat for you, powering on works ok or if you leave the outboard running and in gear, the boat will stay there, then you can hook it. I don’t have another person to hook the boat and I am uncomfortable leaving the engine running, so I pull the boat onto the trailer as far as I can with a rope, then hook the strap and wench it the rest of the way on. So far never had wet feet. When loaded the boat is usually within a couple of inches of being centered on the trailer. Using my shoulder, I will push it over to center it.

Pat - how do you keep the boat from rolling back on steeper ramps or when there is a lot of wind and waves?

hayb · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:49 am Post subject:

Thanks much for the insights and experiences. I appreciate you guys taking the time to share your thoughts. Dave, I love those pictures of C-Voyager on Swift. Merwin, Yale and Swift are some of my favorite "lakes" anywhere in the Northwest. Cheers. Beer

Sea Wolf · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:57 am Post subject:

Some of the aids that David has on his trailer to help in powering on and off are a catwalk and ladder, making getting onto and off of the boat easier:

Joe.

oldgrowth · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject:

hayb · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject:

Dave,

I just looked up Riffe Lake online, it looks great. Will have to make the drive north one of these days. Thanks for the heads up. Enjoy the weekend.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject:

Sea Wolf · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject:

Pat-

Your description of your and David's launching conjures up the same kind of situation that we all get into in docking:

You have to use reasonable caution to avoid accidents, but too timid an approach without taking command is also to invite disaster from lack of affirmative action.

Joe.