Notes on Buying a Trailer

Probably the #1 question we get asked about trailers is regarding the choice of rollers or bunks.  Some of the primary factors involved in the decision are what you're already familiar with, what type of ramps you normally encounter where you boat, the hull shape of the boat you have, the material your hull is made of, and your own personal philosophy about how waterproof your trailer is.

If you know in your heart that trailers shouldn't be put in the water then you have made the choice; you've got to go with rollers (in almost every case; there are always exceptions).  It's about the only way you're going to get the tail end of the trailer over the water and not get the hubs in it, get the winch strap on the bow eye and crank it on board.  Unless you have a really light boat, the only way to go in this situation is with a powered winch.

If you're constantly launching at unimproved or very shallow angle ramps where it's virtually impossible to get the trailer submerged you may opt for a roller trailer.  One option though, if your normal launching site is a shallow angle ramp and you want to use a bunk trailer, is to go with a longer tongue on the trailer.  This option adds very little cost on a new trailer, generally results in a better towing rig and makes launching even easier at "normal" ramps.  The only drawback for most folks is storage if you're tight on space.

I personally grew up with bunk trailers and power loading/unloading our boats.  I still prefer this method if I'm not dealing with really ugly launch sites where you can't get the trailer submerged.  Power loading on a roller trailer is not for the faint of heart.  It is very easy to get on the wrong side of the roller set and not load correctly and often this results in some ugly gouges in the boat's bottom; a good set of side guides really helps in this situation.  Also, power loading a really deep-v hull with an outdrive (I/O) is a little risky on most ramps as the prop is likely to strike the bottom.

If you have an outboard powered boat (especially with power trim) then power loading on a bunk trailer is very easy and with a good set of side guides can be done alone and in almost all conditions safely without the need to wade in the water or wrestle the bow of the boat around.

A lot of folks express concern about submerging the hubs of their trailers under water.  I think this is a rather extreme view.  Certainly the trailer is a lot easier and less expensive to maintain than the boat you're about to launch into that very same saltwater environment!  An investment of an hour per wheel per year and about $8 per wheel per year would keep you from ever having bearing trouble, period.  I would much prefer to invest that amount of time on a yearly basis versus fighting to get the boat retrieved each and every time I used it by not putting the trailer under water and under the boat.  Leaving the hubs above water, lining the bow of the boat up between the rollers, hooking up the powered winch, and dragging the boat aboard is really hard on the nerves and all the equipment.

The trailer manufacturers tell me that a well designed roller trailer and a bunk trailer both support the weight of the boat equally well.  The key, on a roller trailer, seems to be getting enough rollers and in the right place which is more problematic than having a couple (or four) bunks.

My default trailer recommendation is a well adjusted bunk trailer with side guides and with adequate tongue length.  This is the least expensive trailer with the least amount of maintenance involved and the least potential for damaging the boat.  We normally choose a trailer that will let us nestle the boat down between the fenders which lowers the center of gravity resulting in a better towing rig and places the waterline of the boat closer to the road.  All other things being equal the lower the boat is on the trailer the sooner it will float (launch).  I only go with roller trailers when circumstances dictate that it would be the best choice.