JimS123
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2007
- Messages
- 8,282
Re: bunk vs roller
Same procedure with the roller trailer, with 1 small exception. The dock guy has to unlatch the winch and bow safety chain at the last minute once the car/trailer stops backing up. Then a push with a finger and the boat slides off nice and easy. No safety issues at all.
The retreival is the same as with the bunk, again with 1 small exception - no need to stand on the tongue because the winch is no where near the water. The trailer is only backed up far enough to get the wheels and stern roller wet.
Now if you got a dock guy its probably a tie which one is better. But if you have bunks and boat solo some times you need real long lines and have to tie the boat to the dock before you back up. Nobody there to catch it...LOL. Then there IS a safety issue, when one of those loose lines snags part of the trailer and you drag her up the ramp. With the rollers you are in command of the process all the time. Give her a nudge and she rolls off slowly while you walk down the dock with the lines in hand.
One additional comment that has not been discussed before. If you are unlucky enough to not have a 4x4, and have a rear wheel drive vehicle, if you back down far enough to let her "float off" you may never get back up the ramp. In my case my wheels never touch the greasy parts.
I learned in the 1960's. Of course I read books before I ever tried to launch a boat. But I also went to the ramps and watched what the others did. Even today we often go to the ramp and sit with a beer in the evening watching. Its better than a comedy movie.
Same procedure with the roller trailer, with 1 small exception. The dock guy has to unlatch the winch and bow safety chain at the last minute once the car/trailer stops backing up. Then a push with a finger and the boat slides off nice and easy. No safety issues at all.
The retreival is the same as with the bunk, again with 1 small exception - no need to stand on the tongue because the winch is no where near the water. The trailer is only backed up far enough to get the wheels and stern roller wet.
Now if you got a dock guy its probably a tie which one is better. But if you have bunks and boat solo some times you need real long lines and have to tie the boat to the dock before you back up. Nobody there to catch it...LOL. Then there IS a safety issue, when one of those loose lines snags part of the trailer and you drag her up the ramp. With the rollers you are in command of the process all the time. Give her a nudge and she rolls off slowly while you walk down the dock with the lines in hand.
One additional comment that has not been discussed before. If you are unlucky enough to not have a 4x4, and have a rear wheel drive vehicle, if you back down far enough to let her "float off" you may never get back up the ramp. In my case my wheels never touch the greasy parts.
I learned in the 1960's. Of course I read books before I ever tried to launch a boat. But I also went to the ramps and watched what the others did. Even today we often go to the ramp and sit with a beer in the evening watching. Its better than a comedy movie.