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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Trailer bunks to pads or rollers

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SailormanCGA72
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/10/2005 : 10:10:05

I have a trailer equipped with bunks. Of course I have the problem of how to clean and paint under the bunks. I generally launch at a ramp rather than with a marine lift so was thinking about converting the bunks to pads or rollers. I've pulled up the old threads on the pros and cons of the three systems and have decided to lose the bunks. Has anyone changed from the bunks to pads or rollers with the boat still in the trailer? (I'm moving in December so I won't have the boat off the trailer until then.)

Do the supports for the pads or rollers have to be different from when they were under bunks?

Steve S.
"Myot CynPat" 82 TRWK conversion Hull No. 3002

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2005 : 10:57:45

How many supports do you have? A roller trailer has two but supports a large array of roller. This is a Sailrite, four supports, 64 rollers.

This as a different brand with six supports and six pads

This is a bunk trailer

Note all three have three cross members, the roller trailer uses the first and last to locate the supports. The roller trailer in these pictures supports the boat very well and makes it easy to launch and shove around on the trailer for painting but it is very busy around the rollers and you will get paint all over them. I look forward to my new pad trailer because of the low maintenance with it. (This is a wing trailer, note how the pads are already as low as they can go in the back, no dropping there!) The rollers cost over $10 each if you buy the ones that Champion sells, I found some at eastern marine for under $5, still over $300 for rollers. Then there is all of the brackets! If you go rollers it will cost you a LOT of money.

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SailormanCGA72
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Response Posted - 08/10/2005 : 14:05:59

Frank,

Thanks for the photos. What I had in mind is the pad type. I think it would be the simplest, most cost effective alternative for me. I did note in the pad photo, that the stantion that holds the pad is braced both longitudinally and transversely. My trailer is galvanized so I would use bolt on brackets to support the existing supports. Thanks, you have shown me a good alternative to the bunk. I believe that I can cut the bunks and install a pad in each of the existing three stantions on each side without removing the boat. Good fall project before I move it down to Port Isabel Texas.

My other project is to upsize the tires from 14" to 15" rims and install larger fenders to accommodate the tires. That will give me a load range "D" tire.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2005 : 01:07:01

You are welcome, everyone here is very helpful. Many have web sites if you check their profiles. I list my site in my signature.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2005 : 03:06:43

Frank, thanks for the great pictures. I have a trailer with pads and have been contemplating changing the front pads only to rollers but have not been able to figure it all out from the Champion Catalog. When on the ramp the front pads are out of the water and the boat drags past them about 6" to 12" as I winch it up to the front of the trailer. I tried dropping the trailer deeper but then the rub rail was below the bow roller at the stem.

I notice that none of your trailers have keel guides. Do you have a time getting the boat lined up on the trailer? I did before I added the keel guides.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2005 : 09:52:30

Seems like a 'hybrid' trailer would be interesting. Put a set of rollers on the front section so you don't have to drag the hull over the pads... and use pads on the back where the boat can simply float in and settle.

>"Do you have a time getting the boat lined up on the trailer? "

Based on my experiences, self-alignment is one of the big advantages of roller trailers. They tend to be 'self-centering'. The boat will naturally seek it's center as you winch it forward. With a roller, winching further = better alignment. Your mileage may vary.

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2005 : 10:22:26

I do not now trailer, but for a few years did so. We used to make keel guides by heating PVC pipe to a gentle curve, facing outboard on each side of the desired final keel location, these guided the keel into the right spot as you recovered the boat. To my knowledge worked on boats up to 24 feet, such as Com-pac 23's, Sovereign, etc and I think would work on C25's- no personal knowledge. The pvc pipe bends rather nicely IF you keep the torch moving and take your time bending gently---if you try to hasten the process, you are subject to the deadly "sharp bend" which weakens the pipe and defeats the guide path as well. Fair winds, ron srsk Orion SW FL

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