These look like they would take some work out of launching and retrieving a trailerable. http://www.surfixinc.com/surfix_trailer_bunkslides.html
Bunk Slides
- Thread starter Merlin Clark
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Adding rollers would be better
On a planing hull in which the sides and bottom are flat and your boat is a light fishing unit where you use the trailer winch to pull the boat almost the whole way out of the water then these would be wonderful.
Your boat is not light and the underside of the hull is not flat so nothing would be gained by installing these over the entire length of the trailer bunks.
The winch on your trailer is only good for about 1000 lbs. of pull and your boat is between 2000 and 4000 lbs., the only way you can retrieve a boat of this type is to float the hull almost the whole way onto the trailer. The winch is used to lift the hull up over the up swing of the bunk fronts, There maybe some added benefits in applying to the 6 to 18 inches front end of the bunks but, no more.
On a planing hull in which the sides and bottom are flat and your boat is a light fishing unit where you use the trailer winch to pull the boat almost the whole way out of the water then these would be wonderful.
Your boat is not light and the underside of the hull is not flat so nothing would be gained by installing these over the entire length of the trailer bunks.
The winch on your trailer is only good for about 1000 lbs. of pull and your boat is between 2000 and 4000 lbs., the only way you can retrieve a boat of this type is to float the hull almost the whole way onto the trailer. The winch is used to lift the hull up over the up swing of the bunk fronts, There maybe some added benefits in applying to the 6 to 18 inches front end of the bunks but, no more.
Re: Adding rollers would be better
I've trailer boats quite a bit, including my own Catalina 22 and Ensenada 20, as well as power boats to 7,500 lbs and never tried to drag one all the way up the trailer bunks.
But then I've never been afraid of the water!
I've trailer boats quite a bit, including my own Catalina 22 and Ensenada 20, as well as power boats to 7,500 lbs and never tried to drag one all the way up the trailer bunks.
But then I've never been afraid of the water!
I have seen different approaches to this problem. One was a "teflon" type of slide material that helped a boat slide up on the trailer bunks. Hunter 26 trailers had some problems getting the boat all the way up on the trailer and this helped some, but did not solve the total problem.
Another solution was to apply some liquid dish soap on the bunk rug material to make it slide better.
The solution I found and used that worked best was a simple bow roller added to the trailer. A trailer with bunks or rollers has some drag problems getting the boat that last foot up on the trailer. A bow roller mounted on the trailer centerline between the bunk or roller front end and the trailer winch that lifts the bow of the boat up is by far the best solution.
I trailer sail 3 to 4 times a week so that is a lot of launches and retreeves and since I have added bow rollers to my trailers there has been no problem pulling the boat all the way forward. I have done this for a 95 Hunter 26, a Catalina 22 and on my San Juan 23 that I currently sail.
Ray
Another solution was to apply some liquid dish soap on the bunk rug material to make it slide better.
The solution I found and used that worked best was a simple bow roller added to the trailer. A trailer with bunks or rollers has some drag problems getting the boat that last foot up on the trailer. A bow roller mounted on the trailer centerline between the bunk or roller front end and the trailer winch that lifts the bow of the boat up is by far the best solution.
I trailer sail 3 to 4 times a week so that is a lot of launches and retreeves and since I have added bow rollers to my trailers there has been no problem pulling the boat all the way forward. I have done this for a 95 Hunter 26, a Catalina 22 and on my San Juan 23 that I currently sail.
Ray
just because the boat weighs 4000lbs doesnt mean it will have 4000lbs resistence... it can have a considerable amount more or a considerable amount less, depending on the friction of the surface its trying to slide against.
what the nylon slides is reduce the friction/resistance to a fraction of what it is currently. it could be a great idea but like others, I havent found the need to pull the boat up my trailer. just back in in a couple feet more.
I just typed a lengthy, hopefully and iinformative reply, 
when I hit Submit Reply I lost the entire Sailboatowners site :cry: ! Last time this happened to me, Phil said it was very rare, maybe some how I got timed out or took too long typing.
Anyhow, I built my own bunks planks and carpeted held up on their ends and springy in the center to conform to the hull curvature, boat appears to set there on nicely. I am going to submit this portion NOW.
David S
when I hit Submit Reply I lost the entire Sailboatowners site :cry: ! Last time this happened to me, Phil said it was very rare, maybe some how I got timed out or took too long typing. Anyhow, I built my own bunks planks and carpeted held up on their ends and springy in the center to conform to the hull curvature, boat appears to set there on nicely. I am going to submit this portion NOW.
David S
Re: Bunk Slides again
My trailer is an old Galvanized Maxi-Tilt 2 axle straight cross frames and straight axles, it had an old 24 foot power boat on it, obviously now my 79 Oday 22 sits high on the trailer and to retrieve the boat the trailer is quite deep in the water and it is hard to center the boat over the trailer. I have built carpet on wood plank bunks and the boat sets nicely on them. But it is hard cranking that winch. I am wondering if there isn't stronger winches to replace this one, which seems to be common to most boat trailers, with a stronger, more torque or more gearing, perhaps manual or electric. Help for any sources for winches?
Thanks, David S
My trailer is an old Galvanized Maxi-Tilt 2 axle straight cross frames and straight axles, it had an old 24 foot power boat on it, obviously now my 79 Oday 22 sits high on the trailer and to retrieve the boat the trailer is quite deep in the water and it is hard to center the boat over the trailer. I have built carpet on wood plank bunks and the boat sets nicely on them. But it is hard cranking that winch. I am wondering if there isn't stronger winches to replace this one, which seems to be common to most boat trailers, with a stronger, more torque or more gearing, perhaps manual or electric. Help for any sources for winches?
Thanks, David S
Type your reply / post in a word processor first, then cut and paste into the reply box when you are done.I just typed a lengthy, hopefully and iinformative reply,
David S
David, you might try Graingers or Northern Tool.
On the slides, I know that when I swapped the carpet for astroturf on my last small boats trailer, the slippery-ness of the astroturf helped.
On the slides, I know that when I swapped the carpet for astroturf on my last small boats trailer, the slippery-ness of the astroturf helped.
Here read this forum.I just typed a lengthy, hopefully and iinformative reply,
Anyhow, I built my own bunks planks and carpeted held up on their ends and springy in the center to conform to the hull curvature, boat appears to set there on nicely. I am going to submit this portion NOW.
David S
http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=146874
I have been having a Heck of a time some times. I regularly copy my post just before I hit submit reply. Just in case it does one of the 4 different crazy things it does loosing all my eloquent prose.
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