25 trailer Rollers vs Bunks

[Nevada Mike]

My 25 has rollers and I have come to dislike them. I have only trailered the boat and launched twice but I prefer the bunks of my previous Catalina 22. I almost lost the boat on the ramp the first time when the strap broke and the second time it just seems like rollers are a bit of a pain. There is some slight oil canning on one of the rollers. The keel rests firmly on the trailer. With the bunks of my previous boat the boat went on settled in the bunks and done. I have only seen a few images of 25s on bunks. Is there a reason I should know about as to why most are on rollers?

Thanks, Mike

 

[Benny17441]

Have not had the impression that most are on rollers but it could be a local thing if the launching ramps are generally shallow. Sailboats are meant to be floated unto their trailered and not winched aboard. The U-Bolt at the bow is meant to be used just to guide the boat into position and then to secure the bow for trailering. It is not meant to and usually not reinforced to support the weight and friction of dragging the boat above bunks. But in boating nothing is written on stone and sometimes we have to go with what works; generally if the launching ramp inclination is too shallow for allowing the boat to floated unto bunks then the alternative would be the use of rollers. It is all a matter of compromise and we have to take the bad with the good.

 

[LeeandRick]

I almost lost the boat on the ramp the first time when the strap broke and the second time it just seems like rollers are a bit of a pain. There is some slight oil canning on one of the rollers. The keel rests firmly on the trailer.
Thanks, Mike

First a small piece of chain through the bow eye and around a secure part of the trailer should eliminate problem if strap breaks. Oh and replace the strap.

You say the keel rest firmly on the trailer, how do you know? Unless there are rollers under the keel the boat should require a really steep ramp to slid off if there is enough weight on the keel. If you have oil canning on an O'Day 25 there is too much weight on that roller bunk. Unlike the Catalina 22 the keel should take most of the weight and the rollers/bunks are slightly loaded stabilizers.

What are the fees and wash down cost to get into Tahoe now?

 

[Nevada Mike]

The fee for the Tahoe only" sticker this year was $30 but I did not require any washing down of the engines or bilge.

I have a chain and on that particular day the boat was floating high in the stern and the chain would not quite make it so the plan was to attach the chain once the boat had settled on the trailer out of the water. That would have pivoted the eye down and forward. It was my first retrieval of the boat and yes the strap was replaced immediately. Thankfully in this particular situation it was a private ramp and I was able to park the boat just a few feet away.

As far as how do I know. Well I don't have a DOT scale under it or anything like that but with the carpeting being smashed flat and the oil canning its a fairly safe bet. This particular ramp was a little steep but not ridiculously so and the friction of the keel is probably the only thing that kept it from coming off the trailer. You can see the ramp in the photo just off the bow

 

[Nevada Mike]

The U-Bolt at the bow is meant to be used just to guide the boat into position and then to secure the bow for trailering.

You are correct and the rollers make that seem like a problem. There is some weight on it when the boat is coming out of the water prior to the weight settling down on the trailer. Its not all of the weight obviously. The boat floated on and off easily but next time I may use the extended tongue and see if that gets the rollers down farther so I can easily bring the boat all the way forward and see if she settles in easier. Im still learning with this one but don't think I'm not looking at the Seaward 26RK.

 

[Benny17441]

Just make sure the submerged part of the ramp is long enough for using the extended tongue. Some ramps may have a drop at the end while others may transition into a nice bottom surface. Yes the idea is float the boat all the way to the bow stop of the trailer. This is where trailer guides may keep it position until the tow vehicle starts pulling out of the water.