I wonder if rollers would help load my Mac 26s. I floated it most of the way but the last 6"s were hard to pull. My trailer is a cradle type and I thot about replacing the 2x4's with a roller. I see some big boat trailers with rollers instead of bunks but not for a sailboat yet.
bunks versus rollers
- Thread starter Jansen
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I suspect the most helpful thing would be less expensive than replacing your bunks - put your trailer in a little deeper. Although I am not aware of any particular reason for it, it seems that most, although admittedly not all, sailboat trailers have bunks rather than rollers. Personally, I have seen some boats that might be described as prematurally launched from trailers with rollers. Envision if you will a power boat sitting on the ramp, sans trailer, about 6 feet above the water level. If thats not enough, how about a roughly 17' runabout powerboat sitting in the middle of an intersection (8th and Oak, downtown Eugene - kitty-corner to the courthouse), with its roller equipped trailer parked about 1/2 block away. Somehow, I just always feel more secure with the bunks.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
In many cases this is personal preference, but the safest is likely a situation where your boat floats on to the trailer... hence bunks.
I have seen rollers make dimples in hulls, unless you have lots of rollers to spread the weight.
I have seen rollers make dimples in hulls, unless you have lots of rollers to spread the weight.
Roger has the answer. Although I've seen many sailboats on rollers, it would be impractical to have enough rollers to spread the weight as well as the bunks do.
At best, a roller only has a narrow line contact with some I've seen only a small point contact.
I also like the feeling of having the boat setting in the bunks with friction helping not to self launch as another mentioned.
Fair winds,
Jon
At best, a roller only has a narrow line contact with some I've seen only a small point contact.
I also like the feeling of having the boat setting in the bunks with friction helping not to self launch as another mentioned.
Fair winds,
Jon
Jim nailed it in my opinion (for we share the almost insufferable but wonderful H23). We've all pondered this question whether it be rollers or some other reduced friction method, but what it comes to is if you can or can't power a boat onto the trailer I'd say that is the deciding factor. Sailboats float from or settle on bunks when properly launched or retrieved (in my opinion). Finesse comes in braking, be it to shake her free into the water or set her upon your trailored "firm". Check out the various modifications on this site and I'd guess none include rollers.
Certain brand sailboats have thin hulls that cannot take the strain of a roller trailer, Catalina 22 being one. Most MacGregors that I've seen were always on flat bunk trailers. On the other hand, most of the smaller O'Days up to the O'Day 240s that I've seen, were on roller trailers. I think that it's a question of whether the hull can take the rollers. I once bought a new Sanibel 17 in the Newport Small Boat Show in the mid 1980s. It was in the water when I stepped aboard, and I had no idea how soft the hull was until I had one delivered. When I made the deal with the salesman, I told him that I didn't want the flat bunk trailer that came with the package. The guy tried to talk me into getting the trailer after I told him that I preferred a roller trailer. He never gave me a reason why, but I soon found out the hard way weeks later when the boat hauler brought the boat up to a local boatyard to be lifted off his trailer and on to my roller trailer. That hull was so soft, you could push it in with your hand. I had to take my new roller trailer back to the dealer, and get a different trailer. Live and learn.
You don't need rollers for a premature ejection.
Frank
Liquid rollers mixed with a little stupidity works just as well.
Frank
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Re: You don't need rollers for a premature ejection.
Looks like I'll stay with by cradle bunks, may add a bow roller, and someone suggested a second pull on the winch after pulling out till the fender tops are out of the water. Thanks for the advice.
Looks like I'll stay with by cradle bunks, may add a bow roller, and someone suggested a second pull on the winch after pulling out till the fender tops are out of the water. Thanks for the advice.
Puting a M26S on the trailer
Macs hull is not very thick. I would stay with bunks. To assist pulling her back onto the trailer you can do the following:
(1) Get a 12V coleman air matress inflator and blow out the balast while in the water. Yes it does work and will lift the boat up by about 3-4 inches in about 15-20 minutes. Open the water valve and stick the blower into the air vent hole inside the boat.
(2) Smear good quantity of liquid soap on the bunk. will help her get near the stopper.
(3) Once on the hard, you can tighten up the line for the bow roller. Some people also pull a rope from the stern cleat to the trailer to snug it up.
(4) Perform the famous Macgregor bump. That is pull the trailer to about 10-15 miles an hour in a straight line and hit hard on the brake. The boat will move forward on the bunk and snug up to the stopper. Strange but it works.
Macs hull is not very thick. I would stay with bunks. To assist pulling her back onto the trailer you can do the following:
(1) Get a 12V coleman air matress inflator and blow out the balast while in the water. Yes it does work and will lift the boat up by about 3-4 inches in about 15-20 minutes. Open the water valve and stick the blower into the air vent hole inside the boat.
(2) Smear good quantity of liquid soap on the bunk. will help her get near the stopper.
(3) Once on the hard, you can tighten up the line for the bow roller. Some people also pull a rope from the stern cleat to the trailer to snug it up.
(4) Perform the famous Macgregor bump. That is pull the trailer to about 10-15 miles an hour in a straight line and hit hard on the brake. The boat will move forward on the bunk and snug up to the stopper. Strange but it works.
Investigate a tongue extender. This is actually a long, removable trailer tongue that will allow you to back the trailer that extra 6 or 8 feet into the water which can make all the difference. Sailboats seldom if ever use roller bunks because of the point-loading they put on the hull. Power boats are designed differently (so they can withstand the pounding of planing over the waves) but even some power boats suffer hull distortion when resting on rollers. You can support some of the weight of your Mac on its keel, center rollers are OK...
There are teflon pads that you can install on the bunks to make the boat slide on and off easier...the problem with that is if you don't get it just right, you risk launching the boat where you don't want it...
Trailer setups
As in all of the previous entries, bunks are the best for all of their stated reasons. Winching and slamming is not the way to load a sailboat! Sailboats are to be floated on to the trailer. The front end of your bunks should be just submerged. If you can not achieve this then a trailer extension should be added so you can. If any part of the bunks stick out of the water the boat will not float on. Only the bow of the boat comes in contact with the front of the bunks because of the angle of the ramp, a light pull with the winch should slide the hull into it's front position. Your other though is good, I use a bow roller for my Catalina 22. This roller adds just a little lift to the bow so it clears the front of the bunks. I can do this little lift with a bow painter and then attach the winch for the last couple inches and make it tight.
This bow roller should not be in contact with the hull when the boat and trailer are out of the water. Place this roller about 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the bow. This allows the trailer to flex when towing, thus keeping this roller from lifting the boat above the front of the bunks and adding strain on this part of the hull and the bow eye.
Make sure when the boat is on the trailer, the bow eye and the winch is level or the winch is a little high. If the winch is lower than the bow eye, then when the boat settles down on the back of the bunks the bow will want to lift and pull away from the winch or bow trailer chock.
Think of this. Your boat on the trailer in the water at the launch ramp. The boat is absolutely level because the water is level, but the trailer is at an angle to the boat because of the launch ramp angle. For a perfect set up, the boat should be at an angle to the trailer, the bow down looking funny when going down the highway! My friend who has worked on every trailerable sailboat model over the last 33 years and builds trailers, his Catalina 25 is set up this way and he can launch any place I can with my 22.
As in all of the previous entries, bunks are the best for all of their stated reasons. Winching and slamming is not the way to load a sailboat! Sailboats are to be floated on to the trailer. The front end of your bunks should be just submerged. If you can not achieve this then a trailer extension should be added so you can. If any part of the bunks stick out of the water the boat will not float on. Only the bow of the boat comes in contact with the front of the bunks because of the angle of the ramp, a light pull with the winch should slide the hull into it's front position. Your other though is good, I use a bow roller for my Catalina 22. This roller adds just a little lift to the bow so it clears the front of the bunks. I can do this little lift with a bow painter and then attach the winch for the last couple inches and make it tight.
This bow roller should not be in contact with the hull when the boat and trailer are out of the water. Place this roller about 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the bow. This allows the trailer to flex when towing, thus keeping this roller from lifting the boat above the front of the bunks and adding strain on this part of the hull and the bow eye.
Make sure when the boat is on the trailer, the bow eye and the winch is level or the winch is a little high. If the winch is lower than the bow eye, then when the boat settles down on the back of the bunks the bow will want to lift and pull away from the winch or bow trailer chock.
Think of this. Your boat on the trailer in the water at the launch ramp. The boat is absolutely level because the water is level, but the trailer is at an angle to the boat because of the launch ramp angle. For a perfect set up, the boat should be at an angle to the trailer, the bow down looking funny when going down the highway! My friend who has worked on every trailerable sailboat model over the last 33 years and builds trailers, his Catalina 25 is set up this way and he can launch any place I can with my 22.
Re; Trailer Set-Ups
Nice article watercolors, I learned lots from the read! Merry Christmas to All. Brian
Nice article watercolors, I learned lots from the read! Merry Christmas to All. Brian
Brian, it really helped when I got a tow ball mount with an 8" drop. That lowered the hitch about 6" more for me. My truck rides a little high and the angle of the trailer and bunks were too steep. Inevitably when I would pull the boat out the boat would settle back about 2-3". Lowering the tongue of the trailer allowed the bow eye and winch hook to line up pretty well.
Floating On...
Frank, Yes level is good, alot of trucks need the drop hitch. When I got my boat I thought I could retrieve it in shallower water since I have a tilt bed trailer. Didn't work well for a sailboat. The boat does'nt winch up hill on bunkers easy. I also added slick sticks to the bunkers, they aren't the answer either. The only clear answer is to float the boat on and off. You need the bunks in the water. Brian
Frank, Yes level is good, alot of trucks need the drop hitch. When I got my boat I thought I could retrieve it in shallower water since I have a tilt bed trailer. Didn't work well for a sailboat. The boat does'nt winch up hill on bunkers easy. I also added slick sticks to the bunkers, they aren't the answer either. The only clear answer is to float the boat on and off. You need the bunks in the water. Brian
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