Boat Trailers – Bunk or Roller? HELP!

  • bobberal
    St Cloud MN, Leech Lake
    Posts: 416
    #1233926

    I was thinking of getting a bunk trailer this time. I have a roller trailer now and it never centers right the first time when I drive on, even on a perfect landing.

    My current boat is an 1800 Lund Fisherman.

    I would like some input on the Pro and Cons of a Bunk vs. Roller…Anything you can share would be great.

    My current trailer is a Karavan roller; I have had Shorelanders roller trailers in the past with the same problem.

    This time I am thinking of buying an Eagle bunk.

    Thanks

    o.m.f.t.
    Rochester Minn
    Posts: 339
    #419677

    How far are you backing in the water? You back in until the back rollers are just under the water. It work’s great for me anyway. I aways wonder this time of year if bunk trailer’s freeze? Just my 2-cents Jim

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22846
    #419678

    I have a roller trailer, and like was said, you have to back in at the right depth, or it will float on ya. I’ve seen plenty of bunk trailers going down the road, with the boat at a angle…

    big g

    chappy
    Hastings, MN
    Posts: 4854
    #419679

    I own a bunk Eagle trailer. I love it! Centers everytime ,even in current. The only think I don’t like about it is like at the Hastings Landing, I need to back a long way’s into the water to get it off the trailer. It’s to “Shallow” of a slope. On greater slopes I don’t have any problems. My 2 cents.(Appearently according to some I have a lot more cents stored away!)

    nick
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 4977
    #419680

    I find the sweet spot on my karavan trailer is around the back of the wheel well touching the water, took me 3 year to figure this out, now it goes on perfect everytime, as long as the ramp is in ok shape.

    Personally a lot of the launches I fish are really shallow, I just think the roller trailer works better for me.

    luckydog2
    The Villages Florida
    Posts: 364
    #419681

    I have a Lund 1800 tiller, and like the previous poster said, “It makes a difference how far you back the trailer into the water”. Typically if the rollers are just touching the water the boat centers better. Steep launches are harder to center than more level ones.

    brian_peterson
    Eagan, MN
    Posts: 2080
    #419683

    I have a roller and have no problems. Like the other guys said, don’t back in so far, I just partially submerge the back 2 rollers. Also you can purchase additional roller guides that a lot of people use. Remember that the “roller” trailer is meant to obviously let the boat roll off the trailer, with a bunk it’s meant to float off the trailer. I personnally think the biggest mistake is backing too far in.

    bobberal
    St Cloud MN, Leech Lake
    Posts: 416
    #419685

    I have tried everything….I have experimented with the depths too. Some tell me it’s the Karavan trailer. I see your point about a bunk trailer though needing deeper steeper landings.

    bill_cadwell
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 12607
    #419691

    I use to think that rollers were great but they don’t seem to center the wider boats right. I would try what they said above concerning just having the very back rollers under the water slightly. If that doesn’t work then I’d consider a Eagle bunk trailer ordered to fit your haul. Eagle makes all their trailers to fit certain boat hulls. I sure love mine.
    Thanks, Bill

    crosby-stick
    Crosby MN
    Posts: 613
    #419692

    eagle bunk works great for me had a roller my last boat it sucked had to be prefect. I think the problem was not enough rollers they try to get away as cheap as possible seen others with more roller and work good.

    waterfowler99
    Midwest
    Posts: 1514
    #419693

    depending on the time of year your using it. i duck hunt late season. sub zero temps have frozen my boat to the bunks and floated the whole works in the landing, not fun. and not easy to get un froze either, unless you have lots of coffe with

    crosby-stick
    Crosby MN
    Posts: 613
    #419696

    How many 2-cents you got .LOL we should get together for a brew and wet a line soon!!

    chappy
    Hastings, MN
    Posts: 4854
    #419699

    Do ya think???? Some people seem to think I have a couple……….I wish it would snow so I can make a coule bucks to pay for some entry fee’s. Sorry o get off the subject.

    dustin_stewart
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 1402
    #419702

    Rollers for me .

    Got buddies that swear by bunks, not sure why but they always have to have help loading and unloading their boats so they don’t get their feet wet……………

    fishingnuts
    Chicago, IL
    Posts: 7
    #419707

    Here’s a few more cents…. I have owned the following:

    16′ Sea Nymph on an unknown generic bunk with center roller – hard to unload, requiring me to back way into the water and float the boat off. Just ast hard to put back on “dead center”

    19′ Wellcraft on Shore’Lander roller – Not too bad

    25′ Powerquest on a custom bunk – Unbelievable, self launched many many times and always self centered when re-loading. Usually powered the 500HP off the trialer. I was spoiled and I never understood what took other people so long at launch ramps until I owned my next boat:

    18′ Crestliner Sportfish on a Yacht Club roller – worst combination (one of the reason’s I sold the combination). Very hard to get on the trailer level and difficult to launch by yourself on steep ramps.

    20′ Lund Pro-V on Eagle custom bunk – outstanding! Self centers no matter what when loading, even in swift river current.

    As a result, I would buy a custom bunk trailer for any boat I buy again in the future. They may be a little harder to launch in shallow water, but loading is extremely easy.

    Steve Plantz
    SE MN
    Posts: 12239
    #419730

    I use to have the same problem when I got my first drive on roller trailer, like was said above the key to getting a boat on straight is to just barely have the back set of rollers under water now my boat goes on straight every time. There are two reasons I have a roller trailer,
    one: There are times when I have to launch in sallow water
    two: I fish in the winter, with a bunk trailer the boat will freeze to the trailer.
    If I never launched in shallow water and did not fish in the winter I would go with a bunk trailer. One more thing on trailers no matter what kind of trailer you decide on I would go with a galvanized trailer, I will never buy another painted trailer again they just rust too fast.

    bobberal
    St Cloud MN, Leech Lake
    Posts: 416
    #419713

    A lot of good information…I agree with Steve with the galvanized option, all my trailers are…”They look bad new but never get worse”…

    Wouldn’t a bunk thaw once you put it in the water? Would silcon help this?

    Thanks

    redneckjr
    Rosemount, MN
    Posts: 1041
    #419733

    I haven’t experienced a lot of different trailers, but we have a shorelander trailer. My dad and I have figured out that in current tilting the back rollers down then backing in the water until the very back roller is underwater works the best. Another thing we do in push the boat up with an inital blast then let it roll almost all the way off. This seems to center it very well. Since there are two of us he backs down and I drive it on, if I don’t like how it’s going on then I just turn the motor a little bit to adjust until I like it then push it the rest of the way up.

    Steve Plantz
    SE MN
    Posts: 12239
    #419758

    Quote:


    Wouldn’t a bunk thaw once you put it in the water?
    Thanks



    From what I have been told no it would not.

    Quote:


    Would silcon help this?



    I have heard that there is a product for this but I do not know if this works or not?

    amwatson
    Holmen,WI
    Posts: 5130
    #419760

    For some reason, boats don’t want to unthaw off the bunks when they are put in the water. I think because the water can’t get to the ice under the boat. I know when we have had boats frozen to bunks, you have to really work to get them free. Rollers are the way to go in colder months

    herb
    6ft under
    Posts: 3242
    #419775

    I’ve had both. Currently have a roller and like it just fine. As stated previously, you have to learn how far to back the trailer in for easy loading and unloading. I used to have a problem of the boat freezing to the carpeted bunks, but the permanent quick fix was to attach those flat nylon strips to the bunks. No more freezing and very smooth loading and unloading. In fact, you have to be carefull to not unhook the boat until you reach the water, or you’ll drop the boat on the ramp.

    gary_wellman
    South Metro
    Posts: 6057
    #420143

    Make sure your rollers are centered and in balance and sync with each other.

    Having one set of rollers thare are “off” can throw off your attempt to put the boat on correctly.

    bobberal
    St Cloud MN, Leech Lake
    Posts: 416
    #420178

    Every Dealer I called said the same thing…It’s the Karavan Trailer…LOL. Only one didn’t say it and we all know which one that is. Oh by the way they will not check it out to see if it’s right. They said they never check them and would have to charge me shop rates.

    eyejacker
    Hudson, Wisconsin
    Posts: 1890
    #420242

    I bought an Eagle bunk trailer with my Lund MR Pike 17 last year. This is the first bunk trailer I have owned and I absolutely love it! I am able to launch and load alone with few if any centering problems. I, personally, would not go back to a roller trailer. I agree with Chappy’s comments!

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