Suggestions?

Darrell Van Eck · Post by **Darrell Van Eck** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:31 am

I have a 62 coaster that has been on a full roller trailer since I would guess the early 70's. I purchased a used full bunk trailer to replace the roller trailer. The roller trailer was damaging the finish on the boat every time I loaded it.

The boat did well on the roller trailer over the years, in-reguards to the hull being damaged, or hogging as I have read about. I believe it was because most of the weight of the boat was on the keel from the center rollers. My question is with the new trailer there is no center rollers at the keel, it has a four bunk system that will support nicely, but should the weight be on the keel, and not the hull bottom?

Thanks

a j r · Post by **a j r** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 5:03 am

Sounds as if you now have a better trailer. A keel roller at the bow area probably is a good idea - near where the keel turns into the stem and it starts to curve upwards. Place a roller just astern of that upward curve.

Andreas

John Hart · Post by **John Hart** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:15 pm

I converted the two rear roller assemblies on my TeeNee trailer, which are about 40" long, to bunks. This provides a greater surface area for support. Also, I added a bow bunk about 2 feet long at the center at what I believe is called the knee.

I was told that there should not be hardly any weight on the keel rollers and that they are there just to guide the boat onto the trailer. I was also told that I should be able to rotate these by hand. I have gradually adjusted these rollers as they became tight, and I believe that the current final resting position of the hull is more true to the original shape....

I invite comments to this logic. Also, I still would like to add one more set of minibunks, maybe a foot long, to the front perhaps in line with the windshield, to add support.. I am looking for a bracket that will fit my trailer and line up on either side of the keel.

joelsm65 · Post by **joelsm65** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:29 pm

yea , how you have it positioned sounds good, you dont want to bend the keel out of shape. on my trailer i have 9ft bunks, with only two supports at each end to let the bunk "worp" to the shape of the hull. back by the transom is "flat" and where the bunk ends the hull has a real curve to it. these are mounted on swivel brackets from boatus.com. then i added two 2ft bunks about 4" apart from each other to support the bow. they also get the boat straight on the tailer with next to no hassle if the trailer is in the water at just the right level. i used angle iron. i cut pieces to bolt to the bottom of the bunk. then drilled one hole in each piece to another angle iron that is bolted perpendicular to the trailer frame. i did jack the boat up about 1/4 " off its resting place to mount these brackets, so that it was evenly supported.