Liquid rollers?

[( deleted account )]

Not sure what a liquid bunk is, but after years of rolls, my new boat (18 yrs ago) had a bunk and I hated it! I trod kind of plastic plates that easily fasten to the bunk supports, and now I LOVE IT! All the advantages of both, better support, easy on and off, etc. My other boat about the same length has rollers, and I can’t tell which is better. Both good.

Get used to your ow set up. With mine, back into the water so it’s level with the top of the fenders, and instant on and off. You’ll find the”sweet spot” after you use it a bit. As a general rule, the top of the fenders seems to fit most, but not all boat trailer setups and ramp slopes.

Be careful following the advice to unhook the safety chain before you back down. IMHO up and down a ramp is probably the best/only time you need it, not when driving down the road. Over the years I’ve personally seen 2 boats slide on to the ramp and have heard of several others. Had my roller slide into the water when my fishing buddy unthinkingly unhooked the safety chain, then hit the brakes pretty hard just as I was luckily far enough down the ramp to land in the water. Engine was still up so no damage or even “launch rash” on the boat.

 

[ccarver80]

You guys are probably right might take some time to get use to ... I'll have to try the "float off" method .. I will never unhook my boat until I'm in the water though.. Sorry not going to be that guy that one fluke and drop my fiberglass boat on a concrete ramp...

 

[guywhofishes]

I have a roller (ShoreLand'r) that doesn't seem to roll all that easily (a good thing IMO).

I don't float my boat at all - I stop just shy of floating. I climb in, start the motor and while it's warming I go forward and uhook chain and pre-loosened strap from over the bow, then power off the trailer in reverse.

That often leaves enough dock length remaining behind the trailer to allow me to quickly back away from trailer and away from dock. Once clear of the trailer I can immediately put tiller in forward and move nose forward to near the dock.

I then put the Talon down, secure the nose to the dock, jump out, and park.

I can do the same upon return at most dock/ramps. That way I only clog up one lane when I am alone.

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You guys are probably right might take some time to get use to ... I'll have to try the "float off" method .. I will never unhook my boat until I'm in the water though.. Sorry not going to be that guy that one fluke and drop my fiberglass boat on a concrete ramp...

you can always stop when there's just enough dry ramp left to walk back and make the release. At that point if it goes in it will land in the water safely.

 

[remm]

When by myself I back down into the water until the boat is floating a bit off the trailer, then jump into the boat, reach over the bow and unhoook the strap. Boat usually floats off easily enough to tie to the dock. Sometimes if nobodys around I'll just back it off the trailer and tie it to the other side of the dock before going to park.
I had a close call with unhooking on the ramp and backing down, goddam boat almost floated away on me before I could get out of the truck and grab it so I am too chicken shit to try do that again by myself.
Once you do it a few times, it all becomes second nature. As ahab stated, just remember to take the tie downs off/put plug in, and make dam sure you put your truck in park before you get out (parking brake not a bad idea either)- seems pretty common sense- heard of a more than a few occasions of trucks in the lake.

 

[pluckem]

Be careful following the advice to unhook the safety chain before you back down. IMHO up and down a ramp is probably the best/only time you need it, not when driving down the road. Over the years I’ve personally seen 2 boats slide on to the ramp and have heard of several others. Had my roller slide into the water when my fishing buddy unthinkingly unhooked the safety chain, then hit the brakes pretty hard just as I was luckily far enough down the ramp to land in the water. Engine was still up so no damage or even “launch rash” on the boat.

X2 ... I spend the extra 30seconds of inconvenience and unhook when the boat is in the water. Its funny how guys think they need bow strap, safety chain, and 2 transom tie downs when traveling down a level road, but not needed when backing down a steep ramp.

The majority of guys with bunks do it so obviously it doesn't happen often but it does happen. Its your boat do what you want with it, however every boat, trailer, ramp is different... don't go telling a new bunk trailer owner to unhook everything before they back down the ramp.

 

[Captain Ahab]

You guys are probably right might take some time to get use to ... I'll have to try the "float off" method .. I will never unhook my boat until I'm in the water though.. Sorry not going to be that guy that one fluke and drop my fiberglass boat on a concrete ramp...

I unhook right before my trailer tires hit the water for that reason.

 

[DirtyMike]

The only time I won't unhook the bow strap is in the spring when freezing temps in the morning and evenings are common. I can't imagine a glass boat slipping off dry bunks. But, everyone is able to do their own thing. You can always attach those plastic runners to your bunks. Similar to the strips you attach to the bottom of your flipover sled.

That bow eye arrest system looks pretty damn handy!

 

[Captain Ahab]

***bunk trailer***

 

[shorthairsrus]

given - situations do exist - when you back off a road into shallow water - crazy angles --- places where a boat shouldnt go --- yes then i have got my feet wet. No ramp though.

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The only time I won't unhook the bow strap is in the spring when freezing temps in the morning and evenings are common. I can't imagine a glass boat slipping off dry bunks. But, everyone is able to do their own thing. You can always attach those plastic runners to your bunks. Similar to the strips you attach to the bottom of your flipover sled.

That bow eye arrest system looks pretty damn handy!

Seen it --- alkaline -- not sure why - all we could think of was algae (the guy had it in that morning). Plus the guy driving the truck hit the breaks a little hard coming down the ramp to straighten out.

 

[DirtyMike]

Seen it --- alkaline -- not sure why - all we could think of was algae (the guy had it in that morning). Plus the guy driving the truck hit the breaks a little hard coming down the ramp to straighten out.

Probably from wisconsin anyway. That ramp is pretty steep though.

 

[guywhofishes]

Probably from wisconsin anyway. That ramp is pretty steep though.

both of those things are on my avoid list

 

[ccarver80]

I'll post a video when I head out this weekend maybe you guys will see something I'm doing wrong :;:huh

 

[guywhofishes]

I'll post a video when I head out this weekend maybe you guys will see something I'm doing wrong :;:huh

because a trailer boating video might be boring could you rent one of these suits prior to shooting the video? pretty please?

 

[Kurtr]

i know for a fact that if you crank on the winch trying to pull a ranger fs20 that you just put on the trailer up an inch the handle will snap in two pieces

 

[deleted member]

link to "liquid rollers"? well found it. just a spray? how the hell does that work so well? and how often does one have to re-apply?

 

[Rowdie]

You guys are probably right might take some time to get use to ... I'll have to try the "float off" method .. I will never unhook my boat until I'm in the water though.. Sorry not going to be that guy that one fluke and drop my fiberglass boat on a concrete ramp...

If you don't trust unhooking it when out of the water, unhook it while the bow is still out of the water so you don't get your feet wet. I've never seen a bunk trailer lose a boat on the ramp backing down, maybe one day you'll gain the trust.

Another helpful thing is dunking your trailer when loading your boat. Dunking it so all the carpet gets wet will help with driving it up the last few inches.

 

[ccarver80]

link to "liquid rollers"? well found it. just a spray? how the hell does that work so well? and how often does one have to re-apply?

Idk but reading reviews in amazon people were giving it low star reviews because it was too slippery!

People on Amazon are raving how we it works idk might be worth the $13 ??

 

[701FishSlayer]

I think you need to give the new boat n trailer a little more time behind the wheel. You'll learn to like the bunk trailer.

 

[thriller1]

(By myself)If bunk trailer, unhook right before it gets backed in. I then back in slowly(close to the dock)until it starts to float. I then step off the dock into the boat and back off.

With company, they just back in tap the brake and you take off. Easy peasy.

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P.S. It's much easier to launch with the rear straps removed;-)

And the transom support....

 

[TFX 186]

I've done the leave the plug out and almost sink the boat but haven't forgotten the transom saver or the tie downs. I had the pleasure of watching a couple gentlemen try to launch a boat real professional like. Just gonna back it in real quick and hit the brakes and dump it. I thought they were going to sink the boat, they had it backed so far in the lake. It took them awhile to figure out they had forgotten the tie downs on the back. I almost pissed my pants laughing. Shit does happen and it was really funny.

Fish On!