Boat Trailer - Skid vs Roller - which is better?

[batman]

Hi All

Well the boat has arrived and is just about ready to go, however it is on a skid trailer not a "roller" style trailer as I requested.

Could you people in the know give me the heads up on what is the best way to go, skid or roller style?

The boat is a Formosa 520 with a Honda 90 four stroke, so that will give you an idea when it comes to weight etc.

Cheers

Batty

[Doyley]

hey mate. i would definately go with the rollers. more maintenance than the skid, but so much easier to get the boat on and off

[bootyinblue]

Assuming its an alloy hull then a skids type trailer is what is suited for the boat.

Alloy boats should take all their weight on the keel rollers with the boat only resting on the bilge strakes to stop it rocking from side to side. Most skid type trailers are not set up correctly thus giving the appearance they are hard to launch from. For example my alloy boat when I dont have a rear strap on, sits on the skids on one side and just barely touches the other side, strap it down to sit snug for transport, but to launch all the weight is taken on the well greased keel rollers.

Glass boats have trailers designed to cradle the boat and hence the keel rollers and also the wobble rollers along the side as they dont have the skeleton strenght of a alloy boat.

Hope it helps.

[Shrimpo]

I have seen alloy boats sit on roller trailers for 25 years still going fine my uncle sold his boat and trailer a couple months ago and it was still perfect.

[bootyinblue]

And vice versa..... but it is what is suited to each hull type and how its set up!

[mick fillet]

I have never owned a glass boat all my boats have been ally boats and all but one of the trailors have had keel rollers with skids.My latest boat came with a roller style trailor and i found that the rollers were getting flat spots on them from where the boat has been sitting on them more so on the back near where the tie down strap is and more pressure is being applied to the rollers.The rollers were slightly soft and because of this the flat spots occuring it was so dam hard to get the boat to move but once the hull started to move it was fine. I scraped the whole roller idea and made it skid style trailor its way better now.I preffer skids on ally and heaps of keel rollers

[ellicat]

Skids

[noname]

traditionally, non plate alloy boats are better suited to skids on a trailer.

plate alloy?

well the difference is plate alloy arrives at the factory on a pallet in sheets of alloy, unlike a rather large tiolet roll of alloy. and then there is marine alloy as well. but tryin to keep it simple for ya.

belco and mackay trailers are reguarded as top quality trailers!!! stay away from dunbier !!!

rob

[batman]

Hey guys cheers for this, I was given advice to go for a roller style trailer as it is easier to load and unload the boat...!

We received an email from the dealer a few weeks back stating that they had changed over from Redco to Dunbier trailers as they were regarded the best on the market.

Anyway, I am sure it will be all good!

[bigtez]

Go with what ever the boat manufacturer recomends. Both have ther good and bad points but if you have a warranty claim on the hull, going with the manufacturers recomendations will mean they can't turn around and blame the trailer. It wouldn't be the first time a clame was denied because of a trailer 'issue'.

[batman]

cheers Bigtez!

Yeah that makes sense!

Jeeeez Louise, I am pinging off my head as it is ready to go but they are waiting on the correct trailer to be swapped over and then I can go and pick it up!

Maiden Voyage will be down the GC probably launch at Southport and go for a play and a flick for flatties on Friday.

:woohoo :woohoo: :woohoo: :

[noname]

bigtez wrote:

Go with what ever the boat manufacturer recomends. Both have ther good and bad points but if you have a warranty claim on the hull, going with the manufacturers recomendations will mean they can't turn around and blame the trailer. It wouldn't be the first time a clame was denied because of a trailer 'issue'.

MAN'S OFFEN reguard whatever trailer they sell as the best for your boat. truth is dealers use the cheapoest priced trailers, so they can make a killing on them by selling them to you, try getting a warranty claim on a dunbier trailer from interstate, any been to the dunbier factory at yattla, haha was a bloody joke when i went there. onlt a few rollers and bits n pieces.at leat get a locally made trailer, stuff what dealers tell you, they wouldn't know half of them anyway. just look at a lot of cruisies getting around. trailers are illegal, yes illegal. slipper springs on a boat you can only legally put 40 ltrs of fuel into, and no fishing gear. the springs are not rated correctly. so once you fuel ya boat up, look for dqt. they know this too and look out for it. it's when you step up to larger boat trailers that you get a lesson in boat trailers, and believe me, it's more involved than you think.

[batman]

mate

Cheers, obviously you have had a bad experience with Dunbier trailers..fair enough.

However, I have to go with what's part of the package and the roller style is something that I have been told is the best option for the boat that I am buying.

Is there anything I should be doing to the trailer pre-maintinance wise? I have been advised to use the bearing protector thingy mabobs?? makes sense.

Other people have said to spray it with an anti rust spray etc ????