I've been looking at changing the bunk material on my trailer, it has the carpet now, looking for something a little more "slick" so it goes on the trailer a bit easier.My Pacific trailer came with disc brakes on both axles and where I am, you absolutely want that. I go from 1300 feet above sea level to 1800 feet to sea level. I dumped the surge for electric over hydraulic and could not be happier with the result.
The other upgrade that you might consider on the west coast, is guide on bunks. Those have been a game changer for me, no more hand lining the boat on, I drive it on like a boss
Buying a 2002 228 without trailer- Need trailer advise
- Thread starter Thor's Outlaw
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I was suspicious of this stuff, but I tried it and was impressed. It works.
https://www.amazon.com/Caliber-Bunk...ds=bunk+spray+for+boats&qid=1689890561&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/Caliber-Bunk...ds=bunk+spray+for+boats&qid=1689890561&sr=8-3
luckydude
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You should check your discs, with surge brakes, mine were too hot to touch at the harbor. Electric over hydraulic, barely warm, I can hold my hand on them. If yours are not hot, fine. If they are hot, you're gonna burn them out. Especially with just on one axle.
I used to haul heavy equipment around. It's not the towing, it's the stopping that is the problem.
Thank you everyone for the advice- I opted for a 7000# aluminum bunk trailer. Picking the 228 up tomorrow and will be my 1st experience with a bunk trailer . A bit nervous about looking like an idiot at the ramp as i can load a boat on a roller trailer in under 3 minutes lol. Trying not to be on the Qualified Captain.
. A bit nervous about looking like an idiot at the ramp as i can load a boat on a roller trailer in under 3 minutes lol. Trying not to be on the Qualified Captain.
luckydude
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If you have guide on bunks it is pretty hard to screw up. I've had mine for about a year and if there is enough wind/surge I sometimes have to back out and line it up again. Oh well, it is what it is, that's why I fish on weekdays.Thank you everyone for the advice- I opted for a 7000# aluminum bunk trailer. Picking the 228 up tomorrow and will be my 1st experience with a bunk trailer
Just get a good line and drive it on is the answer for guide on bunk trailers.
No guide ons? I'd put the trailer next to the dock and hand line the boat on. That's what I did until I learned to drive it on. On nice days, I used to drive it on before I had guide on bunks. That stopped when I messed up some gelcoat on the fender on a bad approach.
The value of guide on bunks is they force the boat over the supporting bunks and won't let it scrape on the fender.
From the perspective of "centering the hull" on the trailer, bunks are easier. You'll be fine.Thank you everyone for the advice- I opted for a 7000# aluminum bunk trailer. Picking the 228 up tomorrow and will be my 1st experience with a bunk trailer
When you launch, back in until the back end of the boat JUST starts to BARELY float. Not so much that the stern is actually floating off the bunks - but to the point where it starts to rock a little. You can disconnect the strap and safety chain at this point. Start the engine and then reverse off. NOTE where the water line is on the trailer (wheel fenders or a spot on the frame, etc). When it's time to go back on the trailer, back the trailer in to this same spot. This is will be in far enough to allow easy loading all the way to the bow stop, but still allow the bunks to do their centering job.
You MIGHT want to back in to that "waterline" spot and then pull back out a couple feet the first couple times you launch. It'll be a little safer if you end up coming in a bit too hot.
This isn't an exact science, but you get the idea. My last boat was a big 28' Sea Ray cruiser - I was back on the trailer and pulling out (wife was in the truck) faster than 99% of the people trying to retrieve their 18' runabout. And I had a bunk trailer for that boat. Actually, it WAS a roller... but I converted it
luckydude
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This is good advice. Pay attention to where it works for you, for me the right place is to have the water level right where it is about to submerge the highest part of the fenders. If the surge covers it and exposes it, that is just right for my trailer. You want it so that you need to use a little engine to drive it off and a little more to drive it on. The important thing is you sort of make a note, when it was like this, it went in too easy, this went in too hard, pay attention and you'll find the sweet spot for your trailer.From the perspective of "centering the hull" on the trailer, bunks are easier. You'll be fine.
When you launch, back in until the back end of the boat JUST starts to BARELY float. Not so much that the stern is actually floating off the bunks - but to the point where it starts to rock a little. You can disconnect the strap and safety chain at this point. Start the engine and then reverse off. NOTE where the water line is on the trailer (wheel fenders or a spot on the frame, etc). When it's time to go back on the trailer, back the trailer in to this same spot. This is will be in far enough to allow easy loading all the way to the bow stop, but still allow the bunks to do their centering job.
You MIGHT want to back in to that "waterline" spot and then pull back out a couple feet the first couple times you launch. It'll be a little safer if you end up coming in a bit too hot.
This isn't an exact science, but you get the idea. My last boat was a big 28' Sea Ray cruiser - I was back on the trailer and pulling out (wife was in the truck) faster than 99% of the people trying to retrieve their 18' runabout. And I had a bunk trailer for that boat. Actually, it WAS a roller... but I converted it
If you bring it in solo, you want the trailer next to the dock. Trim the engine back quite a bit, that will lift the bow and make it slide on. Get on the trailer and drive it forward until it hits the pulley on the winch post. Then, this is maybe not obvious, but leave the engine in gear to hold the boat in place, not hard in gear, play with it, just enough to leave it snugged up against the post, hop off, do the straps, hop back on and sort things enough to pull out.
I fish solo a fair amount and the biggest trailer upgrade was the guide on bunks. Game changer for me.
After purchasing a 2001 226 with a F250, F15 kicker, and dual tanks on a Loadmaster aluminum trailer, I’m looking into a new trailer for a few reasons.
The trailer is rated #6000. And by design I think poorly made. Prior owner replaced axles with #3500 torsions and SS brakes last year, but in addition to upgrading tires the frame needs to be larger to bring the capacity to #7000 per manufacturer. My biggest complaint seems to be common with most aluminum trailers I see.
Most aluminum trailers I see seem to be made from a few different frame sizes, and 4x6 bunks are fabricated to extend past the trailer frame to support the transom of the desired boat. All my trailers have had the rear trailer frame even with the boats transom. This allows maximum support under the area needed most. , especially with bracketed boats.
my trailer, listed to haul 22’-24’ boats, has the hull overhanging the rear trailer frame.
The trailer shown in
RIVERTEC_FISH ‘a picture shows what I mean. My overhang is actually more. This does not allow the transom straps to keep the boat from moving forward in-the event of a winch post failure. Much more force can be generated in a panic stop than accelerating. Trusting a couple of U bolts from keeping 3 ton boat from riding up your ass is trusting indeed! Now add an all roller trailer and forget it!
I’ll be looking into a Galvanized tandem trailer from Pacific trailers. Everything about them impresses me over any other brand I’ve owned from a sturdy build prospective.
the difference in weight compared to an aluminum is something my 2021 GMC AT4HD 6.6 Duramax 10-speed Allison can handle.
FISHNFF
The trailer is rated #6000. And by design I think poorly made. Prior owner replaced axles with #3500 torsions and SS brakes last year, but in addition to upgrading tires the frame needs to be larger to bring the capacity to #7000 per manufacturer. My biggest complaint seems to be common with most aluminum trailers I see.
Most aluminum trailers I see seem to be made from a few different frame sizes, and 4x6 bunks are fabricated to extend past the trailer frame to support the transom of the desired boat. All my trailers have had the rear trailer frame even with the boats transom. This allows maximum support under the area needed most. , especially with bracketed boats.
my trailer, listed to haul 22’-24’ boats, has the hull overhanging the rear trailer frame.
The trailer shown in
RIVERTEC_FISH ‘a picture shows what I mean. My overhang is actually more. This does not allow the transom straps to keep the boat from moving forward in-the event of a winch post failure. Much more force can be generated in a panic stop than accelerating. Trusting a couple of U bolts from keeping 3 ton boat from riding up your ass is trusting indeed! Now add an all roller trailer and forget it!
I’ll be looking into a Galvanized tandem trailer from Pacific trailers. Everything about them impresses me over any other brand I’ve owned from a sturdy build prospective.
the difference in weight compared to an aluminum is something my 2021 GMC AT4HD 6.6 Duramax 10-speed Allison can handle.
FISHNFF
In the end, we all need to do what we feel is best for ourselves and our family. But if I may, I wanted to point out a couple fallacies in your logic... maybe it will save you some bucks!
1) The overhang you're talking about is absolutely, perfectly fine. I do this for a living and have experience with many, MANY aluminum trailers. 100% totally fine. The load is still transferred down to the trailer frame properly - this is by design. Boats much bigger than yours use the same setup - if it's good enough for them, it's certainly good enough for a smaller boat.
2) The transom straps are meant to keep the boat from going backwards. They counter the winch stand. If you want extra assurance, you could install a heavy eye-bolt into the lower/back-end of the bunk and use a second set of straps.
Loadmaster - while not "top tier" is a still a well-made trailer and has been around a long time.
The point is... you certainly can/should do what you want... but an aluminum bunk trailer like you have is totally fine and we don't want to push someone else away from using one for invalid reasons.
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Mustang65fbk
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I would check the brakes and everything pertaining to them every time I stopped for fuel when driving back across the country, of which the outside hubs weren't ever too hot to touch them. And yes, not much stopping involved, more just going, going, going for over 3k miles. About the only times I'd stop would be for gas, food and at night to sleep.
luckydude
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I have a Pacific trailer and love it, it's really well built. That said, my local Grady dealer has stopped ordering trailers from Pacific, they have become very unresponsive. If you can get them to build you one and you believe they will come through, go for it, great trailer. But just be sure to get schedules from them and work a contract that has penalties for not meeting the schedules.