Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

[Jalova]

Hello all,
Does anyone have skids on their trailer for a fireglass boat ? I have a 5.2 m Carribeen Crestcutter which has had the floor and transem re-inforced so it's now quite a solid boat, I was wondering if skids would be okay in-stead of rollers.
What does others thinks ???
Cheers.

Tony

:) ::) :o :)

[Roughasguts]

I wouldn't use skids on a glass boat, unless you don't mind a big scrape mark where your hull slides up and down .... or should I say grind, after salt and sand get imbeded in to the bunks.

Rollers I think, and plenty of them are still your best option.

[NAGG]

I think you will find that rollers are recommended for glass boats

Nagg

[Jalova]

Thanks NAGG and roughasguts,
Much appreciated for the info,
Cheers.

[leezor]

No problems with the skids on my trailer, less maintenance and they offer better support than rollers. I drive my 23 footer on and off no problems at all. All my previous trailers have been multi-roller and so far this trailer loads and unloads the boat as easy if not easier than my previous roller trailers.

[Hydrotherapy]

I also have skids on my 5mtr streaker glass boat, have had for years. No scratches, no gouges, no problem. A spray of teflon every now and again helps with retrieval although there should not be much weight on them anyway.

Red skids for glass, blue for alloy.

[leezor]

[quote=Hydrotherapy;829221]No scratches, no gouges, no problem. A spray of teflon every now and again helps with retrieval although there should not be much weight on them anyway.
quote]

Same here, my boat has sat on skids since 1999 and there are no signs of any scratches. I spray mine with a silicon spray every now and again as well.

[Jalova]

Thanks also Leezor, what do you use on the skids themselves ?
Cheers
Also thanks to the other people for their imput.

Tony

[Donny Boy]

Rollers for me. 5.5 Glass Half Cab. In & out like a robbers dog !

[onerabbit]

I did a major rebuild on my trailer a few years back, took off all the old wobbly rollers & made & fitted skids.
What a huge improvement, both at the ramp, & while towing.

Jalova, I made my skids (2 long, 4 short) from gal box section & screwed teflon strips to it.
Just a point here, when drilling the teflon strips, drill your countersink hole FIRST, then your smaller hole, if done the other way around the bigger drill will follow the guide hole & chew it out every time, hope that makes sense.

As far as damage to the boat, she's been on & off the trailer many times since then, & no problems.

Muzz

[leezor]

Thanks also Leezor, what do you use on the skids themselves ?
Cheers
Also thanks to the other people for their imput.

Tony

Hi Tony, my skids are timber and covered in an outdoor synthetic carpet, though once the carpet wears out I will be replacing it with the teflon style skids.

Cheers,

Lee

[gofishin]

Hi Tony,
Just picked up my trailer today, an ally Duralum I beam trailer, made by Rocket International. It has no rollers, just 2 pairs of polymer skids. Would take & post a picture but it's dark outside, & the neighbours would think I'm a bit strange...;D.

Check out this thread, or do a search. Check out all the US forums too. Their boating population makes our insignificant, and they have been using them for decades.
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=130344&highlight=bunks

I did heaps of research, and have no problems with putting my new boat on one, when it finally arrives:-[ (I'll tell you how good it works in September), and i am a pedantic fussy pr!ck of an Engineer ::) who has done 1000's of hours in glass boats on roller trailers, and grew up in a family business that fixed glass boats.
cheers
PS. I will modify it slightly, and it may end up having one or two keel rollers on the back X-member (for low tide/shallow ramp angles), but shhhhh, don't tell anyone...

[noboatyet]

Hi Tony,
Have a look at Belco Trailers, they are doing skid trailers. They make a few for glass boats.
I'e sent you a pm.
Regards
Murray

[onerabbit]

Nice to see another Murray here,

Muzz

[Outsider1]

Saw this trailer in the latest issue of F & B magazine (#142) and thought of this thread. This one is actually for a plate boat but the concept general the same.

Cheers

Dave

[nelton87]

Hi,
On my 24' Cruise Craft I replaced the Tinka Multi Roller Trailer with a custom made C section trailer made by Ryan at Belco Trailers in Starthpine.
Since doing this the boat goes on and off much easier, I however every 6 months or so wipe on a little bit of cornubia wax to the teflon skids.
This makes it so slippery that I cannot un hook the boat without the engine running and holding into gear.
I have used teflon on many boats from monos to cats in fiberglass or alloy and never had any problems of damage to the hulls, Some of these cats weighed upto 6 tonnes on the trailer.
There has always been alot more damage form wobble rollers that cut through the end of the roller and you dont now until you here that dreaded sound.:o

But for me it will allways by teflon!

Cheers
nelton