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sharkymark2
13-09-2009, 08:32 PM
Was wondering what the general consensus on which is the best style of trailer is? Roller support or skid support? The boat will be a light 4.75 fibreglass centre console. I was talking to the sales guy at a trailer shop at Toohey mountain and he said that the skids gave more support. Thanks before hand :) to all those who answer. Mark.

Jarrah Jack
13-09-2009, 08:56 PM
Generally speaking the skid and center roller setup is the way to go with a pressed tinny with the rollers taking the weight and the skids adding support.

Because you have a fiberglass boat the way to go is with rollers, they are great with glass boats. Its all in how you set them up with regard to the number you use and how they are placed. Go down to the local ramp on a busy day and you'll get a good idea of the alternatives. A few questions may help as well. I always set my trailers up to make drive on as easy and fool proof as possible.

Trailer setups have been discussed on the forum before and you will find them with an advanced search.

Cheers

sharkymark2
14-09-2009, 07:55 AM
Thanks. Will do the search.

White Pointer
15-09-2009, 10:21 PM
G'day,

A rule: Skids under tinnies and plate boats (split if necessary to provide enough support points) and rollers under glass boats - and use lots of rollers.

Reason: Trailers are not rigid. When they flex a skid will rub against the hull. An aluminium hull is harder than the skid and won't suffer. But a glass hull will develop a rub mark and the gelcoat gets damaged. A roller will roll a little with trailer flexing and reduce rubbing on glass. The more rollers - the better. But rollers concentrate loading on the hull points where they sit and can dent pressed aluminium hulls pretty easily.

I've got a plate boat sitting on a roller trailer and it works OK but a skid trailer would be better. When I have the spare reddys that's what I'll get. In the meantime I maintain what I've got and keep the rollers sprayed with silicone to keep them slippery which helps the boat centre properly and I don't have to worry about the rollers binding.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

White Pointer

Mindi
16-09-2009, 02:14 PM
It always worries me when I read about skids and support....a trailer with keel rollers and side skids is designed to take all the weight of the boat( like ALL=100% ) on the keel rollers. The skids should be set up barely touching the bottoms sheet/plate and are aids to launching/retrieving and staying level on the trailer on the hard or road. If you put boat weight on them you are (a) stressing the hull skin as it is not intended to be stressed and (b) making the boat harder to get on and off the trailer with the drag on the side skids. All the weight is intended to be on the keel rollers..... so the more of them the better. Look at a Mackay for a good example. If the trailer has keel rollers and side rollers then the side rollers should be thought of as just low friction skids...still not to take any boat weight at rest.

A full roller trailer without keel rollers is a totally different thing and can only be used on a hull designed to take the boat being supported entirely off the keel and thru the bottom ....be it glass, plate or pressed alloy. As White Pointer says a full roller trailer really needs to match the underneath of the hull or the rollers will bind on strakes and work against self centering... great way to go with the right hull and the right trailer and the right setup......none of those issues with full keel support...just set the skids/side rollers up so they dont quite touch the hull and launching and retrieving are dead easy.

This really is how a keel rollered trailer is designed to work..... hope this helps also.