rollers or timber slides

[barry01]

I'v had a 4.35 stessco out fit for appox 8 mths now.(and loving it) I brought it with a trailer which has got rollers on it. But somehow i dont think the trailer was original purchase with the boat. I and heading up north qld and doing some 4*4 and fishing just trying to work out if rollers are going to be a better ride for my tinnie than the timber sildes????

[dnej]

Keel must hold all the weight.So the rollers for the keel, should be the blue ones,for aluminium.
The skids,only stop the boat from sideways rocking.There should not be rollers under a tinnie,unless under the keel.
Forget timber skids,get some with the poly on top of galvanised steel,and a yoke to hold them.Where are you situated?
David

[griz066]

Keel rollers for all boats.
Side skids for ally boats.
Side rollers for glass boats.

[fishn-ads]

Tinnies should differently not have roller simple reason hit a bump boat bounces on trailer roller damaged hull (unless of course it a big platy) get rid of them and put poly skids on you'll be amazed how well they work compared to the old timber/carpet job for both lauch and retrieve.

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[timddo]

hmm, interesting topic.

i've got rollers on my trailer and have a tinnie (trailcraft freestytle 4.85). What you guys are saying that, the trailer will do damage to the hull of the boat. I've notice that once in a while the boat will jump up, but i thought that was normal.

The trailer is made by trailcraft for that boat. ??? So

[dnej]

Some manufacturers,of pressed bottom tinnies,wil not give warranty,if rollers are used to support the bottom.Keel rollers are fine,and do all the work.

Poly lined skids,simply hold the boat in place, to prevent rocking.

They are adjusted up under the boat,once you have it level.

The tie down strap is great for assisting to hold it level, while you snug up the skids.
Your boat should not " jump up" on the trailer, and should have a tie down strap attached, across the boat.
David

[RJ5023]

My tinny has had rollers under it since new (8 years). It #has a 3mm bottom and weighs about 650 kg. I've towed it over a lot of pretty crook corrugated goat tracks in the Top End and many thousands of K's on bitumen. It has no dents or cracks in the bottom from the rollers.

Maybe it's all to do with set up?

My old boat had teflon skids & keel rollers and travelled many of the same roads. The skids picked up rubble from the dirt roads which then bedded into the teflon and turned it into grade A sand paper. That hull had many deep scratches and divots from the skids when I finally sold it. I used to plane a few mm off the skids every 6 months or so to get rid of the imbedded rubble.

So I don't think that there should be a hard and fast rule about skids .vs. rollers. Maybe it depends on where you intend to use it?

Tyre pressures have a lot to do with how well cushioned your boat is on the trailer regardless of the support system you use #;)

Regards,

RJ

[dnej]

RJ
Is that 3mm plate,or pressed?
David

[barry01]

Tar for all the info everone. Got the drift with it now.
Im in caboolture david

[dnej]

yrrab
Talk to trailer parts place,you can get the skids ,on yokes,and stems,with bolt on brackets.They fit real easy.

A trailer manufacturer,may also supply them.Special Trailers at Brendale would be a place to try.

Can anyone comment on roller use on plate boats?
David

[RJ5023]

RJ
Is that 3mm plate,or pressed?
David

Pressed.

It's 4.6 m long and seems to be a pretty solid hull. Been bounced around a bit and I've never had any structural problem with it :) The trailer is a Redco and needed a bit of welding on the roller support brackets after a couple of really bad trips, but it's still going strong.

I cart a fair bit of bulky gear (tent, empty jerries, camp chairs etc) in the boat when I travel, so the trailer has a bit of additonal weight to cope with but its done well - and no dents in the hull from the rollers (so far).

Regards,
RJ

[mcsalty]

[smiley=bulb2.gif]

Don't know if this will help or not but I know of a boke who put 90mm stormwater pipe on his skids. Has anyone else seen this done.

[saurian]

Travelled thousands of kms on dirt , no tracks etc... Keel rollers or
timber slide for keel to support all the weight of boat..
Sidebearers whether they be rollers , timber, teflon , etc.. should only ever balance boat , not take major weight.
Put major weight on side bearers and you get cracks, worn out parts of hull, and those mighty wobble rollers put big half moons into even plate if you load them up enough...

[Chimo]

Had a 5.6m pressed tinny on a Mackay roller trailer from new. With all the gear and fuel was about 800KG all up. Rolled off and on like a feather.

The boat manufacturer told me that when I set it up correctly, to ensure that the keel was fully and evenly supported and to then get under the boat and adjust each of the rest of the rollers so I could just turn it by hand with a lot of effort. Went left side then right side front to back and then checked again. Loosen roller support, a little, adjust it up or down with another jack and then tighten. There were a total of 29 blue (Al) rollers on the trailer and once it was set up I never had to touch it again.

Don't think I'd ever want to have a trailer without that sort of set up as I also didn't have to drown it to launch or retrieve (much easier on brake maintainence) unless I beach launched in which case with the spare wheel down as the front roller the boat could be winched on and by not being too deep the waves didn't move it off trailer.

If your boats bouncing do you think your tie downs are working?

Chimo

[dnej]

This is my set up
David