Roller types - blue, red, black, grey, ribs or not

[Trev]

Which rollers type/colour/ribs should be used on which type of hull. My question is particularly related to glass hulls.

Do they have different compositions or endurance?

[adrian]

hi trev
# # I have an quintrex and I have a red ribbed roller as a guide to centre the boat on the trailer and then round black ones ( about 6 inches long )to sit the keel on with rollers down both sides . these need mantianing as does everything on a trailer . a friend told me it depends on the amount you travelling and the type of roads used as to what to use ie skids for long trips or rough roads . the roller that get wet need extra grease . I use a boat ramp when not busy and drop the boat in and then do what needs doing under a tree near by . what ever you use try and support the hull as much as possible & dont forget to tie the boat down .
hope it helps you
anzac

[aussiebasser]

hi trev
# # I have an quintrex and I have a red ribbed roller as a guide to centre the boat on the trailer and then round black ones ( about 6 inches long )to sit the keel on with rollers down both sides . these need mantianing as does everything on a trailer . a friend told me it depends on the amount you travelling and the type of roads used as to what to use ie skids for long trips or rough roads . the roller that get wet need extra grease . I use a boat ramp when not busy and drop the boat in and then do what needs doing under a tree near by . what ever you use try and support the hull as much as possible & dont forget to tie the boat down .
hope it helps you
anzac

Hi Guys,
Just a tip for you, Alloy boats are not supposed to carried on Multi roller trailers. To get the longest life out of your hull, you should use long side skids. The rollers take the weight of a hull over a very small surface area. If this area is not directly below a strengthening rib, the alloy will distort. In turn, this will cause what is known as a "hog" in the hull. This is a concave shape lengthwise. This will affect performance of the hull, and in extreme cases may crack the hull. Please put side skids under your Quinnie, and get the decent poly skids, not the old rubber or carpet style. Your Quinnie will last a lot longer.
Another tip, the centre rollers under your tinnie should be poly, not rubber. Rubber is great for glass boats, as it is soft and protects the glass. Under tinnies, any roughness in the keel will quickly chop out a rubber roller.

[Fitzy]

Hi Folks,
When you got a Sea Jay with 6mm plate bottom it don't really matter weather you got skids or rollers.
Are you worried about a particular point in the quinnies that is susceptable to hogging or splitting?
You didn't mention any other brand.
I'm led to believe that most of the weight should be on the keel.
I think a well set up trailer with the weight distributed correctly is as important as the composition/style and location of the rollers/skids.

Also good to check towballs etc too!!!!!!!!

Is also a great topic for discussion Trev.

[aussiebasser]

Hi Dale,
When you got a Sea Jay with 6mm plate bottom it don't really matter weather you got skids or rollers.
Are you worried about a particular point in the quinnies that is susceptable to hogging or splitting?
You didn't mention any other brand.
I'm led to believe that most of the weight should be on the keel.
I think a well set up trailer with the weight distributed correctly is as important as the composition/style and location of the rollers/skids.

Also good to check towballs etc too!!!!!!!!

Is also a great topic for discussion Trev.

Hi Fitzy,
I'm not only talking about Quintrex. Anzac mentioned that he had a Quinnnie. All tinnies, and a Seajay with a 6mm bottom is not a tinnie, its a bloody battleship, should be supported by side skids. You're right, the majority of the weight should be supported by the keel. Unfortunately, many boat dealerships achieve cheaper package deals by supplying a cheaper trailer. The Hull and Motor prices are very inflexible, but trailers are different. You can buy a light weight trailer for a 12 footer, and fit a 13 1/2 footer on it, for about $800. You can buy a Mackay for the same size hull for almost $2000. The first time boater is not going to think about the difference in longevity of his hull, he's going to see another $1200 he can spend of fishing gear. I've seen your trailer, and it is obvious that you opted for a more expensive unit, and that makes sense. Why save up and buy the best boat you can afford, only to smash it to bits on a cheap trailer that does not fit. I'm sure if you spoke to any decent tinnie manufacturer, they will recommend the skids, in fact, all the trailers Quintrex sell under their brand name have skids. I am not canning any boat or trailer manufacturer, I am suggesting that buyers beware of getting a cut price outfit that was only achieved by putting it on a trailer not designed to carry the boat. If you look under my boat, and yes it is a Quintrex, you will see 4 poly rollers (2 self centering) under the keel, 2 skids 1200mm long and 6 wobble rollers. You may think this is overkill on a 4.2 metre hull, but it is a small price to pay for the peace of mind that I have in towing my boat anywhere I want to go. My mind is too old to go into the mathematics of working out the pounds per square inch of pressure applied to 2 100mm wide wobble rollers, compared to that of a 1200mm x 50mm poly side skid. I'm sure the difference is substantial. Geez now you've made my casting fingers sore from all this typing. I'll just jump down off my soapbox now and think about going fishing. Just remember to put your boat on the best trailer you can afford.

[Fitzy]

Hi Dale,
Appologies to both you & Anzac. Will edit the mistake.
Battleship, your right there, just try winching the big girl on!!
Good advice, get the best trailer possible for your boat. Can make all the difference. Have seen a few aluminum boats cracked/split from being on trailers with rollers only, one was 2 weeks old.
Also good to try thinking ahead as to "where" you may plan to take you boat/trailer before you buy.
I got a big heavy tandem setup as I'm a fair chance of going up NQ with it. If you blow a couple of tyres or springs, you can still limp it out.
Also got an extendable drawbar to help with some of the hairy launching that comes with some remote locations. Handy for beach launching too, but I doubt I'll ever be doing that with the yella beasty.

And don't forget to check your towball & bar. Don't want them going west on you while towing. Not fun!!! I know!!

Anyway, we're getting off the original topic, the Q was initially about glass boats from memory.

fitz

[Katrina]

Got one of them battleships too! The father in law that left it to us was a real big fella, and need something that he wouldn't crack while fishing in it. Pretty hard to launch and retrieve such a boat with skids. Alf Stessl 16.5 foot with 6mm plate, extra beamy and deep for chasing mackeral etc. Rollers are starting to crack up, so might look into the poly jobs. Interesting topic, guys!

[The_Walrus]

After a few trips, I replaced all the black rollers with blue ones.

I also had to fiddle with the skids to make certain they carried weight along their full lenght as well as making them the same height so the boat sits level across the trailer!

A quick question,

With the trailer level, how should the boat sit? level also, slightly nose up or slightly nose down.

Luc

[aussiebasser]

After a few trips, I replaced all the black rollers with blue ones.

I also had to fiddle with the skids to make certain they carried weight along their full lenght as well as making them the same height so the boat sits level across the trailer!

A quick question,

With the trailer level, how should the boat sit? #level also, slightly nose up or slightly nose down.

Luc

Howdy Luc,
I think it probably comes down to asthetics. They look better sitting level or slightly bum down. If you keep your boat outside, it is easier to drain water out if it sits lower at the back, especially if your jockey wheel doesn't wind up high enough.
Another tip to you guys and girls, is to check the grub screw on your (pivotting) wind up jockey wheel.
I had a nasty experience in Mudgeeraba on the way home from Hinze the other day. The grub screw came loose and the handle fell off. The wheel and tube then rattled out. I heard a bit of a noise, and saw a new SS Commodore behind me swerve up onto the footpath. As I was following a back hoe at 30kph at the time, I assumed something had fallen off the back hoe. While stopped at the servo, the SS pulled in and the driver said, hey mate you dropped something. He pulled the jockey wheel out of his boot and gave it back. I shudder to think what the consequesces may have been if this had happened on the freeway at 110kph. A hole in the Hornet ??? or a hole through the front of a new Commodore. The new one will definately be doused with Loctite.

[Luke]

Dale and Fitzy,
I'm dam glad you went into that as I am buying a boat soon and didn't really give a thought to the trailer.Good for ya's.
Luke

[adrian]

hi gang
what is the best way to place skids on the trailer . i've not seen any marks on the hull where the rollers sit , should the skids sit between the chimes ? any ideas are helpfull ?
anzac

[aussiebasser]

hi gang
# #what is the best way to place skids on the trailer . i've not seen any marks on the hull where the rollers sit , should the skids sit between the chimes ? any ideas are helpfull ?
anzac

Yep, Skids out as wide as you can get them, and on as flat a part of the hull as you can. They do not have to take much weight, as the keel rollers should support the majority of the weight of the hull. In a tinny, that is the strongest part. Just be careful of your transducer, and make sure it doesn't hit the skids when the boat is all the way up the trailer. If you have the skids too high, it will be difficult to launch the boat. The skids are there to support the hull, not carry it.

[The_Walrus]

Thanks aussiebasser.

I have mine sitting slightly nose up as it live outside under a tarp.

My skids sit just inboard of the second strake from the outside of the hull. Helps to center the hull on the trailer and limit sideways movement.

From the questions/answers/hints on this string, there appears to be a need for an in dept article on how to choose and set up a trailer !!

Luc

[fisho]

definately not rubber rollers for aluminium i've found - stick with poly

[bootyinblue]

Hi Guys,
Just a tip for you, Alloy boats are not supposed to carried on Multi roller trailers. To get the longest life out of your hull, you should use long side skids. The rollers take the weight of a hull over a very small surface area. If this area is not directly below a strengthening rib, the alloy will distort. Please put side skids under your Quinnie, and get the decent poly skids, not the old rubber or carpet style.

Yep, Skids out as wide as you can get them, and on as flat a part of the hull as you can. They do not have to take much weight, as the keel rollers should support the majority of the weight of the hull. In a tinny, that is the strongest part.

Has anyone else noticed that this thread seems to have gone full circle? I am sure we will get to the bottom of it eventually though.