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View Full Version : Roller types - blue, red, black, grey, ribs or not



Trev
02-11-2001, 07:40 AM
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
02-11-2001, 09:10 AM
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
02-11-2001, 05:21 PM
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
03-11-2001, 05:17 AM
Hi Folks,
When you got a Sea Jay with 6mm plate bottom it don't really matter weather you got skids or rollers. ;D
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!!!!!!!! :-[ :-X :'(

Is also a great topic for discussion Trev.

aussiebasser
03-11-2001, 01:33 PM
Hi Dale,
When you got a Sea Jay with 6mm plate bottom it don't really matter weather you got skids or rollers. ;D
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!!!!!!!! :-[ :-X :'(

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
03-11-2001, 05:36 PM
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. :P

fitz

Katrina
04-11-2001, 03:44 AM
;) 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
04-11-2001, 10:40 AM
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
04-11-2001, 04:01 PM
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. :o 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
04-11-2001, 04:05 PM
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
04-11-2001, 04:37 PM
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
04-11-2001, 06:54 PM
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
05-11-2001, 09:30 AM
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
10-11-2001, 01:47 PM
definately not rubber rollers for aluminium i've found - stick with poly

bootyinblue
02-02-2007, 05:13 PM
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.

finga
02-02-2007, 05:33 PM
Gees how did you find this thread booty??
It's been hidden since 2001.

litenup
03-02-2007, 03:27 PM
Trev, the lads appear to be off the subject a bit. Lets get back to glass boats. I've found black rubber is good for glass boats. I put a poly roller under the keel and it didn't take long to crack. New trailers seem to have poly on the multi-rollers, but use rubber under the keel. Don't think there is a difference between blue or red, one looks better than the other to others (correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm sure they will). Cheers Pete.

newchum
04-02-2007, 07:05 AM
hey guys have you also noticed that the origonal thread was about rollers for a GLASS HULL, hope trev doesn't feel hijacked

Blackened
04-02-2007, 07:56 AM
G'day

Getting back to it, Rubber is fine for both hull materials, but may mark and may not last too long with a shap aluminium kel.

Blue rollers are used for aluminium boats, these are a vary hard compound and designed for this material.

Red rollers are used for fibreglass boats. These are a slightly softer compound than the blue, suited to the fibreglass hulls we have.

Dave

Chimo
04-02-2007, 08:47 AM
Rollers and Al.

What do the manufacturers say about this?

I owned a 5.6 Al cuddy, which I had for 9 years, and a when I bought it I asked the manufacturer about trailers and rollers etc.

He told me to get under the boat and make sure that the weight was evenly spread right across all 29 rollers that were on the Mackay trailer.

The way to test he said was to ensure that, while under the boat, I could move each roller in turn by hand with the boat sitting on the trailer.

When I sold the boat the hull was the same as the day I bought it, no cracks, no distortion and the boat had regularly been towed back and forth the 3 hrs on country roads to the coast, beach launched and then back as well as the shorter trips down narrow rough edged country roads to local fishing spots.

I notice with a lot of interest the current advice about concentrating weight on keels or on side runners and wonder what has changed in the last few years?

I also know that a roller equipped trailer was a lot easier to beach launch and retrieve to and from, especially in rough conditions when we beached the boat and then winched it onto the trailer from the sand. I dread to think the drag and the hull damage dragging the bottom across side runners / skids.

Why the change?

Cheers

Chimo

litenup
05-02-2007, 02:33 AM
I asked guys at Redco a few years ago about blue or red, said no difference. They are both very hard. Cheers Pete.

timddo
05-02-2007, 08:58 AM
the trailer that came with me tinnie is a multiroller trailer. Ther are marks to where the roller is,, just a dark area but no dents, The rollers line directly under the stringers of the boat. ( trailcraft boat) 4.85. Was considering putting skids on but it will be too heavey to load and unload the boat. i got those blue poly rollers. The trailer is a trailcraft trailer too ( i think it was designed for the boat) but it's a mulitroller.???? Could the manufacture get it wrong????

FNQCairns
05-02-2007, 10:07 AM
timddo, blue is for a tinny, they will cut into red (depending on surface) easier which is a softer material made to suit glass, but universally skids are for pressed tinnys, the rollers came about with marketing and will stick for the same reason.
A typically well setup skid trailer will launch and retrieve the boat without friction as the skids are for travel and support so should only contact the hull with any pressure within the last couple of feet, the rest of the trailers length the hull sits on the main centre rollers.

So yes strictly manufacturers have got it wrong, they know it, but money is money, many (most) tinnys with some age will show evidence of roller abuse that they would not have shown with skids.

cheers fnq

Chimo
05-02-2007, 11:44 AM
Hi FNQ

Re tinny roller abuse.

I have my doubts about this manufacturers getting it wrong about rollers vs skids. The issue I suggest relates to how many rollers and IF there are sufficient rollers.

Perhaps this was why the manufacturer of my tinny required that I have the tinny / roller relationship so that I could get under the 5.6 m tinny and move each roller by hand and if I couldn't they had to adjusted up or down so I could.

It would seem to me then the issue is not about rollers but it is to do with insufficient support and load carrying members to properly support the boat so as to avoid pressure points. I had 29 rollers of the hard blue type on that trailer for that tinny.

I haven't counted how many softer blue rollers are on the Tinka under the Vagabond but there would have to be at least if not more than the 29 under the tinny.

So I think the issue is really about under done trailers.!

Cheers

Chimo

blu
05-02-2007, 03:55 PM
[Another tip to you guys and girls, is to check the grub screw on your (pivotting) wind up jockey wheel.

I to have had this prob but i was do'n 90k's and it riped my right hand mud gard clean off....when the screw goes and the handle falls off there is nothing holding the shaft and J/weel...so now ALL grub screws are drilled out and replaced with S/S bolts and lock nuts

Cloud_9
05-02-2007, 07:47 PM
my turn.
Ive had a Dunbier Super roller trailer for 4 years.
their rollers are grey poly but not the hard poly.
in my oppinion a multy roller is the best thing for your boat cos the wieght is spread over a bigger area.
while you mite say the skid is a bigger area.
the weight that sits on the skid is usualy quit a bit.
on my multi roller there is even wieght on ALL the rollers.
like someone else said.
I can move the rollers easy by hand so to me that tells me that the point load at each roller is minamal.
I'm building my 5th boat at the moment and I've had both types of trailers the skid type and the multy roller.
and i can say without a doubt i prefer the multy for 2 resons.
the first easy on and off. you never get a seized roller.
and secondly you can drive the boat on and not have to worry about hitting the keel rollersor should i say missing the keel rollers and scratching the bejesus outa the hull.
I think the best thing is have a corectly setup trailer for your boat and budget.
the skid is cheaper but for some boats is the besttrailer for the job.
my 3.5 v nose punt sits on a skid trailer , the best trailer fore the job.
from experence dont mix rubber and poly though.
Ive had to fix a guys boat that did this, the poly is hard, the rubber is soft.
the poly inbetween 2 rubber ones, cracked his hull ( glass boat)
Cheers Cloud 9

Cloud_9
05-02-2007, 07:56 PM
i think the rollers should be picked for each application. heavy boat hard rollers.red or blue poly. generaly harder.

liter boat softer rollers. black or grey poly usualy softer.
rubber ones i dont like them at all.
make your boat black.
Cloud 9

FNQCairns
05-02-2007, 09:46 PM
Chimo you could be right, enough rollers and well positioned may make the difference, one thing though with skids is that they offer unbroken longitudinal support so they in effect act as one with the tinny when the boat is 'just' snugged down for travel.
I have not taken much notice of roller trailers for a fair few years now so they may have evolved somewhat in that time.

Blu never seen that before, not inconceivable the shaft could bounce and pierce the hull, reckon you got of unluckily but lightly.


cheers fnq