SaltyBones
Active Member
I tend to like the skis off the trailer and put away in the garage. Rollers seem like it would make life much easier than bunks if I'm transferring them back and forth to a cart/stand. Is this a bad idea at all?
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Rollers instead of bunks?
- Thread starter SaltyBones
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SabrToothSqrl
Well-Known Member
I like rollers. Just don't forget to secure the skis at the ramp.
I have no problem sliding my skis on and off my trailers onto carts. One of my carts is is lower than my bunks and the other is taller. I just push the cart right to the back of my trailer, stand on my cart, lift and pull. Once it's partially on, I stand behind the cart and just slide it back. I have regular bunk carpet on the trailers and left over frizze (New style shag) from our family room. Then just winch them back on to the trailer when I want to. There's a good thread on here somewhere, Spim was showing off the rad cart he scored that had an electric winch on it. Other guys talked about plastic sliders on their trailers. I was never a fan of rollers.
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SaltyBones
Active Member
Maybe my technique is wrong, but maybe a come along or cheap winch would b a cheaper/easier solution.
jammin777
Well-Known Member
the first time i transferred my sky from the trailer to cart i had a hellava time. at the beginning of the season, i spayed liquid wrench silicon on the bunks, by the end of the season it was very easy to transfer back to the shop cart.
doing it by myself i use a rope to tie the cart to the trailer to keep the cart from moving and just winch it back onto the trailer. my cart and trailer are very close to the same height.
doing it by myself i use a rope to tie the cart to the trailer to keep the cart from moving and just winch it back onto the trailer. my cart and trailer are very close to the same height.
RodInEscondido
Well-Known Member
I will not embarrass myself again by reposting a small incident I had as a result of silicon spray on the bunks. Suffice it to say the warning would be the same for rollers: fasten the ski securely to the cart/sled/trailer. Normally I am a one-man operation so rollers appear attractive to me; will probably try them on some future project.
1983
Well-Known Member
-I do it pretty much exactly like racerxxx does. After every ride I push my cart out into cul de sac behind trailer, and drag ski onto cart. Cart is exact same height as trailer. Then I push it up driveway into garage and use wet/dry vac to suck water out of hull. Never pull the drain plug out even.
-Rob
-Rob
- BiRkS_
Active Member
I'm typically a one man operation as well. Just recently i started using a cart. I mounted a 20$ winch in the middle of my cart with a pulley and a piece of pvc pipe over my top frame to act as a roller. I just position the cart behind the trailer, and winch onto the stern cleat of the doo, It gets it about 95% of the way, then i have to muscle it the rest of the way, The mid/rear engine skis are easy. the xpl i had was a biotch. Very nose heavy and wanted to tip the cart.
As for trailers, personally larger boats i prefer rollers. They make loading a breeze. When i'm in vancouver, its normally a 1-2 foot chop and a current coming off english bay and you are crabbing over onto the trailer. You can hit it at a slight angle and the rollers will correct you.
A trick for any *properly* set up bunk trailer, leave 4'' of bunk out of the water. Then line up the doo and drive right on. Then give it a little gas to get it up to your winch mount/bow stop. (make sure its adjusted correctly). This works great with the 2 seaters and no reverse. I hate getting my shorts wet and getting into the truck so i'll load them this way and climb out onto the trailer frame towards the front then step into a foot of water rather than 3 feet lol and winch up the front. Then pull out so the trailers out, pull the drain plug, drive to the staging/flushing area, shut the fuel off, strap the back down, hook up trailer lights, etc.
As for trailers, personally larger boats i prefer rollers. They make loading a breeze. When i'm in vancouver, its normally a 1-2 foot chop and a current coming off english bay and you are crabbing over onto the trailer. You can hit it at a slight angle and the rollers will correct you.
A trick for any *properly* set up bunk trailer, leave 4'' of bunk out of the water. Then line up the doo and drive right on. Then give it a little gas to get it up to your winch mount/bow stop. (make sure its adjusted correctly). This works great with the 2 seaters and no reverse. I hate getting my shorts wet and getting into the truck so i'll load them this way and climb out onto the trailer frame towards the front then step into a foot of water rather than 3 feet lol and winch up the front. Then pull out so the trailers out, pull the drain plug, drive to the staging/flushing area, shut the fuel off, strap the back down, hook up trailer lights, etc.
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Personally I like bunks, the ramp where I launch my ski's is pretty steep, if I'm by myself the ski will slide off the trailer before I can connect to the bow hook. To transfer the ski to a cart try using cooking spray like PAM, works pretty well and it's cheap.
Lou
Lou
SabrToothSqrl
Well-Known Member
Pam. Smells good too lol.
SaltyBones
Active Member
Do you by chance, have a picture of this?
- BiRkS_
Active Member
No unfortunately its at the cottage for the winter. My cart was just a simple steel frame i welded up (you could easily make it from wood too) On the bottom, i put two crossbraces and bolted a hand crank (like a trailer) winch on its side with the drum vertical instead of horizontal. Then used a cable routed it through a pulley at the back to keep the line centered on the drum, then up to the top frame at the bunks (slid a piece of pvc over the frame to protect from cable wearing through.
Rollers on a trailer can easily damage jet ski hulls. Bunks force the pressure against the hull to be spread out and equal the pressure out along 4 to 5 foot at a minimum.
I have bunks with the Teflon slides, work great.
I have bunks with the Teflon slides, work great.
SaltyBones
Active Member
Good to know. I'm kind of leaning towards this winch idea anyway.
glsmohio
Well-Known Member
you can go to menards and buy that stuff in the trim section $25 will do one single trailer.
Spimothy Leary
Well-Known Member
i stole somebody's idea here and installed a winch on the wall,
I have that in addition to the stand/winch combo but I prefer the wall winch,its a bit easier.
I have no issues dragging off a 700 lb 4 stroke with this.
ski is off in a couple minutes, very little effort.
this winch happen to be in a box of other stuff when I bought a trailer so I had it laying around, any decent used winch will do the trick.
ps, slides on the bunks also do a darn nice job of making it easy to slide, cuts resistance way down !
I have that in addition to the stand/winch combo but I prefer the wall winch,its a bit easier.
I have no issues dragging off a 700 lb 4 stroke with this.
ski is off in a couple minutes, very little effort.
this winch happen to be in a box of other stuff when I bought a trailer so I had it laying around, any decent used winch will do the trick.
ps, slides on the bunks also do a darn nice job of making it easy to slide, cuts resistance way down !
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jhjesse
Well-Known Member
i stole somebody's idea here and installed a winch on the wall,
I have that in addition to the stand/winch combo but I prefer the wall winch,its a bit easier.
I have no issues dragging off a 700 lb 4 stroke with this.
ski is off in a couple minutes, very little effort.
this winch happen to be in a box of other stuff when I bought a trailer so I had it laying around, any decent used winch will do the trick.
ps, slides on the bunks also do a darn nice job of making it easy to slide, cuts resistance way down !
Nice idea Spim. Might have to try something like that. I like keeping the trailers outside during the winter so I have room to woodwork.
SaltyBones
Active Member
i stole somebody's idea here and installed a winch on the wall,
I have that in addition to the stand/winch combo but I prefer the wall winch,its a bit easier.
I have no issues dragging off a 700 lb 4 stroke with this.
ski is off in a couple minutes, very little effort.
this winch happen to be in a box of other stuff when I bought a trailer so I had it laying around, any decent used winch will do the trick.
ps, slides on the bunks also do a darn nice job of making it easy to slide, cuts resistance way down !
Ahahaha...I love this idea!
That's one heck of a pole barn /garage/workshop...what is it made of?
What type of woodworking do you do?
jhjesse
Well-Known Member
It's a 35' U.S. Steel building. Built it myself. Installed a wood burning stove last year.
I like to make furniture. The pics are chairs I made to go with the dining room table I made for my wife last year. Thanks for asking.
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