-
This site contains eBay affiliate links for which Sea-Doo Forum may be compensated.
What do you have on your trailer for pwc?
- Thread starter hprelude
- Start date
- Status
hprelude
New Member
Yes sorry I mean bunks (don't know where I got skids from haha). It looks like most people have bunks rather than rollers. The reason I'm asking is because I took out my ski for the first time and when I put it back on the trailer, not riding it up but winching it up, and it scratched to bottom of the ski. It was low tide so the trailer was in the water but the bunks were just above.
I'm thinking that maybe the carpet needed to be wet before I winched it up maybe. Not too happy about it so I was thinking of getting rollers. Has anyone had this problem before?
I'm thinking that maybe the carpet needed to be wet before I winched it up maybe. Not too happy about it so I was thinking of getting rollers. Has anyone had this problem before?
RodInEscondido
Well-Known Member
Lou, Not to be a smartass or anything like that, but isn't that what the loop on the bow of the ski is for: connect the line to a winch and winch it up ... and lock it in?
I am a one-person operation myself so have pondered this a little in line of some combination of rollers to get the ski on the trailer then have it rest down on the bunks for travel/storage. Maybe like the keel rollers used on my SeaRay.
Probably I should get a ski closer to getting in the water before pondering this problem too much?
Rod
Dr Honda
Well-Known Member
I'm actually with Lou on this. The carpeted bunks hold the ski. I normally just float my skis on the trailer, and winch that last 6" or so. But the carpet makes it more secure.
Now... with a boat... I have the same feeling. When parking my big Islandia... I need something to hold me in place, so I can go hook up the strap. So... the trailer is run in shallow... and I just use a quick burst of power to set it onto the bunks. Then, I can safely go to the front, and hook on the winch cable. If I had a roller bunk... I would need a helper, and I would have to hold power while they hook on my strap. (not safe, and the power messes up the launch)
The way I see it... the only thing that needs rollers, are very large boats. (+7000 Lbs)
Now... to Hprlude: Don't worry about scratching the bottom of the ski. If you worry... you won't have fun. And yes... you should have the bunks (at min) slightly under the water to help slide the ski on.
RodInEscondido
Well-Known Member
Lou and Doc ... true confessions: i guess i was being a little bit of a smartass, first day after a long weekend does that. This is from the old fart who has yet to launch/recover a ski off a trailer. But I like to ponder these things and am a tinkerer. It applies a little to stuff on the water, but old pilot words of wisdom: takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory. Ya gotta have a plan.
I have, however, had the fun of launching and recovering my 25 foot SeaRay (over 6000 pounds) solo many times.
Back on subject ... any thoughts about the slick coverings I see advertised to put on the bunks?
Rod
I have, however, had the fun of launching and recovering my 25 foot SeaRay (over 6000 pounds) solo many times.
Back on subject ... any thoughts about the slick coverings I see advertised to put on the bunks?
Rod
bigJake
Well-Known Member
Rod,
I keep my skis on ramps I built on the shore and I put the teflon pads on top of the carpeted bunks. They are SUPER slick. Ironically the hard part prior to the teflon pads was pushing the ski down the ramp, although they did make it easier to winch the skis up the ramps too. Now I can give the ski a push with 1 finger and it slides all the way into the water.
On stationary ramps they are fantastic, but I don't think I would recommend them on a trailer for 2 reasons.
1. I read many horror stories when I was looking to purchase them of people undoing the latch or unlocking the winch prior to the trailer being fully in the water and the ski ended up sitting on the concrete.
2. Same problem Lou and Tony mentioned with the rollers. Prior to putting the teflon on my ramps I was able to use a shot of throttle to shoot the ski onto the ramp where the carpet would hold it while I got off and hooked up the winch. With the teflon the ski just slides back into the water. So I have to dismount the ski while it is in the water and hold it from drifting away while I hook up the winch.
Another thought, If you do decide to get the teflon pads. I've seen 2 versions. The first is a set of 16" strips that have ridges the length of the strip. The ridges hold dirt/sand and can scratch the hull. That is what I put on the first ramp.
The other type is a single 6' section that is smooth. I'm getting those for the 2nd ramp.
I keep my skis on ramps I built on the shore and I put the teflon pads on top of the carpeted bunks. They are SUPER slick. Ironically the hard part prior to the teflon pads was pushing the ski down the ramp, although they did make it easier to winch the skis up the ramps too. Now I can give the ski a push with 1 finger and it slides all the way into the water.
On stationary ramps they are fantastic, but I don't think I would recommend them on a trailer for 2 reasons.
1. I read many horror stories when I was looking to purchase them of people undoing the latch or unlocking the winch prior to the trailer being fully in the water and the ski ended up sitting on the concrete.
2. Same problem Lou and Tony mentioned with the rollers. Prior to putting the teflon on my ramps I was able to use a shot of throttle to shoot the ski onto the ramp where the carpet would hold it while I got off and hooked up the winch. With the teflon the ski just slides back into the water. So I have to dismount the ski while it is in the water and hold it from drifting away while I hook up the winch.
Another thought, If you do decide to get the teflon pads. I've seen 2 versions. The first is a set of 16" strips that have ridges the length of the strip. The ridges hold dirt/sand and can scratch the hull. That is what I put on the first ramp.
The other type is a single 6' section that is smooth. I'm getting those for the 2nd ramp.
Dugout
New Member
I've sprayed the carpet on my bunks with silicone. Cheaper than the teflon slides. You have to use caution with this or the teflon slides. Like previously noted the ski could slide off the trailer and end up on the pavement if you remove the winch strap to far away from the water. I can't say I've ever seen a a roller trailer for a ski.
RodInEscondido
Well-Known Member
Good thoughts.
Sometimes I gotta just shake my head ... I would think it to be intuitively obvious to not unhook the boat/ski from the winch strap until it is either floating or will slide off into a floating environment. But then I am accused occasionally of thinking too much (and doing too little/slowly).
When I had my SeaRay stored on its trailer in the back bay of Newport Bay I would sit at the restaurant beside the launch ramp sometimes and just wonder at the antics of launch/recovery, especially at the end of the day. Another subject.
Rod
biffdotorg
Active Member
Over on the Yamaha Jet Boaters site, they can say nothing but good things about the Ultimate Bunk Boards product. I'm guessing it's a form of ultra-slippery HDP (high density plastic) I'm with you, I like carpet, but these guys really swear by it.
I as well, back the trailer farther than I need to, then pull it back out to the height I need. Getting the carpet wet does help with sliding the boat on. The combination of good carpet on the bunks and VeVe Guide Posts and we get her pretty square each time. I saved my marriage by putting on the VeVe guides. My wife would endorse those any day!
hprelude
New Member
I only know one person that has rollers on their trailer, one of my mates but I'm not sure if he prefers it . It seems a lot more people have bunks. Has anyone else has the problem of the carpet scratching the bottom of the ski?
Maybe I should invest in new carpet...
biffdotorg
Active Member
I had side bunks on my shuttlecraft as it could be recovered in shallower water. The bigger SeaDoo's need more water, so the VeVe guides work well in deep water. They are much stiffer than the cheap ones at Gander mountain etc.
http://www.veveinc.com/shop/Boat-Trailer-Post-Guide-Ons-For-Boats-and-Pontoons/
You can wack these pretty hard without bending them. Mine are gold anodized, but you would not know it as I painted the exposed metal and PVC black to match the boat/trailer.
[video=youtube_share;SUxtFxpgaOM]http://youtu.be/SUxtFxpgaOM[/video]
http://www.veveinc.com/shop/Boat-Trailer-Post-Guide-Ons-For-Boats-and-Pontoons/
You can wack these pretty hard without bending them. Mine are gold anodized, but you would not know it as I painted the exposed metal and PVC black to match the boat/trailer.
[video=youtube_share;SUxtFxpgaOM]http://youtu.be/SUxtFxpgaOM[/video]
Carpeted bunks with the Teflon slides. Love them. It allows for MUCH shallower retrieval and launching of the skis.
Putz up to the trailer between the bunks, give it some gas, slide it all the way home with engine power. Step of the skis, (get the second ski in my case), walk to the front, attach the safety cable (custom built them to fit my trailer and skis), attach the strap and winch them tight.
My trailer tires are normally just over the center hubs at the water-line for launching and the hubs are above the water-line for retrieval. All the less water in the hubs is a good thing.
Putz up to the trailer between the bunks, give it some gas, slide it all the way home with engine power. Step of the skis, (get the second ski in my case), walk to the front, attach the safety cable (custom built them to fit my trailer and skis), attach the strap and winch them tight.
My trailer tires are normally just over the center hubs at the water-line for launching and the hubs are above the water-line for retrieval. All the less water in the hubs is a good thing.
bigJake
Well-Known Member
why wait until you get to the ramp, just launch the boat on the highway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zYAwMPZBGU&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zYAwMPZBGU&feature=player_embedded
- Status
Similar threads
