# Dry launch trailer bunks



## Howard Cummings (Apr 8, 2016)

Are rollers necessary rather than carpet covered wooden bunks for dry launch? Thanks.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I've never seen roller bunks on a dry launch skiff set up. the boat needs to sit low on the trailer, the trailer cross members need to be V shaped. the trailer needs to have a wide stern roller.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

The only roller on my dry launch trailer is by the winch.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

one wide roller for keel at aft cross member.


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## Naturecoastfly (Mar 26, 2019)

Question for loading back on trailer with a dry launch setup-

Do you guys reload under power or winch the boat all the way up? My new rig will be heavy but I do plan to fry launch.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Dry Launch 🤨 we dont need no stinkin dry Lauch😁💪🤟

You should know your trailer well enough to power up to head roller and not slide back ....much....👍😎

Liquid Roller or environmental friendly gulf wax will get you slidding ! Any keel rollers should not be supporting the hull when loaded ! Infact they should be about 1/2 inch below keel when loaded .

Theres gonna be a test after this 😁😉👍😎


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

Silent Drifter said:


> You should know your trailer well enough to power up to head roller and not slide back ....much....


Are you suggesting power loading your skiff in a dry load scenario?


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## WilliamYoung (11 mo ago)

EasternGlow said:


> Are you suggesting power loading your skiff in a dry load scenario?


I think he’s letting Emojis take the wheel


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

No ! I dont buy into the dry lauch ....if you coat your steel with lithium grease and the inside of wheeis theres a void on galvanized steel wheels you want have any trouble for years my 2225 keywest trailer left springs was in great shape after 11 yrs usen lithium grease believe it and for the environmental group i never even seen a shen on water from the grease, im sure there was small amout ,but i never seen it at Lauch!leaf springs or torsion coat the steel good to go👍😎 dont sweat the trailer enjoy fishing 👍😎


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

😁funny guy 😂


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

Silent Drifter said:


> No ! I dont buy into the dry lauch ....if you coat your steel with lithium grease and the inside of wheeis theres a void on galvanized steel wheels you want have any trouble for years my 2225 keywest trailer left springs was in great shape after 11 yrs usen lithium grease believe it and for the environmental group i never even seen a shen on water from the grease, im sure there was small amout ,but i never seen it at Lauch!leaf springs or torsion coat the steel good to go👍😎 dont sweat the trailer enjoy fishing 👍😎


Excellent. This guy is asking about rollers in a dry launch scenario.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Misinterpreted full roller trailer ,for keel rollers !


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

the OP was asking about roller bunks. I was referencing keel rollers.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> The only roller on my dry launch trailer is by the winch.


you are correct. my dry launch trailer and my old ramlin rusty pc of junk I used to use have only a stern roller. I was thinking of my SilverKing trailer which has multiple keel rollers. I will edit my advice.


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

He’s talking about roller bunks. I dry launch my skiff and don’t have rollers, carpeted bunks that are slicked up with liquid rollers or gulfwax work great.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Yeah i dont believe in roller bunks as they dont support the hull as good as 2x6 on flat bunks with carpet 👍contact area is to small bump that 🙃

Rollers are not very common in my area thats why myself and others thought he ment keel rollers ,thanks for pointing that out @EasternGlow my Bad 😔


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## Paul Mills (Mar 26, 2018)

I've always found this an interesting topic because, in NZ, nearly all boat trailers are rollers. If I beach launch, which isn't that often at all, I need to anchor the back of the skiff and drive forward to get it off the bunks. No way I am able to push 1400lbs of skiff off a bunk trailer when I'm launching onto a shallow beach. I haven't tried this wax gig yet, I normally use CRC silicone from a can. So yeah, I've thought about rollers instead of bunks for sure. Thing is, I launch 99% of my time from a ramp that is pretty steep, particularly at low tide.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

You dont see a lot of them anymore but i bet the old Break tongue trailers would work really good for dry launching.....as it would let the trailer tilt up at a more correct angle like a rollback to help the boat slide on....


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## Howard Cummings (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies and great advice. My question about dry launCh is related to loading as well. I have located a couple of very crude, almost nonexistent access along canal banks. I certainly don't want to drop the trailer off the bank edge. So also thinking power winch to load. Boat is a older 16" aluminum jon with really nice 1979 25 hp johnnyrude. Trailer is a 1985 galvanized bunk style. The bunks can and will be lowered 2 " in the stern and raised in the bow. Stiill concerned about weight in getting over the coefficient of static friction in launching. But as suggested, I will get some appropriate bunk/carpet spray. I do not want to power load it. I love Microskiff, especially those members who spell better than me. And if they won't hit one of my popping bugs, then f--k'em...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Howard Cummings said:


> Thanks for all the replies and great advice. My question about dry launCh is related to loading as well. I have located a couple of very crude, almost nonexistent access along canal banks. I certainly don't want to drop the trailer off the bank edge. So also thinking power winch to load. Boat is a older 16" aluminum jon with really nice 1979 25 hp johnnyrude. Trailer is a 1985 galvanized bunk style. The bunks can and will be lowered 2 " in the stern and raised in the bow. Stiill concerned about weight in getting over the coefficient of static friction in launching. But as suggested, I will get some appropriate bunk/carpet spray. I do not want to power load it. I love Microskiff, especially those members who spell better than me. And if they won't hit one of my popping bugs, then f--k'em...


The spray lube for bunks is nasty stuff. GulfWax is what you want. Keep it in your truck and before loading your boat rub the block of wax on the rear 1/2 of your bunks while they are warm from sitting in the sun with no boat on them. If that is not slick enough then do the bunks completely next time. This will last a couple of months and just reapply now and then. Cheap, easy and effective.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

And be careful not to unhook the boat till your at the water, some people have had their boats slide off on ramp,we wouldnt want that to happen to ya !


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## Howard Cummings (Apr 8, 2016)

Gotcha


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## Paul Mills (Mar 26, 2018)

Is Gulf Wax the same thing as paraffin wax? We don't get Gulf Wax in NZ.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Paul Mills said:


> Is Gulf Wax the same thing as paraffin wax? We don't get Gulf Wax in NZ.



Yes.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Yes gulf wax is a popular brand of paraffin 👍
Sorry it didnt send first time ...


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Ive never needed it cause i have no issue dunking my trailer, but guys that use it say its good to leave it in back of truck in a zip lock, when you come in from fishing whipe the bunks down, wax is warm and bunks are warm ...id follow Smacks recommendations only doing half a bunk to start with and go from there👍😎 rear half ....


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## Will Klemme (Sep 24, 2019)

Stern roller for me


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## leon jones (Jan 13, 2022)

built my trailer in 1991 from "found"/"available" resources(all used parts cut n sized to fit)

my skiff's keel/shoe rides on a 2x10 plank w/ edge strips from stem to stern

i have 2 side bunks primarily for balance

launching is usually floating the skiff off w/ the painter tied to the back of the trailer so i can grab the painter and beach her until i get the Jeep parked

loading is under power

allz i gotz2do is get the shoe between the strips on the side of the plank and hit the throttle as needed to bump the bow stop

when the bow is stop'd the transom rests on the plank just ahead of the tail roller

the tail roller gets a work out when i load from the hard ground/beach and have to winch the hull up onto the trailer

on the road the entire weight of the skiff is supported by the plank

pics below for clarity

hope this helps

leon


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Did you Build that skiff ? Nice lines reminds me of the old beach sein boats we used but they had a kicker well...and around 18 foot


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## leon jones (Jan 13, 2022)

Silent Drifter said:


> Did you Build that skiff ? Nice lines reminds me of the old beach sein boats we used but the had a kicker well...and around 18 foot


*Silent Drifter*, THANKS for the flowers

i spec'd this skiff out based on what i'd been dreaming since i was a wee younker

saw my first Port Aransas Skiffs in 1956 and never gave up on the dream

though my classes built boats(stitch n tape) this type of skiff had been being successfully built by the high school shop classes in Port Aransas, Texas for many years

the old shop teacher also an island fisherman designed the molds/framing based on boats down there since the turn of the last century and he modified them to accept power along the way

in the 1980's he retired and the new teacher kept up the tradition 

i made a deal with the new teacher and what you see above is the result

nope ... not me ... high schoolers built her in the spring of 1991

and a real well job they dunn

she was the last skiff built there as they shut the program down turning the facility over to the district maintenance guys

i'm quite proud of her

again THANKS for the flowers

leon


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## stoked (7 mo ago)

I am fortunate enough to fish a lot of rivers that are fresh to brackish then salt. If I were to fish salt only I would take a pump up sprayer with a salt away mixture and spray it after unloading and loading. Corrosion X for sure.


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