any tips for loading...

[nine-tiner]

So a couple weeks ago I finally broke down and purchased a 2007 SmokerCraft ProMag 162 at the "Liquidation sale" in St. Cloud. Now I am wondering what tips anyone has for loading on a bunk trailer vs a roller trailer. I have loaded onto a roller trailer before but never a bunk style. Thanks in advance.

[LMITOUT]

Back it all the way in and "dip" the bunks so they're wet. That helps the boat slide on better. Many people, including myself, spray the bunks with silicone to help the boat get off and on the trailer easier as well. The best thing to do, as with any new trailer, is practice. Find the sweet spot where you boat loads/unloades easy and try to remember how far you have to back down to get to that sweet spot. Ramps with different grades can change all that of course, but at least it'll get you in the ballpark.

[PerchJerker]

The key to loading on a bunk trailer is to find the sweet spot where the boat slides on easily, all the way to the winch stand, and doesn't float off at the back end or over the fenders. For most people this means leaving only a few feet to maybe 1/3 of the front center bunks out of the water, evenything else is under water.

If you back in all the way so your bunks are wet, then pull out to the level you need, your boat will slide on easier. Some guys spray their bunks with silicone, I don't, the water trick works fine and that way you're not putting silicone in the water.

[PerchJerker]

Wow Dan, you must of beat me to this by a couple of seconds

[LMITOUT]

Pretty sad we even used some of the same terminology! Great minds think alike I suppose.

[PerchJerker]

 Originally Posted By: LMITOUT

Great minds think alike I suppose.

And have Ranger boats

[marine_man]

Perchjerker & Dan have got it nailed down.

Getting the boat to center on the trailer with bunks is not an issue at all.. the biggest drawbacks of bunks is that they can be a bugger to unload and load on really shallow landings.

Enjoy your purchase!

marine_man

[nine-tiner]

When I read the replies the first time I thought I was reading the same one twice, I had to look again to make sure they were by different posters. Thanks for the hints. Even if I didn't buy a ranger

[PerchJerker]

 Originally Posted By: nine-tiner

Even if I didn't buy a ranger

No problem

BTW I have a buddy with an aluminum Targa on a bunk trailer and that thing loads and unloads beautifully. I think the lighter your boat is the easier it goes on and off the bunks.

[iffwalleyes]

Bunks always load better but not always easier if the landing isn't deep. Rollers can be a bugger until you know exactly where you need it for your set up.

[LMITOUT]

You'll love a bunk for the most part...especially loading in a cross wind. Just get the boat part way in there and it'll center itself and suck right into the trailer. Centered every time.

Yes, shallow water is a bugger with bunks and sometimes wished I still had rollers. I basically had to back my truck in to get my boat off this summer on many of the lakes around here. Mainly because of the flat landing to begin with that has no grade (no gravity to assist and it was tough to get the back end to float off). On normal landings unloading is a piece of cake when the back end starts to float off the trailer just a bit.

Ranger has a shallow water option for their trailers and although I asked the dealer about it, they didn't feel it was worth the extra money. I'm starting to wonder about that...

[PerchJerker]

The only time I don't like my bunk trailer is if I'm by myself at a crappy boat landing. But if you can have 1 person in the vehicle and another person in the boat, then loading and unloading with a bunk trailer is sweet.

[rodmaker]

PerchJerker,

I met you at the Fall Frenzy. You got one of my dollar bills. Where did you purchase your ranger. I'm looking for a 618T or 620T around a 2002 or so. Looking to spend $17,000-$19,500.

Shoot me an e-mail at work [PleaseGetAuthorization]intricon.com

[PerchJerker]

Rodmaker

I definately remember you (and everyone I got the $1 bills from)

I got my boat from Alex Marine, Alexandria is the town I grew up in. Unfortunately Alex Marine is out of business now. Too bad, I liked them and they had a lot of Ranger tiller boats.

Since then I've used Frankies for some warranty work, repairing gel coat cracks. I've been happy with them especially since they didn't sell me the boat. I've got a buddy that bought a boat like mine at Frankies and he seems happy enough with them too. I can't tell you anything about Rapid Sports, they picked up the Ranger line this summer but I haven't dealt with them at all.

LMITOUT might be able to help you more, his Ranger is a tiller boat and I think he got it at Frankies this time last year????

I'll shoot an email off to you also.

[polarsusd81]

Those dollar bills should have been mine!!! Somebody had to thump my pig on the head with the net. I suppose, giving you a buck for the ride in your boat was the least I could do. Hopefully 3 or 4 years down the road I will be able to get into a nicer boat myself. I was actually thinking about converting my roller trailer for my little lund into a bunk trailer.

Another thing you guys haven't mentioned at all are the teflon strips, that are similar to a hyfax runner for the bunks. I think they are available full length, and with those babies on there, you wouldn't want to undo the winch strap before you have the boat in the water. I have used teflon strips to move some pretty heavy loads at my old job. They work nice. Probably cost a couple hundred to deck out your trailer, but they are the ticket.

[sparkyaber]

perch, you have a reata right? My reata seemes to be stuck to the bunks with super glue. I have a heck of a time loading the thing, keeping the bow over the front roller. I have to back the trailer in that far to drive the boat onto the trailer.

Ideas?

[LMITOUT]

 Originally Posted By: PerchJerker

Rodmaker

LMITOUT might be able to help you more, his Ranger is a tiller boat and I think he got it at Frankies this time last year????

Yep!

[PerchJerker]

sparkyaber - if your bow is going under the front roller, then you have the trailer in too deep - you need to shallow it up so the back of the boat is contacting the bunks and bringing the bow up where it should be. If you're sticking to the bunks, try the silicone spray on the bunks idea. Just make sure you're bunks are dry before you spray it on. Or look into the teflan strips that polarsusd81 is talking about, I've heard of them but never seen them being used.