Northern Trailers?????????

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JETTYWOLF
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Northern Trailers?????????

#1

Post by JETTYWOLF »

Seems that from at least N.J. to Canada everyone has rollers on their trailers.

Not all "so called" boat ramps look like a shallow bank. Do they?

My only experience is one I saw on Long Beach Island in NJ. It seemed fine.

I was just wondering. Because they look to be maintenance nightmares, compared to a drive on trailer with plain bunks.

And what's the motto of us Alloy lovers. The less maintenance the better??

So having a trailer full of rollers that break, fall off, squeek, and rattle, seems to a bit much to me. Unless it's out of shear need.

Are the boat ramps that shallow, or bad?
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#2

Post by AlloyToy »

Capt. Dave, I'll have to shoot a picture of the ramp at Saquetucket (sp) Harbor in Harwich on the Cape.

There was a big mistake made when someone designed that ramp. It goes from gradual to steep, in a short distance and you can actually "hang" your trailer at low tide.

You can tell the tide at 4:00 AM just by the sounds of people backing down :D

I have a bunk trailer which was purchased from East Coast Trailers, and delivered to Jay. I love it!!

Now I gotta put a Jettywolf ladder special on it, and I'll be gold
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Re: Northern Trailers?????????

#3

Post by Megabyte »

JETTYWOLF wrote: Are the boat ramps that shallow, or bad?
You will hear 1000 reasons from people who prefer rollers, and 1000 reasons from people who perfer bunks, on why one is better than the other.

Its kind of like Ford versus Chevy (versus Dodge). :)

I have owned both and prefer bunks... so there. :P

The best bunk trailer I've ever used had torsion axles which put the bunks down lower than a sprung chassis, and made for a lower center of gravity while trailering.
If I were buying a new trailer today, that is what I'd have.
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Trailers

#4

Post by dave »

I have a bunk trailer with the torsion bar suspension. No problems. Nice ride.
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Re: Trailers

#5

Post by JETTYWOLF »

dave wrote:I have a bunk trailer with the torsion bar suspension. No problems. Nice ride.
It doesn't mean much if we don't know where ya are??

N or S on the compass needle....hahahah

Kevin,
I can tell ya' it's not a Ford, Chevy, Dodge thing here, which was the point of the question, and stemmed from observations.
No rollers here in this area of Fla. and if so it usually has a different license plate, and says Walleye or Coho, Striper or Muskie edition on the side of the boat.

I went what I felt was even better than torsion, and that was my Rolls Axle.....with a Patented aluminum "alloy" spring system, and of course BUNKS.

High centering on a ramp means ya just need a 4" lift kit on your truck, right?
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Re: Trailers

#6

Post by Megabyte »

JETTYWOLF wrote: I went what I felt was even better than torsion, and that was my Rolls Axle.....
As yes... Rolls is the gold standard. Nice selection. 8)
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#7

Post by JETTYWOLF »

OH MY GOODNESS.....someone North of Georgia that's heard of them?
You're the first I've ever "discussed" with and knew what I was talking about from far away.

Seems they have a good nitch market here in Florida and especially NE Florida. We have alot of them around here.

Usually commericial folks and some others who figured out the difference in price means the difference in headaches in the very long run.

10-4 :mrgreen:
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#8

Post by Shark Bait »

[quote="JETTYWOLF"]OH MY GOODNESS.....someone North of Georgia that's heard of them?
10-4 :mrgreen:[/quote]

JETTYWOLF - Not true! I'm WAAAAY north of Georgia. After a great deal of research and visits to King, EZ Loader, Loadmaster and Rolls I had Rolls build the trailer for my new boat - a 34' x 10' EagleCraft. The trailer is an 18,000# GVWR, triple axle, Kodiak S/S discs on ALL wheels with an E/H unit custom built for this specific hull.

What you may find surprising is that the trailer will be used up here in Alaska. Erwin Hickman, U-Save Boat Transport, just delivered the trailer to my friends house in the Seattle Area where we will load the boat on it after the Seattle Boat Show. If anyone ever needs a boat and/or a trailer moved I highly recommend Erwin.

What I find really surprising is that while the Pacific Northwest is the "Home" of Alloy boats there are no good aluminum trailers made on the west coast. Almost all of the trailers available in the PNW are galvanized steel. About the closest thing is the EZ Loader Aluminum model but to me it is not an aluminum trailer in that they only use aluminum on the main frame rails, everything else is galvanized steel.

Alloy boats on a Rolls trailer - it doesn't get any better!!! 8)
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#9

Post by Megabyte »

See that Dave? It isn't a secret. :D

There are a LOT of boats here in the Annapolis area, and a lot of them trailer.
We know about Rolls. :wink:
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#10

Post by welder »

SharkBait, search , Pacific Trailers down in So.Cal. [ Not the same as Pacific Boats ] they are now building a Alloy trailer .

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#11

Post by dave »

Jettywolf,

I am a couple hundred miles SW of you in St Petersburg.
My trailer is a galvanized Rogue.
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#12

Post by JETTYWOLF »

Fella's remember I live in a small world......meaning I don't get out much. And Miami boat show is like going to Mars for me. My Business doesn't allow me to go, anywhere.

But I'm glad to hear that the Rolls axles aren't a secret. That's a good thing. Because if you can afford one. Its worth every penny.
Because out of all the (THT) people I've spoke too. No one ever heard of them.

GOOOOD! I'm glad to hear that other's have done thier research and found the perfect trailer for the perfect low maintenance type boat.

I couldn't be happier to hear about others enjoying a true alluminum trailer, that with it's wonderful design fits perfectly with the Alloy boat crowd.

Fantastic!

That's why AAB.com was initiated, and now reality! :D :D :D
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North style trailing

#13

Post by NUKE »

Up here in Maine roller trailers are for driveing on and bunk trailers are considered float on's .wood and..glass boats on steep ramps don't cotton to the friction on hull created by carpet covered bunks. and then there are ramp rules in a lot of places that prohibit powering loading (driving on) and winching is needed .
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#14

Post by JETTYWOLF »

Nuke that's interesting, because I always thought the opposite.

Screw up bad in the wind and current on that roller trailer and ya got yourself a mess, is what I always thought.

I've always driven on every trailer I've ever had and of course they were bunk trailers. That carpet gets so squashed down and matted that it gives a nice polishing to the hull underneath.

But the nice thing is alloy doesn't care, does it.

Lots of good banter on a subject I never understood.

Now lets not even ask an Aussie. I think it's roller all the way, down yonder.
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rollers

#15

Post by NUKE »

when I drive on a roller traler only the end of the trailer is dunked,catch the bow on the lead and slowly walkit up rollers with power wind is not a problem becaude the boat is out of the water foward and corections can be made to additude with steering . A one man job realy and very quick
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HI-TECH BOAT TRAILERS

#16

Post by trailerman »

i was reading post about roller trailers and thought id put my experience in it......i sell hi-tech boat trailers with cypress bunks and forward split bunks,torsion,removible spindles and superlube fittings...these are maintenance free trailers excpept for washing off the trailers and kodiak disc brakes with a water hose....and doing your occasional pumps on the grease fittings on the axles....i owned roller trailers in the past....they are a nitemare and you do at some point have to replace them/verses cypress bunks that will never rot.....i dont talk bad about other trailers and products...but i can say..apples to apples noone can touch my prices or quality..if anyone wants a trailer..call me or see my web site....www.kjenterprisesllc.com...or call 804 263-8171...this is a awesome web site..and aluminum boats are the way to go in my opinion....
JAMIE WELLS
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#17

Post by peterbo3 »

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Hi Dave,
You are correct. I am up to it.
This is my trailer. We get big tides & we have a lot of steep ramps. The rollers work really well as the arms they are mounted on pivot. Once the bow has engaged the rear set of rollers, power is applied & the boat driven on. The rollers actually centre the boat.
On the odd shallow ramp the rollers allow the boat to be winched on without too much trouble. That is what your deckie is for. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
There are very few alloy trailers around. Most are hot dipped gal steel. They last providing they are washed after salt water use. I had mine sprayed internally with a wax compound before it saw the water so I am looking at a long life.
Regards,

Pete in Brisbane
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#18

Post by welder »

Pete nice looking trailer but where is your spair tire or do you even tow that far that you would need one.

Your on the water arn't you ?
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The rest of the story....

#19

Post by JETTYWOLF »

The reason I asked, way back when. Was that I never see a single rollor trailer here in my neck of the woods.

Pete, I couldn't have that trailer. Just too many moving parts. Kinda like what an ole buddy said to me about 4 stroke engines one time.

"For me", a boat is only as good as the trailer that gets it too the water.

Ya'll don't use Aluminum trailers, there? Dang, they are lighter. That's one thing I like.

I'm learning a lot from you fella's in Austrailia. It's so different. That's why we need more and more of ya'll to join AAB.com.

Ya wanna here a story......A story of ignorance, red, white and blue......the all american way??????

Here ya go.

I have a buddy who never seemed to pay that much attention to me getting my Plate Alloy boat....and I found out why, now 16 months later just last week.

He has a cousin in New Zealand. So he went there and also went to Austrailia a few years ago for a month or two to visit and play concement tourist.

We were standing around the bait shop talking about boats. He owns a fuel sucking 30' Fountain power boat center console, he can't afford to fish, because it costs him $1000 to fill up and he'll use 1/2 of that just going offshore for one day!!

I said, something about AAB.com getting members from all over the world.....and that the Austrailians, seem to have it "really figured out" when it comes to the plate alloy boat thing.

He say's to me and the rest of the guys standing there......
"I thought they were so behind the times. I saw the aluminum boats all over when I was visiting there."
I responded; "WHAT??? behind the times?????" "What's that mean?"

He says (remember now...this is how 90% of all Floridians that I come in contact with think) "Those Aluminum boats are so old fashioned. That's why they are behind the times there. If they really had it going on, they'd be fishing NON ALLOY boats exclusively"

I replied; "Damn that's stupid! I think NON ALLOY boats are the new kids on the block. Made to satisfy the mass market, produced with non-skilled labor, and then set out on a corner lot, for sale like cars. Where some willy weekender can come in and buy a blue one or a red one or a green one."

"I bought mine because #1 I can afford to fish it every day, it's super tuff, has more room in it than a comparable plastic boat, I can work it really hard, and ends up costing WAY less than a plastic boat in the long run.....the life time long run."

He ends the conversation with..."OH, them boats are just old fashioned riveted or tacked together, right. And will just end up corroding away in a few years......."

I let him just "be", after all that.
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#20

Post by welder »

Dave , That's a $10.00 fine for saying the FG word on an ALLOY boat site.



After rereading the post the fine will be waved this time as you were trying to give the boy some proper jerkings up.

Carry on. :D
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#21

Post by JETTYWOLF »

Jay ought to be fined for putting a picture up of that "Mr. T bling, bling Ghetto cruiser" Plastic boat on V26WA's thread.

It was a Good story, I thought......aka: The Real World we live in!
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#22

Post by welder »

Just messing with ya Dave but your right , Some people have to touch the paint.
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#23

Post by peterbo3 »

welder wrote:Pete nice looking trailer but where is your spair tire or do you even tow that far that you would need one.

Your on the water arn't you ?
Hi Les,
That was an early pic of the trailer. The spare & bracket were in the shed somewhere.
And no, I am not yet on the water. Still doing the electric & electronic install out the front of the house. There will be more pics soon but this work is so painstakingly slow if you want to do it right. But I connected the house battery up yesterday afternoon for the first time & every circuit lit up. No fuses popped or wires smoked.
Regards,

Pete in Brisbane
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#24

Post by welder »

Make us proud Pete. :D

I ment, you live real close to the water ?
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#25

Post by Capt. G »

I have used a a Loadmaster (bunk) trailer here in Maine for 3 years and I love it.

As far a bunk friction is concerned, every so often I spray a liquid rollers on the carpet and it makes it slick as ssheeeeet! One of the first times I used it I forgot to leave the winch cable attached while backing down the ramp...came within a foot of having a "hard launch"!:shock: No need to power on either, simply back in so that 4" inches of the front centering boards show, steer boat (at idle speed) up to where the bow meets the boards, attach cable, back down the trailer a little more and crank her on...sounds complicated but I load and unload my Pacific 2325 all the time by myself.

My buddy in MA has a Rolls and it is a GREAT trailer as well.

Roller trailers required to much maintenance for my liking. I'd rather be fishing than replacing broken rollers :D


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