Trailers - bunks or rollers?

[Tasman]

G'day all,

I think it is it time to retire my trailer. It's a typical Magic-tilt (but doesn't tilt) which many Suncats come with. One of the issues I've had with this trailer is that my car (a Skoda Octavia Scout) is that my car's arse is dipped in the water every time I want to launch the boat, which I don't like. So, I want to get another trailer built.

So my question is, is there any benefit wit the Suncat in having a bunk type construction, which the Magic-tilt is, over rollers? It seems to me at the moment that I might go with rollers to be able to just push the boat off, rather than floating it off, which in in the latter I get my car wet. Convince me either way please.

Regards,

Tasman.

[Zephyros]

G'day Tasman,

NO ROLLERS, you will damage your hull! The Suncat structural support is only in the keel area, the trailer bunks are only there to hold the boat upright, not for support.

Now, regarding the "car's arse is dipped in the water every time I want to launch the boat", I have the same issue with my Kia Sorento, there are several solutions for this before you go to the expense of a new trailer.

1)  You can buy a hitch extension:  I started with this solution, a 18" extension, it worked, but I wanted a little more room:
https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=hitch+extender

2) You can buy a sliding trailer tongue extension that bolts to your trailer:
https://extendahitch.net/

3) You could have a welding shop weld on a tongue extension, if you are not restricted by length for where you park it, if you are, see the next solution.

4) You can buy a Fulton Fold-Away Trailer Tongue Bolt-On or Weld-On Hinge Kit
http://www.fultonperformance.com/products/trailer-couplers/fold-away-couplers/trailer-tongue-bolt-on-hinge-kit/cWx03ACJNXPp|hOHX!BOfHKFOu64!z!4bwpmoc2VOCA=

This is what I'm in the middle of, to make it I purchased 42" (~1 meter) piece of 3" x 3" x 3/16" thick galvanized square tubing (to match the existing trailer frame):
https://www.sturdybuiltonline.com/Galvanized-Steel-Tubing-3-inch-tall-x-3-inch-wide-11-Gauge-Thickness-Cut-to-Order_p_1726.html

I then removed my old trailer coupler and installed the Fulton Fold-Away Bolt-On Hinge Kit. Then I installed a new trailer coupler on the other end. Here is one of my fit check photos:

[bruce]

G'day mate,

Tom is spot on. I'll add a couple of things.

One significant advantage to bunks is weight distribution. Rollers bear on a small area, point load, and you can have lots, but the hull is still flexing more that with bunks. Even with bunks, owners observe flexing. Ideally, the bunks should bear where the internal the stringers are tabbed to the hull. Power boats have thicker hulls to withstand the pounding they experience at higher speeds.

Lots of tongue extension ideas out there, as Tom lists. You might be able to rig a telescoping tongue, a DIY version of the Extend A Hitch. Basically adding a square tube of a slightly smaller size the slides into the existing tongue, and mounting the coupler on the new extension tube. On the road, the extension tube could be slid all the way in, pinned in place, plenty rigid. At the ramp, the extension tube is unpinned, extended, and repinned, so now you can launch keeping your Skoda dry. This guy did something like along those lines.
https://stingysailor.com/2013/08/07/custom-trailer-tongue-extension/

[Zephyros]

Ah, good old option #5, how could I forget, thanks Bruce. This was actually my first choice, see my attached fab drawing, use and modify as you wish. When I got quotes for the hot dip galvanizing it was $600-$700. While searching for the other parts I came across the Fulton Fold-Away Hinge and realized, for me it was the better choice, because:

Use of the 18" Hitch Extension showed me the use cases that would be the same for a trailer tongue extension:
1) Pickup boat at storage lot.
2) Drive to boat ramp and park.
3) Crank down trailer tongue jack and disconnect trailer from car.
4) Insert 18" Hitch Extension (or extend trailer tongue extension).
5) Reconnect trailer to car, crank up trailer tongue jack.
6) Drive to launch ramp
(then repeat in reverse after sail)

Now with and Extended Tongue via the Fulton Fold-Away Hinge here are the use cases:
1) Pickup boat at storage lot.
2) Un-Fold tongue for towing position.
3) Drive to launch ramp

Everyone's needs are different, there is no one right solution for everybody, for me my goal is to simplify as much as possible for single handed launching and sailing.

[bruce]

Looks like you maxed out the length of tongue you could add at 42". That's a good increase, and should make the difference in many cases. I always associated that hinge as a way of shortening a tongue to fit in a garage. This looks pretty slick.
http://www.fultonperformance.com/support/installation/NHDPB330101.pdf

Somebody's making a killing at $600-700. You can get a 6' length of 2 1/2" square x 3/16" galvanized tubing for $119.93 at the place you got your 3" stock. Hot dipped is the gold standard, but most of the parts on my Magic Tilt trailer fail to even approach that level. Cold galvanizing compound would work OK for the cuts, IMHO. We wouldn't need to uncouple the trailer to extend the tongue, just raise the tongue jack and push the boat back (500 lbs. vs. 1,500 lbs.), but not having to fuss at the ramp would make it much easier with any boat.

I'll be interested to hear how you like it in use.

[Zephyros]

Looks like you maxed out the length of tongue you could add at 42". That's a good increase, and should make the difference in many cases. I always associated that hinge as a way of shortening a tongue to fit in a garage. This looks pretty slick.

Exactly, per their spec the lowest weight gross trailer weight was 2,600 and allowed me to go 48", after subtracting for the coupler length I settled on 42" for the tubing order. Creative reuse of a garage storage hinge, it does seem really long but I will just have to see how it tows this week when I get it back on the road. If it is squirrely I will either move the axle on it's brackets to adjust the tongue weight and/or cut off a little bit of the extension, time will tell.

[Tasman]

Thank you all for your replies.

Unfortunately it seems trailer extensions are either illegal here in Australia or just rare. Can't seem to find any.

I think I need a new trailer anyway. I got in contact with Compac and they told me a roller trailer would work, its just not optimal. As long as there are sufficient rollers on the keel to take the weight evenly. I've found a trailer builder here who can make one with those specifications, and an extended draw bar, so I'l go with that.

Thanks again,

Tasman