Trailer slides

[commander bill]

I use Mercon abative bottom paint. It is easy to touch up each year and is designed for someone that keeps boat in & oout of water for extended periods. However, it is soft and the trailer bunks take off significant amounts of paint each time I load or unload. Boat is very difficult to slide into water or back onto the boat. Part of the problem is all local ramps in my area are for smaller boats such that I can not obtain desireable depth/slope at ramp.

I noted that you can buy bunk slides which are supposed to make th eboat hull slide onto or off the trailer bunks easier. Apparently the ease is due to them being wet. That is after you load the boat and the slides dry off the boat will stay in place & not slide around on trailer. have any of you guys used these with a Ranger. The slides I see advertised are all designed for smaller boat bunks (3" wide X 15" long) and you must install multiple sections on Bunk. Also, do they install over carpet?

 

[captain's cat]

Bill have used slides for my TC255. The ones I use are called "slicks" and are about 15" long and only about an inch wide. I only have them (two sets) at the aft end of my trailer, that's where most of the weight is. They are on top of the carpet and in pairs about 3" apart. They are mounted with recessed SS screws, 4 per slick.

I only use the trailer for storage and only haul every other year at a local ramp (two houses away) so it's no big chore. It lives on a lift so is out of the water when not actually underway. I can usually power on, nearly to the winch and then, after carefully hauling it out to a level spot, slide it forward by "bumping" it with the brakes. This is tricky but works.

The TC is fairly easy to get onto the trailer, it's self centering with the tunnel in the middle and when the forward part of the hulls get far enough up, each goes into a v section on the trailer which keeps it straight.

Before the slicks, I used spray "liquid rollers" which is easy on the paint but only lasts for a one time use.

Charlie

 

[j&lgray]

I listened carefully to a boat trailer manufacturer who told me that the "slicks" are popular but there are drawbacks. The main one being that any grit, sand, or pebbles on the slick or on the boat's hull that is between the hull and slick will grind off the boat's gelcoat as the boat slides on. That was enough for me to stay away from them. The other draw back is the boat can come off the trailer accidently if the tow strap and winch are not secured-we have seen that happen but the ramps we use are steeper than the ones you have described.

We launch and retrieve a lot. We float the boat on and off the trailer. Once the bearings are under the water, it makes not difference if they are deeper.

 

[captain's cat]

John and Laurie, I agree with you completely. You are fortunate that whatever your tow vehicle is and ramp you use allow you to do that. Sometimes, with a shallow ramp, or a lower tow vehidle that's just not possible. You just cannot get the boat/trailer in deep enough to float on and off. Or the ramp ends and the end of the trailer drops off into the mud and ??. And, whether you use slicks or not, the boat can come off if things are not secured properly!

Charlie

 

[commander bill]

Putting the slides only on the rear might be a good approach. My problem has been heavy damage to my soft abative bottom paint. The grey barrier coat under the soft bottom paint is not damaged so it the damage never ges to the gelcoat. All the damage is done by the first couple of feet of contact at the rear of the bunks (I have lots of black paint on the rear part of my bunks). I must have the longest truck/trailer setup in East Tennessee. There are larger boats but they stay in their slips or get hauled by a crane. I have never been able to float on/off and wenching onto the boat is very difficult. There is absolutely no "slip" between my bottom paint and the bunks even with a freshly wet hull. I have tried to slam my brakes going downhill and I get no forward movement of boat (I can usually wench to within 4 inches of forward stop on wench support). I examined all the local ramps and if I back my boat much further I will back trailer off of ramp. This will likely make launching easy but retrieval of trailer may be hard.

As I understand from ya'll the slides install over the carpet. I think I will just try installing about 2 feet or so on rear of bunks and see how that works at end of season. Also, I assume the "spray slip" that was mentioned is intended to be used on carpet or these slides. I am assuming it only provided temporary assistance when used. If that works on carpet they maybe slides might not be needed at all.

 

[captain's cat]

Bill, that's right, the slides install on top of the carpet. And the "liquid rollers" is good for a one time application. A combination of both might be the ticket for you. Let us know how it works out!

Charlie