How Far to Back a Roller Trailer in the Water to Load a Boat

Bunks are the way to go launching yourself is real easy just back in push o r motor off the trailer. I've had a few buddies with roller trailer and quickly switched to bunks. Mine's a 1999 starcraft monark 16' 9" deep v with 40 mercury tiller on a ez loader trailer i have launched from  lake Michigan Milwaukee to green bay to lake of the woods and mississippi river and hundreds of lakes in between my boat is trailered 3000+ miles a year. and have never had a problem my rule is once the trailer fenders are submerged its good. Plus like said they center the boat for you. My buddies roller trailers either don't roll probably poor maintenance or when loading we usually lift transom to center it 3 guys. In the 22 years I've owned the trailer finally had to replace the bunks because the lag screw fell out while trailering with no boat on it wife was driving lol. Bought 2 new bunks 8 feet long only paid $75  with shipping and they are carpeted just have to search the web. Plus new lag screws. As far as the boat all welded never had a problem a built in gas tank is nice mine's 13 gallon it's enough but 20 gallon would be perfect and  just basic maintenance on the motor and upgrading electronics to the latest products like spot lock must have. i prefer tiller and always will. Mine's a fishing machine. But it all pretty much comes down to how much you want to spend yes bigger is better. almost all boats I've seen at boat dealer are on bunk trailer.

My Alumacraft Escape 145 came with a Shorelander roller trailer.

Kettle Marine had one in stock 2 weeks ago.

I have owned both and prefer a bunk trailer over a roller trailer. 90% of the time I fish alone and it's nice to back the trailer in, drive my boat on, hop out and hook the bow hook on, crank it the last 3" and pull out. The boat centers itself, when I fish the river, the current doesn't kick the rollers 4 different ways before I drive on...the list goes on. I have a 16.5' Princecraft with a 90HP Johnson and have yet to find a boat launch I couldn't launch at. Princecraft's trailers DO put the boat very low compared to others, which helps a lot in shallow launch situations. A bunk trailer really shines when at a launch that prohibits power loading. Idle the boat between the bunks to "beach it", get out and crank it on. I would think the older you got, the more you'd appreciate a bunk trailer, but that's just me...

Edit to Add: I bought this boat in 2009 (used) and replaced the bunks in June of 2009...just replaced the bunks again last week on my days off. Nearly 12 years on one set of bunks. Even with outrageous lumber prices, it cost me $64 for two boards, carpet, adhesive and a couple hundred 1/4" x 1" crown staples to make new ones. The key is to completely submerge your bunks to get them wet before cranking your boat on them...and gluing the P!$$ out of the carpet when you make them!

Oh goodness... I was shopping for the same thing you are...  It took me 7-8 months, with cash in hand...   while shopping 5 states... to find a boat.  I ended up with a 16' on a roller trailer with a bit more motor than I needed... but the rig will work.

All I can say is keep shopping... Facebook market place, Craigs List, Boat trader.com... After I bought my boat new from the dealer, with in a month, I found a really nice used boat for a real bargain that was just what I was looking for... but it was too late, 'cause I got bought already.

I actually have a 14foot Lund boat for sale with that trailer that you are looking for

Bunk trailers are great.  Have one from a well known company.  After 4 years the fiber on the bunk  fell apart.  Yes, I always wet the bunk before and after using the trailer. Find a good company and hope for the best when you purchase it.

I'd go with the bunk... I had a 14' on a bunk trailer that had a tilt for shallow launches.. only used it a couple times on some shallow unimproved launches in 20 years ---- but a tilt trailer is another option... mine was a shoreland'r , not sure if they still offer a tilt, but other mfgs do

The debate between bunk and roller trailers can be settled by how you plan to use your boat. You stated you are looking at a 14' boat with tiller motor. If the launches you are going to use have shallow water a roller trailer is your best choice. Consider what your tow vehicle is, if you tow with a car or SUV will you be comfortable backing in a shallow landing far enough to get the boat to float off a bunk trailer? If you are using a 4x4 truck that would not be a concern. If you use a drive on bunk trailer are you physically fit enough to climb out of the loaded boat? I have a 16 1/2' deep v-hull with a 40 hp tiller motor. It is on a Shorelanr'r roller trailer. I most often launch alone. I can launch on a shallow landing just as well as a deep water landing. The trick on a deeper landing is to not back in to far. The boat launches easiest if you get the back of the boat wet but still sitting on the rollers, it then rolls off well. If the back of the boat floats it puts too much weight on the front of the boat and the two front keel rollers don't spin as freely as I'd like and makes it more work to unload or retrieve. I average more than 2000 miles a year to and from my fishing destinations and my Smokercraft will be 30 years old this next spring and the hull shows no sign of wear and tear from those miles on the roller trailer. At the time I bought the boat, motor and trailer I did upgrade to the better of two roller trailers available, that upgrade costed me less than $175.00 which was money well spent. I did add a pair of guide on side posts to help load when there is wind or current to deal with. As I mentioned earlier once you learn the depth to have a roller trailer in the water launching and loading becomes much easier and quicker. Being in my 60's and some severe arthritis problems I would struggle greatly trying to drive on load and climb out of my boat using a bunk trailer.

They both have advantages / disadvantages - what matters is how you plan to use it.

As others have said, rollers are nice for shallow landings, and double bunks make centering your boat fairly painless.

I'm a bunk / Chevy guy.

Someone else may be a Ford / roller guy lol!

I myself wouldnt own a boat with a bunk trailer. Alot of the lakes I fish have shallow landings,,,I can unhook the boat and push/roll it off.........if I had a bunk Id have to back way down in and wade in the water... just my experience with the lakes I fish

How Far to Back a Roller Trailer in the Water to Load a Boat

Source: https://www.lake-link.com/forums/boats-and-motors/i-need-help-boat-shopping/136025/?CFID=155544853&CFTOKEN=8eecf84aa7c147b4-8E621F85-A479-2F73-875B302D52DD3BB2

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