by K.C. Walker » Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:20 am
Trailering can and does soften up the bottom of boats, much more so than anything else we do with our boats. Our boats have very flat bottoms with very little support, it's what makes them light and agile on the water. However, they are not the strongest boats. Anything you can do to spread out the load is a good thing. Rollers are basically a point load. Bunks fit well to the bottom are the best you can do. I went for 10 foot 2 x 12's laid flat and curved to fit the bottom with only one roller at the bow. It actually launches and retrieves easier than it did with the rollers, at least more controllable. It retrieves like it's on rails. I do trailer long-distance but feel that every bump you go over is trying to bounce the stiffness out of the bottom of the boat. Each time the boat flexes its breaking down the fiberglass laminate.
KC Walker, DS 1 #7002