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Author Topic:   trailer glide sticks??

specktrout posted 12-22-2001 11:16 PM ET (US)
I have an montauk which is on a trailer with keel rollers and side bunks. Where I live I mostly do coastal bay fishing and the boat ramps are VERY shallow. most people have to put their vehicle wheels in the water to float their boats off. The Montauk will ALMOST just push off the trailer easily, and I am considering trying a set of "glide sticks" from Fentress out the the Boaters World catalog. They claim they are teflon coated plastic which will not mark the boat. Has anyone out there used these? have they scratched the gellcoat? My big concern is that they will wear the gellcoat. Thanks
jimp posted 12-23-2001 02:24 AM ET (US)
I've used slicks on the four bunks for my 1990 Revenge 22 for the last two seasons. I think they help. Once you install them, you have to readjust your keel rollers as the slicks raise the boat about 1/4". I've noticed no unusual wear... but then again, the boat sits on the trailer when out of the water, can't see the slicks.
dfmcintyre posted 12-23-2001 08:51 AM ET (US)
I've had real good luck just spraying silicone on the 4 bunked trailer that we keep a 21' Outrage on. And another close friend (HI WALT...MERRY CHRISTMAS!) has done it on his 25' Revenge's trailer and achieved the same results.
We spray it at the beginning of the season, right after a launch to let it dry before we return, and once in the middle of the season.
Your milage may vary....
Best - Don
Hoop posted 12-23-2001 11:46 AM ET (US)
West Marine has an environmentally-friendly bunk spray that I've used with success on my Pacific Trailer bunks for my Montauk.
Specktrout, you might want to look back in the archives for a similar thread. There are cautions ... After using the silicon spray, at least one boater reported that his boat almost slid off the trailer BEFORE he got to the water. Ugh!
Hoop, San Jose, CA
dfmcintyre posted 12-24-2001 10:49 AM ET (US)
Hoop -
I do recall the thread, and I (among others) posted a message pointing out that it almost happended to me.
My usual procedure was to _unhook_ the winch line, back in just deep enough to get the lower unit in the water, stop, set the parking brake and hop into the boat to crank the motor. Once I made sure she's a gonna run, I'd secure the boat to the dock and drive the rest of the way in.
The FIRST time I launched, after the silicone treatment, I wondered just how much friction I may have reduced, so I left the winch line attached, but loosened it about 6 - 8".
Found out....
When I was still backing down, and had just touched the brake to slow, I heard a "thunk"....
Hmmmmm. Went and found the winch line now tight.
Now, with just the back 6-8" of the lower bunks (it's a four bunk only trailer) in the water, I can push it off with one hand.
Best - and Merry Christmas. Don
rwest posted 12-29-2001 05:59 AM ET (US)
I fought with my older HD trailer for most of the year before trying the teflon strips. At times I could not get the boat off without extra help pusing. After installing the pads, it will come off without help with just a push by me. I never wet the hubs and always keep the wench cable attached until ready to push it off in the ramp. Looking at a new trailer for the spring and will be adding the pads to that when I get it.
Ron
andygere posted 12-29-2001 07:12 PM ET (US)
The spray works well, but here's another tip. Check to see if your hull is fully supported by the keel rollers. If it's difficult to slide off, too much weight may be resting on the bunks. If so, adjust the rollers and the friction from the bunks should be minimal.
triblet posted 12-30-2001 12:57 AM ET (US)
Rwest, a "wench" cable? Is that one you
have your GF hold. ;-)
Chuck
TightPenny posted 12-31-2001 01:50 PM ET (US)
Keep the bunks a little lower, so the boat can rock abit side to side. IE support the whole weight of the boat on the rollers.
The boat should roll off easily, provided your rollers are lubed properly. Switching from the black rubber to the yellow plastic is a big help as well.
Normally I launch in about 18" of water in Barnegat Bay. I have to depend on the rollers working properly.
Samars posted 01-09-2002 07:15 AM ET (US)

Take heed with Hoop's warning..I too used the silicone to ease with launching my 67, 13 footer.
Good thing I had a friend with me...I backed the trailer into the water and thunk !! the boat slide right off and luckily into the water..good thing my buddy was there to retrieve the boat. Funny thing though I had sprayed the silicone a while back and had launched the boat at least two times before with no problems...
I have heard some use wax and rub the rails/carpeted area to help...no experience with that method though.
lhg posted 01-09-2002 05:55 PM ET (US)
I once saw a guy launch his newly purchased, used, 22 Revenge, with with twin Johnson 90's, right onto to the concrete ramp, 10' above the water line, for his frist ride in the boat. It was a sickening sound I'll never forget! That's when I realized how tough the Whaler hull was. Any other hull would have been shattered by this tremendous impact, but this one only had the gelcoat & glass scraped off the keel. Everybody standing around was amazed.
Since his previous boat was on a bunk trailer, he unhooked the winch strap first.
Had no previous experience with the recommended Whaler keel roller system which his new boat had!
But no one has answered the question: Do these starboard "slicks" damage or scape up the hull bottom? I imagine they could damage the vent fitting on a sump through hull. They seem to have the potential of making a keel roller trailer even easier to use. But I would not re-adjust the rollers, instead opting to re-adjust the bunks.

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Author	Topic: trailer glide sticks??
specktrout	posted 12-22-2001 11:16 PM ET (US) I have an montauk which is on a trailer with keel rollers and side bunks. Where I live I mostly do coastal bay fishing and the boat ramps are VERY shallow. most people have to put their vehicle wheels in the water to float their boats off. The Montauk will ALMOST just push off the trailer easily, and I am considering trying a set of "glide sticks" from Fentress out the the Boaters World catalog. They claim they are teflon coated plastic which will not mark the boat. Has anyone out there used these? have they scratched the gellcoat? My big concern is that they will wear the gellcoat. Thanks
jimp	posted 12-23-2001 02:24 AM ET (US) I've used slicks on the four bunks for my 1990 Revenge 22 for the last two seasons. I think they help. Once you install them, you have to readjust your keel rollers as the slicks raise the boat about 1/4". I've noticed no unusual wear... but then again, the boat sits on the trailer when out of the water, can't see the slicks.
dfmcintyre	posted 12-23-2001 08:51 AM ET (US) I've had real good luck just spraying silicone on the 4 bunked trailer that we keep a 21' Outrage on. And another close friend (HI WALT...MERRY CHRISTMAS!) has done it on his 25' Revenge's trailer and achieved the same results. We spray it at the beginning of the season, right after a launch to let it dry before we return, and once in the middle of the season. Your milage may vary.... Best - Don
Hoop	posted 12-23-2001 11:46 AM ET (US) West Marine has an environmentally-friendly bunk spray that I've used with success on my Pacific Trailer bunks for my Montauk. Specktrout, you might want to look back in the archives for a similar thread. There are cautions ... After using the silicon spray, at least one boater reported that his boat almost slid off the trailer BEFORE he got to the water. Ugh! Hoop, San Jose, CA
dfmcintyre	posted 12-24-2001 10:49 AM ET (US) Hoop - I do recall the thread, and I (among others) posted a message pointing out that it almost happended to me. My usual procedure was to _unhook_ the winch line, back in just deep enough to get the lower unit in the water, stop, set the parking brake and hop into the boat to crank the motor. Once I made sure she's a gonna run, I'd secure the boat to the dock and drive the rest of the way in. The FIRST time I launched, after the silicone treatment, I wondered just how much friction I may have reduced, so I left the winch line attached, but loosened it about 6 - 8". Found out.... When I was still backing down, and had just touched the brake to slow, I heard a "thunk".... Hmmmmm. Went and found the winch line now tight. Now, with just the back 6-8" of the lower bunks (it's a four bunk only trailer) in the water, I can push it off with one hand. Best - and Merry Christmas. Don
rwest	posted 12-29-2001 05:59 AM ET (US) I fought with my older HD trailer for most of the year before trying the teflon strips. At times I could not get the boat off without extra help pusing. After installing the pads, it will come off without help with just a push by me. I never wet the hubs and always keep the wench cable attached until ready to push it off in the ramp. Looking at a new trailer for the spring and will be adding the pads to that when I get it. Ron
andygere	posted 12-29-2001 07:12 PM ET (US) The spray works well, but here's another tip. Check to see if your hull is fully supported by the keel rollers. If it's difficult to slide off, too much weight may be resting on the bunks. If so, adjust the rollers and the friction from the bunks should be minimal.
triblet	posted 12-30-2001 12:57 AM ET (US) Rwest, a "wench" cable? Is that one you have your GF hold. ;-) Chuck
TightPenny	posted 12-31-2001 01:50 PM ET (US) Keep the bunks a little lower, so the boat can rock abit side to side. IE support the whole weight of the boat on the rollers. The boat should roll off easily, provided your rollers are lubed properly. Switching from the black rubber to the yellow plastic is a big help as well. Normally I launch in about 18" of water in Barnegat Bay. I have to depend on the rollers working properly.
Samars	posted 01-09-2002 07:15 AM ET (US) Take heed with Hoop's warning..I too used the silicone to ease with launching my 67, 13 footer. Good thing I had a friend with me...I backed the trailer into the water and thunk !! the boat slide right off and luckily into the water..good thing my buddy was there to retrieve the boat. Funny thing though I had sprayed the silicone a while back and had launched the boat at least two times before with no problems... I have heard some use wax and rub the rails/carpeted area to help...no experience with that method though.
lhg	posted 01-09-2002 05:55 PM ET (US) I once saw a guy launch his newly purchased, used, 22 Revenge, with with twin Johnson 90's, right onto to the concrete ramp, 10' above the water line, for his frist ride in the boat. It was a sickening sound I'll never forget! That's when I realized how tough the Whaler hull was. Any other hull would have been shattered by this tremendous impact, but this one only had the gelcoat & glass scraped off the keel. Everybody standing around was amazed. Since his previous boat was on a bunk trailer, he unhooked the winch strap first. Had no previous experience with the recommended Whaler keel roller system which his new boat had! But no one has answered the question: Do these starboard "slicks" damage or scape up the hull bottom? I imagine they could damage the vent fitting on a sump through hull. They seem to have the potential of making a keel roller trailer even easier to use. But I would not re-adjust the rollers, instead opting to re-adjust the bunks.