Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

[Jalova]

Hello all,
Does anyone have skids on their trailer for a fireglass boat ? I have a 5.2 m Carribeen Crestcutter which has had the floor and transem re-inforced so it's now quite a solid boat, I was wondering if skids would be okay in-stead of rollers.
What does others thinks ???
Cheers.

Tony

[Roughasguts]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

I wouldn't use skids on a glass boat, unless you don't mind a big scrape mark where your hull slides up and down .... or should I say grind, after salt and sand get imbeded in to the bunks.

Rollers I think, and plenty of them are still your best option.

[NAGG]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

I think you will find that rollers are recommended for glass boats

Nagg

[Jalova]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Thanks NAGG and roughasguts,
Much appreciated for the info,
Cheers.

[leezor]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

No problems with the skids on my trailer, less maintenance and they offer better support than rollers. I drive my 23 footer on and off no problems at all. All my previous trailers have been multi-roller and so far this trailer loads and unloads the boat as easy if not easier than my previous roller trailers.

[Hydrotherapy]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

I also have skids on my 5mtr streaker glass boat, have had for years. No scratches, no gouges, no problem. A spray of teflon every now and again helps with retrieval although there should not be much weight on them anyway.

Red skids for glass, blue for alloy.

[leezor]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

[quote=Hydrotherapy;829221]No scratches, no gouges, no problem. A spray of teflon every now and again helps with retrieval although there should not be much weight on them anyway.
quote]

Same here, my boat has sat on skids since 1999 and there are no signs of any scratches. I spray mine with a silicon spray every now and again as well.

[Jalova]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Thanks also Leezor, what do you use on the skids themselves ?
Cheers
Also thanks to the other people for their imput.

Tony

[Donny Boy]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Rollers for me. 5.5 Glass Half Cab. In & out like a robbers dog !

[onerabbit]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

I did a major rebuild on my trailer a few years back, took off all the old wobbly rollers & made & fitted skids.
What a huge improvement, both at the ramp, & while towing.

Jalova, I made my skids (2 long, 4 short) from gal box section & screwed teflon strips to it.
Just a point here, when drilling the teflon strips, drill your countersink hole FIRST, then your smaller hole, if done the other way around the bigger drill will follow the guide hole & chew it out every time, hope that makes sense.

As far as damage to the boat, she's been on & off the trailer many times since then, & no problems.

Muzz

[leezor]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Thanks also Leezor, what do you use on the skids themselves ?
Cheers
Also thanks to the other people for their imput.

Tony

Hi Tony, my skids are timber and covered in an outdoor synthetic carpet, though once the carpet wears out I will be replacing it with the teflon style skids.

Cheers,

Lee

[gofishin]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Hi Tony,
Just picked up my trailer today, an ally Duralum I beam trailer, made by Rocket International. It has no rollers, just 2 pairs of polymer skids. Would take & post a picture but it's dark outside, & the neighbours would think I'm a bit strange....

Check out this thread, or do a search. Check out all the US forums too. Their boating population makes our insignificant, and they have been using them for decades.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=130344&highlight=bunks

I did heaps of research, and have no problems with putting my new boat on one, when it finally arrives (I'll tell you how good it works in September), and i am a pedantic fussy pr!ck of an Engineer who has done 1000's of hours in glass boats on roller trailers, and grew up in a family business that fixed glass boats.
cheers
PS. I will modify it slightly, and it may end up having one or two keel rollers on the back X-member (for low tide/shallow ramp angles), but shhhhh, don't tell anyone...

[noboatyet]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Hi Tony,
Have a look at Belco Trailers, they are doing skid trailers. They make a few for glass boats.
I'e sent you a pm.
Regards
Murray

[onerabbit]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Nice to see another Murray here,

Muzz

[Outsider1]

Re: Trailer Skids for Fibreglass boat.

Saw this trailer in the latest issue of F & B magazine (#142) and thought of this thread. This one is actually for a plate boat but the concept general the same.

Cheers

Dave