Making a Brooker trailer a drive on

[SgBFish]

I got sick of winding my 6m glass boat up so converted my Brooker (Budget) trailer so that I could drive it on. It also healps where there is nowhere to beach at the ramp.

It cost me about $120. I bought a 5ft length of blue magdalene from Cunninghams plus 4 brackets.

The issue with this trailer is missing the back and second last keel rollers and hitting the cross members. I cut the length into 4 equal pieces, which were perfect.

If you drill the holes for the brackets bolts to be a tight fir the skids won’t float as you submerge them.
It works a treat.

[thelump]

You're an ideas man Scott. Hope you dont mind but I may just copy that idea . Do you have any issues with the skids pressing down on the rollers causing them to not spin? Or are they slightly in front?

Cheers Jason

[fishingrod]

Those blue skids work well and avoid scratches. I have them on my Brooker too.

My trailer is about 3 years old and it came with them fitted standard. Could have been something that the dealer specifically requested from the factory or the dealer fitted thermselves ??? (Andrew Short - Syd). I was happy either way.

Heres a pic of mine as it was delivered brand new, nice and shiney


cheers
Rod

[Scalem]

Mine is a drive on, same boat as you know Scott, but I still don't trust it. For some reason the boat wants to favour one side and nearly comes off the centre keel rollers, so I need to understand why, but not game to experiment while still under warranty....Could be my lack of experience with driving it on...... Good innovation there mate, I think even the drive ons can use this added insurance just to make sure the hull doesn't scratch.

Scalem

[SgBFish]

You're an ideas man Scott. Hope you dont mind but I may just copy that idea . Do you have any issues with the skids pressing down on the rollers causing them to not spin? Or are they slightly in front?

Cheers Jason

Ha ideas man. Tell him he's dreamin...

Jason, the idea is that the bow slides down onto the keel roller once on it there should be no weight on the skids and the roller should turn. There are directly in line with the top of the roller sideways.

As you can see i have replaced the softer grey roller with a harder black one and when i get the chance I will do the next keel roller up.

You were right sclaem to invest a bit more on the trailer. Next time I will have one built the way I want it.

Scott

[Jarrah Jack]

Mine is a drive on, same boat as you know Scott, but I still don't trust it. For some reason the boat wants to favour one side and nearly comes off the centre keel rollers, so I need to understand why, but not game to experiment while still under warranty....Could be my lack of experience with driving it on...... Good innovation there mate, I think even the drive ons can use this added insurance just to make sure the hull doesn't scratch.

Scalem

I watched a guy at a ramp once make many attempts to get his boat sitting right on a drive on and in the end he just gave up. From what I could see was that because he was the only one in the boat and being a deep v was that even though he was hitting center the boat was unbalanced and the boat sat on the trailer the same way......Hope that makes sense. There could be another reason but that was the best I could figure.

May have some bearing in your problem Scalem. Are you one up when you drive on. I now try to stand as close to center in my narrow deep v as possible, it also helps with the line up.

[Scalem]

I watched a guy at a ramp once make many attempts to get his boat sitting right on a drive on and in the end he just gave up. From what I could see was that because he was the only one in the boat and being a deep v was that even though he was hitting center the boat was unbalanced and the boat sat on the trailer the same way......Hope that makes sense. There could be another reason but that was the best I could figure.

May have some bearing in your problem Scalem. Are you one up when you drive on. I now try to stand as close to center in my narrow deep v as possible, it also helps with the line up.

That sounds very logical in how you have explained. Most likely the problem I have. But how can you control the boat and try stand in the middle to balance it at the same time? My solution at the moment is carefully nudge up to the ramp, jump out with a rope to the front bollard, and winch it on. Still think the trailer is much better quality than the other option, and happy to have spent the extra $$

If ever we have a Yalta M&G I should get someone to show me how I should drive on, but my 1st attempt at a drive off I put a small ding in the leg of the motor - obviously didn't trim high enough. Been chicken ever since.

Scalem

[BR65]

Crews job Scotty, could have saved you some coin mate

You been getting out much?

[SgBFish]

Crews job Scotty, could have saved you some coin mate

You been getting out much?

Just some messing around Brian. No offshore trips.
I was thinking of giving you a call about tomorrow (Sunday) and heading to those banks marks but the forecast is up again.
Will have to get out before the end of the season though.
Cheers mate.
Scott