Trailer modification.

[Hardyakka]

Evening.

I'm looking to fix up the trailer as it's needing a bit of tlc. I have a 4.2m tinny that I mainly solo launch and retrieve at boat ramps and sometimes beach launches. The boat is a pretty solid built boat and has a heavy motor, fuel tank, batteries.

What I'm hoping to do is replace the keel rollers with a solid carpeted keel beam. This would be made out 190mm X 45mm treated pine and wrapped in marine carpet running from winch post to the end of the trailer. I'm keeping the existing trailer bunks that support the boat from rocking, just replacing the rollers.

Would this work? Is it going to be too hard to push off or cause to much stress on the hull? What other things should I consider?

If anyone has done something similar please share your experiences and photos.

TIA.

[frozenpod]

Carpet bunks really need to be float on and float off.

For a tinny just use skids.

[russellh2]

Carpet Bunks will have more contact area with the hull than keel rollers - Check hull load on each roller as well as see if there are and flats on the outside of the rollers. Suggest full service of Keel Rollers - Remove all Roller Axles / clean thoroughly and then clean hole in rollers thoroughly a well - Rollers should rotate freely by hand on Axles.

[Hardyakka]

Sorry if I haven't explained myself correctly.
I'm more looking to replace the keel rollers with a carpeted beam. This would run down the middle of the trailer and the bunks on the outer sides will still remain to support the boat from side to side movement.

[Boonanza]

So are you looking at doing something like this?

[Hardyakka]

Nup. Straight up the guts of the trailer. Remove the rollers and have a carpeted beam.

[Hardyakka]

[purple5ive]

Nup. Straight up the guts of the trailer. Remove the rollers and have a carpeted beam.

like a polycraft trailer?

[Hardyakka]

Yep. Except a solid beam. The polycraft looks like the keel sits in between the gaps of the two narrow beams. Where my keel will be sitting on the carpeted wood.

[Snapper Snatcher]

What is your reasoning behind changing from keel rollers to a single bunk in the keel? You just mentioned the trailer needs some tlc. I can’t see it being better than centre rollers.