# Flat Chines



## waterboy (Jul 22, 2010)

Afew questions:

My trailer has only center rollers and 2 bunk boards for support. Looked under the boat to find that the center rollers are causing the center chine to have flat spots. So is it best to just ditch the center rollers and brackets and just use the two bunk boards for support while towing the boat? Is it likely that just leaving all as it is now will cause chine flatten too much and somehow split? Am I worring about nothing and should go go fishing?    

Also, I notice many trailer 2x4 bunk images have the bunks "upside" on the 2" side rather than the 4" side, does one side offer an advantage over the other when towing.... and or loading the boat back onto the trailer?

just a few thoughts rolling around in my noggin :lol:


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## Quackrstackr (Jul 22, 2010)

I've never owned a trailer with the bunks turned up like you are talking about. You need the weight spread out over a wide bunk, not concentrated on a 2x4 edge.

That center roller is there to keep your boat from banging off of the trailer when loading. It also needs some form of support in the middle. Maybe it needs to be adjusted down just a hair but it sounds like the adjustment has already been done if it has flattened your chine to compensate. :lol: Is that a rubber roller or urethane?


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 22, 2010)

Ditch the rollers and put a cross bunk up front. The main bunks on my trailer are on edge.


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## Waterwings (Jul 22, 2010)

Is that the original trailer for your boat?


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## waterboy (Jul 22, 2010)

Waterwings said:


> Is that the original trailer for your boat?



As far as I know it is, 1st owner purchased the rig in 1985/86 and he passed, so, the son sold it to owner #2 who kept it under carport for 1 1/2 years and now it's mine.


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## waterboy (Jul 22, 2010)

Quackrstackr said:


> That center roller is there to keep your boat from banging off of the trailer when loading. It also needs some form of support in the middle. Maybe it needs to be adjusted down just a hair but it sounds like the adjustment has already been done if it has flattened your chine to compensate. :lol: Is that a rubber roller or urethane?




All the rollers are rubber and look in great shape, no cracking or such, it's just that it bugs me knowing the pressure of the of the chine on the roller seems to be too much during bumpy tows.


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## bassboy1 (Jul 23, 2010)

Loose the rollers. Flat bottoms and mod vees don't need rollers, and from my experience, work best without them. Make your bunks longer, up to the point at which the boat starts to slope up. If the bunks are long enough, the boat isn't going to scrape the tongue. You'll likely find the boat might load a little easier, and you won't be placing the weight of the boat on the weakest part of the boat (the inner ribs contact the hull only on the flat spots, thus the bunks support the structure of the boat - rollers contacting the ribs are relying on the thin skin of the hull to support the boat)


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## waterboy (Jul 23, 2010)

bassboy1 said:


> the inner ribs contact the hull only on the flat spots, thus the bunks support the structure of the boat



Just took a look and this makes perfect sense. Thanks!

Time to jack the boat in the driveway, add longer bunks and remove rollers.


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## Zum (Jul 24, 2010)

Had to go out and take a closer look at my boat.
I use a roller as well but noticed my center chine is not "totally" part of the boat...
It's welded seperatly to the boat,not like the rest of the chines that are molded right in the boat.
Not sure if there difference structurely,mine has some marks on it as well from general use and loading.


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## waterboy (Jul 27, 2010)

yeah zum, I'm going to just lower all the roller brackets rather than remove them because that would be just more junk stored in my shed and we don't want that. And I just found out that the rollers are on what is called a strake and not the chine.


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## huntinfool (Jul 29, 2010)

bassboy1 said:


> Loose the rollers. Flat bottoms and mod vees don't need rollers, and from my experience, work best without them. Make your bunks longer, up to the point at which the boat starts to slope up. If the bunks are long enough, the boat isn't going to scrape the tongue. You'll likely find the boat might load a little easier, and you won't be placing the weight of the boat on the weakest part of the boat (the inner ribs contact the hull only on the flat spots, thus the bunks support the structure of the boat - rollers contacting the ribs are relying on the thin skin of the hull to support the boat)


Winner, winner, this is the right answer!!!!


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