At BOATiD, we understand that your boat is your baby and that you want the best for it - whether it's on sea, land, or in between. Here, we'll focus on components and hardware from our boat trailer parts section that make the process of loading and unloading your boat from a trailer much easier and safer. So if you dip your boat trailer into the water, this article is for you.
1. Some Terms Explained
For those who are new to the passion of boating, or for gift givers who may not be familiar with all the boating product terms you'll see, we've defined some key ones below.
1.1 "Bunk"
A bunk is a padded, horizontal support that actually makes contact with the bottom part of the boat to support it. Bunks are usually long and fixed in place in the center of the trailer, because they do the heavy work of supporting the boat's weight. However, some bunks come in the form of roller wheels.
1.2 "Bunkboard"
Bunkboards are similar to bunks in design and purpose. Instead of supporting the bottom of the boat's hull, these are positioned higher, acting as side rails to support the sides of the boat and prevent it from toppling off.
1.3 "Bunk Guide" or "Bunkboard Guide"
These are essentially bunkboard pieces, but shorter. They're positioned at the rearmost end of the trailer and are intended as side markers to help guide the boat as it is coming onto the trailer. Once on the trailer, these may or may not be used to help support the weight of the boat.
1.4 "Guide Piece" or "Guide Post"
Trailer guides are posts that bolt to frame rails at the rear of the trailer. They extend vertically (up to 75 inches high in some cases) in order to be seen for guidance when the rest of the trailer is submerged in water. We offer some that feature built-in LED lights at the top.
1.5 "Keel" Rollers
Keel rollers cushion and protect the keel, which forms a point as a centerline along the bottom of the boat from front to rear.
1.6 "Bow" Rollers
Bow rollers cushion and protect a boat's bow, which is the sharp point running vertically up the front of the boat.
2. Roller Guide Wheels That Can Be Positioned Anywhere
Depending on the size and shape of your boat, you'll want to place roller wheels on your trailer frame exactly where they'll be needed most to provide insulation and allow for some movement while trailering. We let you do that with a wealth of individual soft-touch roller wheels mounted on galvanized steel bracket assemblies. See our Rollers section main page to choose from different styles and sizes available. Should you need replacement ribbed roller wheels, C.E. Smith offers a 4-pack of 5" x 3" ribbed rollers in gold or black with polypropylene hubs and applicable hardware.
For the bow area of your boat, we've got individual bow bell roller wheel assemblies that help to center the boat and prevent bow-to-bowstand contact.
3. Guide and Support Pieces for Boat Trailers
3.1 Horizontal Bunkboard Guide Pieces
If you need horizontal bunkboard guide pieces to position at the end of the trailer for guidance and support when loading a boat, check out the Tie Down Engineering Carpeted Bunk Board Guide-On Kit is available in 2- and 5-foot lengths with galvanized steel construction covered with durable marine carpet, and mounting hardware that allows positioning above or below the trailer frame rail.
3.2 Horizontal Bunk Support Pieces for the Bottom of the Boat
When you're on a ramp where floating your boat directly onto a trailer isn't possible, C.E. Smith offers galvanized steel bunk shafts equipped with five polypropylene roller wheels on each side. These bunks allow you to "drag" a boat onto the trailer safely without damage. These Roller Bunks kits are available with bunk shafts in 4- and 5-foot lengths which can be selected in the Product Options field. The wheels are 2" in diameter, and a pair of Roller Bunks can support up to 1,500 pounds of well-distributed weight.
For flat-bottomed "jon boats", C.E. Smith offers the Jon Boat Support Bunk and Bracket Assembly that provides support by mounting across the trailer tongue. The bunk itself is Southern Yellow Pine wood covered with marine grade carpet, and the adjustable mounting bracket is galvanized steel.
3.3 Vertical Guide Pieces for Loading Boats Onto a Trailer
When it comes to vertical protection, we’ve got the Tie Down Engineering Adjustable Roller Side Guide-Ons, Fulton Roller Boat Guide Kit (20”-tall posts) and C.E. Smith Roller Guide-Ons (21"-tall posts) with roller wheel posts that mount on the rear of trailer frame rails.
Because pontoon boats are wider at the bottom, they typically require vertical guide posts that allow more room in between. C.E. Smith offers a series of galvanized steel guide post kits designed to bolt on to your trailer's rear cross member and fit in between the pontoons. For best value, choose the 22" high Pontoon Post Guide-On kit that includes 2 3/8 " diameter white PVC posts designed for frame rails up to 3" width by 4 1/4 " height. For slightly larger pontoon boats that require the trailer to be backed further into the water, there's the Post Guide-On kit with 40", 60", or 75" high posts.
For the ultimate in vertical guide rail convenience, C.E. Smith offers the Post Guide-On with LED Lighted Posts - a lifesaver when a trailer and its guide posts have to be completely submerged underwater. See product options for 40" or 60" post choices.
4. Trailer Convenience Accessories
4.1 Fender Steps
For those who can use an extra step bar directly behind the wheel fender of your trailer, the C.E. Smith Fender Step Pads provide a beefy 12 gauge galvanized steel foot pad bar that's 15 1/4 " long and 3" wide. Weld it on, or use the included bracket pieces to bolt it to the trailer frame rail. Another example is Fulton’s plastic Fender Step that comes with three integrated step pads built into it. For other sizes, check out our Fulton page.
4.2 Locks
For effective security against trailer theft, check out our Boat Trailer Locks section where you’ll find coupler lock pins, coupler security locks, hitch locks, locking receiver pins, padlocks and more.
We also offer brackets for mounting lights/reflectors onto guide-on posts, license plate mounting brackets, metal tail light protectors, and spare tire carriers designed to store wheels horizontally on top of the trailer tongue, or vertically on the side of the trailer.
5. Dollies for Carrying and Moving Small Boats
For moving and cradling objects such as JetSkis or other small motorized boats up to 1,000 pounds, the C.E. Smith Personal Watercraft Dolly is an excellent choice. Because heavier objects such as these must be moved slowly and cautiously, four caster wheels swivel to allow full flexibility of movement over smooth surfaces. Galvanized steel provides high strength and rigidity, and the spacing of the support bunks can be adjusted to three widths as needed.
When there's a need to steer and maneuver a small to medium-sized trailer around the driveway, we offer several trailer dollies with extra-long handles. Not only do these handles provide greater leverage to lift the front of the trailer off the ground, they allow easy steering in tight spots thanks to a very tight turning radius. If you've got a camper, utility trailer, or a trailer for smaller boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, or other equipment, these will make your life much easier. The Rack'em 500-5000 lb Trailer Dolly comes with a 54" handle and a 1&7/8" hitch ball that connects to your trailer tongue.
6. Other Popular Boating Accessories
If you plan on doing fishing off the side of your boat or other boat, we’ve got equipped with fishing rod holders in fixed, adjustable, quick-release, and other configurations. Need marine-grade carpeting for trailer bunk pieces, boards, or walking areas of your boat? You'll appreciate carpet roll sections available in multiple sizes and lengths.
To keep the inside of your boat or trailer smelling fresher, we've got dehumidifiers, cabin fans, air conditioners, heaters, and more. And last but not least, we’ve got life vests, floatation clothing, life rafts and survival gear, first aid kits, flares & signaling devices, and other essentials to bring along.
As you can see, there's more to transporting your boat than just the boat and trailer. Some of these featured accessories are must-haves; others are wonderful-to-have. Either way, all of our boat trailer accessories ultimately serve to make your boating experience the best it can be!