I want to convert my boat trailer from a bunk style to a roller, auto-centering style. Has anyone done this or know where I could purchase the parts? I'm not remembering Cabelas or BPS to have a huge amount of trailer parts. I really hate my bunk style for this boat. Any wind at all and it's a nightmare getting centered.

champion trailers in Louisiana. They have a website.

Huey,
Try getting the bunks that have rollers in them. Then dont back your trailer in quite so far. With roller bunks, (easiest and cheapest upgrade) you can more easily drive your boat up onto the bunks. Another option is to put the plastic like things on your current bunks. They work real well with fiberglass, and will allow your boat so "slide" on the bunks. Either way, I have found that if I have had problems with centering a boat on a trailer, I am normally too "deep" with the trailer. You should have about half your bunks out of the water, and use the throttle to get her into position. Hope this helps you out. PM me if you need links to what I am talking about.

~Ed

Yup, that's correct. High winds...then dont back down as far. It will center. Once you get it centered, you can back down a few more inches to drive it up tight.

Wait until you see what rollers will do to your hull after a summer.

Like previously suggested, you're putting it too far in the water to work right.

Or...just invest in some side guides.

Yep, some boats are just harder to load. Best approach I have found is to install side guides 2/3rds the way back on the trailer. Tip: spray your bunks with W-D40 and do`nt back down as far to load or launch. Just do`nt unhook the front strap till your at the water when launching and it lets you winch the boat all the way up much easier.

What I do is back the trailer all the way into the water to get the bunks wet, then pull it forward and unhook the transom hold-down straps, then back down half-way.

I also do this when loading, get the bunks fully wet, then back half way down. The key is getting the bunks wet or slick.

Good info. I need to try some different depths when I back the trailer in and find that magic spot. I like the idea of the roller bunks.

Thanks for all the comments.

Ditto. Rollers cause bad hooking. And the first time you unlatch your bow eye before you back down the ramp, you won't like what happens once your trailer hits the break over on the ramp. You're boat will be on the ramp instead of the water!.

After much discussion I've settled on installing a couple of side bunks with slide glides on them. This will help get the boat pointed in the right direction. I'll probably put slide guides on the bottom bunks as well.
The slide guides are about $12 for a 18" x 6".
Part of my problem was mentioned by many of the comments. I try to float the boat onto the trailer instead of driving it on. Need to locate that right depth to where I can drive the boat on the trailer but not to shallow where i end up throwing up a rooster tail trying to get it on the trailer. Sounds like I need some weekday afternoon time at a boat ramp. I've only had this boat for about 6 months and it's my first aluminum Deep V (2004 Crestliner Fishhawk 1850). Love the boat but there are things about it that take getting used to.

on that boat you need about half of the length of the bunker out of the water, the water should be slapping the tops of the fenders but they still should be out of the water.

Rooster tails are fine when loading the boat! Dont worry about scaring the fish away, we dont need them at the boat ramp anyway! Seriously, make sure that you trim your motor as you do this as the back end of your boat will dip lower than normal. Remember where you can trim it to when it is on the trailer so the skeg doesnt drag, I have seen many fisherman break skeg/prop at a ramp loading up their boat. Just be careful, use the ol carpenters saying of measure twice and cut once,..... well measure twice so you dont have to pay the shop fees to fix it.

How far you back down really depends upon the steepness of the ramp and the water level. If you use the same ramp and the same side of the ramp at your favorite lake each time you launch, you'll find that sweet spot. For instance on my favorite lake, with normal wind and water levels, about 18 inches - 2 feet of my bunks are out of the water. If water is low, it's the same, but I just have to back farther to get there. During high winds, when loading, I'll leave about 6 inches more of the bunks sticking out. Then I'll the boat drive up, but not all the way. Then I trim the engine up a bit and tell my driver to pull the Jeep up about 6 inches to a foot. I can then power the boat up, hook it, crank it a turn or two, kill the engine, trim it up and go.