Back to the main site

Trailer - scissors vs. bunk recommendations

M

MWChain

Member
Messages
14
Reaction score
31
I originally went without a trailer, but now am considering buying one. I have a second house on a chain of lakes, so it will stay there 90% of the boating season. I’m looking for something to store it on during the winter months and to use to go to other lakes in about a 30 mile radius of my lake house. It’s also possible I could take it for the 200 mile trip (one way) to lakes near my full time residence on occasion. At the moment I have a garage that will not accommodate either scissors or bunk trailer for my 22SSRXP with SPS, so it will likely sit outside for now. However I’d like to have a shed built in the next couple years to accommodate either trailer set up (and more!).

What type of trailer—bunk vs. scissors—do you recommend for these uses? Or am I better just renting one when I need it? Appreciate any thoughts and advice you might have. Thanks in advance.
 
I think a tritoon scissor trailer would be more expensive than a bunk trailer as they are rarer. Also wouldn’t want to tow a scissor trailer for a long distance as they are no where near as stable as a bunk trailer.
 
If you’re going to tow any sort of distance the bunk trailer would be my choice. My dealer has a scissor trailer for tritoons and it works fine for his duties but he won’t tow it any distance due to stability and clearance of the rooms to the road surface. Even buying a scissor trailer you’d still need the height of the entire assembly to fit in your new building to drop it for storage if that makes sense.
 
Sorry for winded response. Most of my neighbors have bunk trailers however I use my neighbors scissor trailer. I lower my boat onto styrofoam blocks in my yard and the trailer can be pulled out if he needs it before I get my boat into the lake. (I’ve let him store the trailer on my property even before I owned my pontoon-so he insisted I just use his trailer:) not buy one - we had no plans to travel) My neighbor lowers his pontoon onto rolling dollies in his driveway and pushes his into his garage to store since his garage isn’t tall enough to back into. I just use it to launch and take out so I don’t trailer any long distances. I does seem like it would be less stable than a bunk type with it’s narrower wheel width. My dealer delivered our boat 230 Miles to our lake though using a scissor trailer. He said that’s all he uses for people who don’t buy trailers.
 
I wrote the following way back in 2011. I've since moved up to a tri-toon with bunk-style trailer, but you may still find my observations helpful.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I hemmed and hawed about whether to buy a float on or crank up trailer. Here's what my research taught me.

Float On (bunk style)

Pros:

- Wide stance for high speed and/or long distance towing

- Necessary for tri-toons

- Simpler to power load

- Can get one with a ladder to board at the bow

Cons:

- Need deeper water to launch than crank ups

- Slightly more expensive than crank ups

- Much harder to get trailer out from under boat for storage or sharing a trailer

- Almost impossible to locate used

Crank Up

Pros:

- You can lower your boat to the ground (for storage or sharing purposes)

- You can beach your boat and usually still get the trailer underneath

- Slightly cheaper than float ons

- Multiple owners can share

- Seem to last forever

Cons:

- Much less stable on the road and highway

- Won't work on a tri-toon

- Narrow wheelbase and smaller tires

- Must be loaded correctly or bad things will happen

- Almost impossible to locate used

In the end, I bought a tandem axle crank up. My boat is stored indoors just a mile from the launch ramp. Another ramp, with docks, is just 3 miles away. I got a great deal on a 24' tandem crankup for $1400. I also have friends who may want to borrow my trailer occasionally and now, they can."
 
There are two types of people that have scissor trailers ones that have tipped there boats and those that are going to . They are only good for going from your lake home to the garage
 
jayski said:
They are only good for going from your lake home to the garage
Click to expand...

Remember, for many, that is enough. Every tool for a purpose.
 
Hoosier Trailer out of Indiana builds the scissor trailer that most big dealers have at least one of. They also built a Bennington ESP specific model for the oval center toon. They work great for their intended purpose and are much more stable than they look!
 
I have a Genisis double axle trailer that is galvanized with surge brakes. I have towed my boat from MI to FL, then towed the trailer back to MI, then back to FL. Aside from a wheel bearing replacement no issues and it is holding up nicely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top