How to select the most appropriate boat rollers

If you own a boat then you probably understand the importance of taking care of your boat when it is on the water, but do you know how to take the right care of the boat while you are storing it or transporting it on a trailer? Your boat is a valuable asset, and it is vital that you know how to maximise the life of your boat and how to avoid causing damage while the boat is out of the water.

One of the most effective ways to take care of your boat is to use boat rollers when storing or transporting it on a trailer. Using boat rollers makes loading or unloading your boat simple, they allow your boat to slip gently into the water and help you avoid the black stripes which launching commonly used to cause on the hull of a boat.

Which boat rollers should you choose? 

When you have decided to use boat rollers, the most important decision you will have to make is which type of boat rollers you need. There are three main types of boat rollers, Rubber, HDPE Polyethylene and Polyurethane rollers and your choice of roller will depend on several factors, notably the price you want to pay and the type of boat you own.

Rubber rollers

Rubber boat rollers are capable of being used on both fibreglass and aluminium boats, and they are also the cheapest option. The problem with using rubber in the longer-term is that after sustained use rubber can split, crack or develop flat spots. If damaged rubber rollers are not regularly replaced, they can cause damage to your trailer and boat.

HDPE Polyethylene

Polyethylene rollers are most commonly used on aluminium boats, they won't suffer from the same cracking that can occur with rubber boat rollers and when properly installed, they will keep rolling for many years. You can use Polyethylene rollers with fibreglass as well as aluminium boats, but if you do so, you must be careful to ensure that the rollers have been correctly installed to suit your trailer and boat.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane boat rollers are normally intended for fibreglass boats only. Urethane is not so hard as polyethylene, so cannot be used with aluminium boats unless you want to risk the boat hull slicing through the rollers.

By taking the time to select the right boat rollers for your craft, you can be sure that you are taking the best possible care of your boat both in and out of the water.