Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by action on 01/15/15 - 2:27 PM

I recently got an 1988 Montauk 17. It came with a 2012 Sea Lion bunk trailer (S-17-2450). Looking through the site I have seen articles that Montauks should have a bunk trailer but the weight should be supported by keel rollers. This trailer only has one keel roller up near the bow. I called the dealer the trailer came from and he said the Sea Lion trailers are either "bunk" or "roller" and the bunk trailers really do not have keel rollers. The only way to add them due to the "U" shaped construction of the beams would be to fabricate something. I would think the trailer was matched to the boat at the time of sale. Any thought on this?

(changed abbreviated year to full 4 digit year for clarification)

Edited by Joe Kriz on 01/15/15 - 2:43 PM

Posted by Joe Kriz on 01/15/15 - 2:48 PM

Trailers did not come with Whalers back then.

It was up to the dealer or the new owner to purchase a trailer of their choice.
All but one of my trailers was setup like this:
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...cle_id=117

The other trailer I had was an all bunk trailer on a 1997 Outrage 17' II.
(4 carpeted bunks but no keel rollers)
http://users.sisqtel.net/~jkriz/Outra...age17.html

Posted by Whalerbob on 01/15/15 - 3:58 PM

I recently bought a Karavan bunk trailer for my Montauk 17. The dealer that sold it to me insisted that no roller is needed for a Montauk and he's sold hundreds like this with no complaints.
So, it rode real bad with the bow bouncing around so I pulled out the original manual for the boat which recommends the bunks are only for support and the bulk of the weight should sit on a keel rollers. I added bow and keel rollers and now it rides much better.

Mine also has a U shaped frame so I had to lower the height of the bunks so the hull would sit on the roller. The only other way to do it would be to add a strait galvanized cross bar which I may do. The way it is now I can lower the engine so the keel touches the pavement but as long as I remember to raise the engine when I pull the boat I should be okay.

Posted by Finnegan on 01/15/15 - 5:09 PM

This is the keel roller (Stoltz rollers) trailer I use under my Montauk, just as Whaler specified. It launches and retrieves with exceptional ease, and trails well at any highway speed.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/lgolt...2629969653

Most trailer dealers will sell you anything he's got in stock of the brand he carries, and tell you it will be perfect for your boat, even though it won't be at all.

Posted by RichieB on 01/13/17 - 7:17 AM

Spoke with customer service at Karavan trailer. He told me Karavan makes the trailers for Boston Whaler as the specs Boston Whaler request.Same quality as any other Karavan Trailer , just custom as Whaler request.

Posted by tom blinstrub on 01/13/17 - 7:28 AM

Whats wrong with letting the bunks support all the weight if you can float it off? My 1989 Outrage 18 sits on bunks about 8 - 10 ft long but has to float off.