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bunk replacement


Raf

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Clean BC red cedar,

you can buy trailer bunk carpet @ BPS

 

I went with cedar and covered the top with 3/4" thick starboard, best of both worlds, full support of bunks but slick like rollers, my boat is all welded hull, no rivits, 2 seasons and very happy, just have to make sure boat is well over water before undoing winch strap @ the launch.

I would go with carpet if hull is rivited. ceder is softer wood, it will sag a little and conforms to the shape of your hull, but still provides good support.

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Great, thank you stonefish.

 

should be fairly painless I hope. Pre-build the bunks w/stainless staples, drop the boat in and replace

 

existing bunks/brackets use lag bolts from underneath to attach to the 2x4s. should I be drilling pilot holes for the new lag bolts? sorry never worked with them before.

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I replaced my bunks with 2X6 spruce a few years ago.

I put 2 coats of Varathane on before covering with outdoor carpet I purchased at Home Hardware.

It was installed using contact cement and stainless staples.

 

To install the bunks I lowered the tongue jack on the trailer all the way.

I then placed jack stands with wood plates under the back corners of the boat.

Next I jacked it up all the way and placed a stand and plate under the centre line of the hull forward and lowered the tongue jack.

This had the boat floating several inches above the bunks and made for easy removal and no rush to do the work.

The lag screws can be run in with a screw gun or ratchet. No pilot hole is needed.

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I went 2 x6---that was factory size from EZ Loader

 

I also went PT covered in Carpet---had no issues

 

Yes Cedar and Knots at times will make a nice place to crack---You may have to go thru the pile to find a couple without knots---is possible tho

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thanks all for the input. got the cedar 2x4s, new lag bolts, HD indoor/outdoor carpet, SS staples.. see if I can put them together before the storms arrive today and head down to a lake tomorrow. i've a 18v impact driver which should make things go quickly when i dump the boat in the water.

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You can get them at West Marine. There is another kind of metal called Monel. Better than stainless steel. They are pricey though. I think they are pushing 40 bucks a box of 1000. If you are going to do any interior work on the boat I would buy them. I am probably going to need to do mine next year so this thread has got me thinking.

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I replaced my bunks with 2X6 spruce a few years ago.

I put 2 coats of Varathane on before covering with outdoor carpet I purchased at Home Hardware.

It was installed using contact cement and stainless staples.

 

 

I know Im late,but what he said. Exception. I painted my planks with old oil base paint. Then covered with ID.OD carpet.

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Anyone tried using the composite 2x4's for this application? My brother put together a small casting deck made from them for the front of his 14' Legend and it sits in the weather all summer, every summer and still looks the same after 8 seasons! It is heavy as heck (80 lbs or so), but the front of his boat ran very high anyway and it has helped reduce porpoising when only one person is in the boat. Too much flex maybe to be used as a bunk board?

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Dave, a guy a few weeks ago cried like an infant when he dumped his boat onto the concrete at Richards very steep ramp. He put the same ice like bunks that you have on his trailer. Their first time at that ramp and buddy took off the safety chain and strap way too early and whoosh the boat slid right off onto the concrete, 5 feet from the creek. Skeg gone, prop gone, bottom end held on by 1 bolt, bottom of glass boat, gone, transom smashed. Gear oil everywhere. Here's a guy that just lost well more than who knows how many grand due to a simple mistake and Richard is freaking because there is oil on the ramp and he can't get anymore boats in until they figure how to get this poor guys broken boat and motor back onto the trailer.

Be careful all taking that safety chain off too early, for any trailer.

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Raf, Mine bunk rails had lag screws from below and I replaced with lag bolts from above because they worked themselves out, bolt and won't work themselves out, ever. The side bunks I used lag screws.

 

Drill pilot holes regardless. For screws predrill about 1/3 diameter of screw then glue and screw, straight.

 

I went with bolts as the lag screws worked their way out of the rotted wood. I filled the countersunk holes with silicone then bolted then carpeted. Cheap indoor outdoor will rot and tear away,

 

Get commercial quality nylon carpet with a tight pile. Glued carpet with quality construction adhesive like PL2000, then stapled below. My staples were not stainless, no issues after 5 years.

 

Bring along a socket wrench and drive and tighten after drilling pilot holes. 18V driver will do it but you want to drive straight in and you will have more control with socket drive vs, drill at higher speed. Use lock washers too. Glue and screw.

 

You didn't mention the side steps, can change them with boat on trailer. I replaced the rusted steel with 2X8 PT after cutting out the old steel with a side cutter. Used roof shingles cut in strips as non slip. Glued and stapled too.

Edited by Old Ironmaker
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Saw that many times John at 50 Pt, guy took his winch strap off before he got his boat to the water and he had a roller trailer, boat ended up on the ramp.

Saw so many times, guys have their trailer to far in the water to load and have problems.

If a guy has to take his shoes off, he's doing something wrong. I'd like to see him launching in Dec.

My homemade slick loaders work great if you install them right. Stainless bolts counter sunk with locking nuts. I was selling them on Kijiji.

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