Bunk covers that replace carpet

[Drago]

Hey SoCalAngler,

See my first post here when I was considering the replacement of my carpet and lumber
viewtopic.php?t=12470

Check out what I used to replace my bunks...
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12785

I would recommend taking a good look at the existing lumber under your carpet to check for any rot or deterioration.

[chill'nthemost]

Eastern Marine 3 season ago. I pre-cut, and pre drilled on pre cut and sealed Douglas Fur. Using carriage bolts tightened down with air tools so to pull the carriage head flush with the top of the wooden bunk prior to the cap instal. I've seen too many lag bolts back out over time or fall out of carpet covered rotted bunks. People talk about "if you didn't have your toon latched to the winch backing down the launch it would slide off" I doubt it, but who would put your toon in the water before unhooking the safety and winch off the trailer I've seen new carpeted bunks with rips. To me carpet on your bunks is like taking your wet shower towel and throwing it on your hardwood floor and letting it set for 8 hours. Wood is going to rot with wet carpet soaking on top of it.

Chillin....it appears I have the same trailer as yours. I have a few questions about your project if you don't mind.... If you could post some detailed close up pics that would be great!

Your bunks must be 2x4's, correct? How many sets of the covers did you need? How do the plastic sections connect? Did you replace your wood because it was bad? Did you consider replacing with 2X6? Did you use the screws supplied or something else? washers? Did you remove the bunks and lay out on a flat surface when you installed the plastic covers?

I believe my bunks are attached with lags (came this way brand new from dealer). I am the second owner and the boat/trailer/motor are only two years old. I believe the wood should still be in good shape.

I've always through-bolted my bunks on previous boats for reasons you mentioned. I need to find a fresh water marina so I can take boat off trailer and do all of this without being rushed.

Thanks!

I was the second owner of our '98 in '04. The trailer that came with it is a '96. When I replaced the bunks the carpet was ripped in a few places and I knew I was on borrowed time. I had filled 2 of the bunk lag holes with Gorilla Glue trying to give the lags something to bolt into. Seeing how lag bolts back out, rot out is why I used carriage bolts. I didn't see any reason to go to 2x6.

I pre cut the douglas fur (approx 17' 6'' long) and pre cut one of the 4 sections for each bunk (only need to cut one to fit between the full sections). I had pre drilled the side screws that came with the bunks too. I had everything ready to roll, all I had to do was clamp the bunks to the risers, drill the mounting holes, install the carriage bolts and then reassemble all the pre cut and pre drilled caps. I'm only 15mins from the lake so I dropped my wife and mother in law off and went back to my garage with the empty trailer to re assemble everything. The day I dropped the toon off to go install new bunks, one of the bunks, the one with the lags holes filled with Gorilla Glue floated off with the toon. had I not been to the lake to drop the toon off to re bunk, I'd been screwed.

Since I had everything pre fitted, I'm guessing it only took me a hour to a hour and a half using air and power tools to be be headed back to the lake.

IF...you're going to re bunk, I wouldn't start with wood that's spent who knows how long soaked with wet carpet. I'd start with new doug fur and treat it. I wouldn't use P/T even though the aluminum won't be touching the wood because P/T is usually done to soft woods because it's easier for the treatment to penetrate. Let me know if you have any other questions

[steveiam]

I'm free-styling mine this year. What I'm meaning is improvising an available and cheaper product to do or perform another use or purpose. In this case for my boat trailer bunks it's going to be vinyl 4 x 4 fence posts. I'm going to rip them in half right down the middle and will then have two pieces in length with enough beef to cover three sides of the 2 x 4's. Slots will need to be cut in fasting positions because vinyl expansion, not a deal-breaker or issue though in my opinion. In doing the math it appears your bunks would require six posts at $16 a peace making the project come in at $96 plus fasteners..

This is what I did Bamby---
I went to Lowes, ( Home depot also had the same thing ) and found 1x4 12 foot sections of a hard vinyl that was in the floor molding section.
I don't remember the price but I did my whole trailer for around $100.00, then sprayed it with silicone.
Its not "slick as snot" but absolutely is easier to load or unload.
I can now unload on a shallow ramp that I couldn't before since I don't need as much water.
I just pre-drilled a small indention where I wanted to put my screws so the screw heads wouldn't meet the tubes.
Dropped the boat at the lake and had them on in about 30 minutes or so, then sprayed the silicone.
Very happy with the outcome and cost.

Here is a pic with the boat on the trailer, at least you can see the white vinyl 1x2's between the bunks and the tubes.
And yes I know my tubes are dirty but the catfish don't seem to care.

[SoCalAngler]

Thanks Drago, Chillin and Steve!

Steve, I will visit Lowes and take a look at this white vinyl. Definitely something to consider.

Chillin, My boards may be good, as the boat was in the dry desert of Arizona and only used about 5-6 times since new. I will check them nonetheless. I like the pre-planned process. Did you have a problem with holding the carriage bolt heads as you tightened seeing as they were counter sunked? I had this problem on a previous trailer bunk project.

Drago, where did you locate UHMW?

[chill'nthemost]

Did you have a problem with holding the carriage bolt heads as you tightened seeing as they were counter sunked?

I used a 3/8 IR air impact gun. I didn't drill a countersink, the force from the torque pulled the heads flush (fast) I'm a big fan of air and power tools

[dockside]

Just an FYI.... Carpet and aluminum don't mix well. If you trailer alot, the friction between the two will create static, and will eat pin holes in your toons or an aluminum boat hull. We have several jon boats here that have the pinhole problem and couldn't figure out what the hell. Then we noticed they were all in the same basic area of the hull. Looked at the trailers and all were carpeted.

When we went to buy our new toon, the dealer showed us the trailer and i commented on the plastic buk covers. He shared the static issue and said they don't sell carpeted bunk trailers just for that reason....

Well, I'll be. Problem solved.

[Drago]

Thanks Drago, Chillin and Steve!

Drago, where did you locate UHMW?

Sorry for the late reply. I found UV resistant UHMW over at
http://www.superslide.com/bispecials.php#blueiron

They will cut it any size you want. It was a bit pricey but not as much as some of the pre-made stuff around.

[megawatt]

My bunks are going to need a new carpet job real soon. I ran across this product today...

http://www.bunkaps.com/index.aspx

anyone ever try these? Pros cons?

Not sure about the raised portions and what affect this could have on the pontoons, especially while driving down our bumpy US roads!

BTW....how to you guys get the carpet job done while boat is on trailer? I don't have any nearby marinas where I could put boat in water for one full day (what it would take to remove bunks and recarpet)?

Thanks

I ordered a set of bunkaps for my jet skis last August, and have not received them yet. The owner of the company has stopped corresponding to me.