Trailer Bunk cover options

[Avialanche]

I have a problem with quick wear & tear of the carpet on my trailer bunks, just changed em last summer and now they need to be changed again, are there any alternatives to carpet? or is there a premium carpet out there that will stand-up to the high number of launch/retreivals that i do per season?

[DJ13]

I have the same problem. I've seen some polypropelene type runners you can buy and screw onto the tops of your bunks. They come in various widths and are about 3' in length per section. I'm hoping they get back on the shelves at my local boater's world so I can catch the brand name and do some more research on them...

[need for speed]

I try to float my boat on the trailer . saves the carpet and the hull but you can;t always be so lucky.:boat:

[joel3078]

Look around for a spray bottle that's for use with bunks. Probably silicoln or some other type of lubricant. Supposed to make the wear on the carpet alot less. Don't use it myself as I get in the water and float it on/off while momma drives it till I get in the boat.

[Avialanche]

I try to float my boat on the trailer . saves the carpet and the hull but you can;t always be so lucky.:boat:

I can't float the boat on because it sits at level atitude when floating, while the trailer is at a 20-30 degree atitude, so if i float it on the trailer and pull it out, the boat ends up 8-12 inches away from the bow stop rollers, not to mention the back end will not stay centered on the trailer without a 2nd person help before i pull it out, so the risk of damage to hull from the trailer is much higher when tryin to float it on the trailer.

[Avialanche]

Look around for a spray bottle that's for use with bunks. Probably silicoln or some other type of lubricant. Supposed to make the wear on the carpet alot less. Don't use it myself as I get in the water and float it on/off while momma drives it till I get in the boat.

Not too crazy about putting somthing on the bunks that gonna make dirt & sand stick to the carpet surface and grind up the bottom of boat, since when i drive it on to the trailer it stirs up sand and stuff from the ramps underwater surface because of the prop wash.

[MOP]

I use "Bunk Ease" blue can at West great stuff I am on my third year carpet is now just showing wear.

Phil

[Avialanche]

Dont sink the trailer so deep..
THe plastic slides have been known to get sand trapped between them and the hull and chafe badly.. There are dimpled ones out now, no experiance with them..

There is no perfect medium for trailer, it's either in far enough to float it on or out far enough to drive it on or otherwise boat ends up too far from bowstop rollers.

Plastic slides:confused: ....................what are you refering to?

[Avialanche]

I use "Bunk Ease" blue can at West great stuff I am on my third year carpet is now just showing wear.
Phil Gonna have to look into the Bunk Ease product, thanks for the heads up on this stuff.

[Lex98us86]

I have seen people use Dawn dish soap. Not sure how well it works though.

[Speed-Racer]

There is a bunk made from a polyethylene called "dura-bunk"....It cliams not to damage the boat. Google it and see what you come up with, we carry it as an alternative. I'm a fan of having carpet. No plastic or alternative what so ever due to scraping and wearing down of the gelcoat, which will happen no matter what! Floating a boat on is the best idea if you can....Any type of bunk spray works very well "Spray Rollers", etc....

[Avialanche]

There is a bunk made from recycled plastic or a poly called "dura-bunk"....Google it and see what you come up with we carry it as an alternative. I'm a fan of having carpet, and no plastic or alternative what so ever due to scraping and wearing down of the gelcoat, which will happen no matter what! Floating a boat on is the best idea if you can....Any type of bunk spray works very well "Spray Rollers", etc....

I found some plastic slides for bunks, and they're rated at 1,000lbs for fiberglass boats and 4,000lbs for aluminum boats..........my boat weighs at least 7,000lbs. I saw the Spray Rollers stuff on the West Marine site...........thanks for the info though.

[Avialanche]

I have seen people use Dawn dish soap. Not sure how well it works though.


I think i would be asking for negative attention if other people saw me pouring dish soap on the bunks at the ramp...........not to mention the environmental impact.

[chrisc2]

Hi Everybody,

Carpeted bunks really are obsolete.

If you have a regular launch/recovery situation that involves a difficult grade or a requirement for dragging the boat up on to the trailer you should consider the following: Retrofit your trailer with 'some rollers' (keel?) and add 'glide on' inserts to your carpeted bunks.

Link to an example of glide on's http://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/items.asp?CartId={7ABF2C98-5492-446EVERESTA-9632-E964363377F2}&Cc=BUNK%2DGLI&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=

Glide on's come in a variety of flavors. What we are looking for is a fiberglass friendly polymer that has a teflon component. They are very slippery and easy to keep clean. I have used these in OB Cat applications where the boat by necessity sits very high on the trailer and thus needs to be dragged on with a powered winch (not a 'power winch'). I apologize in advance for not providing the vendor information of choice. I will get it tomorrow and send it along. Retrofitting carpeted bunks is a snap.

Best to all,
C2:)

[Monster Truck]

Ive used and installed glide ons on numerious trailers and numerious aplications all with satisfaction, they last for ever and are very gentle on the boat, when wet there as slick as ice but when dry they grasp the boat and dont let it go anywhere until wetted or lifted from the trailer.

[MOP]

Gonna have to look into the Bunk Ease product, thanks for the heads up on this stuff.

You will like it works very well, the only prob is the bunks need to be dry when sprayed and then it takes about 1/2 hour for the Bunk spray to dry. It is not sticky just the opposite! Make sure you ties downs are tight!!!

Phi;

[Last Real Texan]

Used some of this stuff today loading up from Eufala ......Let me tell you this shiat is slick, and when I say slick I mean slippery as cat Shiat.....Almost had an UH-OH from it being so slippery.
I am now home and and able to slightly move the boat from side to side on the trailer 5 hours later, mind you this is a 27 ZX not exactly a light weight. Not sure if it is too slippery.

Get some it works!

Bryan