Trailer Bunks

[Jraysray]

Has anyone repalced the bunk's on the boat trailer with anything else than wood? I was working on my trailer this weekend and pulled the carpet back to fing MAJOR rot going on. I mean BAD rot. Just curious.

[vlbob2]

I had the same rotten problem! I replaced with salt treated lumber, but the real culprit is the carpet...holding moisture and rotting the wood. Most trailer dealers now sell plastic/poly covers to fit nominal lumber and is kind to your boat and much slicker than carpet. Many newer trailers come with these poly covers instead of carpet. (Be sure to keep winch hook on til you're ready to launch! Bob '87 classic 18:popcorn:

[fegettes]

Scott,

I use 2 X 6 treated lumber and have never had to replace them again. IMO, the 2 X 6 is strong enough and will actually flex to support the curvature of the hull.

Steve

[Jraysray]

I had the same rotten problem! I replaced with salt treated lumber, but the real culprit is the carpet...holding moisture and rotting the wood. Most trailer dealers now sell plastic/poly covers to fit nominal lumber and is kind to your boat and much slicker than carpet. Many newer trailers come with these poly covers instead of carpet. (Be sure to keep winch hook on til you're ready to launch! Bob '87 classic 18:popcorn:

Where do you get salt treated lumber?

[VetteLT193]

Where do you get salt treated lumber?

go to a good lumber yard and they should have different treatment ratings. I think salt is like 2 or 2.5 rating. regular is maybe only .5 . I can't remember what the rating exactly is, but I think its how much treatment stays in the wood. The higher the number the better it is. "Salt treated" is equal to the 2 or 2.5 number. there are other ratings like in ground, fresh water, etc. that are lower numbers.

[Cuda]

Try to find some cypress bunks. I have some that are 22 years old, and hard as a rock. The V bunk was of PT wood. The only thing holding it together was the carpet. Just pieces came out when I took the carpet off.

[Walt. H.]

Back in 2002 I replaced my wood bunks with Douglass fir when I was rebuilding the trailer for my cvx-18, and gave it a few gloss coats of urethane so that water can't soak into the wood anymore like it would if it was raw wood, especially with in/out door carpet stapled over the top of it.
Now it doesn't matter that I have in/out door carpet on top and everything is still like new today, knock on wood. pun intended.:crossfing:

[fegettes]

Scott,

If you are looking for treated lumber with ratings, I believe the best place to find it in your area is at Kemah Hardware. They specialize in treated lumber for docks, and they will have the best selection of galvanized and SST hardware also that you will not find at Home Depot or Lowes.

[gcarter]

Is that the same Kemah Hardware that's been there since about 1900? Are they in the same old original building?
Always made their living catering to the fishing fleet crowd.

[fegettes]

Is that the same Kemah Hardware that's been there since about 1900? Are they in the same old original building?
Always made their living catering to the fishing fleet crowd.

Yes, they are George, same hardware store in the same place. Fortunately, they have specialized in areas that Home Depot and Lowes do not, like the extra treating in their lumber and again, they have the good galvanized and SST fittings for building docks and bulkheads that are needed here on the Gulf coast, and they are still hanging in there. Great specialty hardware store.

[Team Jefe]

Scott, The best place to find it in your area is at Kemah Hardware.

Hands down, no question they can get you fixed up.:yes:

[Tidbart]

If you want to get away from rot all together, find some Trimax composite lumber. No wood involved, hence no rot. Cuts and drill like wood, made from recycled bottles.
http://trimaxbp.com/pages/index101.php

My trailer has PT that was painted black, sealed, before the carpet went on. Trailer manufacturer has had good luck with this procedure over the years and it is not anywhere near as costly as cypress.

B

[Jraysray]

If you want to get away from rot all together, find some Trimax composite lumber. No wood involved, hence no rot. Cuts and drill like wood, made from recycled bottles.
http://trimaxbp.com/pages/index101.php

My trailer has PT that was painted black, sealed, before the carpet went on. Trailer manufacturer has had good luck with this procedure over the years and it is not anywhere near as costly as cypress.

B

Have you seen this used on a trailer? Was there carpet involved after it was installed or is it slick enough bare? Any chance of it marking up the hull if not carpted?

From what I read you have pressure treated painted and sealed lumber on yours.

[Tidbart]

Have you seen this used on a trailer? Was there carpet involved after it was installed or is it slick enough bare? Any chance of it marking up the hull if not carpted?

From what I read you have pressure treated painted and sealed lumber on yours.

No, haven't seen it, other than the photo on their site. Click on the link, it should show one application of it on a trailer. They didn't use carpet on that one as it doesn't splinter. They use this stuff for docks and such, where moisture is an issue.

I was investigating the use of alternative to PT for decks and such and started looking at this stuff since it comes in 2x's and 3x's and other dimensions, not just decking like some companies.

I would use it on my next trailer. Didn't think of it when I was spec'n it.
Money well spent if you want something that will last. I would most likely still cover it with carpet for aesthetic purposes.:yes:

Bob

[VetteLT193]

I did some additional reading and people said it is more bouncy that regular wood... if you go the Trimax route I suggest putting one bunk right on the frame like the show in the picture as well as the standard bunks. And I would keep them all vertical, not laid flat.

[RPD]

That's the stuff I was referring to in the other thread on bunks last week or so. I've seen it on a number of trailers, not a lot but not rare either .... maybe one of the local trailer builders is using it. I will try to notice the "brand" of trailer and follow up.

PS: They are NOT carpeted.

[Tidbart]

My thought: the stuff may be more bouncy, but so what if it is? Flexible isn't necessarily a bad thing. It would make it easier to conform to the hull.

[Planetwarmer]

My thought: the stuff may be more bouncy, but so what if it is? Flexible isn't necessarily a bad thing. It would make it easier to conform to the hull.

It all depends on how bouncy. If it bounces very much, it would cause erosion on the hull where it touches.

[Walt. H.]

It all depends on how bouncy. If it bounces very much, it would cause erosion on the hull where it touches.

Only if you drove constantly on railroad ties but thats why carpet is used to cushion abrasion and a little flex helps absorb road shock rather then having the hull sit on something as hard as concrete...

[Tidbart]

I would guarantee a 3x6 bunk wouldn't bounce at all once under a boat.

[gcarter]

The bunks on the Williams Engineering dollies came w/the plastic wood replacement product.
No carpet and pretty slippery. The dollies can be made to slide under the hull.

[Jraysray]

I only have two verticle bunks on the sides and a "cradle" type on the bow so I am not to sure that the bounce factor would be that big of a deal. Kinda hard to see here but you get the point.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=59&pictureid=633

[Jraysray]

The bunks on the Williams Engineering dollies came w/the plastic wood replacement product.
No ccarpet and pretty slippery. The dollies can be made to slide under the hull.

Any chance of marking?

[Tidbart]

Any chance of marking?

If there was any chance of marking, I can guarantee they wouldn't be under George's boat.:)

[gcarter]

Any chance of marking?

Nope!
No way Jose!

[NJFASTECH]

here is a link for Cypress. I had to purchase some Australian cypress flooring for a customer this week and came across this site.Wow they even had pecky cypess t+g in stock.
http://www.specialtylumber.net/content/cypress_lumber.php