Trailer Bunk/Gel Damage

[gcarter]

I pulled my boat off the trailer recently and found some gel damage on the hull bottom
where the boat sits on the trailer bunks.
The bunks, it turns out, had the bunk bevel cut at too steep an angle (probably 30*)
and had a sharp sawn corner at the top of the bevel. The damage to the bottom was
caused by a 2800 mile round trip to Lake George last June.
So today, I cut away the rear 5' of the bunk carpet and sanded the bunk bevel to a
better angle and included a large radius at the top transition of the bevel and the top
horizontal bunk surface.
I then took the trailer to the local marine shop to have the bunks recovered.
In the pics below, you can see the carpet was cut on both bunks, and at the forward
end of one of the pictures, you can see the original bevel and also my new configuration.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=85896&d=1493333876

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=85898&d=1493333877

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=85899&d=1493333878

[Offset]

George that has to be very disappointing. Can the gel coat be fixed?

Best of luck with it.

[gcarter]

George that has to be very disappointing. Can the gel coat be fixed?

Best of luck with it.

Yes, I've already sprayed some new gel on the bottom in narrow strips about 18" long.
I've rough sanded it, but still have to color sand them and polish.
The new bunk covers will probably cost about $250 though.

[yeller]

I feel for you George.

Those type of repairs always seem to be the biggest waste of time. You think you're 100% finished and then something that shouldn't happen....does. :frown:

[Bobby D]

George,
Question what type of wood are your bunks made from? I discovered one of my bunks on a Rolls Axel Trailer is showing signs of mold and getting soft in several spots so I will be replacing them very soon.
My bunks are 4x6 made out of cypress I believe.
Bob

[gcarter]

I was told they were cypress. They are about 2 years old and cost
about $600 w/carpet. Mine are a bit larger at about 10" high.

[Bobby D]

Thanks for the reply and good luck to you and your family today. I have been watching the weather channel and the Keys are getting hit very hard now.

[CHACHI]

So thats what you were doing "under your boat" when I called.

Stay safe my friend.

Ken

[RickSE]

I feel your pain. The tongue jack on our trailer broke several years ago, nut came loose from the screw. I thought I'd fixed it and we took off for the lake heading down the freeway. A few miles into our journey I heard a jingle, jingle noise and pulled over. The jack post had come loose again & was skipping across the road surface as we went down the freeway. The worst part though was as I stopped on the side of the freeway the jack post dug into the fresh asphalt that had just been laid down and sprayed asphalt and oily tar all over the boat. It gets better though. Our boat used to sit high on the bow stop and bunks, and what I didn't realize was that the asphalt rocks had gone in the gap between the hull & the bunks at the front of the trailer. As soon as we got to the lake and took the boat off..... SCRAPE.... all down the inner set of bunks near the keel. :(