# Bunks



## rcgreat (May 1, 2009)

Should I use carpet covered pressure treated wood for my replacement bunks ?


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## russ010 (May 1, 2009)

I would...


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

I've been wondering the same thing. I don't understand why the same concerns for pressure treated wood would not apply for bunks. I would think once a bunk has gotten a tear in the carpet, the same type reaction could take place on the bottom of the hull. 

Also, unless you are using one of the rubber backed carpets, I'm guessing that the corrosive components will eventually weep into the carpet. Especially when the wet bunks are left to bake in the sun. And again, the same rules apply once there is a tear.

I would like to hear more feedback before I purchase new bunks.


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## shizzy77 (May 1, 2009)

here is my take. 

last season I replaced the rotted carpet on my untreated bunks. the wood was fine, the carpet was falling apart. the P.O. had applied some paint to the untreated boards and stapled the carpet on. I pulled the old carpet, sanded and repainted and stapled on new carpet. 

I keep my boat in a garage so the bunks are only wet for a short time. for me its not worth the hassle or worry with treated boards. If I had a larger boat that was more difficult to get off the trailer to replace the bunks I might worry, but if all I need to do is slide the boat off in to the grass and buy one 8 foot 2 x 4 every few years thats fine.


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## Zum (May 1, 2009)

I'd be worried about the pressure treated wood.It be on my mind to much wondering if it is seeping into the carpet.I don't think I'd chance it,something like this is going to be going on next for me.:https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/
https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

Zum said:


> I'd be worried about the pressure treated wood.It be on my mind to much wondering if it is seeping into the carpet.I don't think I'd chance it,something like this is going to be going on next for me.:https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/
> https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/



Dang! They're only 15 minutes from me. Thanks Zum. I'd like to go check them out.


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## russ010 (May 1, 2009)

ultimate bunkboards are what I have on my trailer.. and those things are SLICK! you better be careful if you plan on walking on them at all - found out the hard way the first time I tried to load my boat at Lathem in January with them suckers... man that water was cold!

They are DEFINITELY worth the money though - and they are holding up well so far.. no notches taken out and they aren't scratched at all... they do have a little bit of my blue paint on them from the bottom of the boat though.

I just barely put the end of the bunks in the water and I can pull my boat all the way up (and my boat is not light)


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

I'm trying to envision this....If you just barely put your bunks in the water, how do you keep it from sliding back off before you can hook up? Now I'm thinking that at some of the steeper ramps, these things might be a problem.... :-k


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## russ010 (May 1, 2009)

don't forget I don't have guides on my trailer, so I can't back it down that far in the water. I guess I could do it, but if the boat is not resting in this hauling place, I can't lift the back of the boat by myself and adjust it correctly to make it sit between the chines on the bottom of the boat. 

I pull the boat up with the rope attached to the front handle of the boat, hook the winch to it and winch it all the way up. Then I can drive out of the ramp. I don't drive my boat up on the trailer, I pull it on because I'm always by myself.


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

Russ, what if you always had someone with you, and the idea was that whoever was loading the boat on the trailer would stay in the boat and hook up. Do you think these things would cause a problem? Most of the guys I see go full steam (with their trolling motors) and get within 2 feet of the bow stop before their boat stops on the carpeted bunks. This seems to hold them in place to allow them to walk to the front of the boat and reach down to grab the strap. They will then crank themselves up from the boat, or just leave the boat where it is and crank it the rest of the way up after they have pulled the boat from the water and are packing up. 

To me, the ultimatebunks may be like being on rollers (like I have now) I would think that the boat would always keep trying to slide off. I'm not sure if "slick" is so much what I am after as I am trying to find a product that will never need to be replaced/carpeted.

On steep ramps (maybe 2 out of our tourney lakes), my partner keeps the trolling motor turned on in the back as he goes up to the front of the boat to keep from rolling off. Although it's not ideal, it keeps him in the boat and me in the truck without anyone having to get wet. 

Whadaya think?


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## ober51 (May 1, 2009)

I think I'd be concerned about PT wood if the bottom of my boat was aluminum - but if it has Steel Flex, will it matter?


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

ober51 said:


> I think I'd be concerned about PT wood if the bottom of my boat was aluminum - but if it has Steel Flex, will it matter?



:lol: Now I'm back to carpeted pressure treated. :LMFAO:


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## ober51 (May 1, 2009)

Brine said:


> ober51 said:
> 
> 
> > I think I'd be concerned about PT wood if the bottom of my boat was aluminum - but if it has Steel Flex, will it matter?
> ...



Wait, are you making fun of me? Lol. I think Steel Flex will protect, am I right?


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

ober51 said:


> Brine said:
> 
> 
> > ober51 said:
> ...



No, I'm making fun of myself for flip flopping on ideas. That's why I'm here tho, to hear other people's opinions. 

Yes, the steelflex I put on the boat should keep any possible copper that weeps into the carpet from reaching the hull. 

I've seen alot of trailers on here and in real life with torn carpet. I was trying to consider some different options rather than carpeted bunks.


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## ober51 (May 1, 2009)

Haha, that's what I figured. Don't worry, I have thick skin even if you were poking fun  But yeah, that's why we are all here, to learn and make fewer mistakes!


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## rcgreat (May 1, 2009)

Now Im confused  Which is better? I cannot afford ultimatebunks right now. What is everyone else using right now? Right now my bunks are cover in rubber which is working fine but, I need to move to bunks back a few inches and Im am not going to be able to remove the rubber without tearing it apart because the guy who put it on used about two hundred roofing nails to secure the rubber to the bunks. So I want to make sure I do it right the first time. Thanks you everone for your replys. 

Gary


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## fish devil (May 1, 2009)

:twisted: I replaced my original bunks(rotted) four years ago with pressure teated 2x4 with marine grade carpet and glue. Plus I used rust free staples on the bottom of the bunks. Put on bunk pads to save the carpet but they cracked after several years. The bunks/carpet are still in real good shape. My boat is a 2000 Pro Team16 Tracker and probably has about 100 plus trips with the newer bunks. Here is a sample of the bunk pads(not my trailer).....


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## Brine (May 1, 2009)

fish devil said:


> :twisted: I replaced my original bunks(rotted) four years ago with pressure teated 2x4 with marine grade carpet and glue. Plus I used rust free staples on the bottom of the bunks. Put on bunk pads to save the carpet but they cracked after several years. The bunks/carpet are still in real good shape. My boat is a 2000 Pro Team16 Tracker and probably has about 100 plus trips with the newer bunks. Here is a sample of the bunk pads(not my trailer).....



Yep, those look good, but I don't think you're supposed to use them on riveted hulls like I have tho.


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## Tunnels (May 2, 2009)

My bunks are original to the trailer and are pressure treated. I replaced the carpets twice in 17 years(needs to be done again). With the boat sitting on them they don't see bad weather & sun. They aren't sitting in water very long and they dry out quick. I also spray them down with silicon every two or three times I launch so the boat slides real easy.


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## SnowmanJon (May 3, 2009)

I used treated 2x4s and cap them with PVC and that was too slick so I then just wraped them in outdoor carpet...so now if the carpet wears through I wont have any worries...but it hasn't and I've had mine on there about 3-4 years although my boat is stock and not very heavy and it's pretty secure when I tow it..so there isn't much sliding around.

JON


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## Andy (May 3, 2009)

Is this what you did SnowmanJon?? 







That's how I was thinking of doing mine if/when I build my trailer. But never thaught of it being slick.. LOL
But if that's the case, I'll be doing 2x4 covered in carpet.


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## Popeye (May 11, 2009)

When I did my bunks I used a product called Bunk Glide Ons from Eastern Marine Trailer Parts Superstore (I have no affiliation with them but they sure do have some great products as well as outstanding customer service). https://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=6915&categoryID=221

If you look at what I did and check out the pictures you can see the bunks are aren't pressure treated (at least they don't look it to me) , but if you were concerned about using pressure treated you could use cedar instead.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3991&hilit=glide

I only did the back half as I power load so the front half still has carpet to grip the hull and prevent it from sliding back.


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## 2007NNBS (May 20, 2009)

well i just got in from taking my bunks off and replacing them with the treated 2x4's i just got from town with and now im not sure if i want to use them...some are sayin that the copper seaps into the carpet...should i use them...i dont want to chance it


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## Zum (May 20, 2009)

Exactly....why chance it?


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## russ010 (May 20, 2009)

Brine said:


> Russ, what if you always had someone with you, and the idea was that whoever was loading the boat on the trailer would stay in the boat and hook up. Do you think these things would cause a problem? Most of the guys I see go full steam (with their trolling motors) and get within 2 feet of the bow stop before their boat stops on the carpeted bunks. This seems to hold them in place to allow them to walk to the front of the boat and reach down to grab the strap. They will then crank themselves up from the boat, or just leave the boat where it is and crank it the rest of the way up after they have pulled the boat from the water and are packing up.
> 
> To me, the ultimatebunks may be like being on rollers (like I have now) I would think that the boat would always keep trying to slide off. I'm not sure if "slick" is so much what I am after as I am trying to find a product that will never need to be replaced/carpeted.
> 
> ...



I don't know how I missed this.. .but have been out of town.

Anyways, I don't know how it would work with 2 people in it. You might be able to leave the rear trolling motor running while he runs up to the front to hook it up.

I tried putting mine on by myself running it up, and it worked fine, but I didn't have side walls to keep the boat from moving side to side - that's how I fell in trying to stop it from running away..

I think you'd be best suited for carpeted bunks - and I personally still wouldn't worry about the PT wood - I'm more than likely going to replace mine with Ultimate Bunkboards again just because I'm always by myself. I've also thought about getting a boat hook that attaches the winch hook to the bow (I still don't see how that works..), but I gotta figure something out. I'm going to fish it a few times first and try loading it by myself with the carpeted bunks to see if I can just run it on and hook up.

Bassboy1 uses his front trolling motor all the way up the trailer and then attaches it - he's got it down to a science, so I'm just going to have to practice.


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## bassboy1 (May 23, 2009)

Here's my 2 cents worth. Although I haven't seen the ultimate bunks themselves, I believe they are of a similar material as to what Popeye has on his rig. And, what Popeye has on his rig is of a similar, if not identical, material as white plastic cutting boards. See what I am getting at here? 

On my last boat, I made my own bunk slicks out of cutting boards. Just painted the board black, and installed the slicks on top. They worked flawlessly, well except for the slippery part. For the way I launch and load, carpet is the only way to go. But, if you feel that the slicks (as Brine mentioned, they are very similar to rollers) are necessary, save yourself the cash, and get a few Walmart 3/8 cutting boards, rip them to width, and install them with countersunk stainless screws. Be sure to countersink them in real deep. 

Now, seeing as slicks have similar affects as rollers, lets look at the advantages of roller trailers over bunk trailers. Roller trailers, for the most part, are designed for steeper ramps, in areas where power loading isn't legal/practical. As in, they are made for winching pretty much the whole way on, just as Russ does (however, seeing as his boat is a bit lighter than a 20 foot bowrider, he pulls his on most of the way, as opposed to winching it). 

Where I fish, we have well maintained concrete ramps, and most of the time, I have my outboard. Thus, when fishing double, and launching, I will either unhook my winch at the top of the ramp, or when the trailer is about at the water depending on conditions, then whoever is fishing with me will back me in the rest of the way, and the momentum from backing up will continue my float past the trailer. Can't do that with slicks. 

When I load, either by myself, or with someone, I back the trailer in to where when I idle onto the trailer, I stop about a foot or so from the post. Then, I give it a little gas, and the boat slides up to the stop, centering itself, and it stays. Then, I can move about the boat, to go up front and hook my winch strap up, without it sliding down, or if trying to get a lot of boats out after a tourney, my partner can start to pull out immediately after I get the boat on, even without the winch strap. With the slicks on my old boat, I would slide back down, so loading was always a two person job. One person to drive the boat on, and the other to hook up the winch strap. 

Personally, I am going to keep sticking with carpet, or if I can find a material with the same characteristics, but better durability, that would be ideal.


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## GNaroz (May 28, 2009)

Just an Idea but what about the product called "Tuf Board" it is available @ Home depot and I think Lowes. It is recycled PVC and is very stable does not absorb water and will not rot.

Might be worth a look.


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## 2007NNBS (May 28, 2009)

post a link on the tuf board...i called both home depot and lowes where i live and they dont even know what it is?


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## GNaroz (May 28, 2009)

This is it.

https://www.tufboard.net/

I have used this on my old house for trimming out columns and in my current house I build my mailbox post out of it.

It machines exactly like wood with standard tools. It should be in the exterior trim section of the big box stores

This is what it looks like completed


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## Popeye (May 28, 2009)

According to the Tuf-board site it says... It is a perfect replacement for wood in most of *non-stress-bearing* applications. Not sure I would use that for trailer bunks myself.


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## 2007NNBS (May 28, 2009)

do they make 2x4's in pvc i was thinkin about the pvc fence from lowes or home depot?


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## Popeye (May 28, 2009)

I have seen PVC 2x4 material but it is pretty springy. Maybe if your bunks are on standing edge they might do okay. For the price of PVC and the other man-made boards you could just buy cedar and be done with it.


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## 2007NNBS (May 28, 2009)

i would think 1/4" would be pretty stout we have some stuff at work that is aluminum wraped in pvc but i dont think it comes in the size i could use


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## 2007NNBS (May 28, 2009)

i think im gonna buy some of the aluminum wraped in pvc and see how good it works...if it works good i may can get dealer cost for anyone intrested...ill have to see how it turns out


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## GNaroz (May 29, 2009)

2007NNBS said:


> do they make 2x4's in pvc i was thinkin about the pvc fence from lowes or home depot?



Sure just use Gorilla glue and put two pieces of 3/4 together 

I would think that if the rail run under the bunks then there would not be much of a load.


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