Dang, my bunks are broke!...........

[chrisg]

I went to get my pontoon trailer to take it out of the water (The pontoon, not the trailer!), had it all hooked up and ready to go, had the wife stand behind and check the lights, then waited till I drove it past my other boat so not to hit it. Then she noticed the bunks flapping, asked it that is normal.

On closer inspection, I notice that the last 2 feet of the outside bunk is gone, and looking at the others, all are loose! Grrrr?..

Well the carpeting is still intact, just no wood on the one bunk! It looked like someone hit the trailer and broke off the end of the bunk! ( or the wood is old and broke)
And most of the screws holding the bunks down are missing! Grrrrr????..

Now its off to Menards to get a 2*4* 20 foot PT lumber, and to re-carpet. I hope I can just re-use the carpet from the old bunk, do I need to get special staples, or can I just use normal ones? And is how long ? ??

Also, I was able to take one screw out, and will get new screws to fasten all the bunks down. I think I should be able to just move the bunks down 1? or so, so I can make new holes to attach the screws. (They are wood screws, not bolts through the bunks.)

The other bunks look OK still, so I should not have to get all new ones. ( this is a ?87 trailer) the wood looks OK ( except for the missing one).

Always something!!!!!!!

 

[Bamby]

Re: Dang, my bunks are broke!...........

If it were me Chris I'd spring for a box of stainless steel ones. Just a little more money but won't rust off in a year. One half or five eighths should be sufficient.
Gregg

 

[mthieme]

Re: Dang, my bunks are broke!...........

SS staples definitely.
That wood doesn't last forever.

 

[chrisg]

Re: Dang, my bunks are broke!...........

Thanks, I guess the wood don't last forever!

I figured I should spring for SS staples.

I'm going to take the trailer to Menard's to get the wood, cant see placing a 20 foot piece of lumber on the side of my truck ( Just my luck, some guy coming the other way on the road will think I'm Jousting (SP!?) and call the cops!)

now to go find my staple gun!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Dang, my bunks are broke!...........

I like to use Stainless steel roofing nails, they seem to hold better than staples. I also glue the carpet to the bunks, the glue also seems to water proof the wood a bit more.
I've used both pressure treated and plain lumber, it don't seem to make much difference here. I think the salt water does something to preserve plain wood or something. My one trailer is a 1987, I put new plain fir 2x4 bunks on it back in 1990 and their still like new.

Most boat trailer suppliers sell the ss nails, maybe even a hardware store? Plain steel or galvanized will eventually rust away and leave rust stains too.

I often use a boat trailer to haul lumber, they make a great all purpose carrier for long items!

 

[chrisg]

Re: Dang, my bunks are broke!...........

I think the wood does not sit long enough in water to make a difference, and they get to dry out between 'dunkings", so normal wood would probably work also ( that's what the wood appears to be - standard, not PT ( Then again, did they have PT back then?)