bunk replacement

[AnonymousBoater]

I need to replace a bunk on my trailer, easy job but what sort of wood should i use? what about carpet? what about glue to hold the carpet to the bunks..or should I use staples?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: bunk replacement

i use untreated pine, 2x4 or 2x6. 3 coats of a sealing paint. then carpet using galvanized roofing nails. home depot usually has some 5x8 carpets for $15. i but them, and cut length wise. this way i can get 3 trailers out of one rug.

Getting Boat Off Trailer

you don't need stands.

1/you can lower the tongue to the ground. i would get some 6x6 or old railroad crossties cut the +- 12 inches, now block up the transom. 2/

Raise the tongue of the trailer the back of trailer will drop away from trailer. this is the tricky part. between the cross braces of the trailer block the keel lower trailer, boat will be suspended on the blocks.

3/ pull forward, lift bow again, and reblock i a different place. repeat until trailer is out from under the boat.

4/ to reload, just reverse the procedure.

if you were just working on the bunks, or painting the bottom. you could just do the first 2 steps.

 

[AnonymousBoater]

Re: bunk replacement

I think I'm going to just go to the lake and tie the boat off while I work on the trailer. But you use untreated? is that because the warping of treated?

You use just regular thin carpet? Do you do the two layer thing?

Should the brackets that connect the bunk to the trailer be replaced at this time? Where can I get those?

 

[lrice01]

Re: bunk replacement

When I replaced my bunks, I made up a set identical to the ones on my boat. Same length and width. I treated the 2 x 4 douglas fir with 3 coats of varathane, then attached the bunk carpeting with galvanized staples. I launched my boat , removed the old and replaced. One of my easier projects so far!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: bunk replacement

single carpet thin carpet. look at a new trailer, what i get for home depot, is twice as heavy. i use untreated, and the chemical in treated lumber eats metal fasteners. the brackets totally depend on condition. if you are launching in salt water probably.

 

[slia67]

Re: bunk replacement

TD,

Obviously, I have never pulled the boat off my trailer when its in my driveway. While you are unloading the baot from the trailer, how to you keep the boat from rolling from side to side?

 

[AnonymousBoater]

Re: bunk replacement

single carpet thin carpet. look at a new trailer, what i get for home depot, is twice as heavy. i use untreated, and the chemical in treated lumber eats metal fasteners. the brackets totally depend on condition. if you are launching in salt water probably.

I was considering the brackets because they seem slightly bent. They have no rust though. The bolts are shot, both the lag bolts that go into the wood and the one's that connect the bracket to the trailer. Rusted like no tommorrow.

I may pick these up:http://www.outerbanksoutfitters.com/product/369560420.htm?utm_medium=productsearch&utm_source=google

So one layer of thin carpet. Untreated 2 x 4's with with a few coats of sealent of some sort. Few new bolts and I'm good.

Any trick to keeping the alignment of the current bunks or how to set the new ones? Currently it seemed like the bunks were semi-loose to the trailer where they can automatically adjust themselves. This doesn't seem right, but it did seem like the bunks would tilt a little when I was looking at that broke bunk.

 

[AnonymousBoater]

Re: bunk replacement

Here are some pics of the current brackets...replace?

 

[Shizzy]

Re: bunk replacement

I would knock everything apart, replace the hardware and sand and repaint the brackets.

 

[AnonymousBoater]

Re: bunk replacement

I would knock everything apart, replace the hardware and sand and repaint the brackets.

the bend doesn't concern you?

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: bunk replacement

My trailer is still in pieces so you guys are far ahead of me but I am using mahogany for the bunks. I counter sunk stainless steel carrage bolts through the bunks to bolt to the powder coated brackets. I wraped the bunks on 3 sides with carpet using stainless steel staples so water hopefully will drain out from under the carpet. I am trying to use stainless steel hardware where ever I can. I only want to do this once. No pictures because everything is still in pieces.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: bunk replacement

the bend doesn't concern you?

not unless there are cracks. I assume its bent to the front of the trailer. Its probably bent from all the times the boat has been shoved up on to the bunks coming off the water.

But then again, its your boat and trailer, if you dont like what you see, then its worth the couple of bucks for new hardware for the peace of mind.