Roller Bunks vs. Bunks with Carpet

Instead of changing out your bunk boards with carpet, have any of you replaced your bunks with the CE Smith Roller Bunks for your bass boat?

Just read on another forum that eventually the rollers will leave indentions in the fiberglass. Back to the bunk boards with carpet. Any recommendations for the better carpet to put on the boards? Or is it all about the same?

Honestly I was thinking about buying some of these:

http://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/

I don't like that last foot of trying to muscle the boat up on the trailer with the engine. These let the boat slip and slide much easier, and they never will need replaced. They are a little pricey though compared to wood and carpet.

Actually I guess it isn't that bad price wise. I have 4 bunks, two of which are 2x6, and two of which are 2x4. So... It looks like it would run 128 + 88.... That is..... Come on math... $216.00???? That's not so bad. Plus shipping of course.

I do like the looks of these, but dang, those are pricey. You might want to go back and look at your calcs. My boat is an 18' Skeeter, and it has two 5 foot long 2x4s, and two 9 foot long 2x4s. Shipped that comes to $396.00. I think I may stick with the wood and the carpet for now.

I would also like to hear more people sing the praises of the Ultimate Bunk Boards before I go that route.

You can spray your carpeted bunks with a silicone based spray, but I warn you...its slick.

I would stick with carpeted bunks. As far as using the motor to get it all the way forward, that's what motors do. Also, all it takes is one forgetful moment or just being in a rush and you have a boat sitting in the middle of a ramp.
When I load, I back the trailer far enough to get the bunks completely wet then pull forward to where I want it and have no issues loading and I do it by myself almost every day.

After thinking about this for a bit, one option might be to replace half of your bunks with the plastic ones so the friction is reduced but you still have something to prevent the boat from sliding off when you don't want it to.

You might check out the new Basscat bunk material. It is a plastic pillow type material and eliminates the wet carpet problem that often bubbles the gelcoat. I understand they will sell the covered bunks.

Why are you worried about your boat falling off the trailer? If you unhook the boat from the trailer before you are in the water, or you don't hook it up before you pull it out, you're going to end up regretting it in the long run no matter what kind of bunks you have. Your boat will take a dive at some point, as has been recently illustrated on this very forum.

Yep I never put in or pull out without being hooked up you are asking for trouble carpeted bunks can slide a boat off just as easy as the others.

I never unhook until my transom is in the water. When I trailer, I drive the boat up as far as I can, step off the bow and hook it up, then winch it tight against the bow roller. I'm almost always by myself so I have a routine, I just live in fear that one of these days, I'll get distracted from my routine and will have a disaster.

I'm not. My bunk boards were shot and I like for my gear to be reliable. This is my first boat, and I know in 2015 there are many more options than just carpeted 2x4s. I just wanted to make sure I got the best solution for me.

I did use the liquid rollers though, and dang. They are slick. Yeah, you don't unhook until you're in the water, and you don't pull out without tightening down against the bow roller. After putting that Liquid Rollers on my new bunk boards with new carpet from Bass Pro I am convinced that it would be very easy to pull up and have the boat slide plumb off the trailer and leave it laying right in the middle of the boat ramp. It does make getting that boat all the way up to the bow roller stupid easy. I bumped it a bit harder than I planned this evening. I am going to have to get used to the new slick bunks.

I didn't mean you Kevin. Sorry if it came off that way. Someone a few posts above said that they were afraid their boat would fall off the trailer with the ultimate bunk boards. I am always amazed at everyone racing to get their boat on or off the trailer. You spend 20k, 40k, 60k plus on a boat, you'd think you'd go slow and protect your investment and do it right the first time. Saw a boat laying on the ramp at Conroe a few weeks ago. Looked nice and new. Bet that sucked. Bet they hook it up next time.