Alternative to carpeted bunks.

Not looking to convert to rollers.
Not looking for the small slicks sold all over. Have them. Don't like um

I am looking for an alternative to carpeted bunks for my boat trailer. I am using the bunk slik sold at academy, not satisfied.

I want something that is as slick as grease, would prefer to bolt onto existing bunks as they are not standard size and would be prohibitively expensive to replace. I have wood tools, access to metal tools, and a good mechanical aptitude. Would rather avoid off label uses of something without your firsthand experience with it. I.e. I have heard of using composite deck boards from HD and Lowe's and have read up on the shortcomings.

I have been launching with greased bunk slicks, but the material on those is not holding up to my heave boat. The less custom fab work I have to the better as time is limited.

I launch on river ramps and none of them are nice. I want to be able to back down to water, unhook wench and it slide off or be easy to push off. This would be ideal for me if I ever go to the coast as it is better on trailer bearings and such. I do not unhook wench or safety cable prior to backING down to water so getting used to that is a non issue.

Boat is a 20'6" x 72" alumacraft from back when those models were .125" hulls. It's got a 115 on back with floats and a tunnel.

http://www.gatorbak.com/

Delrin (Polyoxymethylene) has an extremely low friction coefficient. You can buy it in sheets from plastic suppliers, in various thickness, and cut/install yourself. I'm not up to speed on what the different offerings out there now are made of, but it would seem to me that someone would be using Delrin or something similar in this application.

My trailer has four carpeted bunks and I'm considering replacing two of them with the plastic type and keeping carpet on two, That would make it easier to launch and trailer without the possibility of a disaster possible with the bunks beeing too slick.

I've been read up on the plastic they use for cutting boards. I am starting to lean that way.

The stuff basscat puts on their bunks are an option...

I don't know if you have a source, but the people that make vandalism-proof toilet partitions use material like cutting boards and that would be the optimum bunk material. If you can find it, you might groove it longwise on a table saw and it would drain and not trap water. Very important if you have an aluminum hull boat you're launching in saltwater. Good luck!

IslandJim

When mine rotted out a couple years ago replaced them with www.ultimatebunkboards.com. Slicker'n hot greased snot and a lot better than the crappy carpeted bunks the trailer came with. Word of warning - don't ever move the trailer with the boat on it without securing the boat, especially uphill on the ramp.
Rather than screw the bunks from below I countersunk 3/8" hex bolts from the top with nyloc nuts. All stainless of course.

I used ultimate bunk boards with carpet on them.

just wondering...has anyone tried the composite deck boards on top of a pressure treated 2x or even a 2x composite board alone?

I have read up on the composite deck board option and it is only feasible if braced. I've got to get measurements and then I'm likely going to go with cutting board material.

I looked at the UBBs and it looked like something I might be interested in until I read that they provide more friction that carpet. I want less not more.
I'm with Dawson.. I don't unhook anything until the trailer is in the water and the stern is beginning to float. That's a good habit to get into and it could save you a lot of grief at the ramp. Same with loading. I've seen photos of boats sitting in the middle of the ramp and it's ugly.

Over my lifetime around ramps, I've seen one vehicle go out of sight backing down the ramp, and two boats slide off trailers before the they got to the water. Both boats were nice fiberglass bass boats. What's particularly bad is that the boats don't necessarily just slide off and stop. The vehicle and trailer don't stop instantly, so if launching, the boat can be pushed along, grinding away on the rough ramp's surface. Seeing it and hearing the awful sound will make a boat-owner cringe.

It convinced me that I need to leave the winch strap attached until the boat is wet. I do let out a foot of strap and relock the winch in gear as part of my launch preparation. That way it's not in a bind when it's time to unhook and the process is easier when reaching over the bow.

Letting out a foot or so on the strap really sounds like a good practice. I never thought of that, but I have steps on the front of the trailer so I can walk onto the boat. Letting out the strap would allow the boat to float and I wouldn't have to power-drive it off the trailer.

An old dog CAN learn new tricks.

Even with a convenience step at the front of the trailer, I've used a number of ramps where the trailer has to be backed in fairly far to launch, so already being in the boat was a good thing. Another plus you will find about letting out a bit of winch strap in advance is that when the boat does float free it's a more obvious feeling; an experienced tow vehicle driver may even see the boat move and can tell when to stop without being signaled to do so. Just be SURE to re-engage that winch after you release some slack!

A time-saver habit I have as part of my launch process is that I start the outboard as soon as the trailer stops. If it starts & idles, I commit to unhooking the winch strap while it idles to warm up before I put it into gear. This way I didn't cut loose before some undiscovered starting issue, and the outboard gets to warm up while I take care of the strap.

With out carpet they will rub the gelcoat off of your boat.

And the whole idea is to get away from carpet.

I just ordered the plastic covering and end pieces from Magictilt that goes over the existing 2X4s. Looking to see how it works out.

Try spraying your carpeted bunks with silicon. Your boat will slide right off, just don't unhook your winch prior to your boat being in the water. I treat mine a few times a year. Depending on how much you use your boat it lasts for a couple of months. I have the Gatorbak cover and they seem pretty good but are not slick. I spray them with silicon and they slip well also. I've had them going on 3 years now with no problem but worry the boards will rot, we'll see.

I don't have carpet

My little boat is way too hard to move on and off, so I am also looking for slick bunks.
Does not seem to be a good low budget option, except for using Trex, possibly.
Ultimate Bunk Boards are $192 for 2 x 6 x 12', not including shipping.
If gatorbaks, $210 for 12' of 2x6, are not slippery, then what is their advantage?
Delrin sheet of 12" x 12" x .75" is $104 at Interstate Plastics.
Amazon has HDPE 1"x48"x96" for $474.
3/4 x 6" nylon is $46.54/ft at US Plastic and 3/4" x 48" x 96" Polypropylene Sheet $307.29/sheet,
that's 8 8' strips x 6" for $307 + shipping- Hey, that might be OK, I'll split a sheet with you.
Its not UV resistant, but the boat sits on top usually.

If I were going to go that route, I would use King Starboard.. It's made for the marine industry and will not turn brittle oe discolor and is super slick. Cust pieces 6" long and the width of the bunk, space at aprox. 14-16" counter sink and attach with self tapping screws. You can probably do a set of bunks with no more than 1/2 sheet.

Interesting discussions going on over at the Basscat owners forum about this subject. Basscat has been researching alternatives for years. They recently went with Gatorbak but stopped using the product lately because of issues. I'm sure they are working out the problems but they went back to double carpet until everything tests out correctly. They are working to reduce the unwanted transfer of zebra muscles and other invasive species that can get caught in carpet.

Thanks Bob for the lead on marine grade HDPE.
Hurt myself yesterday loading my boat - it is light and should be easy.
I believe that 2 meters of the HDPE will expand over 50 deg C temperature rise 1.5 cm more than wood. That might cause a problem for long pieces screwed down into a wood base.
Might also be a good reason for short lengths with a gap, although some posts in this forum state a dislike for that arrangement.
US Plastics has 3/4" x 24" x 48" Polar White Seaboard® Sheet for $95

What about going back to roller bunks, with 2 compound rollers
http://www.etrailer.com/Boat-Trailer-Parts/Dutton-Lainson/DL21741.html

Tried silicone - did not work for me

Getting rid of carpet to reduce transfer of invasive species - great idea.

OP - If you don't like short sections of slicks, maybe you can drill slots instead of holes in the HDPE to reduce buckling/stress from the different rates of expansion?

Here you go. http://www.gatorbak.com/

Looks good but, and I don't want to sound ornery here,...
BigDad - see his 5/13/16 post - says the Gatorbaks are not slick.
G Rod said yesterday that Gatorbak is having some issues per the basscat forum.
Looking like the marine HDPE or the rollers might be the way to go from the current info.
Dawson, you started this discussion, what did you go with?

I called Gatorbak because I was curious and was told that their product provides more friction than carpet.

I have not got it done yet. Got a few irons in the fire. I like those rollers that got posted despite what I said. I'm thinking about uhmw as well. All the mentioned products can be ordered in appropriate sized strips to go on existing boards.

I have an 18ft SeaArk aluminum boat. The trailer has two 9ft 2x6 carpet covered bunks. I purchased the Surfix brand slicks and attached them over the carpet with countersunk stainless screws. The slicks work fine but after a year of trailering the with road vibration a couple of the screws started backing out. Now I am going to remove the slicks from the carpeted bunks and attach them to new 2x6 by through bolting with small stainless bolts and nyllock nuts. From this experience I do not recommend using screws to attach any type slicks, through bolt only!

I have ultimate bunk boards. I can't speak to the gel coat issue as I have an aluminum boat, but those things are slicker than snot when wet. Much easier to load compared to the carpeted bunks they replaced.

Countersinking and through bolting is a good method. The trailer that came with my Seaark the bunks appear to be attached with through bolts, at least the side guides are because I have already lost a nut and washer off of one of them. I have the covering for the bunks ordered from Magictilt and they should be here today. They are the kind that covers the 2X4s. I'm going to use #10 screws and washers to attach the covering but I'm going to replace the existing nuts with new ny-locks and put lock washers under them. It's kind of a belt and suspenders approach but I'm doing the work and it's only time.

The trailer that came with my 18ft Seaark has two 10.5' bunks that hit on each side of the keel and support the entire length of the bot and two 6' bunks that support the outer area.

My bunk material from Magiclift just arrived and it looks pretty good, slicker than the bunk carpet I have. It comes in lengths of flat material that bends to form around the 2X4s and fastens with screws. I think it's going to do what I need it to do.

The Surfix slicks look good, may be the top commercial product so far (ignoring the roller bunks). How slick are the ultimate bunk boards when dry? - like when unloading the boat?

They look good until you break out the calculator and figure the price for square foot, then not so good. They are charging a lot of money to cut, radius the edges, and countersink for the screws. You would do a lot better with Starboard and the stuff is very easy to work with standard wood working tools and basic woodworking skills. But then, I'm a DIY guy many people are not.

They are pretty slick when dry too. The boat comes right off. I would not ever try to back the boat down the ramp unhooked...

I don't even do that with carpeted bunks. You just never know.

The MagicLift looks like good material and easy to install, similar to carpet.

Prices I have found for alternate bunk material:
Surfix Board, one board 5" x 54" =$30 ...per linear foot (5” wide) = $6.67 1/2” thick
Ultimate Bunk Board 2 boards 2x6 x 6' costs $96 ...per linear foot (6”wide) = $8 2” thick
US Plastics 3/4" x 24" x 48" White Seaboard Sheet =$95 ...per linear foot (6”wide) =$6 3/4” thick
Deluxe Roller Bunk – 2 x5'- 12 Sets/2 Rollers $104 (options) ...per linear ft = $10.40
Magiclift – could not find a price
Cost of new structural pieces? Time to install?
One version of roller bunk will simply sit on top of my bunk – easy installation
Ultimate Bunk Board,Surfix and Seaboard are all HDPE with UV resistance – the same stuff

You also have to keep in mind that any of the thick material that attaches to the existing bunk board will require the trailer to be a little deeper in the water to launch and load. Also, depending on how close the bow eye is to the roller, you may have to raise the position of the winch.

If the stuff from Magictilt doesn't pan out, my next choice will be to cut blocks of Starboard and space them on the bunks, since I can buy the stuff at wholesale. The disadvantage, and the only one, to Starboard is that if you have to have it shipped, it will kill you, the stuff is really heavy.

I have been looking for bunk brackets that will sit lower so I can keep the boat height the same.
Since I already am at the minimum height with my current brackets, I may have to weld brackets onto the frame.
At this point I am planning to go with 3/4" Seaboard from US Plastics over a 2x4 on its side. That should be a very slick setup for the 16'. My back will be thankful. Expensive, but so is a bad back.

Have you got their web site I can't find anything but bras

Here is what I use. I've had them on for about 6 yrs now and they work great.

http://www.iboats.com/Tie-Down-Engineering-Bunk-Glide-Ons/dm/view_id.40440