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I am planning to add several new bunks to my trailer this spring... I think I will place them on either side of the keel, about where the stringers are.

The other bunks I have, I made using treated wood about 2x6 wide... However, I am considering just buying these ready made/covered. The ones in Overton's are 2x4 and not 2x6...

For those of you with bunks, are your's 2x4...? I just wonder whether 2x4 is strong enough... They probably are, since they may not be a lot different in the flat/angled position... I will probably get 4 of them 6' long, and use trailer brackets about 6" or a foot in from each end.... with the extra 12' along each side, I will feel that I will give the hull some better support....

Any comments will be appreciated.

John Hart

Hey John, I am in the same process as you. I'm replacing my bunks, which are 2X4, with longer bunks that will properly extend past the transom. Since they are metal with wood rollers (that don't roll), I plan to flip them over and add a 2X6's on top. This way they will bolt right back onto the swivel brackets - see the pic below. I'm going with 2X6 for the additional strength, even if 2X4's would be strong enough.

Do you have a source for the brackets to enable two bunks per side?

Please send pics if you have converted rollers to bunks.
Any suggestions?
Thanx

Woody, I am not sure if you saw them already, but I had posted some pics... look in subject: New/Old Trailer....

Woody - here are a few pics of my conversion -

What I started with - the bunks were too short and did not extend under the transom and the rollers were all frozen, the rollers rotten and frozen, and some of the hardware (bolts, etc) were rusting.



I took off the hardware, ground off the major rust and repainted with Rustoleum. Replaced the bolts, etc. I also devised a bracket to move the tail lights farther back on the trailer for better visibility, replacing the the small originals with bigger new ones.



I moved the roller bunks back so that the sturdy metal bracket was under the transom. This required drilling some new holes. The new 2X6's extend farther forward than even the original roller set up. Note the galvanized pipe under the forward section of the 2X6 to provide strength. Also note the rounded over leading edge of the wooded bunk to protect the bow of the hull in the event of impact, and of course all new rollers.



What I learned and would do different;

Even though I sanded, degrease, and primed the surfaces, the rustoeum paint chips off very easily. Something better next time

I plan to shape the forward section of the bunks where they are not supported by the original metal bunk to better fit the contour of the bottom as it turns in. Or I may just shorten then. I am concerned I am putting pressure point on the bottom.

I used rubber backed stair tread pads to carpet the bunks. The rubber backing keeps water trapped in the carpet between the bottom and the rubber backing. I'll replace with bunk carpet made for the job.

The 2X6's are a little too wide. The edges will catch on the edge of the garbord strake and the boat comes out of the water sitting on the edge of a bunk vs. the flat top side. It's a pain in the butt let me tell you, cuase you can only correct it by dipping . So I added some wire to keep the bunks from tilting too far in or out (they tilt probalby 210 degrees) and the boat lands better - but from time to time I still catch a plank edge. Next time, 2X4's, or maybe a 2X6 trimmed to 2X5, or maybe I'll route a generous round over on the inside edge.

And there you have yet another long winded post by Pete.

I appreciate the "What you would do different".
It all makes sense to me.
Thanx

I am sitting around on a sunday morning waiting for the family to wake up so I can start running the shop tools. I'm in the process of replacing the bulk head that's under the deck with something more substantial. The last "restorer", hack that he was, was clearly in a hurry to finish the boast and slapped in a POS.

So I was re-reading some old posts, and felt compelled to add to this one. Bored I guess.

This spring I finished up some bottom work, fixing some minor checking, popped or leaking bungs, etc. In the process I made some of the mods noted above. The pipes under the leading edge of the bunks did not appear to be needed, and the bunks reached too far forward. I believe this to be the case because the bunks were twisting, and the pipes were bending slightly. Also, the trailer was a tad tongue heavy and the boat a pain to load (I find the tilt feature to be pretty much useless on a bunk trailer). Also, the bunks were juuuuust long enough to get under the transom.

So I moved the bunks 6 inches farther back, dumped the pipes, and shortened the boards by 6 inches. I also added side guides that are attached to the bunk. Not only does this help center the boat, but it will orient the bunk so I don't come out on an edge. With he bunks further back I have 6 inches of board past the transom, and the with the bunks them selves farther back the heavy metal original bunk is under the transom. I also added a two foot folding extension to the front of the trailer, and that helps a great deal to get the boat in the water without having to dip my trucks brakes (our ramp is really shallow)

We'll see if all this helps if I ever get enough time to actually work on the boat (plus I have an engine problem that I'll not go into here)

Cheers!

Pete
Thanx for the update. My trailer sits "ugly" in the back yard because my boat is upside down in my garage still.
I was inspired this past week by my brother-in-law who said "dude you need to get this thing done and in the water- it's so cool". As I write this I think my wife may have asked him to say something.
Either way I ordered some 6/4 white oak for replacing the keelson and sourced out green white oak for ribs this week.
Trailer: I'm thinking of having the trailer sandblasted. Any idea on cost?
What type of paint would you use?
Larry

no clue on the cost for sandblasting and I suspect it varies from place to place. On my trailer I used hardware store spray cans of Rustoleum. Even though I primed it first, the Rustoleum chips and scratches super easy - so I'd not recommend that. Maybe you can prep the trailer and have a body shop paint it.

There is another post in the trailer section where I posted more "what I would do different commentary'. Check that out and good luck with the boat!! Mine is only a few days from splash down. Of course it wont go anywhere cause my Merc is crapped and I dont know why.

I too agree with Peter, as far as sand blasting is concerned, the more you can take apart yourself the better the cost to you. Since work is slow in commercial construction maybe ask some painting companies if they would do it for you or concrete repair companies. You only have to make sure what type of grit you will need to strip paint and not hurt the trailer. You could buy a cheap sand blaster for 3-4 hundred but will need to rent a large pull behind compressor. Food for thought...Dan