How long did your trailer bunks last?

[ezfishn]

My bunks only lasted 4yrs and had them redone with a better carpet. I only fish an average of once per week except when on a long distance trip. If they won't last longer than 4yrs in our weather, it must be wrong type wood. Had the same problem with bunks on a Sun Tracker pontoon boat trailer.

[Sun Fish]

I know I have asked this before, no issues with the gatorbacks? Scratching the hull or loading?

I checked by jacking the boat up off them at the end of the 1st year, not a scratch or rub mark. The gatorbaks wear down very slightly and can leave a rubber residue that wipes off with the swipe of a finger.

[Sun Fish]

Not true about constantly wet bunks rotting quicker, ever wondered why sunk trees break of at the water line? Not below water? It's because when the wet wood dries and repeat it wears them faster. He as my 2015 that has been dipped 550x 2 are still good. They never dry, they freeze in the winter and start dripping on my way to the lake in the spring.

Im not sure about trees but I'd be willing to bet if we took two chunk of 2x4 set one on the garage floor and one in a bucket of water always topped off, over a period of time maybe 6 months, a year or two years, the one in the bucket just may begin to soften or break down a little quicker than the one thats sits dry on the garage floor.

[Striperaddict]

I replaced my rotten bunks with trex boards. I found some old inventory at a lumber yard. They were 12ft long by 10 inch wide. Had to cut them to correct size and double them as its only 7/8" thick but it will never rot. Should have used better carpet because it didnt last but a year but when I replace with good carpet I know the trex will never rot and should last a lifetime.

[Fishysam]

Im not sure about trees but I'd be willing to bet if we took two chunk of 2x4 set one on the garage floor and one in a bucket of water always topped off, over a period of time maybe 6 months, a year or two years, the one in the bucket just may begin to soften or break down a little quicker than the one thats sits dry on the garage floor.

if you dunk the "dry" boards every other day and let them dry you may be surprised, this happens to trees by waves one day then calm the next.

[BobD2369]

Well Nitro denied my trailer bunk warranty claim. They state that it's my fault, that I'm loading the boat too shallow. I put the trailer in and get the bunks wet, then come out a foot or 2. Any deeper and I run the risk of the boat going over the trailer fender and hitting the step plates. Not sure what I can do on my end?

Just can't take a pc of pressure treat and throw carpet on it. The Nitro bunks have a special bevel cut to match the hull.

Have the dealer looking into cost of replacing just the 2 outer bunks. The middle ones are ok, ones a little crooked, but carpet is fine . You can see in the pictures most of the weight of the boat is on the outer bunks, like they are higher than the long center ones.


Outer drivers side.jpgCenter bunks.jpg

[Dogfish_Jones]

Well Nitro denied my trailer bunk warranty claim. They state that it's my fault, that I'm loading the boat too shallow. I put the trailer in and get the bunks wet, then come out a foot or 2. Any deeper and I run the risk of the boat going over the trailer fender and hitting the step plates. Not sure what I can do on my end?

Just can't take a pc of pressure treat and throw carpet on it. The Nitro bunks have a special bevel cut to match the hull.

Have the dealer looking into cost of replacing just the 2 outer bunks. The middle ones are ok, ones a little crooked, but carpet is fine . You can see in the pictures most of the weight of the boat is on the outer bunks, like they are higher than the long center ones.


Outer drivers side.jpgCenter bunks.jpg

IMO.....those trailer bunks...even if beveled does not create enough to offset for you not putting regular 2x4 on. Once you put any carpet on the bunks it becomes like any other board. On my Z7, which was the boat trailer I had rotten boards on, when I took them off I sure didn’t notice any bevel cut...mainly just old rotten wood. But I too have been told they were beveled also, but I will say the ‘Plain Jane” ones I put on, they worked just fine afterwards....properly better.

[jtrac]

Not exactly sure what you mean by beveled. Are they tapered from one end to the other? If so that can be accomplished with a decent circular saw. My Z19 just had plain old 2X4's. As I said previously, I did do a 3/4 inch roundover on the inside long boards per Gatorbaks recommendation.

[E Galassi]

I did the same thing. Gatorbacks over pressure treated. IMG_2923.JPG
2017 Z-18 175 Merc.

[lpugh]

18 years and still going strong, Bass cat though

[Sun Fish]

I know I have asked this before, no issues with the gatorbacks? Scratching the hull or loading?

Found the pics from when I jacked the boat off the trailer last.