Trailer Bunk Boards - warning, warning Will Robinson...

[waterboy]

So I replaced my bunk boards this weekend. Thought this might turn into a documenting yet again how to replace bunk boards and we had fun, etc, etc type of post but HELL NO. What I ended up with is hopefully some info that could save someones tail (or gelcoat) down the road...

First off, a shout out to @justason for helping out. As I told him, I had my girls talked into helping me but I also know they didn't know what they were getting into and that their help would be marginal. I repaid him in beers and a boat ride at the end, but I digress...

I'll spare y'all the details of the bunk board change out. Yes I used one of the many online retailers for carpet, something like 12" x 40 ft of carpet. I used stainless staples. I used Kiln Dried Select Treated Pine. I didn't want knots and I didn't want it to warp into next week either. I also didn't want to pay $80 a board for cypress.

Anyway... enough of the boring stuff.

I have been keeping an eye on my boards for rot and knew they were getting a bit soft. I have been inspecting them the past couple of years and going so far as jamming an ice pick into the wood from below to gauge how it was holding out. It was time but I didn't think they were falling apart either.

Boy was I wrong...

When I pulled off the first 8 footer, it broke under it's own weight. There was nothing left of the wood. The others were not much better. My ice pick poking has mainly been around the mounting locations and not in the center of the board.



I cut up the boards to get them into the trash can. Hard to tell by this photo, but what became obvious, The rot started from the top, under the carpet. It worked its way down so that it really wasn't obvious for me to poke at from below.



One thing this certainly confirmed, the boards are not really holding the weight of the boat. They protect the boat and guide the boat on but the brackets are really the part doing all of the load holding. If I had a crooked load on these boards, I am sure it would have snapped. There was nothing left of the wood at center span.

I guess my warning for everyone is to watch your boards, they may not be in as good shape as you think they are. These are original to my 2007 trailer. I may put them on a 5 year change out from here going forward.

Anyone with boards older than 5 years, be careful. I feel as though I dodged a bullet.

Curious what others are doing as to how often they replace the boards??? Are you seeing the kind of rot that I did at the 7 year mark???

 

[justason]

Hey there @waterboy ! thanks for the beers and boat ride !!....and thanks for not mentioning me as "that guy" parking the boat near sideways on the trailer.......Since my kids are always driving I'm out of practice I guess.

the brutal visual of those boards had me order my bunk carpet this morning, I'll stop off at the (quality) lumber yard tomorrow, wrap the boards and install them this weekend or next.
to echo your statement, visually they didn't look bad, even the carpet was in decent shape.....But once removed DAMN, it is a wake up !!

 

[PEARCE]

I replaced mine at the end of last season. I had one of my rear bunks separate from the trailer after launching the boat labor day weekend. I lost the hardware for that board in the process and I knew I was gonna have to get creative to get the boat back on the trailer. Looking at the board where it sat on the bracket was so rotten I knew it wasn't gonna hold a bolt. I southern engineered wire ties and twine to hold the board on the get the boat on. While driving across the parking lot to the ramp the other rear bunk came loose. I did the same thing again with the twine. It worked and got us home. When I got around to replacing the bunks they were all rotted and soft at the brackets. What I think contributed to the rot was the way the original bunk carpet was wrapped on the board. It didn't allow the water to drain off the board and instead it held it there. When I built the new bunks I wrapped them differently and they should certainly last another 10 years if not longer.

 

[Julian]

I replaced mine at the 9 year mark and the boards were actually in not bad shape, but my boat was a "Northern" boat for most of its life (when I replaced the boards), so it was inside in the winter (6-7 months of the year). I'll bet the location where one stores the boat/trailer also makes a big difference....if it is not in a sunny dry area, but shaded and humid....bet the boards rot faster.

 

[DieselCamel]

@veedubtek just replaced the bunks on my old 2012 trailer as one of the boards was cracked/rotted. Aways stored inside in a climate controlled garage.

 

[M@__]

That exact thing happened to me. My clue was the metal brace actually broke loose on the way home. Everyplace I checked had been decent, but both boards broke when I removed them. Sometimes I guess it's better to be lucky than good.

 

[96Pirate]

Our 1st time out this weekend. As I went to pick up the trailer to recover the boat I saw a bend in one of the bunks. I went over to examine it and sure enough, it is busted. It looks like it is snapped and pretty much the carpet is holding it. It is one of the bottom bunks just behind the 1st bracket. I looked a little further and saw the other bunk rotted at the rearward end with the bolts missing on the last bracket. I dunked the trailer deeper than usual and manually pulled the boat up on and only powered it up very little. Then I had my wife guide the stern onto the trailer as I pulled out. I strapped her down tight and tried to eliminate as many bumps as I could on the way home.

I have a scheduled outing this Sunday I can not really back out of and then we go camping in for Memorial Day weekend where the boat will sit in the water. So I was thinking I would change it there.

I was planning on getting the lumber, carpet and bolts have them ready for the trip and do a 15 minute change out.

But I am concerned if I should do it sooner.

Ordering the carpet today.

@waterboy How did you guys change it? Did you dunk it and fix in the parking lot?

 

[M@__]

If you lower the trailer hitch end (front). Crib up the back of the boat. Then raise the hitch end and crib under the front of the boat, you'll have the trailer free of the boat on dry land. It only takes about 15 min to do up and then you can take your time and not have to worry about other people and or your boat in the water, or the trip down to the water with a boat supported by busted bunks.

You just need cribbing, which not everyone has. Pallets should work. I took pictures and posted them on another site. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[justason]

Our 1st time out this weekend. As I went to pick up the trailer to recover the boat I saw a bend in one of the bunks. I went over to examine it and sure enough, it is busted. It looks like it is snapped and pretty much the carpet is holding it. It is one of the bottom bunks just behind the 1st bracket. I looked a little further and saw the other bunk rotted at the rearward end with the bolts missing on the last bracket. I dunked the trailer deeper than usual and manually pulled the boat up on and only powered it up very little. Then I had my wife guide the stern onto the trailer as I pulled out. I strapped her down tight and tried to eliminate as many bumps as I could on the way home.

I have a scheduled outing this Sunday I can not really back out of and then we go camping in for Memorial Day weekend where the boat will sit in the water. So I was thinking I would change it there.

I was planning on getting the lumber, carpet and bolts have them ready for the trip and do a 15 minute change out.

But I am concerned if I should do it sooner.

Ordering the carpet today.

@waterboy How did you guys change it? Did you dunk it and fix in the parking lot?

Hello @96Pirate !! I'll add this: when you buy your lumber I'd suggest getting the Kiln dry pressure treat. NOT the lowe's stuff that is still holding most of its moisture. Eliminate the threat of a warp up front. We bought our stuff from Capitol lumber, most lumber yards will have the Kiln dry stuff. It is a pretty easy job, but definitely MUCH easier with 4 hands working it

edit: not to steel @waterboy thunder: we dipped the boat and did this in the parking lot at Jordan lake

 

[waterboy]

@justason Thanks for stealing my thunder

also, if you can crib it up, works too.

 

[justason]

@justason Thanks for stealing my thunder

also, if you can crib it up, works too.

I'm not sure I would trust any kind of cribbing after seeing those metal brackets that hold the boards exposed....under a 3,000lb boat....and my body under there somewhere to boot.......

AND even more importantly....after you remove the cribbing your boat wont be in the water waiting to go for a ride !!!.....just sayin

 

[kthrash]

I dipped my boat, and swapped out the boards I had prepared in my garage the day before.. battery powered impact, and it was done in 15 minutes by myself..

 

[96Pirate]

Thanks guys!

I already ordered my carpet. I will be running out to probably CCL to get wood this week and start milling that one night. I plan to replace at least the 2 bad boards one night later this week and will use some carpet I got from Home Depot for my amp install. Then next week or during my camping over Memorial Day I will replace the other 2 boards and the carpet I will be replacing this week on the 2 bad bunks with the new carpet I have on order. I don't think Falls Lake will be that busy in the evening Thurs or Fri so I should be able to dip her and tie her up to the ramp dock and go work on the trailer. If I have everything ready to go I can't believe it would take more than 30 minutes to do the 2 boards.

 

[96Pirate]

I dipped my boat, and swapped out the boards I had prepared in my garage the day before.. battery powered impact, and it was done in 15 minutes by myself..

That's what I was thinking. The key is having everything ready. The thing I am still tossing around is should I use thru bolts or lags. Lags would be easier in order to have everything ready before hand and less to do on site. If I use thru bolts I will need to drill holes, mount boards and then fasten the carpet on site. Less work up front but more on site and a little more overall.

 

[kthrash]

I used Galvanized Lag Bolts.. one size up from what was on it..

 

[Zarrella]

I plan on renting a house on a lake for a week and taking my time to change them out! Lol

 

[96Pirate]

I plan on renting a house on a lake for a week and taking my time to change them out! Lol

Yeah, Being there for just a couple of days all I can hear now is daddy/Mr Mike when are we going to go boating? Hence the reason for trying to do most of it up front otherwise I will be doing it in the dark or very early. Have fun during your week!

 

[96Pirate]

Another question...what kinds of staples did you use? Narrow Crown or T50?

 

[kthrash]

Another question...what kinds of staples did you use? Narrow Crown or T50?

I bought an Air Powered Staple gun, and used T50 SS.. I stapled the carpet about every single inch on a slant..

 

[96Pirate]

I bought an Air Powered Staple gun, and used T50 SS.. I stapled the carpet about every single inch on a slant..

Ok, I only have an electric T50 stapler, so not sure how well they will penetrate. I do have an air powered 1/4" crown stapler so wasn't sure if that would be better.

Thanks.