Time For New Bunk Boards But.......???

[Larry Harp]

The last trip to the lake I noticed one of my bunks was scary it was so rotten. Should have noticed it way before I did. Anyway, I bought the carpet and am now on my way to Lowe Depot to pick up the pressure treated 2x4's that Tracker should have used in the first place. Here's my question...I'm also going to change the carpet on the inside of the fenders. Is it necessary to change the plywood too or is the old plywood OK? I can't seem to figure out how to un-screw the panels with the boat on the trailer so I guess I will have to cut and glue the carpet at the lake or at least take them off and do them at home and then put them back on the next time I go to the lake.



Any thoughts???:huh:



Harpo

 

[joe haley]

Harpo I got all my measurement cut my boards to length and covered them with my carpet then took them to lake with me after putting boat in water I changed them using a portable drill as for as your side panels check to see if they are soft if so replace them with marine plywood with about 4 coats marine varnish then cover with your carpet



JD

 

[Bill Willette]

I'd like to know the same thing. I had to replace my bunks a year ago, but did not do the fenders. I could not get the same carpet, so they don't match. Not that big of a deal, but I'm wondering if the fenders will hold up.



It does look to me like you can remove and redo the fenders at home. It looks like a couple of bolts will completely remove the steps with the fender. Maybe a little extra work to do at home, but maybe an option for you?

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Change the plywood in the fenders...I did this past summer.

Let me give you a couple tips Harpo.

I used some thin (1/4" maybe) pressure treated wood but, it wasn't plywood. My dad had some stuff that looked like a venier but, is pressure treated. I just pulled them off and traced em' onto the new wood and stapled the inside and good to go.

Also before you put the carpet on, give it a good coat of water repellent to ensure your boards longer and make sure you don't carpet the bottoms. Make the carpet flush with the bottome edge of teh bunks and water will drain away and no more board rot.

Use stainless staples and lags and you'll be good for a long time.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Other tips:



Taper the boards at the end of the trailer add an extra layer of crapet to these areas.



The fender wells are probably riveted to the trailer. Just drill them out. And uses stainless rivets.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Mine were screwed on....

 

[Larry Harp]

BMCD, why? What is the advantage of tapering and adding more carpet?



The boards in my fender wells are screwed in too. I suspect with regular steel screws so they'll be rusted in and have to be drilled out anyway.



I'll take Bill W's advice and take a look at pulling fenders and all but that that sounds like a lot of work for little reward. Probably what I'll do is take the fender wells off while I have the boat off when I'm replacing the bunks. Then I will have the old ones to use as a pattern to make new ones. Then I can install them with the boat on the trailer using ss nuts & bolts.



It's important to me to change the change the carpet on the fender wells because I'm changing the color of the carpet on the bunks from tan to black...to match the trailer.



One tip the guy at the carpet store gave me. He specializes in boat carpet so I figure he knows a little of what he speaks. He told me to use waterproof glue to glue the carpet to the top of the bunks to keep the carpet from getting wrinkled from the sun hitting while the boat is in the water then the carpet getting wadded up when the boat goes back on the trailer. He said to not glue (just staple) the carpet to the bottom of the bunk so water will drain out. Sounds reasonable.



Harpo

 

[Stan Tallant]

I never thought about taking the entire fender off to replace the fender carpet. I was faced with the same situation mentioned above when I replaced my bunks this Spring. I could'nt get between the boat and the fender to unscrew the carpeted fender panels and I didn't want to load the trailer without the carpet. Thanks guys now have ANOTHER project.

 

[Gilbert Scales2]

I went to Home Depot and bought some Nylon srews and nuts to bolt the boards back on the fender wells. I had a screw( steel screw) back out and scratched my boat. Nylon works real good, and will not rust. Have them on my trailer for 2 + years, no problems.



Bubby