Checking your trailer bunks.
Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:32 pm
With Bass season about to start, yesterday was the day to give my PT190 its 2017 maiden voyage. Before she left the garage, the bearings were checked and repacked, tires were properly inflated and the boat was given a general once over.
Get to the launch and it is packed with trailers. But launch the boat and find a place to park. Then I do something I don't think I've ever done. I pushed down on my trailer bunks. One had a little bounce while the other one made a crunch sound. Uh oh!
Well, I said screw it and went for a rip anyway. Boat ran like a top and everything works as it should. Get back to the ramp and loaded the boat. Luckily the soft part (which I'm thinking may have been held together by the carpet alone at this point) was near the back so I could still load the boat. This is where I thought about leaving my pride and joy at the ramp or limping it home. I limped it home avoiding the highway and taking my time.
Now, today was a day. Ended up running to Cabelas because it was the only place I could think of that was open and that I knew had bunk carpet. Then to Home Depot for some 2x4's and stainless staples. I went with cedar boards because I didn't want to mess with PT (aluminum boat and PT lumber don't exactly mix) and wanted to make sure they didn't rot as quick as pine would. Cedar is a softer wood but this isn't a heavy boat and I pre drilled the holes so I'm not concnerned.
Here are some pics of the bunk that gave me the issues.
And here are some pics of the stripped "good board" I used as a template.
If you can't tell, the "good" one would be lucky to last another season.
And finally, one of the finished replacements.
I hope this lasts quite some time but truthfully, it wasn't all that hard to do.
And the moral of this post? Many check things like tire pressure, treadwear and bearings on a monthly/yearly basis but I suspect quite a few never even think to check bunks. I know I didn't. It just so happens I did this time and I caught it before it was a larger issue. As trailering will become more prominent within the next week, maybe check your bunks before making any long trips.
Adam
Get to the launch and it is packed with trailers. But launch the boat and find a place to park. Then I do something I don't think I've ever done. I pushed down on my trailer bunks. One had a little bounce while the other one made a crunch sound. Uh oh!
Well, I said screw it and went for a rip anyway. Boat ran like a top and everything works as it should. Get back to the ramp and loaded the boat. Luckily the soft part (which I'm thinking may have been held together by the carpet alone at this point) was near the back so I could still load the boat. This is where I thought about leaving my pride and joy at the ramp or limping it home. I limped it home avoiding the highway and taking my time.
Now, today was a day. Ended up running to Cabelas because it was the only place I could think of that was open and that I knew had bunk carpet. Then to Home Depot for some 2x4's and stainless staples. I went with cedar boards because I didn't want to mess with PT (aluminum boat and PT lumber don't exactly mix) and wanted to make sure they didn't rot as quick as pine would. Cedar is a softer wood but this isn't a heavy boat and I pre drilled the holes so I'm not concnerned.
Here are some pics of the bunk that gave me the issues.
And here are some pics of the stripped "good board" I used as a template.
If you can't tell, the "good" one would be lucky to last another season.
And finally, one of the finished replacements.
I hope this lasts quite some time but truthfully, it wasn't all that hard to do.
And the moral of this post? Many check things like tire pressure, treadwear and bearings on a monthly/yearly basis but I suspect quite a few never even think to check bunks. I know I didn't. It just so happens I did this time and I caught it before it was a larger issue. As trailering will become more prominent within the next week, maybe check your bunks before making any long trips.
Adam
