Bunk Boards

[Deckhand]

I have a trailor that needs some new bunk boards. The boards are about 12' long and have about a 1-1.5' bow in them to fit the hull of my 22' catalina. Is regular treated lumber the best thing to use? How do you get the wood to conform to the hull? I thought about attaching one end to the mount leaving the center and the other end free just sitting on the mounts so they could move. Wetting the boards and use a winch to slowly pull the center down towards the center mount over a few days.

Does anybody have any suggestions or recomendations. Thanks

 

[Ross]

If you pick your treated lumber carefully you can often find some fresh from the treaters and soaking wet. A foot and a half in twelve is not much bow and you ought to be able to achieve that without too much trouble.

 

[Tim R.]

Good PT should already be wet and if you buy them at a big box store, they are likely to already have quite a bend to them.

 

[BrianW]

PT is almost soaking wet when you buy it. Because of this, on my Hunter 26, the bunk boards initially bent themselves to conform to the hull. If the boat is on the trailer for the first few weeks after the board replacement, you should have a perfect bend in just the right places.BrianW

 

[sand sailor]

i didnt use treated lumber just the wettest 2x8's i could find then threw them in the pool for a week bolted one end on the stanchion and set the boat on top until dry perfect fit

 

[48dodge]

All I did with my bunk boards was put my body weight on them to get the bend I needed. I actually had to let up a bit to get the right amount. May have been too much body weight...