I've lowered my bunks to work on them and the bottom of my boat. Now as I put them back up I'm wondering how tight I should make them. Should the boat rest on it's keel with the bunks only snug to the boat...........or should the bunks take some boat weight?
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Ray Bowles
Mike, On something this important I would call
Hunter Marine for their recommendations and also the trailer manufacturer. I would think that setting the bunks with the wrong curve, or heights, could damage the hull. On lighter boats this might not be a problem, but on heavier boats or water ballasted boats this could be critical. Especially on poor roads. It sounds like you might have raised the trailer with the boat onboard, blocked the boat and then lowered the trailer. If this is what you did could I contact you on or off line as I need to do this also. I would very much appreciate getting ideas about how you supported your boat. Thanks, Ray S/V Speedy
Hunter Marine for their recommendations and also the trailer manufacturer. I would think that setting the bunks with the wrong curve, or heights, could damage the hull. On lighter boats this might not be a problem, but on heavier boats or water ballasted boats this could be critical. Especially on poor roads. It sounds like you might have raised the trailer with the boat onboard, blocked the boat and then lowered the trailer. If this is what you did could I contact you on or off line as I need to do this also. I would very much appreciate getting ideas about how you supported your boat. Thanks, Ray S/V Speedy
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Mark Major
This may be bunk, but...
I had lowered my bunks to paint the hull (one side at a time, with straps and support beams to ensure stability), and after painting raised them to where they were when I bought the boat and trailer. Over time on the trailer (and familiarity with the boat) I noticed what I would call reverse sagging, or distortion at the keel, upward, so that the deck was raised at the sole plates. Recently I raised the bunks to their maximum to expose and remove the bed to that I could chip and treat the keel, putting the entire boat's weight on the bunks for over a week. During that time the keel gradually dropped less than an inch, and the distortion inside flattened out. So, when I reinstalled the bed, and lowered the bunks, I did so that much of the weight was still supported by the bunks (my goal was to support the keel with the bed, the hull weight with the bunks and keel, equally). It's been trailering well, and there's no distortion.
I had lowered my bunks to paint the hull (one side at a time, with straps and support beams to ensure stability), and after painting raised them to where they were when I bought the boat and trailer. Over time on the trailer (and familiarity with the boat) I noticed what I would call reverse sagging, or distortion at the keel, upward, so that the deck was raised at the sole plates. Recently I raised the bunks to their maximum to expose and remove the bed to that I could chip and treat the keel, putting the entire boat's weight on the bunks for over a week. During that time the keel gradually dropped less than an inch, and the distortion inside flattened out. So, when I reinstalled the bed, and lowered the bunks, I did so that much of the weight was still supported by the bunks (my goal was to support the keel with the bed, the hull weight with the bunks and keel, equally). It's been trailering well, and there's no distortion.
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Mike Kenny
Return to the original position.
I did this last year and marked the bunk supports before I lowered them. I used a floor jack at the bottom of the bunk support poles to fine tune the final postioning and hold it in place while I tightened the bolts. Unless your bunks have been adjusted a lot, it should be easy for you to find the original position by orienting the bolt indentations/marks directly behind the bolt holes. Mike
I did this last year and marked the bunk supports before I lowered them. I used a floor jack at the bottom of the bunk support poles to fine tune the final postioning and hold it in place while I tightened the bolts. Unless your bunks have been adjusted a lot, it should be easy for you to find the original position by orienting the bolt indentations/marks directly behind the bolt holes. Mike
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Greg S2
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mike
thanks
Thanks for all the good points. I meant to mark the support rails but in my haste, forgot. I will contact Hunter and take a look at the previous position from the bolt markings. My means of raising the boat off the bunks was to lower the tongue to the floor with a floor jack. Then I supported the transom on saw horses with 2x6s stacked on top of the horses. I then braced the transom sides with tapered 4x4s, blocked the trailer wheels and raised the trailer tongue with the floor jack SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY. It's also a good idea to chock the floor jack wheels. Anyone can contact me at sailordog@hotmail.com
Thanks for all the good points. I meant to mark the support rails but in my haste, forgot. I will contact Hunter and take a look at the previous position from the bolt markings. My means of raising the boat off the bunks was to lower the tongue to the floor with a floor jack. Then I supported the transom on saw horses with 2x6s stacked on top of the horses. I then braced the transom sides with tapered 4x4s, blocked the trailer wheels and raised the trailer tongue with the floor jack SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY. It's also a good idea to chock the floor jack wheels. Anyone can contact me at sailordog@hotmail.com
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mike
20%
Hunter says put 20% of the boat weight on the bunks. I'm thinkin that means jack the bunks up until they just begin to take some weight. I'll let you know if I hear otherwise.
Hunter says put 20% of the boat weight on the bunks. I'm thinkin that means jack the bunks up until they just begin to take some weight. I'll let you know if I hear otherwise.
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