Painting under the bunks

[Lee Y]

After reading about all the different ideas on how to support the boat when the bunks are lowered, I decided to make some mini bunks out of three inch heavy channel and bolt them to the trailer. You need to have access to a welder and a metal cutoff saw. You need to make three; one that can be moved from one side to the other in the back and two with opposite angles for each side in the front. I used them today and they work great. I got the metal from a local scrap yard. It cost me about $15 which included some outdoor carpet for the top of each bunk. Check out the photo. I will list another post with another picture.

 

[Brian M H23]

nice

Are you going to leave them on while trailering? They look stronger than the stock bunks

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

Strong bunks

Brian, just an FYI story. Several years ago we were up at Odell Lake in the Oregon Cascades for a club function. The ramp at Trapper Creek Campground was the best on the lake for sailboats, volcanic cinder, albeit very steep. Steep enough that the keel was above the bunks as the boat floated over the trailer. As we were pulling the boat, I saw that the boat had pivoted slightly and the keel was resting on the right-hand bunk. Before I could get my wife to stop the car the boat had been lifted completely out of the water supported only by the one bunk. Obviously we relaunched immediatly (slight panic) and watched more carefully as we pulled it again. On inspection, the bunk was undamaged. We still use it. The stock bunks, IMHO, are sufficiently strong.Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[Brian M H23]

wow

Joe, are your bunks secured using only 1/2" set-screws, like mine? There are no through-bolts, it kind of worries me.

 

[Lee Y]

Bolted

The bunks are bolted to the trailer frame with two 1/2" diameter bolts. I'm not planning to leave them on the trailer. The channel is about 1/4" thick.