Converted my trailer from rollers to bunks

[JL8Jeff]

The rollers are nice for loading when the river height causes you to be more at an angle but it kept making me worry about possible issues with cupping the bottom of the boat where it sat on the rollers. So I bought some new brackets and u-bolts then cut some 3x4" pvc downspouts in half to use as bunk glides. The boat actually sits 4-5" lower on the trailer now as well so I won't have to back in as far to load/unload. The boat stays in the water from Apr until Oct usually but with all the rain we've been having this year, I took it out a couple of weeks ago to let it dry out. I still need to do a little adjusting but it slides pretty well on the pvc gutter pretty well.

 

[gatorglenn]

Looks like it will work better. And yes over time the rollers would have put hook in the hull. Unless they where right on top of ribs or strings. Lund has been using roller trailers for ever. But there is a way it has to be done. Good call to change.


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[bchapman]

How has the PVC been holding up? It looks like it there might be some play in it... cracking over time. Not that it won't be cheap to replace.

I finally found a great source of UHMW PE and will be retrofitting the bunks on my trailer as soon as I float the boat off it.

 

[DaleH]

I don’t like PVC with UV exposure, so I used ‘vinyl’ downspout or gutters as covers for my bunks and they still look new!

At least less the bottom paint that I’ve splashed on them, haha!

 

[TheLastCall]

Looks really good. I’ve been planning to do the same on my trailer, just need to find time.


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[richg99]

I've had my PVC caps on now for about two years.

While they show some "graying" of the white color...no particular amount of wear is showing, which is kind of amazing.

I probably launch 3 or 4 times a week during most of the summer and two times a week during much of the Winter, so they are getting some use.

As far as the sun getting to them, the boat covers the caps 90% of each day. The only times that the caps are exposed is when I am in the water.

Now that I have two tinnys, each boat will be used for only 6 months each year. One in TN and one in TX. Caps are on both boats now.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I'm not sure if the downspouts I used were actually PVC or vinyl but they are the ones you can find at Lowes or Home Depot. I've only had the boat out 2 or 3 times since I switched to the bunks and now it's in the garage for the winter. I do leave the trailer on the side of the house in the summer when the boat is in the water for the season so if I do decide to do that again, I'll probably cover the bunks with something to block the sun or I might decide to leave it in the garage if I can.

 

[Jake2250]

Seven years ago I rebuilt my bunk board,, water proofed the redwood and put these strips on top! I launch by my self all the time. Boat slides on and off effortlessly!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-WHITE-HD...=item2f010e7f10:g:p-wAAOSwdnZaMriW:rk:14:pf:0

 

[LDUBS]

Seven years ago I rebuilt my bunk board,, water proofed the redwood and put these strips on top! I launch by my self all the time. Boat slides on and off effortlessly!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-WHITE-HD...=item2f010e7f10:g:p-wAAOSwdnZaMriW:rk:14:pf:0

I'll bet those HDPE strips are super slippery. I can see how they would make retrieval much easier, especially when doing things solo. On a steep ramp I imagine you keep the bow eye hooked until the stern of the boat is afloat.