Question? Anybody use plastic on trailer bunks to slide boat

Dirtguy · Jul-04-2009, 12:16 AM

I had posted that I got 40 4 x 10 sheets of HDPE and had a deal to anyone that wanted some. I did my whole trailer in the stuff. Very good to get on and off. Yeah, you have to have the bow chain hooked up , but that is common sense anyhow. Several times here in the local lakes learning the ins and outs of my boat and it's still great. No carpet and I bolted through the plastic (1/2") and the 2 x 6 redwood bunk with some countersinking and used 1/2" galvanized carriage bolts.. No problems. And I don't need to do any special loading. It glides , and centers exactly every time.

Still have 30 sheets left.

DG

sickcat · Jul-04-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antares

I got UHMW on my tailor 1/2 inch i think. I used to have to power on along with my electric winch. Now its a breeze. Make sure you tie your boat down it will want off the tailor in a hurry.

The UHMWPE is the stuff to use if you want slick. That is what we use to line hoppers so material slides off. Downside to it is that it makes starboard look cheap. You can use HDPE or starboard. Only difference is the UV protection. With any of the plastics mentioned none of it is structual so it would go onto of wood. Also no matter what the boat sits on please tie it down securely!!

slief · Jul-06-2009, 06:17 PM

I have ribbed plastic pieces screwed to the bunks on my tailer.. The stuff is around 1/4" thick. They go end to end with a couple inch gap between each section. The sections are about 16" long. I dont know what the stuff is, but I have to imagine it would be much harder winching the boat onto the trailer without it.. At Channel Island Harbor, I have to winch the boat a long ways up due to their ramp not being very steep. I think it would be impossible for me to winch the boat up on my own without the plastic on the bunks let alone without the electric winch..

MikFly · Jul-06-2009, 06:43 PM

So can one simply use the silicon spray that you buy at local automotive parts store?

Vigilant32 · Jul-06-2009, 06:57 PM

Come on guys.. I don't want my bunks slick as snot.

Drop the boat in the water and drive it off. Come back home and drive it back on the trailer. I have not used a wench in 20 years to get a boat on the trailer.
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aed · Jul-06-2009, 07:00 PM

x2 drive it on drive it off

Tuna Choker · Jul-06-2009, 07:16 PM

Thanks for allof the replies. I have hijacked my sons name on these posts. I have a 30 ft Blackman. The boat and trailer is 15,000 lbs so I am guessing the boat is around 11 to 12 thousand lbs. I just spent $950 on replacing my brakes on the rear of my dually. When I launch, I only put the tires into the water, rims max. I have two diesels, 210 HP each. I have to go WOT to get the boat to start to move. When it breaks loose it will get into the water ok. When going on, also go WOT and have to back off just at the right time. If you are on the tongue of the trailer, to hook up the safety chain and winch, you can get freeked out when I bring the boat onto the trailer. I am going to try the silicone first. and then report back. Thnaks for all of the comments. If the silicone does not do the trick, I will either extend the tongue by about 2 ft. or try some sections of starboard or other material. I did not recognize the initials for the materials mentioned on some of the posts.

wutup · Jul-06-2009, 08:40 PM

I've got a 14' boat on plastic mounted on typical 2x4 board bunks. I countersunk the stainless screws and it works great! One problem I think is with carpeted bunks, the salt water residue eats holes in the aluminum hull over time. I got scrap plastic from Ridout Plastics on KearnyMesa Rd. They are 1" thick.

Kevsuda1 · Jul-07-2009, 02:03 PM

High Density Poly Ethelyne (HDPE) is what I used. Tear the carpet off first since it just holds water against the wood. 1/4 stainless hardware counter sunk. It doesn't take much to hold it in place. Maybe one bolt every 3 feet. Buy it at your local plastic distributer and cut it to size. My estimate is that it takes about 1/3 the effort to get the boat on and off. I've had it on for about 4 years now. No problems and no sign of wear on the boat or the bunks. IMHO I think plain wood is less abrasive than the bunk carpet.

jagerhunchback · Jul-07-2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna Choker

Thanks for allof the replies. I have hijacked my sons name on these posts. I have a 30 ft Blackman. The boat and trailer is 15,000 lbs so I am guessing the boat is around 11 to 12 thousand lbs. I just spent $950 on replacing my brakes on the rear of my dually. When I launch, I only put the tires into the water, rims max. I have two diesels, 210 HP each. I have to go WOT to get the boat to start to move. When it breaks loose it will get into the water ok. When going on, also go WOT and have to back off just at the right time. If you are on the tongue of the trailer, to hook up the safety chain and winch, you can get freeked out when I bring the boat onto the trailer. I am going to try the silicone first. and then report back. Thnaks for all of the comments. If the silicone does not do the trick, I will either extend the tongue by about 2 ft. or try some sections of starboard or other material. I did not recognize the initials for the materials mentioned on some of the posts.

sounds like you need a sliding tongue not slippery bunks.

sickcat · Jul-07-2009, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna Choker

Thanks for allof the replies. I have hijacked my sons name on these posts. I have a 30 ft Blackman. The boat and trailer is 15,000 lbs so I am guessing the boat is around 11 to 12 thousand lbs. I just spent $950 on replacing my brakes on the rear of my dually. When I launch, I only put the tires into the water, rims max. I have two diesels, 210 HP each. I have to go WOT to get the boat to start to move. When it breaks loose it will get into the water ok. When going on, also go WOT and have to back off just at the right time. If you are on the tongue of the trailer, to hook up the safety chain and winch, you can get freeked out when I bring the boat onto the trailer. I am going to try the silicone first. and then report back. Thnaks for all of the comments. If the silicone does not do the trick, I will either extend the tongue by about 2 ft. or try some sections of starboard or other material. I did not recognize the initials for the materials mentioned on some of the posts.

UHMWPE - Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly-Ethylene

Noticably slicker than HDPE. Starboard is HDPE with UV protection.

Boba-Lou · Jul-08-2009, 04:32 PM

Just my 2 cents worth....I kept my carpeted bunks on the trailer. Then I put 1/4" x 4" slides on top of it. Countersunk the screws to the bunks. I put it on the whole length of the bunks. Just be carefull and use common sense when loading and unloading. It really helped me out. My boat used to get stuck on the bunks. I never tried the spray. Sounds like a good idea. But thats just more S T U F F I need to keep on hand!!! The plastic does warp in the sun when the boat is off but.....who cares? I've had it on now for about two years. You might just want to do the front half first. Thats what I did and then I added the rest later to see how easy it slides because all boat bottoms are different shape. It works for me!!!
Good luck on your desission.