Trailer Bunk Slicks-gctid400573

[Guest]

Has anyone had experience with a product called Bunk Slicks? They are some sort of plastic slat that you attach to the top of your trailer bunks that make the boat slide on and off the trailer easier.

I am going to put an electric winch on my trailer. However, the boat (1999 2002) is really hard to winch on the trailer and I don't what to put that much strain on the bow eye so if these Bunk Slicks work as advertised they could be the answer. Has anyone used these or has knowledge of them?

Thanks

[smitty477]

"Has anyone used these or has knowledge of them?"

I seriously considered them for our bunk trailer but became concerned about the point loading (weight per square inch) over these much smaller 'plastic' runners.

It is possible they work quite well but I have no direct information on them to relay to you.

What I have done is to spray a full can of 'silicone' lube spray on our bunk carpets about every third launch.

I spray them when I pull the trailer after loading and it is mostly dry prior to reloading.

That has helped the laoding process greatly on the boat as we need to winch it up the last 6-7 feet each time.

Hope this helps

[Rocky_Road]

RussC wrote:
Has anyone had experience with a product called Bunk Slicks? They are some sort of plastic slat that you attach to the top of your trailer bunks that make the boat slide on and off the trailer easier.

I am going to put an electric winch on my trailer. However, the boat (1999 2002) is really hard to winch on the trailer and I don't what to put that much strain on the bow eye so if these Bunk Slicks work as advertised they could be the answer. Has anyone used these or has knowledge of them?

Thanks

Oh yes, they work...in some cases too well!

You will find a ton of users that have removed their winch hook and then backed up to the launch ramp, just to watch their boat slide off onto the cement.

This is not a reason not to use them...but a testimonial as to how well they reduce the friction.

In short: they will make retrieval much easier, but you have to remind yourself that they can do just the opposite.

Happy boating!

[Guest]

old rule: winch cable and safety chain are NOT removed before the stern is in the water and the engine running!!! Same in reverse: winch -> safety chain -> kill engine -> out....

Next outing I will replace my 4" wooden carpet bunks with 6" Trex bunks and these slicks on top (no more carpet or rot). Only possible when the boat is in the lake.....

[Guest]

Rocky_Road wrote:
Oh yes, they work...in some cases too well!

You will find a ton of users that have removed their winch hook and then backed up to the launch ramp, just to watch their boat slide off onto the cement.

This is not a reason not to use them...but a testimonial as to how well they reduce the friction.

In short: they will make retrieval much easier, but you have to remind yourself that they can do just the opposite.

Happy boating!

If they work that well do I have to worry about the boat slipping on the trailer while I'm trailering the boat?

[Rocky_Road]

RussC wrote:
If they work that well do I have to worry about the boat slipping on the trailer while I'm trailering the boat?

I have never heard anyone complain about that...if the winch strap, safety chain, and decent transom tiedowns are in place, I wouldn't be nervous. Your bow stop (or roller) should be positioned right above the boat's bow eye, so that the boat can not slide forward even under a panic stop....

Happy boating!

[Guest]

Rocky_Road wrote:
Your bow stop (or roller) should be positioned right above the boat's bow eye, so that the boat can not slide forward even under a panic stop....

Even better: have a tie down from the bow eye straight down to the trailer frame. Has to be very heavy duty! Best a heavy chain pulled tight.

Found a better solution for the problem: plastic lumber! Available in 2x4 and 2x6. Complete replacement for the bunks and no more carpet. Available for twice the price as UltimateBunkBoards......

http://www.theparkcatalog.com/landsc...scaping-lumber

http://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/index.html

[Nikko]

I prefer a bunk trailer because I, through my actions and decisions can control when and how a boat comes off or goes back on a trailer. Rollers do not let me do that. Slick bunks reduce the coefficient of friction between the boat and the trailer - which will cause your trailer to act more like a roller trailer, and less like a bunk trailer. This means your boat will not "stick" to the trailer when you're launching (meaning you can not undo the winch on the ramp, and then back in to float the boat off and away), and it means the trailer will not "grab" the boat when you retrieve (no more nudging the boat up and having it stay there in neutral for you to connect the winch).

If none of that matters to you - go for it!

[Guest]

well, it actually matters a lot to me..... As it is I can't get the boat off the trailer on its own power unless I dunk the rear of my vehicle into the lake (= no good) or the son and admiral help pushing it back. Same on the way out. Last time I wasn't able to winch it all the way to the bow stop as it just didn't slide any more and I didn't want to rip off the strap. This probably tells you that the ramp is pretty shallow......

With the last boat it took me 2 minutes or less to have the boat on the roller trailer. Now I block the ramp at least for 7-8mins and in same cases even longer as the stern never wants to come on centered and the boat refuses to go sideways on the carpet so I have to back out again. I was close to converting the trailer to rollers (which aren't that good for the hull) when I found the Ultimate Bunk Boards site and a bit later the same material just cheaper as plastic lumber.

[Guest]

I bet your hitch is too high. The trailer should be at least level when attached to the truck. I found on my boat if the front of the trailer is slightly lower than the back the boat centers better and slides off easier.

[Guest]

nope, it is dead level. Tried having it higher which is worse for handling and it didn't help much. The problem is really that the tongue is to short and/or the ramp not steep enough. If the folding tongue wouldn't be spec'd for 4ft max I would have already exchanged the front piece into a 5 or 6ft section. As it is the bow of the boat is only around 2ft behind the vehicle. The plastic bunks are cheaper and should do the job and no more worry about worn out carpet or rotten bunks.

[Guest]

Yes higher will be worse. I like mine a tiny bit lower in the front.

[Guest]

I remember looking at those when I had a bunk trailer. Most all of them said they were rated for boats weighing no more than 1500 pounds.

Ine thing I don't like about them is if there is any sand between the stick and the hull of your boat, you've got an instant scratch in the hull. If you're looking to make the boat slide easier on carpeted bunks, spray the carpet with a liberal coating of silicon. The same stuff you get at the auto parts store. Almost as slick as having rollers.