Wood Bunks on your Trailer-gctid383335

[Guest]

How long do your wood bunks need to be?? I have rollers to the back axle and from the axle back to almost the end of the trailer rails are the wood bunks. The boat over hangs the wood bunks about 8 inches. Is this ok????

Thanks for the advise.

Boat is 2359FV on a dual axle trailer and has a 5.7 mag with Alpha 1 outdrive

[Nikko]

Bunks need to support the transom - sounds like they should probably be a bit longer than they are.

[2850Bounty]

The wooden bunks will flex some.

More importantly may be the bunk supports, and where they are positioned in relationship to the stern.

Are you replacing the wooden members?

If so, select your material for vertical grain. Vertical grain will not flex quite as much as flat grain will.

Watch out for PT material. PT is typically utility grade.

This may mean selecting Std & Btr vertical grain Fir, in which case you do not wrap the underneath of the bunks so that they can dry out more efficiently.

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[Guest]

Nikko wrote:
Bunks need to support the transom - sounds like they should probably be a bit longer than they are.

What ^^^ said. You can get a tuck set into the bottom if the transom is not supported.

[Guest]

Not replacing bunks just wondering if the length has to go all the way to the stern?? Three hangers on each bunk 6 inches from the front and back and 1 on center. these bunks are not going to the back of the stern, they are about 8 inches short.

[Nikko]

yes - the length needs to go all the way to the stern. If the bunks do not go all the way back, you run the risk of hogging the hull. I had a boat like this - never did get the hog out, boat handled in a very scary manner.

Run the bunks to the back and under the transom. As others have said - make sure that area is supported properly - not difficult to do. If you make new bunks, i/o carpet works well for an anti-scratch cover.

[2850Bounty]

Again, if the wooden bunk runs out to the stern, yet are not supported fully, what's the point..... the bunks will flex from the point beyond the last support!

This is why I suggested that more importantly is where the supports are located in relationship to the stern.

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[Guest]

my original Bayliner carpeted wooden bunks have a pretty sturdy angle iron under them to prevent that they can bend. The trailer itself isn't that great but I like that part and the fact that it looks like the wood was pressure treated.

[Nikko]

2850Bounty wrote:
Again, if the wooden bunk runs out to the stern, yet are not supported fully, what's the point..... the bunks will flex from the point beyond the last support!

This is why I suggested that more importantly is where the supports are located in relationship to the stern.

.

Right - I made the assumption that the bunks would be made to be structurally sound - guess I should have said so... You're correct, not only should the bunks run under the transom - they need to be actually doing something back there.