# Boat Trailer Bunk Board Slides



## oldfisherman63 (May 2, 2009)

I am considering adding plastic (nylon, starboard, HDPE, etc) slid strips to the top surface of the bunk boards on my trailer to make loading/launching my 21' Capehorn easier. Has anyone had good or bad experiences with this kind of project. Does salt or sand get embeded in the surface of the strips and abrade the boat hull surface? I fully expect that they will make launching/loading much easier that with just the carpet now covering the bunk boards. Any comments will be appreciated.


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## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

I don't know but have heard, DO NOT unhook the strap to the winch until boat is in the water.

Been thinking about doing the same thing for years but keep telling myself if I do, my boat will be on the ground at the launch.


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

Leave the carpet on your bunks if your boat has a fiberglass hull. 

Those strips are for aluminum boats.

The strips will destroy your gel coat.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

If you are having trouble loading with the carpet....and we don't know your procedure for loading?

Dunk your trailer deep....Get the carpet All wet....Then pull forward to the correct depth for loading. Wet carpet will load easier.

However.......I do have slicks on my forward Keel bunks...I have a heavy boat 2530 Parker Pilothouse........


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## Lil' Scout (Oct 1, 2007)

Put some silicone spray on the carpet and it will launch itself.


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## pcolapaddler (Sep 27, 2007)

I have heard that silicone will help. 

I agree with x-shark, wet bunks will load easier. I had mine adjusted so that the boat would almost self center. I would idle up to the trailer and let the boat settle I place, then drive up to the bow stop. Climb off and attach winch hook.

On launch, if you get the trailer deep enough an the boat will just float off. I usually launched and loaded alone and could be in or out in a couple of minutes. Took longer to park truck than launch or load.

Sent from my Frankenphone using Tapatalk


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## oldfisherman63 (May 2, 2009)

Thanks to all for the comments. I agree that with wet carpet on the bunks, launching and recovering is fairly easy and I usually launch and recover by myself and have not had any problems. The slick strips just sounded like a good idea One of my major concern was how it might cause wear and abrasion on the fiberglass hull/gel coat. I usually hose the boat down after each trip, but notice fine salt chalk afterwards on the hull which could get embedded in the strips and be like sandpaper. Think that I'll just abandon this idea and just keep the carpet. The silicon spray also sounds like a great idea as I had talked to one of the big boat racers who said they used to squirt liquid soap onto their carpet bunks to ease launching and recovery. Again, thanks for the comments/suggestions.


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## Lil' Scout (Oct 1, 2007)

Deeplines said:


> I don't know but have heard, DO NOT unhook the strap to the winch until boat is in the water.
> 
> Been thinking about doing the same thing for years but keep telling myself if I do, my boat will be on the ground at the launch.


This! Especially when using the silicone spray. You'll be amazed with how easily the boat slides on the bunks.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

You don't take the Hook off of ANY boat until it is over the water.
To do so your tempting fate.

With my Flounder boat alum 18 SeaArk and full run slicks.....You had to actually get in the boat fire the motor up and put it in forward gear to hold the boat against the stop in order to unhook the strap. You could not unhook the strap if you didn't, as you unwound the strap the boat would slide back keeping the strap taught.


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## Yellow Boat (Jan 1, 2010)

When boat is off trailer pour liquid Dawn soap on carpet , boat will load and unload very easy after that. You will need to reapply a few times during fishing season....


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## Big E Nuff (Oct 4, 2007)

Carpet is only cosmetic, it holds water and will eventually rot the wood and rust your trailer and leaf springs out from the water dripping on them. It is also abrasive, if you don't think so look at the bottom of your boat and you'll see the scratches from loading and launching. Best thing you can do is get rid of the carpet and if you want the cosmetic look, stain the wood black you will also notice your boat launches and retrieves a lot easier, if not then use some polymar strips as mentioned, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised, ever heard of wood scratching?:whistling:


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## smooth move (Sep 25, 2012)

i've had bare wood with counter sunk carriage bolts for about 10 yrs. no scratches or stains.


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## CaptainPJ (Dec 22, 2016)

*UHMW Sheets*

I added some sheets of 1/8" thick Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) polyethylene to a portion of my bunk boards. I covered the area on the front two boards where the carpet wears out the fastest. 
I have a 19 foot bay boat that is a breeze to launch and recover. The UHMW sheets helped the boat slide a little better, doesn't scar the hull and are virtually crush proof.
I took two sheets that were 10 X 24 inches, heated and bent them around a 2 x 6 then screwed them to the aft part of my forward bunks. 
Cost of sheets was about $25 on EBAY. Took maybe an hour to heat, bend and install.


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