Trailer Bunks - What to use

[scrisp]

I was looking at my trailer last night (Since mother nature thinks it's October around here), and noticed that the bunks under both doos is sagging and the carpet is worn.

What type of wood do you use on the bunks, is it just a pressure treated 2x4? And what would you recommend as far as the carpet? I've seen deep shag carpet used, but the stuff that I have is more like grey Astroturf matting. Is any type better than another?

 

[Spimothy Leary]

pressure treated 2x4 or even better 2x6. I have used 6' but my two skis are larger so I've upgraded to 7' bunks @ 2x6 and I love being able to walk down the bunks.
@ home depot you can get the indoor outdoor grey stuff, reasonably thin, but holds up well over a full season or two, and stretches just enough that you can get a good snug fit, and still tuck it under the sides.

i use a little bit of weldwood but its probably not necessary, and monel staples to avoid rust, I also use my little skill saw to save a little angle piece off the end of the bunk where the ski's load so the hull hits the 45degree angle instead of a hard 90 degree. I was pleased with the results.

note: if you go to home depot they will cut the carpet on their cutter for free, so you just measure your width for whatever wood your using and go from there. I've wrapped 100% around, and 90% around, leaving a little gap on the bottom, but i'm not sure if it makes a difference, but 90% made me feel better that it might dry faster... who knows.

 

[Strizzo]

i just bought the trailer bunk carpet in a 8" wide roll from academy. i used galvanized 1" roofing nails iirc as that was what the old stuff was held on with.

 

[Coastiejoe]

If you buy the bunk slides you will never need to buy carpet again. I love mine.

 

[scrisp]

Joe, do the bunk slides scratch the hull at all?

I was just looking at them, I can redo the entire trailer (both spots) for $52 + the cost of the new boards.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Not a mark on the hull to be had. One of the best investment out there. Easier to launch and retrieve, bunks last many years as no moisture is trapped between the hull and the bunk carpet, carpet never wears out.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Not a mark on the hull to be had. One of the best investment out there. Easier to launch and retrieve, bunks last many years as no moisture is trapped between the hull and the bunk carpet, carpet never wears out.

I've been reluctant to upgrade to slides, even though I move my ski's from trailer to stand probably 10X a year and I'd really appreciate the difference, but i'm always afraid of issues when launching/loading at the ramp. And I don't always remember or get around to strapping in the ski's for the return trip home, since many times i'm running 3 miles back on smooth roads. (ie; i'm lazy)

 

[Coastiejoe]

Regardless if slides or not, you really need to strap the rear of the skis down tight. Too many things can happen. Quick stops, bumps in the road, accidents ect ect. Maybe putting the slides on will force you to strap them down.

 

[mikidymac]

I had the bunk slides for years and they are awesome for transferring to a stand but they did leave permanent marks on the hull after a few seasons.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Bunks?! c'mon.. rollers is the way to go. no marks, easy on/off, and cradles the hull

 

[Coastiejoe]

Rollers are bad news for most jet skis. The hulls simply don't like the pressure of rollers. There are MANY hulls with with holes in them where they ride in the trailer.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Regardless if slides or not, you really need to strap the rear of the skis down tight. Too many things can happen. Quick stops, bumps in the road, accidents ect ect. Maybe putting the slides on will force you to strap them down.

ya maybe, and whats funny is it takes what.. 2 minutes to strap down the rear of both skis ? perhaps this conversation alone will be enough to get me to remember.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Remember what?

 

[LouDoo]

I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with the general thinking on this thread. IMO for a small lightweight ski carpeted bunks is the way to go. The reason being unless you always have someone to help you you're going to spend more time getting on and off the ski getting the ski situated on the trailer. The reason being you're going to get the ski on the trailer and buy the time you get off the ski to put the front hook on the ski is going to be back in the water. For a large ski or a boat slides may be the way to go for a small ski no.

Go to Lowes or Home Depot get a couple of treated 2x4x6' a couple of strips of indoor/outdoor carpet, some stainless steel staples and re-install the bunks.

Lou

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

trailers? I carry my XP everywhere. Bare hands. Nekked

 

[Coastiejoe]

The slides don't really let the ski SLIDE off. They just make it a bit easier. They allow me to ramp in shallower water. I slide up to the stop and shut it down. It sits right there. Hop off and out the safety cable an winch strap on and head on home.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Remember what?

remember to give a chit about the rear straps.

The slides don't really let the ski SLIDE off. They just make it a bit easier. They allow me to ramp in shallower water. I slide up to the stop and shut it down. It sits right there. Hop off and out the safety cable an winch strap on and head on home.

funny, my buddy that has slides just told me the exact opposite, he says that he rides the ski up on the trailer, leave it there on idle and then hooks it up to the winch, then shuts it off, otherwise it drifts down.

I on the other hand ride up, shut er down, and drive up the ramp, I don't even hook it to the winch until i'm back in my parking spot.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

well, ironically. I was in the middle of a trailer swap just last night, had new springs installed, repacked the bearings, and was leaving the bunks alone because they looked "good" ... boy was I wrong, I backed my new trailer into the garage last night to winch the ski's off the stands, and the first dam bunk cracked immediately !!!! apparantly they were a bit dry rotted underneath

So, it looks like i'll be doing a bunk swap tonight, and 2x6's are going on there. Would anybody appreciate pic's or is this pretty much a no brainer kind of thing ?

I was thinking maybe to get slides just on the rear portion of the bunks, the bottom 24" or something so that once I get it started the ski's will slide pretty easy onto the stand.

Silly idea or does it have merit ?

 

[mikidymac]

Keep it Simple. 2x4's and all weather carpet. It has worked since long before our ski's were new. Spend the money saved on Seadoo XPS.

 

[Coastiejoe]

remember to give a chit about the rear straps.



funny, my buddy that has slides just told me the exact opposite, he says that he rides the ski up on the trailer, leave it there on idle and then hooks it up to the winch, then shuts it off, otherwise it drifts down.

I on the other hand ride up, shut er down, and drive up the ramp, I don't even hook it to the winch until i'm back in my parking spot.

That will depend in the depth he puts the trailer on the ramp and the angle if the ramp.