Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hi guys,

I have a 2 log 18' toon, and a carpeted bunk trailer. My logs are bottom painted. What do you guys recommend for covering up those carpets? because I heard it's not good to have the logs touching the wet carpet.

Thanks.

KylefromNJ wrote: because I heard it's not good to have the logs touching the wet carpet.

Where did you get this info? I just bought a boat in March with a new trailer that had carpeted bunks.

it was said that when you pull out the boat and the salt water will react w the PT wood and then leech into the carpet, touching the toons, and that's where the problem begins...

bunk caps from Eastern Marine on hand applied water seal Douglas fur boards

Bingo! that's exactly it. thank you sir!

I think you'll need to pull the carpet off before installing the plastic bunk covers. The plastic will be a snug fit against the wood.

I ordered my galvanized trailer with plastic covered bunks and for some reason the upright bow stops came covered in carpet. Simple to change out.

Why are the plastic slides better? Over time plastic gets brittle and cracks. How does carpet wear in comparison?

LadyGT wrote:Why are the plastic slides better? Over time plastic gets brittle and cracks. How does carpet wear in comparison?

And carpet rots and/or tears.....

For reasons unknown to me the carpet on one of my bunks was torn by the 3rd or 4th use...

If I were trailering my boat a lot in and out of salt water I'd surely switch to a plastic runner...

When carpet soaks up salt water it reacts with the chemicals in pressure treated wood and the reaction eats up aluminum. If left on carpeted bunks it will cause pin holes on the pontoons. Also plastic covered bunks makes the pontoons slide on and off the trailer a lot easier from less friction.

teecro.
I found the same thing... After a few launch and recoveries, I noticed my carpet was torn in spots... Some tears are long... I attribute it to the keels on the bottom of my pontoons. They are very sharp! Sharp enough to tear or rip the carpet when I hit them less than perfectly aligned trying to get my boat on the trailer. Anyone else have this happen to them?

Sincerely,
Rich

justrfb wrote:teecro.
I found the same thing... After a few launch and recoveries, I noticed my carpet was torn in spots... Some tears are long... I attribute it to the keels on the bottom of my pontoons. They are very sharp! Sharp enough to tear or rip the carpet when I hit them less than perfectly aligned trying to get my boat on the trailer. Anyone else have this happen to them?

Sincerely,
Rich

But I don't have strakes....

Not "strakes"... "Keels"... On the bottom of my toons there are keels about an inch or two high... They are sharp and if you bang into them (with the boat on the trailer obviously...), they hurt. Ask me how I know...

The only time I have ever heard of pressure treated bunks used on trailers is when someone puts them on by mistake.

Personally, I would never put plastic glides on my bunks. I prefer the extra margin of safety to keep the boat on the trailer while towing.

I have plastic slides from Bass Pro Shop that are screwed down over the carpeted bunks that came on my trailer. I found that it was almost impossible to move the boat on the carpeted bunks, and not nearly as hard to move it with the plastic slides - but NEVER a problem with movement while trailering. Of course I use ratchet straps at bow and stern, AND a 2" by 20 foot ratchet strap to hold the boat forward on the trailer (from the transom to the frame, and back to the transom).

I am looking at a 25' Berkshire tritoon, I need to mod my boat lift to support, I have a 10,000lb lift which will support the weight but i need to switch out my lift bunks. I am looking to put 3 (4"x12"x16') cedar pressure treated boards. I want to put either plastic covering on the bunks or plastic guides on the bunks to keep the toons off the pressure treated boards. Any advice or thoughts,