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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Campbellsville
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    Replace pontoon trailer bunk boards

    I want to use the plastic slide pads because my pontoon is difficult to load and unload. It is a Bass Pro Sun Tracker set up for fishing, 21' length and 60 hp Mercury. It is heavy. The carpeted wood strips are 9 years old and one has rotted.

    I am going to change all 4 bunks, 16' long, 2"x4" to 2"x6".

    I want to change all the wood, seal it with something weatherproof, and install plastic pads on top. Plastic is supposed to be slicker and easier to load/unload. I am not installing carpet because the carpet will keep water trapped against the wood longer. The carpet would have no purpose with the plastic pads.

    Lowes advertises 2 x 6 x 16 for $15. Ebay has several plastic pads and various prices.

    Is my reasoning sound? Any places I should search for the plastic pads?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Lexington
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    I usually just stick with outdoor carpet wrapped and stapled to good premium treated boards. I used Yellawood for the last set I did. The boards should last a long time on a toon. Probably 10+ years. The toon keeps everything covered during rain IF it is kept outside. The drive home from the lake will have the lake at 60 mph dries a lot of any lake moisture as well. The biggest thing to be careful is getting the pontoon a little off center on the back while loading or better yet while pulling up the ramp by yourself. I stuck one of rest post to guide you onto the boards into the toon while at the dan at Cumberland 2 years ago at Christmas. Trying to get back to Lexington for some dinner thing. Just a good thing I teach welding and had a TIG welder available to fix my error. Good luck. By the way, I changed my boards in the parking lot of the boat ramp with hand tools. Donated the old boards to the marina dumpster after cutting it up.

  3. #3
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    Aug 2008
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    I use the plastic pads on my boat trailer too. Works good

    I have a 15'11" long john boat type aluminum bass boat from Fisher Marine.

    I replace the boards on my boat trailer a few years back. I go the treated type but fear that the treatment was for insects not water. Oh Well. They can be replaced again if they rot. The first boards lasted me over 25 years. So I figure the new ones will last as long again.

    If I were younger and had to do it all over again. I'd treat them with some type of water proofing stain. Thompson won't last long as I've used that on my back wooden deck and it didn't last very long. The Stain that I got from Benjamin Moore Lasted much longer and looked better.

    Anyway I stapled indoor/outdoor carpet on the boards. I found that my boat would not slide off the trailer with the carpet on the boards.

    The Boards are long 2x4 on edge. I guess that they are about 16 ft. long. Only two of them on the trailer.

    When I went to Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's I found the plastic strips that you can screw onto the top edge of the boards and placed about 4 of them along the boards top edge with wood screws. They have a recessed area for the screw heads. Now my boat flies off the trailer with ease.

    I replaced the side boards on my trailer too as they help me guide the boat onto the trailer more easily and keep the boat centered on the trailer.

    You could get buy without the carpet if you wish. The plastic strips are slick and work well. I spaced them a few inches apart and made sure that I had enough to cover the length of the board. The space between each plastic strip was less than 1 ft. The bottom of the aluminum boat slides along the plastic strips easy.


    Quote Originally Posted by llg View Post
    I want to use the plastic slide pads because my pontoon is difficult to load and unload. It is a Bass Pro Sun Tracker set up for fishing, 21' length and 60 hp Mercury. It is heavy. The carpeted wood strips are 9 years old and one has rotted.

    I am going to change all 4 bunks, 16' long, 2"x4" to 2"x6".

    I want to change all the wood, seal it with something weatherproof, and install plastic pads on top. Plastic is supposed to be slicker and easier to load/unload. I am not installing carpet because the carpet will keep water trapped against the wood longer. The carpet would have no purpose with the plastic pads.

    Lowes advertises 2 x 6 x 16 for $15. Ebay has several plastic pads and various prices.

    Is my reasoning sound? Any places I should search for the plastic pads?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Campbellsville
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    Lowes plastic decking

    Lowes also has plastic planks made for decking. Wonder how that would work?
    Likes GeoFisher liked this post

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    New Albany, Indiana.
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    8,955
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    Here you go...............you will NEVER replace these.

    https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Campbellsville
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    That's sorta what I want

    $400 is a bit much for 4 boards that are 12'. My old ones are 16', but this is close.
    Likes GeoFisher liked this post

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 1969
    Location
    New Albany, Indiana.
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    Quote Originally Posted by llg View Post
    $400 is a bit much for 4 boards that are 12'. My old ones are 16', but this is close.
    There are cheaper alternatives you just have to shop around. they are all about the same, but you need to be careful as the boat may slip off these since they are "slicker" than carpet.
    Likes Moveon liked this post

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Smithfield
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    306
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    Bass Boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by GeoFisher View Post
    Here you go...............you will NEVER replace these.

    https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/


    Geo - would these work on bass boat trailers? Do you have these on your trailer? I love the idea of never having to replace bunks!!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    yea the boat will slide off the bunks if they are plastic

    Yea the boat will slip off the plastic boards much faster. keep the safety chain attached until you are ready for the boat to go off the trailer and into the water.


    Quote Originally Posted by GeoFisher View Post
    There are cheaper alternatives you just have to shop around. they are all about the same, but you need to be careful as the boat may slip off these since they are "slicker" than carpet.

  10. #10
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    Aug 2008
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    I like the idea of plastic boards instead of wood

    Just be careful when you buy plastic boards and the ozone in the air can attack plastic and make it crack and fall apart. That's why they treat the plastic with some type of antioxidant substance to protect it from UV light.

    UV light is what breaks down Oxygen molecules into Free Oxygen atoms which combine with other O2 molecules to make O3 or Ozone. Ozone is what's doing the damage by oxidizing the plastic surface. Ozone in high concentrations is used to kill bacteria and mold. Ozone is a gas and it's very reactive and can be dangerous in higher concentrations. Long term exposure to lower ozone levels can also be harmful to human lungs. It may also be responsible for skin cancer.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    I replaced mine last year, they were 10 years old, i went to lowes and got treated 2 x 4's and lowes had some recycled plastic that looks and feels like carpet, so I got enough to cover the new boards, I used glue and staples to attach the plastic carpet to the boards, and replaced the old lag bolts with new ones, so far so good, cost about 60.00 bucks and look nice.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Campbellsville
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    I plan on going to Lowes tomorrow to look at what they have.

    Their plastic decking is only 1" thick, but if this is to replace 2" wood, then it should be as strong as 2" and work fine. My current bunks are 2x4's. 3/4 lag screws should work. I plan to get 2x6's. They are designed for decks so weather should not be a factor.

    I definitely need a slicker solution. My pontoon is difficult to load or unload.

    One of my current wood bunks can be squeezed together all along the entire 16'. Rotten to the core, so I plan to replace all 4.

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