Trailer questions

[JR]

Now that I am going to have a "Pristine" gel coat on my hull again, I was wondering if there were any terrrific ideas about what to do with my trailer bunks.
I have an Ameritrail aluminum trailer with 4x8 wood bunks carpeted over. Since I launch in the mud[at the rivers] and sand [at the beach] my bunk carpet gets full of sand and chews up my gelcoat while going down the highway. I put the hard plastic slick strips on top of the carpet, but they are cracking/abrading my gelcoat also.
Besides a roller trailer, which might not support the pad well enough, do ya'll have any good ideas?
Has any one tried out the slick solid plastic bunk boards?
JR

 

[Myron]

hey JR how about the rubber like on a float on trailer, I don't know how it would hold up, but I have seen that used before

 

[JR]

I wish I could find some corrugated rubber conveyor belt. It is about the toughest stuff there is and the corrugation would trap sand away from the contact surface.
JR

 

[K-DAWG XB 2003]

Get some teflon strips. Got some on my 17 saltwater boat trailer. They work really well.

 

[whipper]

Belting is tough but will mark the hull.I used teflon strips on my wave runner before worked great but I would rather my Allison be sitting on some pillows rather than something hard. What about using corrugated aluminum rails under the carpet with a tube inside the rail that you can stick a hose on and that jets water threw the holes between your hull and the bunks? Sorta a self cleaning bunks. That should saturate the carpet enough to flow the majority of sand and mud away from the hull and the carpet surface.The thicker the carpet the more cushion and sand trapping abilities I would think. Hears a thought?:banghead What about at the start of both rails mount a little stainless basket that will hold a large house hold spong. Mount it low enough of course as to not inpead the hull on launching and retreaval. Just before you retrive your GS soak the two sponges in the water and place them in the holders at the base of the rails. The sponges would have to stick 4 or 5 inches above the tops of the rails. So two one foot long BY 6inch wide and thick ones would work good. As your hull is pulled up the trailer bunks the sponges would clean the area of the hull that will rest on the bunks. Market this and get rich!

im going to make this at work tonight, Ill let ya know how it works if I can get out before the ice is on the lakes again! For that mater you could make a flexable long skweegi{sp} that goes all across the back of the trailer that would keep the pretty clean as its retrieved? You could use terry cloth or some obsorbint material slid over a 6ft long sergical tubbing spanning the width of the trailer to get the low points and the sponges to get were the hull rest on the bunks? Hears another idea. Get a widow washer jug like in your truck and wire it on your trailer. Run some tubes from the tank down iside your trailer frame and mount some nozzles at the foot of you bunks and along your bunks. Have a toggle switch by your winch were you can activate the nozzles spraying the hull as its retrieved. Refill tank as nessesary. I back down the ramp so the water line is just a few feet up my bunks. If you had the sponges in the water they would be in contact with the hull as it floats up and the spray nozzels you could place starting one foot up the bunks mybe spraying from the side of the fenders.The pressure of the nozzles would be dependint on the pump unit you choose to mount for power. Heck you could have your own portable car wash system installed!:help James

 

[jimmyb]

just be careful with those plastic strips... always fasten the bow eye...

 

[2fast4mom]

I was towing my XB2002 from the shop in Sacramento back on I-80 and I noticed the bow flopping up and down like a shark trying to get off a fishline...I pulled over immediately and found the winch strap loose and the turnbuckle that holds the boweye had fallen out...I didn't understand since I just had checked them both 15 miles earlier.

I don't reckon it damaged the boat any, just rocking up and down "fulcruming" on the bunks for a couple miles...but the point is, Jimmy is right, ALWAYS check the bow eye and safety turnbuckle.

 

[JR]

When I launch at the beach, keys ect.. There are few sources of fresh water anywhere near the ramp, when I go to pull it out.

Where are ya'll getting the teflon strips from?

I had the HDPE slick strips but they all cracked and abraded the hull.
I am very careful about securing to the trailer, bow and stern, due to the slick plastic on the bunks.
Thanks for any suggestions,
JR

 

[whipper]

Any plastic shop in the phone book can get you teflon strips JR. Just put a aluminum box at the front of your trailer with a lock on it and put a small pressure washer in there and beside that a 5 gal jug of water. Then you can wash the boat down before you leave. :big grin If you use the teflon strips just recess the screw holes and screw them into your bunks. Thats how I did the waverunners. And you have to leave the GS hooked up when backing into the water because when you stop the boat will take off. Very slipery when launching just a small push and shes off. Personaly I think the carpet is better. If the hull is dirty you have some cution but if you get stuff inbetween the teflon and your hull its going to sractch it I think. Sand particals will fall down into the carpet leaveing you with a relitivly soft cradel.

 

[Yellowallison]

JR......

I was looking at your trailer yesterday working on one of my boats at Jacks shop and went WOW.. ole Jr's trailer bunks is in-need of some LUV!!

But your boat still looks GOOD for as much as its used...proves Allison quality is hard to beat!

I say have JACK replace all the wood and double carpet the bunks..then in another 10 yrs have him fix the gelcoat.

Myself I always Double carpet the bunks on my trailer cuz it seems to help with chaffing the gelcoat by not ridin on the wood so much.

Those hard plastic runners you had on thier looked like they be ruff on the bottom of a boat..

Jack was working hard on making it look NEW again


p.s HEY???? where can I buy one of those 15" mid trim indicator yu got:big grin

 

[JR]

Scott,
Don't make fun of my trim indicator. I did not realize the 15" mid had no indicator system when I bought the rig new from Wayne. I knew from my years of running the OMC V6s that theirs could be mounted on the Merc midsection and match up to the Allison Gauge.

That is a great Idea with the double carpeting. I have got to do something, as many times as my boat get launched in the mud/sand and then trailered all over the place. I put the slick strips on when it started wearing through the carpet.

I am really pleased with Jack's work, I should have shot some before/after pictures.
The "Before" pictures would probably get me banned from the Allison Board for "Boat Abuse".

Now, I hope my Knees turn out as well as the boat. Last week was a rough week [after the surgery] since I never take any pain medicines.

Scott, Hopefully I'll have another new toy for you to try out, one of the new Honda 1500cc Turbos, when they come out in the Spring. I am going to keep my beat-up 1200 cc Turbo for the kids/Friends to ride.
JR

 

[Yellowallison]

Yea JR......yu had me and JACK chucklin an goin WTHECK is that...OH its a trim do-dolly-thingy.....But HEY ---it WORKS! :beer:

I say double carpet and go with it!

Jack just double carpeted the bunks on dads 21 to help with the same situation!

GOOD LUCK.... she gunna be good as NEW AGIN!


Oh yea.. next time your at the shop..check out the 65" MTI CAT - RC boat that gettin a 9HP/35CC Racing Quickdraw- 2 stroke I'm building......

p.s... Naw..I gave up the JETSKI's yrs ago after a few hard crashes that left me looking for my shorts after thay got rip' off

 

[JR]

I saw that little model cat at the shop, but just thought it was someone's toy, not realizing it was going to be an RC.

I dropped by carpet, SS screws, SS finish washers and a set of the pole mounted LED tail lights at Jack's this morning. I am going to try out the pole-top mounted lights [Jack's suggestion] after replacing my low mounted LEDs several times due to the salt.

Jack said he was going to bevel out the rear bunks to make them better match the hull angle and then double carpet them. He then is going to put some solid 4" wide slick strips for the rear.

Thanks for the Ideas,
JR

 

[Yellowallison]

10-4 JR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep..that my chillin out at the sandbars 70mph TOY!!!

 

[whipper]

Scott,


I am really pleased with Jack's work, I should have shot some before/after pictures.
The "Before" pictures would probably get me banned from the Allison Board for "Boat Abuse".


JR

JR I doubt that very much but if yours looked like this I would say ban his MFAs!unch :laughing http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143895

 

[Kevin from FL]

James,

That's just a protective covering on that boat....you would have to see JR's boat.

Trust me...he had no mercy..and it kept on ticking :smile

 

[whipper]

Ya thats it a protective covering.:laughing Actually Ill try to find a pic of my GS after it made it hear all the way from South Carolina in the middle of winter!! I almost cryed when the transport tuck pulled up at the dock in Washington to off load her. she looked ruined she was so filthy. After a good wash much to my amazment and joy she looked as good as new again.

 

[Yellowallison]

I was in FULL THROTTTLES -INTENSIVE CARE UNIT this morning working on one of my boats so I took a few mooments and visted JR 'BAT TURN" GIRL.... :big grin

She was feeling OK and all ready to hit the water again after DR JACK getz done with all his procedures:big grin

I even gave the ole girl a SPIN of her PROP so she doesn't feel lonely!!! :big grin

 

[Yellowallison]

I even SNOPE'd around the back and seen the TOP SECRET DEVICE that controls those 70mph 90'controlled BAT TURNS!!

... the BAT TURN SPECIAL (DO- DOLLY) TRIM indicator :big grin:big grin