Shackbash Trailer Bunk Redo

[propster]

Shack, awhile back, maybe October, you showed us how you rebuilt your bunks, makes me think I will do the same. Silly question - what did you do with the boat when you went to put the new bunks on? Did you simply do the switch at a landing with the boat in the water?

[marine_man]

You can do that (beach it while you're working out of the way), or if you're careful and methodical, you can crank it down onto the grass, with the trailer unhooked from a tow vehicle so the tongue can raise up into the air and unload it slowly.

marine_man

[The_Duckslayer]

Or if you really have a lot of time you can set the boat on sawhorses. I did it by letting the tounge of the trailer all the way to the ground, put saw horse on very back of boat, lift tounge way up put saw horse in front of boat then wiggle the trailer out or at least turned far enough so that you can work on the bunks. Of course this was a flat bottom aluminium jon boat too. Take care and N JOy the hunt././Jimbo

[Shack]

Well, let’s just say by the time I got all the bunks done up, hunting became a high priority . I just laid them down flat in the boat during winterization and installing them will be the first thing I do this spring .

I have one of two options for doing this. The first one would be the easiest, launching at public during a weekday morning and floating it off to the side of the launch. Then I would install them up in the parking lot. For me, the down side of this would be that I wanted to paint some areas on the trailer and do some other things when the boat is off. The trailer might take awhile to dry after launching the boat, unless it was a warm sunny day or I wipe it down. Just seems to be a hassle for a launch parking lot (IMO), but is always an option.

My second option which was almost done last fall was to use my car hoist in my garage. I would back boat and trailer in stall, lift arms and swing them out. Then I got some 8” wide construction straps from a buddy last fall and I would just lift it up, pull trailer out, lower boat down close to floor and support with wood, but still have the lift taking most of the load.

Still up in the air and I am sure which way I do this will depend on how much of a hurry I am in to get on the water.

Good luck!

[Ralph Wiggum]

LOL, I wish I had the hoist option

[propster]

At least you had your priorities in order!

[Shack]

I had wished I got them on last fall, but the weather turned sour the days I had in mind to do it (painting). I might just break out the media blaster I have and repaint the whole trailer this spring now. The damage to the one bunk and side bunk that got me to make the bunks occurred during a late fall trip to ML, so I was basically done for the year anyways.

Plus when you have friends like Ralph Wiggum that will take you out in late fall for stugies, who needs a boat anyways

[Ralph Wiggum]

Plus when you have friends like Ralph Wiggum that will take you out in late fall for stugies, who needs a boat anyways

LOL! When should I drop by with my trailer for blasting and painting?