Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

[robert graham]

My jon boat trailer has original factory intalled carpeted bunks, but the carpet is beginning to show some wear(1999), so why not just rip all the carpet off and have the bare wood against the bottom of the hull and save my time, trouble and money or recovering with carpet? What you guys think?

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

My jon boat trailer has original factory intalled carpeted bunks, but the carpet is beginning to show some wear(1999), so why not just rip all the carpet off and have the bare wood against the bottom of the hull and save my time, trouble and money or recovering with carpet? What you guys think?

Don't see why not as long as you seal that wood well.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Heck, I could just rip all that old carpet off and paint those wooden bunks OD Green like the rest of the boat!....My guess is that bunk carpet is more for looks and to protect a pretty, slick fiberglass hull from getting scratches...

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Replacing bunk carpet doesn't take long, isn't that expensive, and definitely isn't much trouble. That being said, aluminum hull might not be much trouble, but wood will splinter, creating "hang up" points which will grab and make loading/unloading a little harder. In the case of a Jon boat, maybe not so much since they are so light. Total cost to replace my bunks was 25 bucks and that was new wood, carpet, and lag bolts. took me 2 hours, by myself, and I am slow by any man's standards lol.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

rip off the carpet, leave it off, and put a couple teflon skids. Whooosh!

(wood that can dry out won't rot as fast as wood under soggy carpet)

If you don't float on/off, and if you do a lot of launching, the wood will eventually wear off the paint and thin the aluminum. I would think the vibrations from the road will do the same, with the wood and sand working on it. So depending on your circumstances, you might want the carpet.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Heck, I could just rip all that old carpet off and paint those wooden bunks OD Green like the rest of the boat!....My guess is that bunk carpet is more for looks and to protect a pretty, slick fiberglass hull from getting scratches...

Yep, yours has reevits so your good! lol. Yeah with a Jon boat if you don't wanna put carpet on the bunks it won't hurt anything. Seal up the wood well and/or paint it. You'll be just fine.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Well, maybe I better get some carpet and replace the old stuff. Wonder if Stainless Steel Staples would hold it on, or glue and Stainless Screws? I have some black plastic slides I could put on but thought it might be too slick and slide off at the ramp during launching? My hull is all welded, no rivets...

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

I have seen staples in them several times before. If the wood is bad replace it and seal it up and grab you some carpet and staple it on you'll be just fine.

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

I used galvanized roofing nails, then dabbed a touch of paint on them to make them not so noticeable! Staples would work well too, I'd think.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Monel staples but I agree with galvanized roofing nails

 

[cribber]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

I had to completely rebuild my bunks wood and carpet... ditto on the Monel staples!! That was the only thing left on the old bunks that didn't rot or rust that wasn't galvenized.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

I had to completely rebuild my bunks wood and carpet... ditto on the Monel staples!! That was the only thing left on the old bunks that didn't rot or rust that wasn't galvenized.

That would work just fine!

 

[Slow Ride]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

I used stainless staples on mine and have had no problems. Also, I went to Lows and got scrap outdoor carpet from the floorig department. The almost always have a ben with odd sized pieces. Find you a piece that is big enough to do the job and run for the door! Just kidding. I paid 10 bucks for the carpet and had it on the bunks in about 1 hour. Would have been faster but I took the bunks completely off and replace the bolts holding them on.

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

rip off the carpet, leave it off, and put a couple teflon skids. Whooosh!

(wood that can dry out won't rot as fast as wood under soggy carpet)

If you don't float on/off, and if you do a lot of launching, the wood will eventually wear off the paint and thin the aluminum. I would think the vibrations from the road will do the same, with the wood and sand working on it. So depending on your circumstances, you might want the carpet.

Consider the "skids". UHMW isn't that expensive and is very durable, very slick, and won't rot. It's easy to apply with counter-sunk stainless screws. You don't have to have a piece the entire length of your bunk. You can put it on with 2"-3" gaps, but it doesn't really cost much more for one long length. Check to see if you have any shops around that deal with it.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

My jon boat trailer has original factory intalled carpeted bunks, but the carpet is beginning to show some wear(1999), so why not just rip all the carpet off and have the bare wood against the bottom of the hull and save my time, trouble and money or recovering with carpet? What you guys think?

Yessss. And when your bunks rot off, replace them with treated wood and leave the carpet off. BTDT and will not go back for any reason "asthetics or otherwise".

Mark

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Thread # 5 by Homecooking is correct about dirt / sand on the bunks & wear. Go for carpet. Spreads the loads / friction points out. If you have a Aluminum boat that has the hull as a electrical + or - DEFINATELY go with the carpet.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Yessss. And when your bunks rot off, replace them with treated wood and leave the carpet off. BTDT and will not go back for any reason "asthetics or otherwise".

Mark

Never use treated wood with an aluminum boat.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Never use treated wood with an aluminum boat.

Correct. Glad someone caught that. To break it down..... The chemicals in the treated wood will "jack up" your aluminum. So don't use the treated. Just go to your local lumber store and get you a piece of acx or bc whatever you wanna spend. That will do the job fine. Carpet or not. Good Luck

 

[bigdee]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Correct. Glad someone caught that. To break it down..... The chemicals in the treated wood will "jack up" your aluminum. So don't use the treated. Just go to your local lumber store and get you a piece of acx or bc whatever you wanna spend. That will do the job fine. Carpet or not. Good Luck

ncnjeremy is correct.... Here is my experience with PT from another post; Default Re: pressure treated problem?

I pulled my boat out of the water today but before doing that I inspected my trailer and found that the 1/4" carriage bolts securing the bunks were loose. I got out my wrenches to tighten them and on the first try it snapped off...the diameter of the bolt that was inside the wood was about the size of a match stick! I quickly checked the rest of the fasteners and found them to be the same. The bunks are several years old but still solid so I peeled away some of the carpet and sure enough...PT wood.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: Bunk Carpet for Jon Boat

Yep...... That stuff is evil!!!! I honestly (IMO) don't ever use PT wood in any boat. ACX/ABX/BCX/... Heck.. Even CDX if you get it from a good lumber yard will be good. I have found that CDX from A place like Carter Lumber (or your local lumber yard) is about the same quality as AC or BCX from a big store like Lowes or Home Depot. They are like the Wal-Mart of woods. Trust me on this!!!!!