Bunk Slicks - How many?

[Jerry_NJ]

I'm thinking, again, about installing bunk slicks. I have a Discovery 14' Aluminum fishing boat with a 9.9 HP Yamaha... so why do I need slicks?

This is a rather wide and heavy boat, with lots of ply wood decking, not sure what it weighs but when I get it misaligned on loading I can not budge it sideways to align. I have guides - but that doesn't seem to solve my problem.

All the slicks I find on the web are a few inches long, perhaps 6" long and 1.5" or 3" wide. I have what I believe are 2x4 bunk boards which are carpeted. The two center are on "edge", narrow width up. I may try just 6 (three each side) of the 1.5" by whatever on these bunks. I suppose it is best to look at the loaded boat be sure no slick is install further forward than the hull contacts. The center bunks stick out behind the loaded boat by at least a foot, and I think bunk end-slicks are not needed.

 

[smokeonthewater]

biggest concern is the surface area the boat sits on... don't want to dent the hull.... I would say cover 2/3's of the portion of the bunk that supports the boat... That said....

First try this... go buy a can of silicone spray lube (wd-40 now sells it). Launch your boat and come back to the ramp after the bunk carpet has had time to dry n soak em down with the silicone.. Go back out for a few more hours so the silicone can dry..... when you come back to load you will have 90% of what slicks can do for you for under $5... you may have to reapply 2-3 times a season but it's cheap, easy, and foolproof.

 

[Bifflefan]

Usually when you misalign the boat on the trailer, is a result of putting the trailer to far in the water. A few inches makes all the difference.
Also, I am not a fan of slicks as they defeat the purpose I use a bunk trailer for. In my opinion if you want it to slide off then use a roller trailer.

 

[midcarolina]

Bunk slicks will not fix issues of not being able to get the boat straight on the trailer......... One of two things is going on, either you have a trailer that is not set up properly for your boat Likely if it's not a custom made trailer for your model boat......... Or as bifflefan said the trailer is too deep.

can you post some pictures of the boat/trailer so we can see how it is setup?

IMO bunk slicks are helpful if you launch in very shallow water and need to push the boat off the trailer, and winch the boat up on the trailer.

 

[Bob_VT]

I am not a fan of bunk slicks for an aluminum boat because they catch the rivets.......... on a fiberglass hull boat -yes.

I have made them for people by visiting the "dollar" store and got a pile of cheap plastic cutting boards and my table saw....... easy to make then I countersink the screws.

Now as far as silicone on the bunks - WOW!!!! Trust me it works and be sure to leave the boat tied to the trailer until you launch....... I have seen boats slide off onto ramps.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

I purchased the B/T second (third) hand and believe the package come for a dealer who should/would match the set-up... not to say it is still aligned properly.

I'll forget the slicks for now, the silicone sounds interesting save the need for several hours at the lake while two drying cycles take place. Suppose I can use a floor jack to raise the boat in my driveway off one side at a time to spray.

Is there a special (better, not just more expensive) silicone spray for spraying carpeted bunks? Or, can I buy a "normal" can of spray - silicone is silicone?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Well.. there IS a 'special' product called liquid rollers just for this purpose BUT it is the same thing as what's in a can of silicone spray lube..... Just more expensive.

 

[JimS123]

Foget slicks - they don't work well on aluminum - I tried them. Put on a set of keel rollers and replace the bunks with roller bunks. Slick as a whistle and you will wonder why ou didn't do it before...

 

[Mi duckdown]

GOOD pics of your boat on trailer from different angles and under side may help

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, I'll add some silicon before the next trip to the lake (hope there's time for a couple more trips before ice) to the bunks behind the boat, doubt I'll have enough time a the lake to wait for the bunks to dry before adding silicon with the boat off. My center two bunks stick a good distance out behind, but I think that see's little contact as it is always under water while loading. Guess properly applied the silicon will not wash off the next launch.

Its raining here in NJ, but I'll take the offer to look at pictures... maybe tomorrow.

 

[smokeonthewater]

don't bother with doing just the backs... It's from midway and up where you will really get a benefit... jack the boat up or pull it off the back of the trailer and get the bunks sprayed if you don't wanna do it at the lake.

 

[Expidia]

I looked into plastic slicks and ordered them when I first bought my rig. Insert in the box said "do not use with aluminum boats as they will wear the paint off". Sent them back! Just spray bunks with silicone as others have noted, a few times a season.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

I had in past years just jacked up my Grumman Pro Fisherm 14' aluminum boat (lost to Hurricane Sandy in 2012) to change a bunk board or otherwise access the trailer bunk area with the boat on board. The Grumman was light enough that I could just "man handle" it. My current Discovery is a few inches wider and deeper, uses a long outboard motor. These add up to the Discovery weighing a lot more, maybe heavier aluminum too.

I had read somewhere before about not using slicks with aluminum... but forgot. The spray sounds too good to be true, so I'll try it : )

As this thread developed it became clear my main interest in slicks is driven by my problem getting the boat loaded squarely on the trailer. Correct adjustment of the bunks may be the key, and this trailer has the two center 2x4 bunk boards on edge, narrow edge up against the hull, more like the floor joist where the long dimension is vertical, not horizontal. This narrow edge make make it harder to load, seems it would to my "mind's eye". So far I have been spared any high winds while loading the Discovery, even the lighter Grumman gave me fit when there is a strong cross wind.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

No Title

Pictures, now that we're getting at my problem: getting the boat on the trailer straight.

There are 5 picture, the first three show the "macro view" there are two bunks, on "edge" that stick out beyond the rear of the boat. The loading roller (Port side) is seen to be too small - form my smaller Grummman ProFisherman days. This roller is of little or no help, an the bottom of the roller digs into the side of the boat, taking paint off.

The bow and stern rollers show the boat is nearly on straight but is off to the Port by a fraction of an inch...maybe that's as good as it gets and I should just remove the loading rollers as they only do damage. I purchaser the boat second hand, it did not have any loading rollers. Only the first three pictures here, I'll upload the two pics of the bow and stern keel rollers in the next reply.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Here are two pictures referenced above, of the bow and stern keel rollers. Well, still can't upload more. The two pictures show the keel is offset from the center by a fraction of an inch, both to the Port side.

Welcome advice on how to upload more pictures... do I have to first delete the above three pictures? Now I can't post because the "supervisor" wants a picture even though I clicked on "cancel" after being told I can not upload any more pictures.

 

[midcarolina]

Get a free image hosting account like photo bucket........ then just copy IMG code to your post.

I see you have several straps on the boat, does the boat rock side to side while on the trailer? It looks like your bunks need to be adjusted up a little and if you added two short bunks naybe a couple feet behind the forward roller I think that would help alot..........

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks, those straps are for holding the parked weather protection cover.. I use only a single strap about a foot forward of the transom.

Moving the bunks higher would reduce the guide forces of the keel rollers.. I'd thank that would make centering more difficult. But, given the boat seems to always (little wind when loading) favor the Port side, perhaps raising the Port bunk a fraction of an inch might help in my mind's eye.

 

[Thalasso]

As an advocate of slicks, they will not help in this situation. Your problem is you have no chines for bunks to help you center the boat.
Load the boat where you think it should be and install guides on the extreme rear of the trailer.

 

[UncleWillie]

... The spray sounds too good to be true, so I'll try it : ) ...

The spray IS too good to be true!
The good news is the boat will slide easily ON the trailer.
The bad news is the boat will slide easily OFF the trailer.

NEVER unhook the bow from the trailer until you are ready for the boat to launch.
More than one person has launched their boat onto the concrete of the ramp while backing in.

You can back it up to the water then unhook the bow hardware.
Then just back up another foot and tap the brakes firmly. The boat will launch itself.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Thanks, those straps are for holding the parked weather protection cover.. I use only a single strap about a foot forward of the transom.

Moving the bunks higher would reduce the guide forces of the keel rollers.. I'd thank that would make centering more difficult. But, given the boat seems to always (little wind when loading) favor the Port side, perhaps raising the Port bunk a fraction of an inch might help in my mind's eye.

Jerry, the REASON that the boat always loads off to port is because you are sitting on the starboard side... Other than not backing the trailer in so far and lubing the bunks, the only way to eliminate that is to put your body weight in the center and/or get guide poles or bunks on the sides to center the boat..... raising bunks on one side will just make the boat sit crooked on the trailer

Self centering keel rollers are GREAT too