GatorBak or something else?

[MNwalleyehunter]

My carpet on my bunks is starting to wear. I'm considering GatorBak or something else. Anyone have any experience with this or any other products?

Fiberglass boat and do majority of power loading if it matters.

[wally hunter]

Not 100% sure but I also thought about putting gatorback bunks on but i thought i read on their website that you cant powerload with them, but I know yarcraft puts gatorbacks on their trailers, would be intresting to hear how they hold up powerloading a 20ft fiberglass walleye boat.

[rocket man]

I used some 4x4 vinyl fence post. I split in half and screwed to the sides of my carpeted bunks. For 36ft. of bunk cost me 60bucks. 3 6ft. pieces at 18.00 each

[markb11]

Did a lot of research and decided to purchase snaptraxx. I just bought plain old construction pine, I'll be sealing / waterproofing with Epoxy from US composites, a couple coats and then assemble the snaptraxx. This will be my weekend project as my old bunks (actuall only a year or so old), has carpet wearing out and exposing lumber. I have a very heavy boat, Lund 219 Pro V, and from what I researched the snaptraxx will be best for this heavy boat as well as it should assist in easier loading. Time will tell and I'll update after all is done and after I've launched a few times. Not a cheap proposition, but maybe worth it in the long run!!

[REW]

Carpet is inexpensive and is easy to remove and replace.

When the carpet gets worn, pull it off and replace it with new carpet.

If you are wearing the carpet pretty quickly, I suspect that you are not getting your trailer deep enough into the water.

I like to put the trailer in deep enough so that the boat floats right up to within 2 feet of the winch stand and then, a bump of the throttle will push it home or else a couple of turns of the winch will pull the boat into the bow stop.

If you are having to drive 1/2 way or more onto the trailer, you are really subjecting the bunks to a lot of unnecessary stress and wear.

Whenever loading the boat, I always back the trailer into the water initially to completely submerge 100% of the length of all of the bunks. The water both cleans the bunks as well as to provide water lubrication for the boat to slide more easily. After fully submerging the bunks, then pull the boat out just far enough for optimum loading of the boat.

Be safe

[Ches]

My last boat did not have a painted bottom, so I went down to a local Plastic shop and bought some UHMW-PE cut to width. I then cut them in like 2' sections and installed with SS screws leaving 1/2" or so between sections for expansion. Worked great, boat would move easy on bunks. I would check the screws now and then just to make sure they didn't back out. Never did for over 10 years of use. I am most likely going to do it with my current boat. We use this stuff in the Breweries to line the sides of can conveyors to reduce can finish scratching/damage. If it doesn't hurt an aluminum can, it should do much to my aluminum boat.
Ches.