Home › Forums › Bass Cat Boats › Bunks – BCB take on Ultimate Bunk Boards
tdobb.
Wondering if I could get some input from the fine folks at Bass Cat on their opinion of the Ultimate Bunk Boards….
https://www.ultimatebunkboards.com/store/original-bunk-boards/2×6-original-gray-detail
I used something very similar on a previous boat, though it was aluminum and a small boat. I fully understand the issues with needing to keep the winch hooked until I am in the water, I do that as a standard practice anyway and my girlfriend launches me and parks the truck. Also understand the need to hook the winch as soon as I get it on the trailer when loading and not pull out without hooking, also a standard practice for me.
My bunks are in need of replacement and the carpet holds so much sand and debris, and has effectively sanded the hull slightly where it drives up on the bunks. About 18″ or so in front of the long bunks looks like you hit it with 100 grit. In my experience with these on the old boat, they didn’t hold sand and weeds the way carpeted bunks do, so it was also easier to pass the trailer inspections at the launch ramps looking for AIS.
Do the folks at Bass Cat have a specific reason other than the launching and loading precautions, to not use a synthetic bunk material? These should dry out a LOT faster than carpet too, at least in my experience with them on the previous boat they did. I can very easily match the profile of the old bunks to match them up so that wont be a concern. Just want to make sure I don’t spend a bunch of money and then realize it was a big no-no from BCB.
Thanks,
Tom
Rich,
I appreciate your input. As far as sand/mud/weeds getting caught between the bunks and the hull, in my experience with them on the previous boat, it was FAR easier to clean the bunks off with the synthetic boards as they will be slightly damp when you pull it out of the water and if there is anything a 15 second wipe takes care of 100% of it. With carpet you need a wet/dry vacuum at minimum which would require power at the ramp and you will NEVER get all of the grit out of the carpet.
On trapping moisture, I disagree wholeheartedly based on my experience on a different boat. Its almost like running a squeegee on a window, they dry out almost immediately after pulling the boat out of the water and retain no moisture, whereas my carpeted bunks are often times still damp a good 24 hours after the last dip with the boat on them. Parked outside at a ramp the carpeted bunks dry out pretty good on the top side due to the sun, but the bottom side is still wet every time I go to load up.
Due to my launch/load procedure, I will not forget the hook. I never unhook before the back of the boat is in the water, and I never pull out before its hooked. That simply wont happen to me. I watched a buddy drop his dad’s brand new boat on the ramp with a roller trailer when we were about 18 years old and I watched the ass whoopin ensue when we got home.
In the past Bass Cat has used alternate bunk materials, gatorbacks come to mind but that was almost like a bubble wrap that went around the bunk. It dried out quick but was problematic for a multitude of reasons. If I remember right the slight hook in the back of the hull was digging into the gatorbacks and it wore thru prematurely. I am fully aware of the contour at the back edge of the bunk surface and would work these down to match that contour and not add undue stress to the back of the hull. I plan to take a contour gauge to the back of the bunks and make a template to follow from the indented carpet.
The only reason I can see that they don’t get used more often is some of that extra work that would need to go into fabricating them to match those contours and not wear the hull or the bunk boards. Carpet is far more forgiving in that regard. As long as that is done right, I see no other negatives to them.
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