Bass boat on boat lift

[JohnCal]

 I just bought a new Tracker 190 and put it in my boat lift.  The bunks are hitting one of the strakes which concerns me. I went and measured the trailer and those bunks are about 5 inches wider.  So I was thinking of matching the distance on the lift bunks. The bunks aren’t angled like the trailer however.  I really don’t want to change the bunks to angles.  Will it hurt to have flat bunks against the boat in the same place where the trailer bunks normally hit?  Any guidance is appreciated.  Nervous new bass boat owner.  

[airshot]

If the support on the trailer bunk is good, why wouldn't that same spot be good on the lift ??  

[TOXIC]

As long as the weight distribution isn’t off by too far, you should be fine.  If it really bothers you, you can swap out the bunks for straps.  

[WRB]

Always add a pair or carpeted 2 X 4’s in the right spacing.

Tom

[HenryPF]

Just helped someone do this - move the bunks on the lift to match the spacing on the trailer so they don't hit the strakes - otherwise you going to eventually rip the carpet apart on the lift bunks.

 

Are you worried about something like this? Where the bunks on the lift are vertical and the boat is lifted at the edge of the bunk where the boat trailer is angled? If so, unless you are trailer the entire boat and lift as one giant unit (which would look incredibly funny) you are fine. The bunks being angled on the trailer are designed to fully support a boat bouncing along with the trailer as you tow it. However, on the lift, you have no such pounding from the boat to the lift and you are putting almost no pressure on the edge unless somehow magically drop it up and down on the lift.

 

 

Most boat lifts (I dunno about yours) allow you to angle the bunks if you want a more angled support like so but this is more for really deep v boats (like offshore) not a bass boat or mod v which have pretty flat bottoms.

 

 

For even more trust, next time you are cruising your lake, look at how all the other lifts with bass boats are setup.

[Alex from GA]

I live where I see many boats on lifts and most have the bunks fitted to their boats.

[airshot]

Back in the 60's had a boat lift. Ours used cables covered in hoses with the final hose being an old fire hose.  Used these for more than 12 years with no issues.  We used to gather up old hoses from various places, ones that would fit inside each other with the last outside hose being the fire hose. One strap/ cable near the front and one as close to the rear as reasonably possible.  We had four lifts in total with glass, wood and aluminum boats in these lifts, never an issue.  Todays lifts look quite heavy duty and complicated....and expensive !!  However, if I were to keep my boat docked, it would definetly be in a lift !!

[JohnCal]

Thanks everyone. I’m attempted to loosen the brackets and move to the same distance as the trailer.  My lift bunks are 28 inches and my trailer is 32 inches.  I was going to move each side out two inches.  However many nuts were nearly impossible to loosen and I had to give it up.  I tried an impact drill with no luck. I suppose I could pay someone but I guess I’m just going to leave it as for now and try to stop being OCD on this thing.  Although now I did read about the wood (even when behind carpet) affecting the aluminum of my boat.. one more thing to research and stress over.  ?

[airshot]

Only if the wood is pressure treated, plain ole regular 2 by material wont hurt anything.  If you can get your hands on an old piece of fire hose, that stuff lasts forever !!

[HenryPF]

Don't need any research on the wood - you cannot use ACQ2 treated wood as the bunks behind carpeting or otherwise. The copper in that preservative reacts with aluminum and eats the aluminum.

 

Here ya go:

 

https://www.buchnermfg.com/pressure-treated-wood-and-aluminum

 

 

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, HenryPF said:

Don't need any research on the wood - you cannot use ACQ2 treated wood as the bunks behind carpeting or otherwise. The copper in that preservative reacts with aluminum and eats the aluminum.

Exactly right - don't use pressure treated wood anywhere on an aluminum boat...even for the trailer/lift bunks.

 

If you want to help keep rot away - Oil Based Spar Urethane before carpet. That's what I used on not only the trailer bunks when I rebuilt the trailer for 'Bass Trek', but also all the decking.

[Alex from GA]

If you want to get frozen/rusted nuts and bolts off, buy, borrow or steal a 1/2" cordless impact with 6 point sockets.  Either loosen or tighten to break the bolts.  I have an 18v Ryobi and it has 250 ft lbs of torque.

[WRB]

Try using self wicking penetration oil (SuperZilla) on the bolt ends and nut, let sit a few hour and try to loosen the nuts.

Your trailer has wood bunk boards covered with carpet and the hull is painted, not bare aluminum.

Tom 

[JohnCal]

Thanks everyone.  I guess I will need to replace the pressure treated wood and while at it, adjust the bunks. I guess I’ll try an impact driver to loosen the bolts with the advice offered here.  I’m still wondering why the carpet won’t protect the aluminum.  Maybe I’ll call my dealer and inquire for advice.  I wonder why we don’t hear and see examples of boats with aluminum damage from this, especially from people like me who may have never heard of this. 
 

[HenryPF]

If you want your bunks on the trailer or lift to last forever, just go out and buy composite decking material. It is super slick (great for crap boat launches) they sell it everywhere and its easy to handle.

 

Your lift/trailer will fall apart before this stuff does.