macgregor 22 Replacing Trailer Bunk Boards

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Jeff_Mac22
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Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 22

macgregor 22 Replacing Trailer Bunk Boards

Post by Jeff_Mac22 »

Have a 1984 Mac 22 and need to replace the bunk boards on the trailer. Looks like 2x6 boards. The old boards are bowed and stop at the end of the trailer. It sure looks like the trailer was made for a much shorter boat but that is another story. Has anyone done this? Do you need to bend the boards or just put straight ones on? If you need to bend them, HOW do you bend them? Can you extend them a little beyond the frame?
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Kenr74
Deckhand
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Sailboat: Venture 2-24
Location: Attica, MI

Re: macgregor 22 Replacing Trailer Bunk Boards

Post by Kenr74 »

I replaced mine this year, as the old ones had rotted away to the point where it was unsafe. I just bought standard 2x6 (not wolmanized) from the lumberyard. Bolting them to the trailer gave them a bit of bend, and once the boat sat on them, they conformed nicely to the hull. I was worried they would be too stiff, and damage the hull, but it worked out fine.
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Tomfoolery
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Rochester, NY '99X BF50 'Tomfoolery'

Re: macgregor 22 Replacing Trailer Bunk Boards

Post by Tomfoolery »

The boards being straight with the boat forcing a bend into them is a good thing - it spreads the load over the hull. Otherwise, you might as well just have short pads at each hard support point.

Mine run laterally, but I just used PT 2-bys and stapled bunk carpet to them using monel staples.
raycarlson
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Re: macgregor 22 Replacing Trailer Bunk Boards

Post by raycarlson »

I did this years ago. Used eight each eight foot 2x6 doubled to 4x6 bonded with epoxy several coats of helmsman polyurethane and covered with outdoor carpet stapled with monel staples. I extended the rear two inside bunks 24' aft of the rear cross member as the M model had about 38-40" unsupported at the rear which I could not live with. As the bunks run lengthwise there is very little deflection of the bunks, maybe 0ne inch in eight, so the bucks curve right to the boats contour when its pulled from the water even with the doubled 2x6's. And if I need to do a gel coat repair on the bottom its very simple to drop the bunk and remove it as their are plenty more to bear the weight of the boat.
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topcat0399
First Officer
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Re: macgregor 22 Replacing Trailer Bunk Boards

Post by topcat0399 »

Another docking adventure;

On our final pull out this year - the wind was really up and lots of waves beating the dock. The admiral and I were totally prepared to trailer after docking and truck retrieval. When it came time to get the boat on the trailer (we use a continuous docking line front to rear and a bow line) we both started pulling against the waves and wind and pulling and pulling and pulling. Two friendly landlubbers on the dock grabbed on also and we just couldn't pull the boat on the trailer. I'm like "what the hull??" Admiral says "what if we can't get it on the trailer?" I informed her that damn boat is going on no matter what.

In I finally splashed (brrrrr). Turned out the far side bunk had broken and was all askew holding the boat away from the trailer. I shoved it back together (kind-of) and on the boat went.

The trailer is old and needs a lot of work. Both bunks are totally rotted. I have new treated 2 x 8s ready for next spring.

Do they really need to be carpet covered??
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