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Go Back   WakeWorld > >> Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles Archive > Archive through August 27, 2003

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Old    k2rider            07-16-2003, 11:37 AM Reply   
I need to replace the "carpet" on the guide/running boards on my Extreme trailer. Is there any "best" place to get the stuff. It looks simple enough to replace. Do I get the stuff from Extreme? Home Depot? Is it all the same or made special for the marine industry?

Thanks for your help...
Old     (kirk)      Join Date: May 2003       07-16-2003, 11:49 AM Reply   
Mike, you can get it from Overtons( expensive) or most carpet stores. It's basiclly just "felt" type indoor outdoor with no backing. you can install right over your existing carpeted boards and staple in place.
Old     (rodmcinnis)      Join Date: Sep 2002       07-16-2003, 11:51 AM Reply   
Not all "indoor/outdoor" carpet is the same. The biggest difference in the carpet is the backing and exactly how waterproof it is.

A cheap indoor outdoor carpet will have a backing that will disintegrate in fairly short order if it keeps getting wet. You certainly don't want this on a boat trailer. The better stuff has a backing that looks and feels like sheet of rubber. Home Depot might have what you need, but the last time I did mine I bought some from my local boat dealer. You don't need very much so paying a little more per yard doesn't add up to much.

Be sure to use stainless or Monel staples when you fasten the carpet down to the boards, as the standard staples will rust out in short order.

You might consider changing the boards at the same time. If the wood is getting old and the grain is opening up it will be difficult to get staples and/or glue to hold well.
Old    transcoastrider            07-16-2003, 12:20 PM Reply   
While trailering my boat to SC from PA, one of my trailer boards broke (no damage thankfully) and I replace both boards, which were rotted underneath the carpet. The carpet was still in pretty good shape so I reused it, but I would consider heading Rod's advice to replace the boards while you are replacing the carpet to save redoing the same thing in the near future.
Old     (salty87)      Join Date: Jul 2002       07-16-2003, 1:17 PM Reply   
i just did it, not too bad but not something i want to do again anytime soon. i got carpet from home depot and it ended up being more than i thought. check around, home depot ain't the cheapest. i replaced the wood with treated wood, don't think the manufacturer used treated (bastids).

i'm spraying silicone on the carpet, now, to make it last longer. just don't unhook the bow strap before you're ready to slide back.
Old     (wakeworld)      Join Date: Jan 1997       07-16-2003, 1:22 PM Reply   
I would think that you wouldn't want to get rubber backed carpet because it would tend to hold water in against the wood, which would accelerate the rotting process. I realize it might make the carpet last longer, but it may not help the wood last longer.

Also, what are your thoughts on painting the wood with housepaint before putting it together. Wouldn't this help prolong its life?
Old     (n2mywake)      Join Date: Aug 2001       07-16-2003, 1:39 PM Reply   
Dave I think painting/sealing the wood would only be a plus, but that would need to bee done after any needed holes were drilled in the wood. We did the bunk replacement one mid-day while the water was rough and didn't have the luxury of having alot of drying time so we skipped the sealant.

Salty, I hear you on the tow strap, nothing like backing your buddy's boat down (with him in it)and see it start slipping, you know you can't hit the brakes... I actually hit the gas to get to the water asap, scared him to death, but I kept the boat from dropping on the ramp! We made quite a splash at the marina! lol!
Old     (siuski)      Join Date: Feb 2003       07-16-2003, 1:58 PM Reply   
N2mywake- I have always worried about that w/ our '93 Nautique. It has the bunks that you power up, hold, then only turn the power off when the prop comes out. Only a turnbuckle holds the front. We have never had a problem, but that pic of the MB dd that is on the ramp that has gone through a few threads scares me to death. I have also told my wife (who backs the trailer) DO NOT slam the brakes when in reverse and the boat isn't hooked I love the rednecks faces when we pull out with the prop still turning and the prop hits the top of the water! Makes that loug gargle/pop sound.

I replaced our carpert on the stepboards of our trailer this winter. Got the carpet from Lowes. We glued and stapled it to the boards. It was the worst two nights off my life. Luckily my father-in-law had an air powered sander to take the old carpet and glue off. It turned out well but next time I'm buying diamond aluminum sheets and cutting them to the right shape and doing away with the carpet/wood altoghether. I think it would look much better.
Old    tommyadrian5            07-16-2003, 2:20 PM Reply   
I never unhook the boat until the trailer is in the water. Why take any chances. Pwork - why are you running the boat while pulling it out, you probably are killing your impeller even if you are running it out of the water for only a few seconds, can't you power it on to the trailer, hook hook up the turnbuckle, and turn it off and pull the trailer out?
Old     (n2mywake)      Join Date: Aug 2001       07-16-2003, 2:48 PM Reply   
I hear you Tom. We never unlatch until the boat is in the water now.. Just not worth it.
Old     (dba4life)      Join Date: Jun 2002       07-16-2003, 4:32 PM Reply   
I redid my trailer bunks early this year. Not a hard job - but not that much fun. I bought the carpet from Overton's and got treated wood from Lowe's. I cut the boards to the correct length and carpeted them in the driveway one day. Then brought the boat up to the lake and replaced the boards. Since I trailer 100% of the time it was easiest to me to just replace the boards as well. Plus they were not that much. The old bolts holding the bunks were rusted so you may want to hit them with some penetrating oil a day before trying to remove them. I actually made sure I was going to be able to loosen all the bolts before I left my house to put the boat in. Didn't want to get to the lake and have one that I couldn't get out mid-job. I also got new bolts and put them in when I did the job.


Kevin
Old     (siuski)      Join Date: Feb 2003       07-21-2003, 10:27 AM Reply   
Tom-

That is the way I have seen all 'Ski' Nautiques trailered at tournament sites, etc. I was very hesitant to do that at first, but now I don't even think about it. Here's why, when unloading the boat with the trailer in the water almost to support post for the front pads it take 10-15 seconds with the engine at 2-2.5k in reverse to pull the boat from the trailer. So if the boat is in full contact with dry bunks out of the water it is going to take a huge amount of force to move it. Also when trailering around town the turnbuckle has become loose (from bouncing around) because the boat has settled forward not back. The reason I don't put the turnbuckle on when pulling the boat out of the water is I don't want to pull the bow ring out of the bow when the boat changes angle from floating to resting on the bunks. Other set-ups that have a winch and a strap can get away with this because of the angle and stretching of the strap. The power to hold the boat on the pads is more than enough to fully seat the boat on the bunks. Now about the impeller, for the .5-1 second of water intake being out of the water, there should be more than enough water in the line to cover any water it needs for this short time, and I know this because water runs out of the intake for a few minutes even after we have parked. Again I didn't like this idea at all when we got the boat a year ago, but I have put a lot of thought into rationalizing this set-up and method and it works for us. I would much rather have a more tradinal set up with bow strap and winch, but I make due and have no problems. As a plus, it is a very quick process and no one has to get in the water to unhook/attach the boat.
Old     (n2mywake)      Join Date: Aug 2001       07-21-2003, 11:54 AM Reply   
pwork, if you use the silicone spray you might want to rethink your logic. It eliminates alot of friction. If you don't beleive me take some pics at the boat ramp of the aftermath and post them.
Old     (siuski)      Join Date: Feb 2003       07-21-2003, 1:30 PM Reply   
No, I wouldn't think of using the silicone spray, actually I've never heard of it before this post. I believe you, I need all the friction I can get. Keep in mind that I didn't come up with this method, I've been told it has been done for years by people with these types of trailers. Also, my trailer only has 2 very narrow bunks(1.5"), one on each side that run the length of the trailer. So the pressure loading per bunk is much higher than a more standardized type of trailer. For comparison my dad's Tige trailer has at least four bunks at a width of ~4". Much lower pressure per inch loading. I'll start a post on planetnautique to get some feedback from other nautique owners.

(Message edited by siuski on July 21, 2003)
Old     (rodmcinnis)      Join Date: Sep 2002       07-22-2003, 1:51 PM Reply   
I have a houseboat that I keep at a marina on the Delta, near Stockton California. I am a stones throw from the launch ramp, and can sit and watch launch ramp antics all day long.

I see a lot of people power thier boats on the trailer, but not power them off! I would think that if you had to apply 2500 RPMs in reverse to get the boat to slide off the trailer, it would create quite a splash when it finally broke free!

I have always floated my boat on/off the trailer. I back the trailer in far enough so that the boat can float all the way up to the bow pad. I connect the tow strap/hook, then pull forward just enough so that the boat sits on the pads. A final check to assure that all is well, then pull the rest of the way out.

I have never damaged my boat this way. I can't say the same for the people who power on.

I have seen the bow pad snap off when the boat hit it, and then the bow getting damaged on the jagged steel post that remained. I have seen I/Os crash their prop into the ramp. I have seen inboards "miss" the bow pad and get deflected off to one side, resulting in the prop hitting the trailer. Once I saw the results of the trailer bunks shearing off and then the boat impaling itself on the steel posts that used to hold the bunk boards.

I don't get it, what is the big deal about putting the trailer in a little deeper?
Old     (yooper)      Join Date: Jun 2002       07-22-2003, 1:59 PM Reply   
Rod,
Actually, because of the shape of a ski boat, and the way that the trailers are configured (mine, at least), if you back too far into the water, the keel support isn't able to lift the nose of the boat higher than the bow stop. So you have to pull out of the water a bit. The boat is too heavy to winch up, which leaves one option. Power load.
This may not be the case with all trailers, but it is with mine. I'd actually prefer to float it up.
Old     (siuski)      Join Date: Feb 2003       07-22-2003, 2:30 PM Reply   
Rod-
With my trailer, If I put the trailer in until the boat totally floated, I would be in danger of the running over the PVC boat guides on the side and hitting the prop on the trailer or PVC/Steel pipe or the truck is in to the axles or more depending on what ramp I'm on. Also, the bow pads (2) are a vericle v-shape that contacts the boat at the bow rub-rail. There is no way to miss them, they are like 10" x 18" or more, and the PVC would not allow an angle that far onto the trailer. I'll try to post a pic for clarification
Old     (tre)      Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: WI       07-22-2003, 2:34 PM Reply   
I always float my boat on/off as well. Sounds like Rod has never damaged his Air Nautique this way. I also have never caused damage doing this. I mentioned this in another thread and everybody thought this was strange.
Old    billywest            08-13-2003, 8:11 PM Reply   
I also float my boat on/off the trailer. The reason is damage is less likely and just as important it takes the stress off the person trying to drive it onto the trailer. I have seen a few people able to power their boat onto the trailer and Im impressed with their skills. I am trying not to look too amateurish when I dock, still getting used to a V-drive boat.
Old    mb_girl            08-14-2003, 8:43 AM Reply   
pwork,

You must have crash pads! 2 big pads at the front that form a v? They're awesome, you almost can't miss! I've found that the power load is the only way to get our boat all the way up the trailer as well. If the trailer were deeper, then we'd run the risk of having the boat come down incorrectly on the trailer. By power loading the guides, rails & bunks all work together to put the boat where it needs to be. I just go slow, bumping it in & out of gear & drive it up the trailer. My hubby hooks up the bow, I shut it down & he pulls us out. The only problem I've ever had doing it this way was on a ramp that had a bad angle to the side - the trailer was cocked & the boat didn't want to guide on correctly (plus a high wind to make things interesting). No damage, but close. And when putting in, I never, ever unhook the boat before it's in the water. I don't want my MB sitting on a ramp like that picture that was all over a while back. That thing gave me chills!

(Message edited by MB Girl on August 14, 2003)
Old     (mikeski)      Join Date: Aug 2003       08-16-2003, 11:28 PM Reply   
For 20 years our trailer didn't have any tie downs or bow strap. From the house to skiing was about 15 miles relatively flat. I never even thought of it until I was headed up to shasta one year and looked back to see the boat had slid about two feet back on the trailer while going up a long uphill grade (it slid back up when going back down, then we used ski line to tie it on). Bottom line, there is a lot of friction between the boat and trailer expecially when it is dry. I go up/down boat ramps without it being connected and have never had an issue with any boat. Most of these were promo boats so I was not too concerned anyway. We used to shore launch at some of the lakes and you could never float the boat off the trailers unless you wanted your tow vehicle to float too. About 2500 RPM in reverse seemed to generate enough force to pull it off the trailer eventually (common practice in San Mateo). Anymore and it was tough to keep the car on land (a friend's Mustang went swimming at Bell Acqua one day when he got impatient). You usually had to wait until the carpet soaked up water before it would let go of the boats. Straps are primarily for towing, ramps would be less congested if people learned this.

(Message edited by mikeski on August 16, 2003)
Old     (the_madness)      Join Date: May 2003       08-18-2003, 9:35 AM Reply   
Anyone every try the Trex composite deck boards on their trailer. I think they are a plastic composite, should last forever??

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