boat lift bunks

wiredup55

Well-Known Member
Messages
59
Reaction score
17
Location
Virginia Beach
Hey All,


I am taking delivery of my boat tonight, in rainy conditions.  Anyway,  I need to modify my lift for a pontoon boat and it has been a real PITA.   I have a lift that looks like this:


1zf04sz.jpg



8" cross beams


I was told not to do flat boards unless they run the full length of the toons.


I wanted to get 16' aluminum bunks like what I already have, but was told they don't come in 8".


Another option is to do something like this:


ibayz8.png



But having a hard time locating these, and they only coming 12' lengths.  The boat is a 2575.


Any recommendations of what do use and where to get it?


thanks!
 
I don't have bunks that run the entire length of my boat and good luck finding someone who does. Unless you have a massive cradle boards overhanging by feet aren't going to do anything. I do have 12' bunks that have worked great (going on my third year with this setup) under all three toons.


boat%20liftsmall_zpslqczbyjz.jpg
SAM_3583_zps015d1ac5.jpg
 
I don't have bunks that run the entire length of my boat and good luck finding someone who does. Unless you have a massive cradle boards overhanging by feet aren't going to do anything. I do have 12' bunks that have worked great (going on my third year with this setup) under all three toons.



Thanks, that's kind of what I want, where did you get the lift/bunks?
 
It is a craftlander lift. No carpet/wood anywhere on it and I even had them make custom load guides for the sides that use their aluminum bunks and vinyl cover. I'm really happy with how they turned out.
 
Hey All,


I am taking delivery of my boat tonight, in rainy conditions.  Anyway,  I need to modify my lift for a pontoon boat and it has been a real PITA.   I have a lift that looks like this:


1zf04sz.jpg



8" cross beams


I was told not to do flat boards unless they run the full length of the toons.


I wanted to get 16' aluminum bunks like what I already have, but was told they don't come in 8".


Another option is to do something like this:


ibayz8.png



But having a hard time locating these, and they only coming 12' lengths.  The boat is a 2575.


Any recommendations of what do use and where to get it?


thanks!

You can absolutely do flat boards and they don't have to run the full length of the Toons.  Not sure who fed you that line.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Team Bennington

Then they are wrong.  Many lifts have aluminum squares that go under the Toons, and they are shorter than a board would be.  I have not seen anything that goes the full length of a Toon.  Just look up pontoons lifts and you can see.
 
Then they are wrong.  Many lifts have aluminum squares that go under the Toons, and they are shorter than a board would be.  I have not seen anything that goes the full length of a Toon.  Just look up pontoons lifts and you can see.

Not wrong...Conservitive. I went around and around with my marina manager. Their claim is you don't need to support the center toon so he was not going to provide me a "flat" bunk to support my center toon. I told him... if you can have the manufacture sign off that this is Ok, I'm all for it, otherwise I need the center toon supported... guess what happened? I have the center toon supported.


Sometimes the folks making claims did not desgn the product they are representing. Me? I like to get a professional opinion straight from the manufacture and make my decisions based on that.


I'm not saying you can't use flat boards as bunks, by I am saying the risk is your to take if the manufacture says otherwise.
 
Not wrong...Conservitive. I went around and around with my marina manager. Their claim is you don't need to support the center toon so he was not going to provide me a "flat" bunk to support my center toon. I told him... if you can have the manufacture sign off that this is Ok, I'm all for it, otherwise I need the center toon supported... guess what happened? I have the center toon supported.


Sometimes the folks making claims did not desgn the product they are representing. Me? I like to get a professional opinion straight from the manufacture and make my decisions based on that.


I'm not saying you can't use flat boards as bunks, by I am saying the risk is your to take if the manufacture says otherwise.

Not the same thing.  I know most center toons need to be supported.  I am talking about something that must go the whole length of the toon, I have not seen anything that goes the full length of the toon on a boat lift.  Just search boat lifts and see if you can find anything?  I cannot.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: KAM
It is a craftlander lift. No carpet/wood anywhere on it and I even had them make custom load guides for the sides that use their aluminum bunks and vinyl cover. I'm really happy with how they turned out.

My brother has a Craftlander lift with that same set up. Great lift.  The aluminum bunks w/viny covers work perfectly.   No warping or carpet issues to worry about ever again.


If full length tube support is necessary....... than every boat lift manufacturer is wrong :rolleyes: .
 
I love no maintenance! 
 
My brother has a Craftlander lift with that same set up. Great lift.  The aluminum bunks w/viny covers work perfectly.   No warping or carpet issues to worry about ever again.


If full length tube support is necessary....... than every boat lift manufacturer is wrong :rolleyes: .

I agree that full length is crazy, what would you all say is the minimum length?  The craftlander bunks are 12', I talked to them and they said they will fit my existing crossbeams with a little modification.   But is 12' too short for a 2575?
 
I'm not sure that any lift manufacturer offers more than 12' bunks in a std. size lift. I would think that the issue with longer bunks would come in the form of lack of support beyond the end cross members of the lift.  That being said, I just looked up Floe boat lifts. Floe has a little different design that they use for their aluminum / vinyl bunks.  It looks to be an I-beam.  They don't list the actual length of the bunk on-line, but a quick call would get the answer.  I would assume that the I-beam design would be stronger, plus they look like an easy bolt on.  With the extra strength of the I-beam design, maybe they are a foot or so longer? You may want to check into it.
 
Shorestation offers 14' extrusions now for their 5000# pontoon lift. Mine are 12' and work perfectly.
 
Shorestation offers 14' extrusions now for their 5000# pontoon lift. Mine are 12' and work perfectly.

thanks for the input, my boat is a 2575 though, and am worried about the difference in length over the 2275.
 
thanks for the input, my boat is a 2575 though, and am worried about the difference in length over the 2275.

It is all a matter of where you place your motor stop and the way the weight is distributed.  You will want your back where the engine is, supported more than the front.  All these boat lifts will work perfect for you, it is only a matter of getting one that is rated for the weight of your boat.
 
It is all a matter of where you place your motor stop and the way the weight is distributed.  You will want your back where the engine is, supported more than the front.  All these boat lifts will work perfect for you, it is only a matter of getting one that is rated for the weight of your boat.

Exactly. Neighbor has a 2575RCW w/250 Pro on an identical lift to mine for several years, no issues.
 
I'm not sure that any lift manufacturer offers more than 12' bunks in a std. size lift. I would think that the issue with longer bunks would come in the form of lack of support beyond the end cross members of the lift.  That being said, I just looked up Floe boat lifts. Floe has a little different design that they use for their aluminum / vinyl bunks.  It looks to be an I-beam.  They don't list the actual length of the bunk on-line, but a quick call would get the answer.  I would assume that the I-beam design would be stronger, plus they look like an easy bolt on.  With the extra strength of the I-beam design, maybe they are a foot or so longer? You may want to check into it.

Just checked my lift. I have a 6000lb. lift that has the I beams at a 12' spread and the flat bunks are 14' long. My boat is a 2550RCW with a 200HO E-Tech. Never had an issue at all with the set up.
 
Just checked my lift. I have a 6000lb. lift that has the I beams at a 12' spread and the flat bunks are 14' long. My boat is a 2550RCW with a 200HO E-Tech. Never had an issue at all with the set up.

Great, thanks, seems like I am over worrying then.   Since I already have those 2 aluminum 12' bunks, I think I am going to match 12' for the two outside toons, then add a 14' for the middle toon and call it a day.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top