BUNKAPS® Frequently Asked Questions
Does
the boat slide more easily on BUNKAPS than it does on bunk carpet?
My boat weighs 12,000 pounds. Will BUNKAPS
support this weight?
Just how slippery are BUNKAPS?
Do BUNKAPS come in different lengths
other than 6' pairs?
Do BUNKAPS come in colors other than white?
What
is meant by virgin vinyl?
Can
BUNKAPS be used on boat lift bunks?
What
is the temperature range of BUNKAPS?
What
can I expect to see out of the life of my BUNKAPS?
How
do you clean the BUNKAPS?
Do
BUNKAPS come with fasteners?
Can BUNKAPS be used on dry storage rails?
Can BUNKAPS be used as a rub rail for our
dock?
What kinds of tools are required to install
my BUNKAPS?
Why
did it take so long for this terrific product to come out?
Can you order custom lengths (approximately 10-16 feet)?
Glossary
of Terms
Q:
Does the boat tend to slide more easily on BUNKAPSŪ than it does on carpet?
Glenn M.
A:
When wet, BUNKAPS trailer bunk covers provide an excellent sliding surface.
When dry, they act to help grip and hold while cushioning the boat during
towing or storage on the boat trailer. If these vinyl caps tend to be
too dry for your desired slippage, simply apply a liberal amount of baby
oil or handy suntan lotion to the high peaks (humps) of the BUNKAPS for
better sliding surfaces. Most any biodegradable oil works, so please be
environmentally safe by not using motor oils. Although BUNKAPS are impervious
to petroleum oils and gasoline, it makes our world better and safer when
lubricant used is a biodegradable product that naturally evaporates or
easily washes off. If low-friction is desired
simply apply baby oil to the humps.
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Q: My boat weighs 12,000 pounds. Will BUNKAPSŪ hold
up under this weight? Steve K.
A:
BUNKAPS trailer bunk covers have already been successfully used under
the hulls of 42' yachts and cigarette boats. They are specifically designed
to take the load while enhancing the protection of the vessel's hull.
To date, weight has not impacted our uniquely patented design or construction
methods.
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Q:
Just how slippery are BUNKAPSŪ? Are they like those plastic strips that
let your PWC slide all over the place, even sliding off during launching?
John V.
A: BUNKAPS are snug when dry and slippery when wet. Do not compare
them to any hard plastic bunk caps; these are softer and grip slightly
when dry, slippery when wet...perfect as the need and functionality changes.
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Q:
Do BUNKAPSŪ come in different lengths other than 6' pairs?
Brent C.
A:
Not until recently. Because of public demand, we now offer BUNKAPS trailer
bunk carpet replacement in prepackaged paired lengths of 6', 8' and 12'
in the 2x4 (3.5" wide version) product and 6', 8' and 12' lengths
in the 2x6 (5.5" wide version) product; see our order
page for pricing. The only downside is that anything over 8' long
must be shipped commercially on common carrier freight lines - collect.
Not as affordable when compared to UPS or FedEx Ground rates, but still
somewhat cost effective when you look at the total picture. When you consider
changing bunk covers and bunk boards as often as every season or even
every other season, the permanent switch to Bunkaps trailer bunk covers
is effective in time savings and long-term costs. After all, you didn't
buy your boat, boat trailer, or PWC to persistently maintain the bunks;
you bought it to ride and play. BUNKAPS help you spend much more time
boating instead of replacing carpet bunk covers and trailer bunks.
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Q:
Do BUNKAPSŪ come in colors other than white? Mike
T.
A:
Not unlike Henry Ford, we chose to stay with one specific "non-color"
if you don't mind. Reasons: white is without color pigment, which cannot
bleed out over time. White does not mark or scuff like color products
normally do. White helps resist the rigors of sun damage whereas colors
absorb and collect sun rays as well as heat buildup. Sorry, Mike. We looked
into colors, but the vinyl said "no". The
exception to this rule is for OEMs only where light pastels are
available for high-volume orders.
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Q:
What is meant by virgin vinyl? Dan P.
A: A raw plastic vinyl material that has not been used for any
other purpose before it was used in a particular product is considered
virgin vinyl. As recycling is renowned and has its own targeted purposed,
it cannot assure the buyer that the raw material is pure (virgin) of foreign
ingredients that may reduce product life expectancy, therefore virgin
vinyl is the only raw substrate pellets that we use in our BUNKAPS extrusions.
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Q:
Can BUNKAPSŪ be used on boat lift bunks? Gary A.
A:
Sure — all day long and everyday. They fit snugly atop a 2x4 or 2x6
on your boat lift bunks. But, of course, if your wooden bunk cores are
rotten, you should replace them while adding our BUNKAPS bunk covers.
When a carpet trailer bunk goes bad, both the carpet and the board are
most likely rotten due to mildew and fungi. BUNKAPS have a 100% anti-fungicide
agent mixed right into the extruded product, therefore mildew is checked
right at its source. And, due to the unique channeled design of our product,
moisture and water are quickly drained so that your bunkboard has a chance
to dry out once in a while. Plastic carpet wrapped around the bunk core
traps the water inside and allows moisture saturation which enhances fungus
and mildew growth. BUNKAPS allow the water to be quickly drained and evaporated
from the bunk's surface and deep into its core, thus extending the life
of the bunk.
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Q:
What is the temperature range of BUNKAPSŪ? Mark N.
A: Not an issue. BUNKAPS are good to go from -22 degrees F to 250
degrees F. In those extremes, no one should really be playing outside
anyway!
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Q:
What can I expect to see out of the life of my BUNKAPSŪ and how are they
at wearing down? James
P.
A:
We have a manufacturers warranty of ten (10) years, stipulated on the
first 10,000 pairs of BUNKAPS sold. After 10,000, our normal warranty
is five (5) years. We are not changing the materials, nor are we lowering
the quality; we are simply limiting the time and use of our new products
to a more realistic timeframe. There is no doubt in our minds that if
one cares for the BUNKAPS product, you could easily expect them to serve
you well for the rest of your life. Just like any other vinyl product,
we are limited to technical and scientific variables, therefore depending
on how you treat your vessel, you can expect our BUNKAPS to keep up with
the pace. Wear resistance is so far superior to that of carpeting and
roller beds, it is almost humorous to answer the question of how do they
wear. Water against vinyl? Just like oil against steel. In normal use,
you will most likely lose your boat trailer or boat lift frame before
you have to replace your BUNKAPS.
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Q:
How do you clean the BUNKAPSŪ after they get dirty or have road tar on
them? Brenda S.
A:
In general, most any household cleaning chemical will work. Hot soap and
water are great, even using another biodegradable oil on it to help loosen
the "lumps" will work; followed by a good soap and rinse. The
white will shine through, and remember, any marks on your boat hull are
most generally caused by the color of the dirt or tar on top of the BUNKAPS,
not the product itself. Even baby oil works to loosen the stains.
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Q:
Do BUNKAPSŪ come with fasteners? Donald H.
A:
Of course. No need to go searching for fasteners — we've got you
covered. Each carton has enough stainless steel large head screws to finish
the job without searching for a hardware store. As our installation
instructions explain, simply place the screws approximately 10"
apart along each side panel, and you're done. Make sure you don't over-tighten
the screws; you could drive them right through the vinyl. Snug them up,
but don't "pucker" them up. If you do, simply place an oversized
stainless steel washer beneath the screw's head, and you're back in business.
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Q:
In the off-season, we store our boat and PWCs in a dry storage shed near
our condo. The boat rails they use do not have any kind of covering, they
are bare wood, in fact. Every year, we notice more hull scratches and
scuff marks. Can BUNKAPSŪ be used on these rails for better protection
during dry storage?
Larry T.
A:
Sure! This is just what our BUNKAPS products are designed for — out
of the water protection for your boat or PWC hull. There are literally
hundreds of dry storage sheds that either use old carpet bunk covers or
nothing at all on their storage rails (bunks). They both can damage the
hull of any water vessel, even to the point where a new gel coat must
be applied to the hull. Ask your dry storage manager to install BUNKAPS
for you on the bunks. If he or she cares about your business or satisfaction,
he or she will gladly install BUNKAPS for your vessels. In the long run,
the costs of this protection will extend the lift of your boat or PWC
and net you higher resale at a time when you are ready to upgrade. Any
hull damage affects the value and performance of your watercraft or vessel.
We make these products in 3.5" wide and 5.5" wide versions.
Whether they are using 2x4s or 4x4s (4x6s, 4x8s, 4x10s or 4x12s) as their
bunks, BUNKAPS can top off these bunks and save you a lot of grief and
costly repairs in the future.
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Q:
We have a private dock on our lakeside home. Some of the dock is made
out of 2x4s and some 2x6s. Can BUNKAPSŪ be used as a rub rail for our dock?
Nancy D.
A:
Yes! BUNKAPS are a good choice, because they are made to have the fasteners
mount through the side panels, away from your boat or PWC, and they have
a 100% anti-fungicide agent mixed into the extrusion. No other dock edge
barrier can make this claim! In fact, most rub rails are made from a recycled
"regrind" material with less than 10% anti-mildew agent; not
what you want for your own dock. Our products are made from virgin vinyl,
so we know exactly what the base material is. What this means to you is
that you will now have a rugged, but cushioning product on the edges of
your dock that will be mildew-free for many years to come. Not everyone
can afford the new all-metal and wood-free docking systems; there are
still folks out there who have wooden docks, and some are still rebuilding
their docks from wood. BUNKAPS will help preserve the wood, because it
lets the wood breathe and stay dry longer. Carpeting or cheap dock edging
can quickly cause deterioration of wood because of their attraction to,
rather than resistance of, moisture. For those who have 2x8s or 2x10s
as their dock edges, simply add a pressure-treated 2x4 or 2x6 to that
edge, and then install BUNKAPS for your best protection and longer-living
docks. BUNKAPS can even be attached to your 4x4, 4x6, or 6x6 dock posts!
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Q:
What kinds of tools are required to install my BUNKAPSŪ?
Jason K.
A:
Here's a simple list: a good, retractable 12' tape measure, a pencil for
marking the positions for the screws, a power hand drill for pre-drilling
holes, a 1/8" drill bit, a Phillips screw driver, a power "chop"
saw or miter-box saw (when you need to make a perfect cut or cut to a
size that we don't offer) and a sharp utility knife if you don't have
a power saw.
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Q:
Why did it take so long for this terrific product to come out? I've been
looking for something like this for years. Dan W.
A:
This is probably the most-asked question of all. After three years of
research, legal proceedings, tooling and production, it finally appeared
over the horizon. And now it's here! BUNKAPS...ask for it by name. It
cannot be duplicated or matched in its appearance, function, profile,
multiple uses, or its absolute need to the boating world. Look at all
the options — carpet, roller beds, or some lame attempt at making
slippery strips or recycled milk bottles work. It's not the same. So do
yourself a favor and get BUNKAPS. Quit worrying about your boat trailer
bunks and start having some fun!
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Q:
Can you order custom lengths (approximately 12-15 feet)? Jeff D.
A:
BUNKAPS cannot be shipped in a roll. They must be sent in the flat. This
limits the length of BUNKAPS to "shippable" sizes. Then, considering
that more than 50% of bunks are for jetskis, it made sense to stick with
6' lengths for mass production — and this is what we have done. However,
we are making longer lengths for some trailer manufacturers that ship
commercial freight carriers, but in massive bulk quantities. Common carrier
freight to North Carolina would be very costly, probably in the $200 to
$300 range for a 12' set of BUNKAPS. That's why we suggest splicing our
BUNKAPS. It is quite simple; leave a 1/4" gap between the ends to
prevent debris from jamming into the crack, which could cause possible
hull scratching. Using this method allows for most anyone to use our product
and be able to afford the shipping costs.
As you see on our website, shipping each carton UPS ground to NC would
only cost $11.95.
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Questions?
Send
us your own questions about BUNKAPS trailer bunk covers if we haven’t
already answered them. You can email your questions or comments to harley@harleycorp.com.
We will place them here in our archives for use by all of our customers.
Thanks for your input!
Glossary
of Terms l
Bunk l Slip
l Dry Store l
Vessel l PWC
l BUNKAPS
Bunk: A bunk is that carpeted
rail that a boat or PWC rests upon when sitting on a boat trailer or on
a boat lift in a marina slip. Its sole purpose is to adequately support
the vessel under its hull during times of either towing or out-of-water
type marina storage. It is also the term used for the support rails used
in dry storage sheds; usually an inland high bay building where PWCs and
boats are stored in racks upon rails (bunks) during the winter when the
warm season is over. The core material of the bunk is usually made from
pressure treated, water-resistant wood, however, other materials, such
as steel, are used in lieu of wooden boards.
Slip: A slip is the "on-water" parking place along multiple
docks in a marina for boats and PWCs. It is similar to a private parking
space in a large car parking garage. Based on the length and depth of
the water vessel, slips can range from 10' to 150' long, depending on
the length of the individual vessel and the water depth next to each specific
dock.
BUNKAPS: A Registered Trademark
of the Harley Corporation. A specially designed and engineering virgin
vinyl extruded material that covers a trailer bunk, protecting the underside
hull of a boat or PWC during trailer towing, boat lift storage, or during
dry storage. It is the only protective barrier between the frame of the
boat trailer, boat lift, or dry store rail designed to protect the hull
from damage while out of the water. The hull of a boat of PWC is designed
to be "in water" where the pressure from its own weight is proportionally
dispersed evenly over the entire surface of the hull structure. When out
of the water, the trailer bunk is the only non-proportional support that
the vessel has, therefore, it is very critical that superior materials
are used to keep the hull from fracture, scratches and indents. Until
now, carpet bunk covers and roller beds were the only available protection
used. The cushioning bulb design, combined with the open bulb pockets
offers the best out-of-water or in-water support of the vessel because
it compacts at the critical points while helping to disperse the weight
more proportionally across the boat or PWC hull.
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