Bunk set up on a free standing boat lift

[MNhackskier]

My family just recently purchased a Malibu Response and our current freestanding Shoremaster lift is set up for an I/O. I have an idea how to set the bunks up to safely drive on and off the lift for the direct drive, prop guard on the trailer to the bunk height for crossbeam clearance, and wide setting the bunks to allow some centering error. I’d like to get the boat on the lift in the same spot every time and I’ve seen some where the bunks angle towards the center and have some rise, would that accomplish the same as a bow stop? If possible some pictures of your set up on a freestanding lift would be great.

[DavidN]

Scroll down in this thread and you’ll find some pics of how I had our lift set up for the Response.

 

https://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/22770/for-sale-2010-malibu-response-cb

 

Found it the best way to have the bunks just outside the chines.

Boat would sit very stable and would self-center when you drove onto the lift.

Just be careful to not hit the rear cross beam with the prop.

(Happened once to my wife and we ended up with a dinged blade.)

[Andre]

Friendly reminder to raise your bunks to clear the tracking fins.Also watch out for water pick up or Perfect Pass paddlewheel if equipped with,depth finder if there is one.

[skihacker]

I've never had any kind of a "stop", what I've always done was find some sort of visual reference, the current boat it's the gas cap being aligned with the rear crossbar of the lift cradle. Our place we commonly deal with low water in the fall so I usually run the bunks just low enough to allow the skegs to clear the rear crossbar but the prop stays behind that bar, that also usually centers the motor in the cradle. The response hull is super easy to set up bunks, the rear spacing just outside a set of chines and i think slightly narrower at the front, centers itself as you lift it. The trailer bunks are a good starting point.

[Wayne]

On my Response LXI the straight line distance from chine to chine was 41.5 inches as measured off the outer set of bunks on my trailer. I would go outside the chines as it’s a little more stable and I found it easier to center the boat on the bunks. My bunks are angled 5 degrees at the rear of the boat to match the hull angle. I added some extra angle at the front so my bunks have a little twist. I think the front angle is about 9 degrees.

 

If you put the lift bunks outside the chines, run the bunks parallel to the chines. Also you want the bunks at least 10 to 12 inches above the lift frame to clear the tracking fins and give space for the prop shaft.

 

My adjustment measurements are probably a little overkill but until I copied the trailer exactly I was always struggling with getting the boat to sit the way I wanted it. I don’t use any type of stop, I have a visual reference point but I also never drive my boat onto the lift. We approach slowly and drift into the lift and guide it by hand. I added guides that have a walking plank and use them a ton. They are pretty much just another set of bunks that are barely above the waterline when the lift is down.

[braindamage]

If you are new to inboards I suggest a bow stop. Price is about the same as a replacement prop. ?

[MNshortliner]

I have a 2012 RCB, should be same hull as yours, and have 12’ bunks with carpeted 2 3/4”x 5/4”treated deck boards on top of 3” square aluminum tubing.

 

They are angled in to match the hull angle. I had them closer together to lift the boat from the center hull chines but have since moved them out. They are now 44” inside to inside of the carpeted pads and are just outside of the chines in the middle of the hull.

 

 

[Wish]

Simple. Assuming it has its original trailer, measure up bunks on it and get as close to that as u can...done.

[skimtb]

I think the bow stop is a waste unless you have multiple inexperienced drivers or on some rough water?

Pick a point to line up, as suggested.

I’m on 3rd lift and 2nd boat and the back rest of the spotter seat usually lines up close to the corner post of the lift.

Generally I think the motor box should be approx in middle of the lift, to center the load front to back

You would have to overpull by a few feet to ding the prop. Assuming you are coming in very slow... if you are looking to ram the lift and stop, that’s different.

Nice boat upgrade by the way.

[MNhackskier]

Thanks all for the insight, we picked up this very clean 2001 Response CB which is a pretty significant upgrade from our runabout I/o Volvo penta 3.0L and we’re very excited to get skiing behind it.

 

Just doing my due diligence and getting some experienced input on this stuff due to this being our first direct drive.

 

[Windsurfnut]

We use a IO lift converted to DD. Fortunately this IO lift had very tall supports, and uses 4x4 wood bunks giving great clearance from prop to crossbeam. Our boat (SN196) can clear the crossbeam while under power, if the driver failed to slow the boat in time.

For bunk placement, the rear is as wide as possible to ensure that any side to side misalignment of the boat, the prop does not hit the bunks before the rub rail hits the rear post "guides". Note that we did not install additional guides, its only the lift frame posts that act as the guides if misaligned to the bunks.

The front bunks are narrower, and provide a bit of pinch resistance to the vee in the hull to stop the boat from going too far forward. Therefore, we have needed no additional stops or guides installed for the DD boat. When lowering the lift, we lower it to the point the rear of the boat is floating free and power off slightly. Same when returning, come in at docking speed and it settles into the pinched vee with very slight power on.

Been working like this for 6 years without any issue or mishaps.