Looking Gatorbak Opinions

[natelew]

I've searched and there are few threads here that mention the gatorbak product. On other wakeboat forums it seems that people like the product but I know that Nautique is one of the heaviest boats in this category. My trailer is only 3 years old and needing carpet replaced and I am thinking of replacing with gatorbak. I guess my primary concern is how slick it might make the bunks. The Gatorbak company says that it's only a little bit slicker when wet, but when dry it is similar to carpet. I always trailer with the back straps on but take them off before backing down the ramp with the front strap always on until launch.

GATORBAK – Gatorbak

Anyone have this product on their trailer have opinions about the product in general or specific to the slickness?

[NautiqueJeff]

People seem to like it. I have never used it, but I haven't really heard anything bad about it.

[Scooter G]

I've looked hard an long at that. My only reservation is the slickness.
We run the ramp raw with just the safety strap, boat Captain pulls the safety strap when the back of the boat hits the water (mellow ramp), and like to be down & off in 30 seconds.
I would be super uncomfortable trusting that process with Gatorbak skids.
We also run a Ramp & Clamp for loading, loaded and off the ramp in 60 seconds. Boat Crew does a lean over to throw the safety strap on and check that we are locked in, but you can hear in clamp.
Throw a word out natelew, if you go that direction.

[SilentSeven]

I've had Gatorbak on my trailer since late 2021 and have some opinions about the product. I have the standard product with no LEDs.

First, I have no worries about the product being overly slick. When new, it definitely feels slick but that feeling wears off with use. I've never felt like there is any risk that the boat could slide off the trailer even when the product was new. On the ramp I'm only using the bow strap but also I don't use any hypersteep ramps. (The only time I ever felt like the boat was a slideoff risk was when I had carpeted bunks and used a NLA slip spray product called 'liquid rollers'. That stuff was wacky slick.)

Now that I've had my Gatorbak for some number of years, it's almost the opposite....it's a little too sticky. Due to the design of my trailer, it's almost impossible to float my boat completely off. The bow section always has some drag. I found that the boat came off easier with carpet than it does with the Gatorbak. To help this, I now spray my forward bunks with a general purpose silicon slip spray to help reduce the friction. It's possible the Gatorbak material degrades somewhat over time due to UV exposure. When the boat is on my lift in the summer, I store the trailer outside with the bunks sun exposed.

The product does clearly reduce hull scuffing from sand in the carpet bunks. Again, how much it will reduce it depends on the design of your trailer. If you're float on/off then you likely don't have that much of an issue now. However, if you have to run the boat the last few feet up the trailer, you'll benefit from the Gatorbak. To the extent you store your trailer outdoors with no boat on it likely has to do with how much sand gets in your bunks. When loading with Gatorbak bunks, you do need to make a specific effort to wet the forward bunks...the boat doesn't like to slide when they're dry.

Gatorbak says the product won't damage your hull and I concur it really does mitigate sand in the bunk scuffs. I have had issues where the product has left 'bunk trails' on the hull in high friction areas. By bunk trails, I mean a transfer of a thin bunk colored film from the Gatorbak bunk material to the hull. It's removable with a little polish but it is annoying. I actually have an open question with Gatorbak now if this is expected or if I have a product issue.

I do love the look of the product. The product still looks good 5 years after install. I got tired of replacing my carpet every 3 years or so.

Product installation is a bit of a chore. You effectively have to screw the product onto the bunks at 6" intervals with Gatorbak provided screws. Not hard...just tedious.

Overall...I like the product but do have a few reservations on the loading/unloading experience and 'bunk trails'. It comes with a 3 year warranty which I think is a little short given the price. 5 years feels more appropriate. Your most likely warranty claim - if you had one at all - would be for product degradation from UV damage. If you live in a high sun area and store the trailer outside with the boat off you might have some issues.

Hope this helps. Happy to answer any questions.

[bturner]

Unless I have the wrong link it doesn't appear that it will matter, at least not right now. The site I'm looking at shows everything is out of stock. But then again I'm hitting the site from Canada right now and that could be effecting the results.

[SilentSeven]

Gatorbak has a site banner saying their canadian customers are seeing the OOS status and to call them directly to order. Some sort of e-comm problem.

[Scooter G]

Nice write up SilentSeven!
I'll give it this much, that is a good look on your empty trailer, I like it.

[northernoak]

Back in 2023 I put Gatorbak on my trailer after reading SilentSeven's review he had written. I've been very happy with it as well. I back down with the bow strap and a safety chain at the bow. I have absolutely no worries about the boat slipping off the trailer when backing down the ramp. I personally don't think the material gets slippery until its wet. I usually dunk the boat and trailer an extra 6-12" deeper than normal and then pull forward again to my normal unloading position just to wet the boat and the bunks and then the boat glides off pretty well.

I purchased Gatorbak for the "easier loading" capability. I didn't like the sand getting in the carpet and I would struggle to get the boat far enough up the trailer at my main ramp. I would either have to put the trailer too deep and deal with the back end being not straight as I pulled out, or I would have to power load. Now I dunk the trailer to get the bunks fully wet and drive the boat on with usually only a few cranks of the bow strap winch.

My boat sits on the trailer year round and I've so far been very happy with how the product is holding up.

[SilentSeven]

I'll give it this much, that is a good look on your empty trailer, I like it.

Thanks! I agree! The trailer looks smart for sure. I really like the light grey color with the white trailer frame.

[core-rider]

I wonder if they have a solution for the Ramlin wishbone style trailers? I see they have a "vertical style" kit, but it's for 2x4 or 2x6 whereas my tailer uses what looks to be a 2x2. Guess it would be best to call them.

[natelew]

Thank you for the detailed responses, it's really great to have access to this kind of community. I've put in an order to cover my bunks. Our trailer is only 2.5 years old and needing new carpet. Our bunks look far worse than our 2016 G23 did after 7 years and I have no intention of changing the carpet every two years.

[Scooter G]

What boat are you running currently, did I miss that?
Take and post pics of the process, would love to follow that.