Sportsman 282TE: Our first problem-Trailer trouble

The 2023 Sportsman 282TE was purchased to put it through its paces and evaluate its pros/cons as we explore what makes this boat special.
After a few months we encountered our first big problem, the carpet wore off of the bunks and began to scrap the bottom of the boat. The 282TE fueled weighs 10,570 lbs and puts a beating on the carpeted bunks. The front-end bunks were short and at times during loading/unloading due to tide changes/angles the boat would bottom out on the trailer and scrape. Thanks to Brian at Palm Beach Trailer, we came to a solution making the front bunks longer. However they were still being abused. We found a product called Gatorbak which seems very thick and durable, so we are giving it a try.
We were able to make the change in one afternoon using the Gatorbak supplied aluminum screws. The kit is ordered based on the size of your trailer, ours cost $564 dollars for a 28-foot boat. They had simple installation instructions online and the project took two hours for the back bunks and another two hours on the front bunks. Of course, we overkilled and used a lot more screws than required and even some silicone around the ends that were thought could become problematic.
Here are the links:
gatorbak.com/
palmbeachtrail...
Here is our walkaround of the Sportsman 282TE:
• 2023 Sportsman 282TE d...
The trailer bunks were our first challenge, stayed tuned to see how long they last. Follow us as we test and compare the features of this 282 to other boats. #2023 #walkthrough #282TE #newboat #Sportsmanboats #boat #fishing #florida #mercury #centerconsoles #trailerupgrade, #trailerrepair #gatorbak #trailerbunks

[@spinfish1434]

It only lasted 5 months because (looking at your video) you weren’t sinking the trailer DEEP enough in the water. Your Target bunks should be Submerged. **That blue bumper getting hit is another clear indicator you weren’t sinking that trailer.. That boat is 9-10k it’s heavy! That Gatorback is a semi hard synthetic that will slowly chaffe through your Gelcoat just trailering around. Powering up on a properly submerged trailer Soft carpet works the best and it’s cheap.

[@whywaitadventures2195]

@@spinfish1434 Hey, 1st off thanks for watching the video and the feedback. I checked out your channel and you have some good content keep it up! Yes one of the 2 ramps we put in at unfortunately is a little bit of a shallow launch as there’s a hole that the trailer tires will get stuck in, the other our hand is only forced at low tide. We can sink it at high always aiming for the wheel well and bunks to be decently covered. We will have to see about the Gatorback as I have had 50/50 opinions from forums, I’m skeptical having been a traditional carpet guy the last 30 years.