Hi, I’m Jerry and I’m new to the whole kayak thing.  I decided to get a PA to use for fishing and hunting.  After research, I figured my best route was to build a trailer for it.  I have read several threads on trailers for my Pro Angler and decided that would start with a single jet ski / PWC trailer and add the plastic pipe for bunks.  On craigslist I found several and negotiated a price of $300 for the one you see here.  It was stored indoors and in near perfect shape.  The owner had decided to get a second PWC so his girlfriend would have one and was looking to get a dual trailer.  Trailer home, the work begins;

Removed the bunks off the trailer, those 2x6 carpet covered boards the PWC rested on.




Next I started to mount the hardware that would hold the pipe bunks.  This hardware is from a salvage shop near where I live that contractors use.  It’s called “Uni-Strut”.  I’ve seen some trailers on here that use it to build a frame over their kayak trailer to hold a storage box;


The uni-strut has a goldish plating like anodize but it’s steel.  I also used lock nuts. 


All four brackets are now mounted, but not tightened.  The brackets can rotate and that adjusts the spacing between the bunks. 


I cut the first tube to a length that allowed less than an inch overlap at the rear, and a foot in the front. Then I marked the second tube and cut it too.  I used a sawsall with a hacksaw blade on it. 


One at a time, I took off the bracket and marked, then drilled the holes.  I rotated the tube so the holes would be in the lettering.  That way I knew exactly were on the far end to mark length-wise.  I also oval out the holes length wise so that when the PA is on the trailer, the bunks and sag under the load and wrap the bottom.  If I hadn’t, they would not have flexed as easy.


I pre bent the washers so they wouldn’t crush the plastic tube.  I won’t be tightening the fasteners, just snugging them so the bunks can float on the oval holes I drilled.


Installed washers only snug tightened lock nuts.


With all four ends mounted, I can now adjust my bunks.  Here’s a series of photos showing the range and my final measurements.  Outside to outside on 4” tubes is 16” and center to center is 11 ¼”.  The center to center should be good for any size tube you use.  A smaller diameter than 4” could be used on the tube, but I chose it due to the unsupported span I had; 5 feet.  I’ve seen on line here, trailers with 2” tubes but there was a support mid span.





Final product!!



Here’s the PA on the trailer.



Here’s photos close-up under and where the bunks meet the PA.  As the weight begins to flex the bunks, the slots I drilled in will allow the bunk to sag properly and form-fit to the bottom of the PA
REAR:


FRONT



The hardware store had these plugs.  They were red and had a gasket and wing nut on them.  I think red is for 4”.  I could only find a photo of a 3” plug.  If you put a plug in each end and had sealed the drilled holes, these tubes could be used for storage.


Well, there you go.  Total cost was under $50 for materials from Home Depot and the local contractor salvage and a store called Habitat for Humanity where people donate construction stuff and they sell it to raise money to build homes. With the original $300 investment in the trailer, I found this to be pretty economical way to haul my PA around and store it too.