Sizing a new used trailer.

[bonz_d]

The Alumacraft that I recently purchased came with a fairly new trailer that was bought new for this boat but I have a number of issues with it and will be looking to replace it.

1st thing is that I believe this trailer is way bigger than is needed. This is a 2200# Shoreland'r trailer. The boat, motor and all gear I guess to be right at 1200# give or take 100#. 2nd is that this trailer is within inches of being as wide as my garage door. 3rd, because of the size and construction of the trailer I believe the trailer weighs more than is needed and just feels heavy when I pull it. Lastly as many know I pretty much always use an unimproved gravel ramp that is very shallow and really need a tilt bed trailer in order to use this ramp.

So aside from the obvious length and capacity of the trailer what should I be looking for to help determine if a trailer will fit nicely? For me jugding a keel roller trailer will be fairly easy and an all bunk trailer is out because of the ramp I use. Which leaves roller trailers. I have one now under my Lund and I love it. Works very well for me. But I see many used roller trailers and they come with many different sizes wagons on them for the rollers. Long, wide, short, narrow.

How do I determine which ones will match up best for this hull? The Spartan I have now would fit it just fine but it's staying under the Lund. Chances of finding another like it I think are slim.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

The Alumacraft that I recently purchased came with a fairly new trailer that was bought new for this boat but I have a number of issues with it and will be looking to replace it.

1st thing is that I believe this trailer is way bigger than is needed. This is a 2200# Shoreland'r trailer. The boat, motor and all gear I guess to be right at 1200# give or take 100#. 2nd is that this trailer is within inches of being as wide as my garage door. 3rd, because of the size and construction of the trailer I believe the trailer weighs more than is needed and just feels heavy when I pull it. Lastly as many know I pretty much always use an unimproved gravel ramp that is very shallow and really need a tilt bed trailer in order to use this ramp.

So aside from the obvious length and capacity of the trailer what should I be looking for to help determine if a trailer will fit nicely? For me jugding a keel roller trailer will be fairly easy and an all bunk trailer is out because of the ramp I use. Which leaves roller trailers. I have one now under my Lund and I love it. Works very well for me. But I see many used roller trailers and they come with many different sizes wagons on them for the rollers. Long, wide, short, narrow.

How do I determine which ones will match up best for this hull? The Spartan I have now would fit it just fine but it's staying under the Lund. Chances of finding another like it I think are slim.

Ayuh,... Boat trailers are Extremely adjustable,...

I can't feature that a trailer of about the right size, couldn't be Adjusted to fit any hull that is of that size...

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

Have to agree for the most part. Problem I am looking at is the size of the roller axles or wagons. Many are not adjustable for length or width within a set of rollers. Sure they can be moved in or out, forward of aft to some degree but the distance between the rollers on many wobble trucks/wagons do not have any adjustment.

 

[colbyt]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I have limited experience but I would think that any trailer with rollers that can not be adjusted is a hack job.

My old Holsclaw has arms that raise or lower and can be positioned in or out for width. The can actually be configured to position the roller above the fenders for a really wide boat. The port and starboard rollers mount to the arms and can then pivot to conform to the hull. Once in position they are locked into place. All the keel rollers can be raised or lowered to match the hull design.

I reconfigured it from a v-hull to flat bottom in about an hour. With frozen bolts it would take a lot longer. I replaced all those a month or so before I bought the newer boat.

You can just barely see the arms in this image (right above the tail light and over the axel.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

Drive up to Tom's Trailers in Menomonee Falls, they handle several different brands, plus many used trailers.

They are also a Karavan dealer. They will get you any type of setup you desire.



Karavan is located in Beaver Dam.



Unfortunately, I have both bunk and roller trailers, and believe bunk trailers work best for the shallow beach launches I do.

THe extra wide trailer frame with the cradle style cross members allow the boat to sit between the frame rails, lower to the water. If you have a narrow frame trailer, the boat has to sit up higher so it doesn't hit the fenders. And it is harder to climb in and out of.

If you want or need a tilt roller trailer, fine, but don't overlook the advantage of a wide frame trailer.



Karavan Klasic Roller Trailers - Karavan Trailers

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

Are both the frame, fenders & the axles too wide ? Swap with someone. The 2200 rating is going to bump bump the boat, & gear in it a lot. Go for a 1,000 pounder.

You can put 4 holes in the garage floor & have 2...4 x 4s with pins that center your wheels on 2 layers of plastic sheets. We do the plastic sheets in a winter storage area. So much easier with any trailer.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

Thanks guys. First off there is no shortage of used trailers here in SE Wisconsin. Over the past few years I've been offered a number of them for free only to have the wife tell me I'd better not if I knew what was good for me!

The current trailer is really much wider than the boat and will just barely fit into the garage door.

Roscoe you and I have had this conversation before and I don't disagree with many of the points you've made over the years. It's just that the ramp at the end of my road is extremely shallow. To the point that most of the time the back of the trailer never touches the water and that's being as far into the water as I care to go w/o getting the truck stuck.

On many of the older Caukins, Spartan and even EZ Loader trailers the wobbles are not adjustable between one pair. wish I had a picture of my Spartan.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I had a resivor with that shallow slope. Found a " breakneck trailer ". Helped a little. I still had to DRAG the boat by hand.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I don't have a problem winching the boat onto the trailer. Do it all the time. Which is also why I prefer rollers. Much easier to winch on to rollers than 12-14' of bunks.

I think I need to stress that I do not believe I'd ever get a non-tilt trailer deep enough to get the boat back on the trailer at the ramp that I use most often.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

My breakneck put the boards right into the mud. I eventually got a LOONG winch strap to help out.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

Last trip out this year the water was so low that when coming into the trailer if there was someone standing in the bow it was grounding.
Still got'r out w/o a problem.

Do have a line on a couple right now though they are not quite what I'm looking for. One is a roller/bunk tilt and the other is a roller straight bed no tilt.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I had an ez loader full roller under my carver 26' flybridge cruiser... I had no problem winching it up from the ground where I had pulled it off of the trailer... It wasn't even a tilt trailer. Not all roller trailers will do that without hitting the hull on the cross member but with a little boat a plastic slider or keel roller on the rear cross member might be all you need.

If you do find a bunk style tilt trailer don't rule it out either especially if free, bunk sliders or silicone spray make them only a little harder to winch on than rollers. although I do LOVE my roller trailers

as for size My general rule is that the length of the trailer should be 10% more than the length of the boat

I don't think that non adjustable roller trucks will pose any problem

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I'm beginning to believe that fitting a trailer isn't always easy as some may think. Following this forum and craigslist looking at boats I have seen what looks like way too many mismatched boats and trailer. Such as the trailers are too small or too large or the bunks do not line up well with the shape of the hull.

When I purchased my Lund it was on a roller bunk trailer. The strakes under the boat made it difficult to position the bunks because of the mounting holes in the trailer. No matter which way I moved the bunks they were right up tight to the strakes. So when I replaced the bunk boards I put them on the table saw and ripped about 1/4" at a 30 degree angle the length of the board which then gave me about1/2" either side of center to stay off the strakes. The Spartan roller that is under it now was much easier to adjust to fit.

Here's a picture of what is under this boat now. I know pictures can be deceiving but right now this is the best one I have.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

OK, I didn't realize you had that little water at the back of the trailer.

Doesn't change what I said, wider facilitates lower, and lower is better.
After you hit the garage door frame a few times, you'll hardly notice it. LOL

I would not worry about having a trailer that has a higher capacity than needed.
If you really want a cushy ride for any boat, you're gonna need coils and shocks.
Certainly don't get a trailer that is under capacity, as suggested above.

Hard to make any suggestions as to which trailer will work for you, other that to find one like you have under the Lund.
I haven't seen a roller trailer where the individual rollers could be moved, in years.

Measure the distance between ribs/strakes on the hull and go tilt trailer shopping.

How about a single line of rollers on each side, instead of the roller truck assembly?

 

[TOY BOAT]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I would say that looks good. Keeps the center of gravity low, and launch and recovery easier due to how low it sits, and it is wide enough to be stable, and make entering and exiting via the fenders a breeze. My brother inlaws Karavan trailer is just like yours. It cradles the boat down low.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I would say that looks good. Keeps the center of gravity low, and launch and recovery easier due to how low it sits, and it is wide enough to be stable, and make entering and exiting via the fenders a breeze. My brother inlaws Karavan trailer is just like yours. It cradles the boat down low.

He's looking to replace the trailer in the photo, with a tilt trailer, so he can launch 'n load in 8-10" of water.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

and honestly that wide low trailer is likely as high or higher due to the 13" or 14"? wheels than a narrower one would be with 10"-12" wheels

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

Sorry had to get to bed so I could work last night. Let's see if I can answer everyones questions and concerns.

Normally there is about 12 to 15" of water at the end of the trailer where I go though much lower this year. I don't think this one still sits low enough to get the boat back on. With the Lund once it is winched up flat on the trailer the bottom of the boat is out of the water. The adage of launch deep, retrieve shallow does not apply here. It's all shallow!! I think I'd have to back the truck 30' into the water before it would be deep enough to float off.

It's not that I dislike this trailer I just don't think it will work at this launch point. Yes this does sit much lower than the Lund and that trailer has 5:30X12 tires on it. But it works because it tilts and I can get the rollers under the water and under the bow.

This Shoreland'r does have single row wobble rollers under the stern. Again just not certain they will be low enough.

As to load capacity I was thinking in the 1500 to 1600# range or a 2000# if I can find one that fits well.

The Spartan I have has 4 wobble rollers per side and then 3 keel rollers up the center of the trailer. Many of the roller trailers I'm seeing now do not have keel rollers but usually another set of trucks amidship and just one keel roller. It's these more forward rollers that I'm most concerned about getting to fit as again many I'm seeing are much wider than the stern trucks.

Another view of what I have now.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

I don't recall seeing any tilt trailers with the forward set of roller trucks.
Usually the tilt trailers only have a center bunk or a keel roller up front.


just a thought.... can you move the axle to the top side of the springs, and swap out to 12" or even 6-ply 8" wheels?
This might drop the hull down 5". I know, it doesn't solve the garage fit problem, guess I am just rambling.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Sizing a new used trailer.

roscoe I believe you are correct again! Will have to start looking more closely at the pictures in the ads.

Another thought I had while at work last night, some of the trailers I'm seeing have the wobble trucks that have a lot of up and down movement to them like my Spartan. I'm now wondering if those will drop low enough to be able to get the boat uponto the rollers.

Still haven't ruled out tilt bunk trailers of which I just got rid of one. The rollers sure do make it easier on the arms and shoulders though.