Aluminum Trailer for long skinny boat???

[mcdenny]

I have a 25' x 6' electric launch in need of a suitable trailer. I like aluminum for its good looks and lighter weight burden on the tow vehicle. I've emailed an inquiry to 15 trailer comapnies offering custom trailers. About half have responded but none could supply aluminum.

A production trailer for a 25' boat is too heavy and has the way axle too far aft for this 1500 lb boat.

Any ideas? I realize I may have to drive a good distance to get something this special.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pf3e64f93e5405c330de129c5b1c3d57c/ec069939.jpg

[Ron Carter]

There was an article in "Speedway" magazine about a year ago discussing custom aluminum trailers for the car racing crowd. In that article it referenced a company in eastern Ohio or Western Pa. if memory serves, that did all kinds of custom aluminum trailers. That issue has long been recycled but if you don't come up with anything else they might be able to find that article for you.

[Thorne]

Yeah, seems like it would be really easy to buy a trailer with the axle in the correct position in relation to the support bunks, then add a longer tongue.

In effect that is what I did for my dory, bought a Harbor Freight utility trailer then added a much longer "backbone" that extended both further aft and mostly further forward to get the desired balance.

http://www.luckhardt.com/hfutiltrlr.gif
http://www.luckhardt.com/trailermod1.jpg

Why is weight such an issue -- is the problem pulling the weight or the difference between the weight of the trailer and the weight of the boat?

If you are worried about suspension issues and a rough ride, getting a custom one built from scratch might be best, as you could have them put in springs and/or shocks like the old Holsclaw trailers.

My trailer conversion (not recommended for others as it cost me nearly what a commercial boat trailer would have cost) is at the bottom of my dory restoration page -

http://www.luckhardt.com/dory1.html

[windmill4048]

I've used Trailex custom trailers for a couple of boats. They have been good to work with and I've been please with the results.

They do semi custom build ups from stock extrusions. The extrusions are their own designs. they've been in the busniess for something like 40 years.

http://www.trailex.com/

You can google aluminum trailers and find six or eight more companies that are in the business.

[mcdenny]

Ron, I believe that company is Trailex, suggested by Windmill4048 above.

W, I did get a quote from Trailex but they wanted $6000 for a trailer.

I got a quote for a custom steel trailer for $2100 but am hoping I can find something in Al for under $3000.

I have a Subaru Forrester rated to tow 2400# (with brakes). I will have the boat done in another two months and want to tow it to Florida in January. A steel trailer weighs about 900# so I'd be maxed out on weight before the inevitable extra stuff finds its way into the boat.

[Thorne]

Denny -

I have SO been there and done that, tow-vehicle-wise. I'd say you've got one real option for towing a boat that size and weight -=- get a larger tow vehicle.

Either buy an older truck and just tow with it, or sell the Subaru and get at the very least a minitruck with a tow package, probably with 4x4 to avoid ruining the clutch when you pull the boat up ramps.

Running anything that close to the limits will cause a lot of wear and tear, not to mention being unsafe when trailering downhill at high speeds or in wet conditions. Don't ask me how I know this....

;0 )

I towed my San Juan 21 for a number of years all over California and the Left Coast including up to Anacortes WA and Lake Tahoe CA. The base weight of the boat was 1800 lbs, but when on the trailer with all the additional stuff built into the boat (battery, electrics, fueltanks, sails, etc) the boat weight was closer to 2200 lbs without the trailer. And yes, I carried everything possible in the back of the truck, including the outboard, toolboxes, etc.

I burned up several clutches in 2x4 trucks and a VW van (DOH!), then went through a transmission in a Ford Bronco II, several clutches and three trannys in two Nissan 4x4 trucks. Would all of that $$ paid for a 'real' tow vehicle? Yes. Was I smart enough to buy one? No.

At the end of the day, your $$ will be better spent on a tow vehicle that has a curb weight of twice the boat and trailer, a towing package, and the low gear ratio needed to pull a heavy boat up a wet ramp with all the gear in it.

[Spokaloo]

Den, I have an alu welder here in Spokane that generally can do anything I ask and works mostly in cash on small projects. If we have one in little ol Spokayne (pop 185,000 city, 500,000 metro), odds are you have one near you. Just look under alu welding in the phone book. Most of the guys who specialize in alu are doing repairs on tanker trailers and OTR trucks, so they know a thing or two about alu.

Dont forget! Ask to do it for CASH. Youll be glad you did.

E

[RonW]

Hey Denny, a couple of thoughts. I am not familar with that subura thing, but that 2400 lbs tow weight sounds like a bumper hitch spec.
Go to a class 3 hitch, one that bolts on to the frame and you should double that towing weight. A little ford ranger can tow about 5,000 lb trailer with a class 3 hitch, whereas about half that with a bumper hitch. If this is so, then go back to the steeel trailer for $2,100 a couple hundred pounds will be no problem.
Also you will be much happier to have dual axles and surge brakes on the trailer.

[Thorne]

Well, the curb weight on a 2005 Subaru Forester is 3000 lbs. I'll guess that the weight of the boat will actually be at least 1800 lbs. Add another 1000 lbs for the trailer and outboard, you have a 3000 lb car towing nearly its own weight!

According to this guide, the 2002 Forester max tow weight is 2000 lbs, max hitch weight 200 lbs -
www.trailerlife.com/downloads/02towingguide.pdf

Not good from either a safety or effeciency standpoint. I have heard that states like Oregon require the tow vehicle to be at least twice the weight of the towed vehicle, in this case boat and trailer.

http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm

I'm not trying to be negative here, just speaking from the voice of experience. I currently tow a 300-350 lb dory on a 200-300 lb trailer with an old 91 4 cyl Nissan 4x4 truck -- and it is very noticable on hills as I sometimes end up in 2nd gear. A tow vehicle like the Subaru would be fine for my dory, but not for towing something nearly 6x heavier.

But you don't have to believe me, just find a friend with a big boat on a trailer (or travel-trailer) that is near the projected weight of your new boat. Hook it up to the Subaru and tow it around a bit, including up a steep hill and boatramp. I'll bet you find it slow and a bit scary....

Trust me, after all the work and $$ you have put into your new boat, the LAST thing you want to do is risk losing her on the highway. Even if it happened alone on the highway you'd lose the boat and risk injury. But you've got to think about how you'd feel if anyone else was injured, not to mention the legal issues.

After I restored my dory, I suddenly realized that I couldn't bear to risk her on the rusty old trailer she came with, and the cost of fixing the old trailer came close to the cost of a used one. I modified a utility trailer (not recommended) and feel MUCH better riding on new tires, new bearings, and knowing the boat is as safe as possible while on the road.

[mcdenny]

Thorne, thanks for the insightful posts. One of the great things about this forum is the wealth of been there - done that advice.

If I get an aluminum trailer I am pretty close to a reasonable towing situation with the Subaru. The car's manual (2005, auto trans) says 2400# towing capacity as long as the trailer has brakes. I weighed the empty hull and added the weight of the stack of plywood I have left to do the decks, seats, sole, etc. There will be a good bit of waste so my assumption is a bit conservative. Weighed all the mechanical bits plus 520 lbs batteries. Sum = 1400 lbs so I'm figuring 1500 lbs all up. I believe an appropriate al trailer will weigh no more than 500 lbs so total trailed weight will be 2/3 vehicle weight.

[peter osberg]

I solved a similar problem by modifying a standard boat trailer with an extra long tongue and longer bunks. Even with the heavy galvanized steel frame there is some flexing noticeable (to me) on rougher roads, I would think that a lighter aluminum frame may flex too much.
I would endorse the very upper limit of tailer weight being less than half the tow vehicles weight, it is a learning curve you don't want to be on.
peter

[dmg]

Denny

To a lesser degree, I had the same issue with a long skinny boat. I built the Glen-L Whitehall a year and a half ago. Everywhere I checked for trailers, the ones they had for a 17' boat had a capacity of around 2500 lbs. The Whitehall is about 350 lbs.

Sorry I do not have their number, but I got an all aluminum trailer made by - Alumituff Mfg., LLC., 3052 Yankee St., Niles, Mich., 49120.

Purchased through Webber Marine, Allegan, Mi. for $ 595.00, a month or so ago.

Dave

[Tom W.]

FWIW, I put my Penobscot 17 onto a Trailex SUT 350S trailer, view here:
http://www.trailex.com/viewprod.cfm?action=add&pn=SUT-350-S&pr=825&pid=178&id=123&mcat=84&cat_id=84
Unfortunately, the boat was heavier than the trailer was rated for, and I found the people at Trailex very helpful in the modification to up the capacity of the trailer. It cost me about $1200 when all was done, they supplied heavier springs and larger bunks, plus advice on how it would tow and tire pressures, etc. It is a beautifuly made trailer and very easy to tow. My boat is only about 400# so not directly comparable to yours, but the people build a quality product and as I said, they support it well. Admittedly, a bit pricey, but you sometimes gets what you pays for.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid204/pd9b8e682b9fcc8386311ad2da21d48b2/ef5cfa59.jpg
This is before I modified the trailer. The bunks at the rear were replaced with bunks running parallel to the beam, about 3' long, plus heavier springs. It carries the boat very well.
This shot shows the mods:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/pef958675ea7ddc98d2f946c098399009/ebfde55a.jpg
The springs were doubled, and the bunks are now supported on the axle beams, instead of the center beam. Also they're larger, and support the boat far better than before.

[Tylerdurden]

Any good fabricator should be able to do it if you have drawings.
Aluminum is expensive these days and that figures into the costs.
The long beam alum trailers will be an improvement over steel on a small car besides the weight savings it will absorb more shock that will go right into your vehicle. Find a local fabricator that is hungry for work and you will save a bundle.If you stop in your local welding supply, the counter guys will know who is good and capable. I use an upstart in this area for jobs I don't have time or the will to do.

[Mhija]

This is probably something you've already considered but it might be worth installing a larger transmission oil cooler to lessen the possible heat issues caused by towing something so close to the capacity of the vehicle.