Hauling Your Own Boat on a Trailer

[countrybimm]

if you have a decent cradle, you can get a barebones flatbed with twin 6000lb axles built for fairly cheap provided you have the truck to pull it. One thing to watch for is what oversize load permits you will need to bring it home. We looked into getting one built to trailer a O'day 302 from London to miami and the permits were over 2k. On a plus note, if your boat isnt to wide, it beats shipping it.Were looking at 4k for a one way trip on a transport flatbed.

[Northeaster]

The problem with a putting a cradle on a "normal" flatbed trailer is that the keel (and rest of the boat) will sit at least a foot (maybe more) higher than on a purpose built trailer. On small boats or shallow draft that may not be a problem, but on larger boats you will be approaching the legal height limit for bridges, etc.

Lowboy type flatbed trailers would be better with a cradle.

[clockwork orange]

Northeaster is right about the height but you should be ok with the C&C,i think it draws about the same as my Lindenberg which worked out fine but as i mentioned in your other thread,we could not cary the mast along the cabintop,we had to lay it along the side deck threaded thru the bow rail.
Steve.

[wannago]

Trailers aren't cheap. And they regularly break, which gets really expensive fast. The cheaper the deal on craigslist, the more likely to break. So if you want to move the boat once, hiring the transport is probably a good idea.

I have a C&C mega 30, with a lifting keel and a tabernacle stepped mast. Designed to float on / off the trailer and have the mast raised / lowered by one or two people with the equipment on the boat. A low estimate I got for a new trailer was $4k. And most of the trailer places want to charge another 1-2 K because it's a sailboat, so figure $5k minimum. (and the $4k was estimate for 24' trailer because my rudder is transom hung and can be removed, and doesn't need any support from the trailer on the last 4 or so feet of the boat)

Used trailers seem few and far between. And would probably require some modification to fit, and possibly major work to roadworthy. Researching trailers on some other forums and you'll find many people who double there boat workload cause the trailer is that much more work. On any used trailer chance are the brakes don't work, especially if someone put it in salt water. And it's really hard to test them without putting your boat on the trailer, unloaded the brakes shouldn't be noticeable.

When I first towed my boat home with a dodge 1 ton (D3500 with cummins deisel, and rear disk brakes) I wondered how people towed loads like this with 1/2 ton trucks. Later I discovered the brakes didn't work, while replacing both axles that had cracked (rust half through) trying to back up in a tight spot leaving the boat launch's parking lot (pushing the trailer almost sideways backing the truck around it).

So, while my boat is out in front of my house waiting for that touch up paint, I am spending all my time fixing the trailer under it.

[countrybimm]

wannago:sounds like you just got a bum trailer, In the construction world trailers haul that kinda weight all the time. Any landscaper pulling a skid steer day in/day out is in the same range as boats(roughly). A well built trailer will last a long time with minimal maintenence provided your not overloading what the trailer was built to do.

[wannago]

But most landscapers never submerge their trailers in saltwater. Even with a good rinse, it's pretty impossible to get the salt out of drum brakes without repacking the wheel bearing. And my old axle lacked drain holes in a critical spot.

And most skid steer operators can drive up and down a flat trailer with less drama than trying to winch a boat up on a trailer, or even putting it down on a trailer with a lift

The other general enemy of boat trailers is sitting. They tend to sit in one place for months, sometimes moved 2-3 times a year. Brakes and tires generally last longer with some regular usage.

I also ran across someone else's story that anyone considering hauling stuff themselves should read:
http://www.slooptavern.org/Misc/Dans_Big_Adventure.pdf

[SabreKai]

I can't comment as to the cost factors, what with the economy being so wonky, but I've had two different boats on trailers, and had to move them significant distances at various times. Since I don't drive a humunga truck, I resorted to using a towing service several times to do the moves. Towtruck services will do the job for you most of the time. Cross border I'm not sure of as my moves were all within Ontario. One was a 28ft on a construction float, from Tottenham to Mount Forest, and then to Streetsville, the second was a Grampian 26 on a real trailer from Parry Sound to Etobicoke.

As for having the boat on a trailer, it does make it easier to move around in the yard if needed. In our yard, we don't have the lift capability to move a boat other than during the one weekend in spring and again in fall. My mid sized pickup would haul the second boat around the yard easily if I moved slowly. This allowed me to move it closer to the power house when I needed to. I wouldn't take it on the road though. Not enough HP and load capabilty for that.

Sabre