Trailer: What Make/Model do you use

jcorliss78

New Member
I purchased my Capri with a Shoreland'r Tadpull trailer. For many reasons, I am unhappy with it and after several small modification, and still dissatisfied with it.

As I'm looking to replace, I thought I'd pool the general populace on what make/model trailer they use and if you are happy/unhappy with particular features.

Thanks in advance,
John
 
I use a caulkins tuffy, it has a buoy on the front where the bow rests and two 2x4 on the back to hold the aft hull. I'm so glad that I have a galvanized trailer.
 
trailer choice

This is only my opinion, but I find most of the small boat trailers that I see to be somewhat innadequate (or rather , minimally adequate ) for real towing purposes. Most of what I see is a are very lightweight, flimsy single steel "C" channel or square tube framed trailer, usually coupled with an axle with too many leaf springs to absorb any shock transmitted by the road. Couple this with the lack of general maintenance and rust, and you get a real "flexible flyer" , if you get what I mean. I think this kind of trailer might be fine if you are moving your boat around in your yard, but I question their integrity for road use. I modified a small EZ Loader II trailer, which originally held a small Whaler. The trailer is very heavy duty 3" X 4' box tube, galvanized, and came with all rollers. The trailer weighs about 350 lbs. I didn't like how high the boat sat with all the rollers, so I removed all but the 3 keel rollers and and 8 rollers on the rear mounted tilting (self adjusting ) portion. For additional support I added 8 individual carpeted custom cut foam pads which mate up to the curves of the hull. The axle is about 7 ft across, allowing the boat to sit nice and low on the trailer frame, but along with the large 13 inch wheels, tows beautifully behind any vehicle. You don't have to spend a lot of money. This cost me $200, and I spend the same amount in new bearings, LED lights, mast crutches, paint, rollers, etc.
 

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In looking at photos of other trailers, I am starting to think that the bunks on my trailer are too close together. Is there a rule of thumb? I get a bit of side to side movement until the boat is really tied in and I think that moving the bunks out a little may help. Suggestions?
 
My Horrible Trailer

1) frame/tongue is bent at the coupler so trailer lists to the shoulder when travelling.
2) Solid state bunks. Non-adjustable and are centered about 8" to either side of the CB gasket on plane with the road so the boat sits on the edging of the bunks and low enough on the hull that its too precarious for my liking
3) no mast support at the bow and for the life of me I've not been able to come up with a modification that works
4) bearing size/hub cap does not support bearing buddies and it's taking me about 45 min each to repack and re-assembled. I'm slow so I want convenience.
5) trailer is to "short" I can not move the winch post forward on the trailer any more and boat extends well past the end of the trailer. Makes it hard to see signal/brake lights while following, not sure if this is a ticketable offense in my state or not...
6) I've added guide-on poles to help my girlfriend guide it on/off while I'm in the vehicle at the ramp
7) added safety chain at the winch post to the bow eye, as there was none.
8) purchased an over the gunnal strap for securing the boat aft while travelling, I didn't want to add eye bolts to the transom and there was no place on the trailer for attaching the other s-hook for transom tie-downs.
 
jcor, I am jealous, you have a winch? My trailer doesn't even have a front post to mount a winch to. The only thing between the boat and the back of my tow vehicle is a heavy rope tied straight down and a lot of hope. It helps that my launch ramp is only a couple of blocks away. I also have two lines from hooks in the trailer to the jib car cleats. These seem to hold better than anything else but of course I strap it as well.

I did solve the mast support with some scrap lumber. A scrap 2x4 and a 1x4 nailed together fit very nicely in the mast step. A hold drilled through it for the mast bolt holds it securely. At the top, I nailed 2 short scraps of 2.4 and they hug the mast. I put together a similar rig for the stern that fits into the hiking strap slot. The first and second photos show the forward post. The third is the rear mount. I had some steel plates that I rounded off and painted. The bottom one slips into the rear hiking strap mount and the top one hangs over the transom about an inch. It is very secure. It takes a little but of thought when you put it in to get it through the tiller and out of the way of the traveler but it is very secure. I usually only wrap a bungee cord around the front mount.
 

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My Boat is sitting on a '86 Shorelander that most likely came as a package deal when the boat was originally purchased . It's galvanized and the mast crutches work great , It has a winch and the bunks are carpeted 2x4's . It also has bearing buddies. It tows great, handling the 120 mile (one way) trip to Huntington Lake in stride.

Pics of her when I bought her last summer.

Rob
 

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Step On Fenders??

Hi --
I was noticing that in the pictures of Liketoboat's trailer, the fenders have non-skid patches on top and appear to be pretty robust. Are these strong enough to use as steps up into the boat??

If so -- I gotta have THAT!!! I've been lugging a small ladder along and it's getting to be a drag. Also like the long tongue to keep the back wheels of the tow vehicle out of the wet, that would be real useful at low tide b/c the ramp gets very slippery on the parts where it spends the majority -- but not all the time -- covered in water. Dunno why because a little farther in it's always covered and there's gunk growing there but it's not nearly as slippery.

Yesterday a young fella went in flat on his back with a big splash right in front of the three pretty young girls who were already in the ski boat he was launching. The slacker guys and retirees who hang out in the park enjoyed it a whole bunch. :D
 
trailer

Yes, the fenders are 1/8 steel plate material, and the way they are mounted you can definitely stand on them. I am 200 pounds, and they don't deflect at all. This trailer is at least 20 years old, built out of solid steel, the old fashion way! Someone had already replaced the tires on it before I bought it and being galvanized, it has held up beautifully. An old fashion "made in the USA" product for sure.
 
Cool. I need to do some work on my Highlander trailer. It's not as wide as yours so step-on fenders will be a challenge, but that's part of the fun.

jim / so. fla.
 
86 shoreland'r

Rob,

is the model plate still affixed to the trailer, as I have a shoreland'r perhaps I can purchase a 'replacement' part and replace my winch post with the one from your model. that will correct the mast crutch situation.
 

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