types of trailers

I don't think a strap supports the boat very well, especially on the road. The strap on the launching dollies that you see are only meant to support the boat when putting it in and taking it out of the water. The dollies, such as Seithech, have gunwale supports for all other times. The strap just hangs below the hull when the boat is on the supports. It is not a good idea for the hull to sit on a wet strap as the trapped moisture will eventually soften the hull. I think that a trailer with just straps to support the hull will cause significant hull distortion over time, probably sooner rather than later.
 
ok, I'm totally killed for ideas. everything seems to hurt my laser in the end, unless i spend 600 dollars on it. if you read my other post, my current vanguard 15 (and now being used for laser) trailer ruined the v15's hull, and I'm worried about my laser now. I've seen people make deck-down laser trailers, but then it wouldn't fit the v15 (or would it?). the trailer frame we have now seems like it'd be very easy to modify, because the frame has lots of holes for bolts all over it. If having a wet strap is a problem, I'm sure the two bars it have now are a problem because they are covered in a plasticy carpet. What should I do? It seems like people prefer deck-down, but then I can't use it for the v15. Maybe a wide enough box for deck-down, so you can take the boat out of the water, and then turn it over. I'm not sure if this works with a v15.
 
I did not see your earlier posts on another thread. Trailering a Laser is a bit tricky since the boat is not robust enough to take the pounding that it will get from typical trailers. I have no idea how to make a trailer to handle both a Laser and a V15. The best way to transport a Laser is on top of a vehicle, upside down, with the deck supported at the mast well and at the back of the cockpit. Very little bouncing this way. The problem is that it is difficult for one person to put it on and take it off. The 2 Laser specific trailers, Kitty Hawk and Trailex, are the next best solution. Both of these trailers support the boat under the deck lip, the strongest part of the boat. The hull has no pressure on it at all. The light weight of the boat means it will do quite a bit of bouncing on the trailer, and one does not want the hull or deck to be directly absorbing those blows. Any other trailer solution is a compromise and should only be used for short distance trailing if possible.
 
I have to disagree about straps being bad way to transport - narrow straps perhaps, but wide straps such as the ones on the trailer (I think they are at least 12" wide) in the pic give a nice soft ride - I've watched this setup on the road, the hull sways gently in the straps over bumps
 

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I think I'll just go with straps and stop worrying about it. With the straps being wet, I'm sure they'll dry off. Also, I agree that thin straps would be bad, so I was thinking lining up 5 or so 2" straps spaced a little apart near the hull under the cockpit , and then having the bow supported on the roller the trailer already has. I'm just over worrying myself about this :p We (as a family) have had the v15 for 6 years or so, and the hull has been ruined by the trailer but I never cared because it wasn't my boat. Now I saved up all summer (I'm 15) and bought a laser from UCSC (university) for $460 (yes, cheap in the ways of boats), but it's a lot for me, so I've just stressed out about every single thing hurting it :p I'll just go with a lot of 2" straps. We only live 10 minutes from the harbor. Thanks everybody
 
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