Adapting HF Trailer

[Sonex]

My Harbor Freight boat trailer #5002 will be delivered on Wednesday. I am paying almost $200 more for it than a smaller version that's not as long. Could have saved that if I wanted to make an extended tongue.

I'm posting a diagram of the one I'm getting. I'm considering putting in gunwale supports made from wood or metal. Might look like the red and blue lines in the diagram, bolting the members to the frame. The bow support could be rigged as is, or making a U-shaped bow support to go under the lip instead. I'd use garden hose or something on top of the support.

I've considered making a bunk or sling that would go under the back of the cockpit and mast step, but that involves as much or more work than using gunwale supports.

The first pic is from abraxasdesign.net, where there is a good description and lots of pics of making a double trailer. Might need this method if my trailer isn't wide enough. Next pic is also of a custom double trailer, showing gunwale supports. Next my HF trailer diagram. The next 2 are trailex and kitty hawk, I think. I'm not sure where the trailers in the last pic are from. Maybe Lancaster, PA?

Cheers,
Dan

 

[sidewinder]

I think you are on the right track.

Its hard to tell if the trailer is tube steel or c-channels. Here is a pic of my home-made gunwale supports. The support is made of UHMW Polyethylene and has a thin wrap of closed cell foam. Tubes are 1/2" galvanized pipe.

One thing I noted about the underside of the gunwales is they are not flat. In addition to being toed-out to match the angle of the hull, there is also a 10 degree (approx) taper on the bearing surface. I eyeballed the angle and machined the plastic on the jointer until is saw a nice even contact between the support and the hull.

On my trailer, the frames are c-channel so I drilled a 7/8 hole through the top flange, then secured the bottom of the pipe with a U-bolt. you can just see the nuts affixing the U-bolt in the picture. The aft pipe is approximately even with the aft edge of the cockpit. The trailer frame is 40" wide and the distance between the supports (at the boat) are approximately 48" in front and 46" in back.

PM me if you want any other information. If you have access to a basic cad program, I can send you a DXF file showing what I did.

 

[Sonex]

Thanks, SW

I PM'd you.

Cheers,
Dan

PS: And I could prolly get a reader for your files, thanks!