Dolly on trailer

V

vassilis

New Member
I am about to get my first laser (have been sailing for a while on larger boats). I would like to be able to launch single handed without depending on somebody else to load the boat from a trailer to a dolly. Is it possible to load the boat on the trailer without removing it from the dolly? In other words can I slide the dolly with with boat on it right on the trailer?

If yes which trailer would you recommend?

Thanks!
Vassilis
 
Would an alternative be to use a light trailer as a dolly? Would something like a Kitty Hawk trailer work?

Thanks,
Vassilis
 
If you get a traler with a swivelling bow (Trailex for sure, not sue about KH), it is specially designed to allow you to transfer the boat from trailer to dolly and back on your own.
 
marginal said:
If you get a traler with a swivelling bow (Trailex for sure, not sue about KH), it is specially designed to allow you to transfer the boat from trailer to dolly and back on your own.
Click to expand...

I am new to this forum and would like to provide input as I have just researched this very question. :)

Ask me how I know? Well, I am currently awaiting delivery of Kitty trailer as the are constructed in NC/usa only when ordered and arrives in ~3-4 weeks; hence, mine s/b here next week (or the following at the latest).

While both those trailers can be used as a dolly with trailer approximate weight of ~100 lbs (+/- 10 lbs), it is actually the other way around regarding the pivoting bow-- Kitty Hawk comes in three flavors (galvanized: 110lbs[$625 usd]/stainless steel: 100 lbs [$725 usd]) and swiveling bow is standard to allow one person xfer to dolly by picking of stern and walking it over to the dolly.

The Trailex (aluminum only: 145lbs shipping weight, maybe ~110 lbs after assembled) requires the purchase of "optional" swiveling bow (~$35 usd) as the trailex bow support is fixed (non-pivoting) on the $926 price tag.

And, figure $150-190 for KW shipping (non UPS, use "notify call" to pick up at terminal to save $$) while Trailex is shipped UPS with ~$150 price tag.

Resale value is relative to actual purchase price and should be reasonable in all cases since it's Laser specific. :)

HTH
 
Kitty Hawk comes in TWO (2) flavors (galvanized: 110lbs[$625 usd]/stainless steel: 100 lbs [$725 usd])
 
I've got the Kitty Hawk trailer too and think it's great. I can easily manage to do everything on the boat by myself which would be impossible if car-topping. The swivel bow makes a huge difference. The KH trailer might cost a bit more than a trailer on which you put the dolly and boat together though if you can find a used utility trailer. I've seen some pretty slick traielrs of this style that, after retrofitting, seem to do quite well with solo loading/unloading. Most utilize various seitech parts to make everything work nicely. I'm not sure where to find a picture though... It would probably require more work on your part to retrofit the trailer, unless seitech sells ready made packages--who knows.

The only way I think the trailex trailer bests the kitty hawk (having compared both in the parking lot of a few events) is the spring setup on the trailex. The trailex's springs are lighter and probably better thought out, but the kitty hawk ones are more than adequate.
 
XtSurfMogulXt said:
... The only way I think the trailex trailer bests the kitty hawk (having compared both in the parking lot of a few events) is the spring setup on the trailex. The trailex's springs are lighter and probably better thought out, but the kitty hawk ones are more than adequate.
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The trailex will only carry one (1) laser. The kitty hawk can carry one laser plus another topside-down on top of first for total of two (2) lasers on one trailer (of course, with cushioning in-between).

Something about load capacity... HTH
 
Gotcha. I was looking at it as a positive from the perspective of a single laser--I figure the lighter springs will be a bit kinder to the boat.

Also, vassilis--I got mine directly from Nautical America, the maker. You can find contact info somewhere on this site... Not sure where...
 
I used to use my kitty hawk trailer as a dolly as well, (when I did not have a dolly). It worked great on hard dirt, hard sand, grass and of course concrete. The dolly is lighter and not near the hassle when you are at a big regatta when 30 boats are trying to launch from a small space at the same time. If you are sailing with a small group or day sailing you can get away with just the trailer and no dolly if you wish.
 
XtSurfMogulXt said:
Gotcha. I was looking at it as a positive from the perspective of a single laser--I figure the lighter springs will be a bit kinder to the boat.

Also, vassilis--I got mine directly from Nautical America, the maker. You can find contact info somewhere on this site... Not sure where...
Click to expand...

Hey there XT... how much were you charged by going direct?

I called and Nautical America wanted to charge $675 plus shipping and that is direct. (I think vendors get quantity discount)

How fast are you going over bumps? We are talking about gunwale support as the strongest/prefered method to carry laser. The springs are anly an issue when converting a normal (Northern Tool or HF) trailer. And, I'd rather have option to carry more load (if needed) as opposed to overloading a more expensive trailer is not legal. [There is several hundred dollar difference once s/h included which can be spent on other needed sailing supplies.]

Did I say I did research on this in my first post?

Cheers!

(V, ...read you PM... i think you did already...:rolleyes:)
 
Eh, I don't remember exactly, but it was something like that. I thought it would be cheaper going direct, but it turned out to be an old price I was looking at. It would have been the same as someone like APS ($675), as far as I know, so I just went with it.
 
After using my setup for over a year I have a couple of observations:
1) If I could justify spending the money on the trailex I would get it and use the swivelling bow to get the boat on & off the trailer

2) The wood really needs some sort of teflon strips or some other friction reducer to make it easier to get the dolly off. After I've strapped it down and then want to get it off, the dolly seems to stick.

3) The side pieces of the U channel really should be 2x4 or 2x6 instead of the current 1x6. I've broken one of the 1x6 and had the screws pull out on parts of one.

I've probably launched and reloaded by myself at least 50 times in the past year with almost no problems.
 
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