I built a bolt on rack to adapt my boat trailer to hold my Laser 2 and radial rigged Laser. I picked up the Laser 2 that was for sale in ME a few months ago and then picked up a Laser locally which was in perfect shape.
I built the rack to easily disassemble and store, and also to complete after the lower boat is put on (for loading ease). it is made of 1.5" light square tubing - painted for now - I think I'll get it galvanized next year. Bunks are carpeted 2x6"s pressure treated. I built the rack to bolt on to existing trailer assembly points so not trailer mods were needed. It cost about $50-$75 to make.
Too bad they have to got away for the winter. Just putting them in storage with one of my antique vehicles.
No shag in the van! It has 25,000 miles - completely original except for the wheels.
It is welded together using my MIG. I welded connectors to the corners using tubing slightly larger than the 1.5" square I used as the main material. I drilled and bolted the corner connectors - just unbolt 4 bolts to remove the top section and a few more to completely disassemble.
Van/boats are now in storage but I will PM some better pics of the rack with no boats on it.
I'll try to get some pics up and I'll sketch up rough plans for those that have pm'd me. It is not fancy but it works.
The price of accessories like racks, dollies, etc..astounds me. I'm from a family that sailed for a living - we built our own boats from scratch including cutting and milling the timber. No offence to those that build them, but that kind of money Sietech wants for a rack ( as you noted) is pretty crazy. That $750 I bet would easily translate into a grand up here.
A Sietech Dolly came with the radial laser, and while neat, is not worth the $600+ up here I'm sure they charge for it (at least IMHO). But to each their own.
Here is a pic in front of my garage before I attached it to the van.
I built it to incorporate the bunks, in retrospect I probably could have removed the trailer original bunks and just replicated the front piece (with lower bunk) at the back - it would probably have been a bit easier. The carpeting is some left over pile from a flooring job I was doing.
Hello..sorry i have not pm'd info..I've been busy as heck and the trailer/van is in storage for the winter.
I used 1.5" mild steel tubing with a thin wall, not aluminum. I do not have tig capability. That would have been nice but I suspect the cost would have gone up considerably. That is why I plan to get it galvanized in the spring.
Aluminum would be nice.
I'll make a rough drawing and measurements tonite and pm you.
I don't know where I got the idea you used aluminum, perhaps in comparing it to the Seitech rig.
Anyway let me know the total weight also. I may do steel also, my welder can do aluminum, but I'm sure he'd prefer steel. The only thing is I have a trailer that's a little smaller than yours and I should be conscious of how much weight I'm piling onto it.