Sunfish Man
New Member
Does anyone know of a reasonably priced trailer?
Thanks
Thanks
Trailer
- Thread starter Sunfish Man
- Start date
http://www.academy.com/index.php?pa...ailering&start=40&selectedSKU=0101-01755-0001
This is what I got. It was about $350 when i got it. Cheapest new trailer I could find at the time. Then I spent a little rebuilding the bunks to fit the Sunfish.
This is what I got. It was about $350 when i got it. Cheapest new trailer I could find at the time. Then I spent a little rebuilding the bunks to fit the Sunfish.
There are numerous threads regarding trailers on this forum. You can use the Search function to find them.
The Sunfish Sailor group on Yahoo!Groups is another good source of info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunfish_sailor/
Here is one link to the Knowledge Base (KB) on this forum:
http://www.sunfishforum.com/content.php?pg=trailers
I don't think that there are any inexpensive ($500 or less) custom Sunfish trailers. What people do is buy an 'inexpensive' trailer and modify the bunks to properly support a Sunfish. I see that the prior post shows an example of that approach.
Also, look out for a second hand one.
The Sunfish Sailor group on Yahoo!Groups is another good source of info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunfish_sailor/
Here is one link to the Knowledge Base (KB) on this forum:
http://www.sunfishforum.com/content.php?pg=trailers
I don't think that there are any inexpensive ($500 or less) custom Sunfish trailers. What people do is buy an 'inexpensive' trailer and modify the bunks to properly support a Sunfish. I see that the prior post shows an example of that approach.
Also, look out for a second hand one.
P
Predetor
Guest
I just bought that triler from Northern Tool. It looks identical to the Harbor Freight model in the catalog, but they were out of stock. Harbor Freight is $299. Northern Tool is $350.
It is a beautifully powder coated steel trailer with plenty of adjustability to fit my Sunfish without modification. I just brought my boat back from GA to VA up I-95 without any issues. I tied the bow line to the front support, put a ratchet strap around the aft and the wood rails, and another around the middle of the boat and the tongue of the trailer. Then I tied the rolled-up sail to the center with a few shock cords and any extra rope or straps. it worked great.
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what an idiot... misspelled Predator.
It is a beautifully powder coated steel trailer with plenty of adjustability to fit my Sunfish without modification. I just brought my boat back from GA to VA up I-95 without any issues. I tied the bow line to the front support, put a ratchet strap around the aft and the wood rails, and another around the middle of the boat and the tongue of the trailer. Then I tied the rolled-up sail to the center with a few shock cords and any extra rope or straps. it worked great.
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what an idiot... misspelled Predator.
predator
Fear the 'fish!
Ah--- That's better!
Predator or anyone...
I am looking at purchasing a trailer for my Minifish II, which is about 12 feet. That said, I cannot tell which trailer you purchased from Northern Tool... is your trailer the #12541 "rugged steel trailer" that carries up to a 600-pound boat?
Also, did it require massive modification of the bunks and center support?
Thanks in advance,
Kyle
I am looking at purchasing a trailer for my Minifish II, which is about 12 feet. That said, I cannot tell which trailer you purchased from Northern Tool... is your trailer the #12541 "rugged steel trailer" that carries up to a 600-pound boat?
Also, did it require massive modification of the bunks and center support?
Thanks in advance,
Kyle
predator
Fear the 'fish!
Yep-- #12451.
I didn't do any modifications to fit my Sunfish. I'm not sure of the size difference for a minifish, but the trailer has quite a bit of adjustability built in. It's very pretty when it comes out of the boxes-- bright red powder coat. The first comment from everyone who saw it was that it will rust like crazy, so be prepared for that. My only problem is that the lights don't work right. I must have screwed up the connections, but with my headlights ON, they go OFF when I hit the brakes. With the headlights OFF, they work right but are dim, and the turn signals are out of phase with the car. Certainly the wires are backwards, but I'm sure I got the colors right. I'll figure it out sooner or later.
Assembling the trailer was tedious and hot in the sun. The end result is quite sturdy and universal. I definitely recommend this trailer if you're looking for something new or readily available. I looked for used trailers first and just ran out of time so this was my only option.
If I had it to do again, I would definitely soften the suspension before my long trip. Some have mentioned eliminating all but one leaf spring and letting the air out of the tires a bit. These are excellent ideas, but I haven't looked at it to see how easy it would be to separate the leaf springs. It might just be a nut-and-bolt or maybe drilling out a rivet. Either way, the suspension is much too stiff for such a light load.
The bunks are adjustable side to side and have three positions up and down to acommodate flatter or steeper V hulls. I used the center vertical hole and the second or third outermost horizontal holes. That puts the bunks right at the chine of the hull and the keel barely resting on the center roller. I also left the bunk attachment bolts a bit loose so I could angle them to match the chine and strap the boat down securely.
When I pull the boat out of the water, the bunks are straight back and tilt down to the water. The keel rolls along the center rollers until I heave it up onto the bunks, which then tilt flat and pivot to match the shape of the hull. Then pull it forward to cradle the bow roller on the front support and tie the bow handle to the support and roller bracket to keep it centered.
I'll get some pictures when I get home and post them tonight.
I didn't do any modifications to fit my Sunfish. I'm not sure of the size difference for a minifish, but the trailer has quite a bit of adjustability built in. It's very pretty when it comes out of the boxes-- bright red powder coat. The first comment from everyone who saw it was that it will rust like crazy, so be prepared for that. My only problem is that the lights don't work right. I must have screwed up the connections, but with my headlights ON, they go OFF when I hit the brakes. With the headlights OFF, they work right but are dim, and the turn signals are out of phase with the car. Certainly the wires are backwards, but I'm sure I got the colors right. I'll figure it out sooner or later.
Assembling the trailer was tedious and hot in the sun. The end result is quite sturdy and universal. I definitely recommend this trailer if you're looking for something new or readily available. I looked for used trailers first and just ran out of time so this was my only option.
If I had it to do again, I would definitely soften the suspension before my long trip. Some have mentioned eliminating all but one leaf spring and letting the air out of the tires a bit. These are excellent ideas, but I haven't looked at it to see how easy it would be to separate the leaf springs. It might just be a nut-and-bolt or maybe drilling out a rivet. Either way, the suspension is much too stiff for such a light load.
The bunks are adjustable side to side and have three positions up and down to acommodate flatter or steeper V hulls. I used the center vertical hole and the second or third outermost horizontal holes. That puts the bunks right at the chine of the hull and the keel barely resting on the center roller. I also left the bunk attachment bolts a bit loose so I could angle them to match the chine and strap the boat down securely.
When I pull the boat out of the water, the bunks are straight back and tilt down to the water. The keel rolls along the center rollers until I heave it up onto the bunks, which then tilt flat and pivot to match the shape of the hull. Then pull it forward to cradle the bow roller on the front support and tie the bow handle to the support and roller bracket to keep it centered.
I'll get some pictures when I get home and post them tonight.