Trailex SUT-220-S trailer

stollie

Active Member
Hi all,

http://www.castlecraft.com/faq_trailex_trailers.htm

I'm considering this trailer as an option for transporting my newly-acquired and soon to be delivered SF because:
a) it's lightweight and can double as a dolly (and will hopefully keep me from pulling my back out)
b) the suspension is supposedly good for reducing a jolty ride
c) the aluminum construction is supposedly not as prone to rust as steel.
d) the narrower width may fit a bit better in my cramped garage.

Any thoughts or reviews of this trailer?

Thanks much.

PS: I'm hoping to find it used, as it's kinda pricey.

I'm also looking at a Sea Lion galvanized trailer (for around $500)... with that, I'm sure I'll need a dolly.
 
I have one for my Sunfish. It is a good trailer. Beware of these facts though. To keep corrosion to a minimum they use steel bolts to hold the parts together. Those will rust and most likely what you will encounter on a used trailer. Also they recommend that you inflate the tires to about half what the tire indicates is proper inflation. I used to do that until the tire lost its seal and went flat. I now keep the tires inflated per the tire and not the sticker on the trailer. I think for short hauls and narrow storage this is a great trailer. For longer hauls on unknown roads I would go with a heavier trailer and better hull support.

At almost $1000 new it is pricey. A Harbor Freight trailer at 1/3 the price on sale brand new is a good way to go.
 
Interesting changes from the earlier version (SUT 200S).
No more rubber blocks for the suspension, but a real spring. This could be an improvement.

I have the SUT 200S version which has served me well, both as a trailer and as a dolly. The latter won't work in soft sand though.
Putting the thing together takes several hours, unless you have done it before.

PS: I use the recommended 15 psi for the tires on my Trailex; the one with the rubber block 'suspension'.
 
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I just bought the 220-S trailer, and it took the better part of the day to put it all together. I decided on this trailer because it was designed for light loads, which the Sunfish surely is, and I wanted to be able to trailer right side up which makes launching so much easier. I had thought about buying a Trailex before, but I didn't quite understand the rubber suspension and had held off. The 220 - S has the more conventional spring suspension which I like. To be fair I have no experience with rubber suspension, and it may be just as good. I just don't know.

Prior to this purchase, I had been using a "Right On" Multi-Sport trailer that I also used for kayaks. When using that trailer, I placed the boat upside down. That worked OK, but flipping it over when launching by myself was a bear.

As Wavedancer confirms, I don't think this would be a good dolly on sand. The trailer is light, but not nearly as light at the Seitech dolly I have for a Laser and tires aren't as soft. Also, the lights on this trailer are at the very end, so at a minimum they are going to get dunked. If you are sailing in saltwater, the lights are likely to corrode quickly as they are not watertight.

If you wanted to go with a trailer dolly combination, and you have a newer Sunfish rolled gunnels (1986 and later I think), the Kitty Hawk trailer might be the way to go. The boat is entirely supported by the gunnels when towing, is sprung for this express purpose, is less than one hundred pounds, and has a built in roller that is the width of the trailer that is helpful when using the trailer as a dolly. I have one of these for my Laser and cannot say enough good things about it. The one drawback is the trailer is totally useless for anything else. I would have bought another one, except I have an older sunfish.

If you do go with the Trailex, one thing you might want to do is drill another set of holes, outboard of the ones already drilled, in the aft cross member to which the bunks attach. This will allow the bunks to get out and just under the chines where the boat is a bit stiffer. You can't do that with the front support as it is narrower to begin with. Depending on how it goes, I may at some point replace the front support with a second aft support.

Hope that helps you.
 
After reading all the accolades about it, the Kitty Hawk may be my ticket, especially as my SF is a 2001, which the KH will support at the gunwale like WJEJR noted. Also, not much sand where I'll be launching, just gravel. Plus, I think I'll have a much better chance of snagging a used KH than that Trailex.
 
As mentioned earlier, the Kitty Hawk trailers are quite popular among traveling Laser sailors. But I wasn't aware they made a Sunfish version and their website doesn't show it.
What's the cost?
 
Thanks for the link.

Finding a used one will test your patience, but maybe I will be proven wrong.
 
I'm hoping to find one (a KH) by July, by which time the water should warm up a bit. Fingers crossed. Otherwise I may be forced into a heavier choice.
 

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