boat trailers

[patria]

We have a steel hulled boat 12 tonnes in weight and no trailer. We have to transport it about 3 miles outside Kinsale (in Ireland) where we are lucky enough to have a place to house it indoors (a barn). We are looking for advice as to how to go about building a trailer or are looking for advice on possible manufacturers in Ireland.
I have this idea of using a low loader or flat bed trailer as a base for a cradle, then using a professional tractor (truck that is) driver to pull it to its destination, back it into the barn then we work on it as it sits on the cradle (still on the low loader) and drive it to the harbour the following spring and crane it off. Do people have views on this and is it possible to pick up reasonably priced second hand low loaders in Ireland or UK.




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[William_H]

There are compromises in trailer design in the area of wheels and tires. You need large wheels and tires to bear the load however large wheels bring the axle higher above the road and you then need more clearance above the axle to the load bed if you have springs. So the answer in the case of a low loader is small wheels with lots of them in dual configuration, On my boat trailer (just one ton) the axle has a step down from the centre of the wheels to about 40 cms from the road. There is then about 10 cms cleaarance to the bottom of the trailer centre line structure. There have been on the market axle spring arrangements which don't have a crossing axle but kind of canterlever out from the trailer body. This enables the keel to be as low as possible which makes launcking/ retrieval as easy as possible needing less water depth.
Are you going to use a crane to lift the boat out of the water or are you going to put the trailer into the water and float it on. Many people here do that that fin keel boats drawing up to 1.5 metres but you have to let the trailer into the water and pull it out on a long rope and often have to dive in the water to see if the boat is correctly positioned. Another problem which peiople so often ignor is that the trailer is going in at a steep angle while the boat arrives flat in the water. The change of pitch causes all sorts of problems as the boat settles hopefully in the cradle.
So presumeably you will crane the boat onto the trailer. You know I reckon you should leave the boat in the water. I know there can be a lot of satisfaction in working on the boat getting more perfect but there is a risk that you can get too fussy and the boat stay out of the water for years when you could be sailing it albeit not in perfect condition. good luck will

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[snowleopard]

i would start with a proper galvanized cradle such as are used by lots of big boatyards. that could be bolted or welded onto a suitable flat-bed trailer.

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[Mudplugger]

Having in the not too recent past collected my 40' Van de Stadt from deepest Suffolk, Going on 8ton, according to crane, Might be interested in method---- Visit your local Commercial Truck breaker!!. and aquire 2 Front Axles, wheels & tyres etc. Find/locate a long RSJ(12"wide,30' long) and several other bits of heavy duty steel. Estimate Balance point of vessel and mark girder, Place axles either side in close coupled formation, and Make Trailer!!!! requires tame welder with MIG/Tig or HD arc gear, use tie rods to ensure that toe in on axles is correct.Fit with 6 Acrow props, braced & supported in both vertically & horizontally planes.Borrow tractor and tow! This assumes that if you are thinking of a project of this nature, you have a fairly clear idea of what you want . One advantage of tractor towage, is that Agricultural vehicles have significantly different weight & breaking limits due to low speed applications.When towing ,worth having cars in front & back, with Wide load signage and Flashing Orange lights, and notifying Local Police authorities of your intentions. IF you are over 13' in UK must have Polive Escort! Costs!.. Max length abt 19 mtres. We travelled 43miles up A12, very early on a Sunday morning with the knowledge of Essex & Suffolk Police who kept an eye on us.

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.

 

[jaycee]

i have a 7 and half tonne boat in bantry co. cork that a guy i know in the area built a superb galvinised 2 axle trailer for.if you are interested contact me and i will give you further details

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[patria]

yes I would be interested could you give a contact number and if possible an indication of how much yours cost




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[patria]

Sounds like good advice but can you explain these bits?

Place axles either side in close coupled formation, ...... use tie rods to ensure that toe in on axles is correct. Fit with 6 Acrow props, braced & supported in both vertically & horizontally planes.

Eamonn

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[jaycee]

hello patria,my boat,a long keeled with bilge plates was able to be beached for a while and my contact, dave shannon, made some measurements and the trailer was made.99% correct and only the smallest of alterations when the boat came off the trailer the following season.in bantry all members use the slip to launch and relaunch though a couple use the facilities at bere island.the cost of my trailer was about 1750 euro. you can contact dave at 027-61230 or 086-8451923


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