Buying a trailer before the yacht....

[B-Rob]

I’m on the hunt for a new boat, and have come to the conclusion that if I had a decent yacht trailer I could have much greater flexibility in where I buy the boat from, avoid haulage and storage costs, increase the boat budget and widen the search scope from ‘yacht with trailer‘ to just ‘yacht’.

Trailers seem to hold their value well if maintained, and so long as the trailer is fairly adjustable (it would be for a 21-26’ fin keeler) it will take most of the decent boats on the market.

Has anyone tried this approach before and am I missing some major drawback?

 

[pcatterall]

Look for the yacht first, if there is no trailer and you really like the yacht then buy a trailer!? Are you putting the cart before the horse?

 

[Rhylsailer99]

I’m on the hunt for a new boat, and have come to the conclusion that if I had a decent yacht trailer I could have much greater flexibility in where I buy the boat from, avoid haulage and storage costs, increase the boat budget and widen the search scope from ‘yacht with trailer‘ to just ‘yacht’.

Trailers seem to hold their value well if maintained, and so long as the trailer is fairly adjustable (it would be for a 21-26’ fin keeler) it will take most of the decent boats on the market.

Has anyone tried this approach before and am I missing some major drawback?

I spent a year looking for a commercial bass boat and bought a car 4wd land rover for launching then ended up buying a boat moored in a harbour with sail

 

[William_H]

Certainly start looking for a trailer first but also keep looking for a yacht. You have decided you want a fin keeler and if that is set in stone then sure look for a trailer. A few people around I know here have trailers for their fin keel yacht. But they are a rare beast compared to say a trailer for a MOBO which are simply a bed of rollers in a hull shape mounted on a spine or frame. The trailers for a fin keel yacht seem to be a spine with a channel for the fin keel. Wheels mudguards etc mounted each side also hold side supports and a post at the front to attach the bow. Much more common a boat trailer combination with lift keel.
Now some of these are just yard jinkers while some are road trailers. Bear in mind that for normal on road use the beam of the boat must be in limits as of course the mass of the boat and towing capability of the trailer. It all seems like a pretty big ask to find a trailer like this in UK. You might consider buying a vehicle carrier trailer ie wide large flat bed being much more common and then fitting a mount frame for the boat. However this arrangement would make it difficult to retrieve/launch the boat by floating onto the trailer as you can with a boat trailer.
So yes I like fin keel boats (you don't see bilge keel boats around here) and yes you can launch and trailer them within size limitations but I think you might go wrong if you try to buy a trailer first. ol'will

 

[TernVI]

I’m on the hunt for a new boat, and have come to the conclusion that if I had a decent yacht trailer I could have much greater flexibility in where I buy the boat from, avoid haulage and storage costs, increase the boat budget and widen the search scope from ‘yacht with trailer‘ to just ‘yacht’.

Trailers seem to hold their value well if maintained, and so long as the trailer is fairly adjustable (it would be for a 21-26’ fin keeler) it will take most of the decent boats on the market.

Has anyone tried this approach before and am I missing some major drawback?

Trailering boats as big as 26ft is a world of pain. Buy one at the water's edge and think very, very carefully before taking it away from the water.
Most trailers for fin keelers in the size range will have made to measure cradles which support the boat at the bulkheads.

 

[Mudisox]

Do you need to move it around a lot? It will take up space when not in use. Space costs money these days.

 

[B-Rob]

Thanks all for the comments,

Mudisox - I am fortunate enough to have some space, so summer storage of a trailer and winter storage of a yacht on the trailer are not a problem. This is what i have done with previous trailer-sailers.
I don't intend to move it around a lot, but I like the flexibility of not having to pay someone else to move it. Another consideration is that I don'd mind a project and if it takes a few years to finish the project, it isn't costing me yard fees whilst it is being worked on.

TernVI - Very useful info re bulkhead supports. I will have a chat with some manufacturers to see what they recommend.

Best wishes

BR

 

[Jim@sea]

Trailering boats as big as 26ft is a world of pain. Buy one at the water's edge and think very, very carefully before taking it away from the water.
Most trailers for fin keelers in the size range will have made to measure cradles which support the boat at the bulkheads.

I recently bought a 25ft boat on a trailer. The front of the trailer sticks out 6ft in front of the boat so in fact you are towing 31 ft. Being a clever sod having done lots of towing I borrowed a friends Rang Rover to reverse the boat off a narrow road into the road leading down to a slipway and I damaged the front bumper when trying to get full lock. (in 30 years of towing my only accident) I could not get the boat turned sufficiently, so took the boat to another slipway with more space.
Although I bought my first fin keeler 40 years ago (Moody 30) I had a deep water mooring. More recently (2014) I was selling a deep keel boat and a lot of enquiries asked if it could have Bilge Keels fitted either side of the fin.
It seemed to me that if you are selling an inexpensive boat the buyers who are interested cant afford to keep the boat in a Marina and want a mooring which dries out which are cheaper. The other thing to consider if you have a fin keel boat on a trailer, is the trailer will have to go down the slipway further and the back end of your car will be submerged.
You can get 25ft boats with a lifting keel (like which I have just bought) Many when sold have a trailer.
And the boat I have just bought has an American Trailer but it has the best of both worlds, Very well made with English Brakes.
I would not get a trailer first as you are then committed to buying a boat with that hull configuration.

 

[peteK]

The boat you buy may come with a trailer so you will be stuck having to store 2 trailers.

 

[ProDave]

The other issue with a fin keel on a trailer is the much greater height and higher centre of gravity.

A trailer for a bilge keeler would be much easier to source independent of the boat.

If you are expecting to move the boat regularly, e.g for winter storage, a bilge keel might make a lot more sense?

 

[davidpbo]

What sort of boat are you looking for?
We have 23.5 ft Jeaneau Tonic with a 450kg stub keel which we tow. Draught is 2'6" with dagger board up 4'6" with it down. You really don't want anything deeper that that for self launching.

We need a very good sheltered slipway of known construction with a pontoon to float off the trailer to launch and retrieve. Even then we have to use a 10m strop on the type vehicle to get it in the water far enough which had to be at least 5ft deep at the back of the trailer.

We have had it for a good many years but are considering selling soon, retirement and the need to replace the 4x4 eventually means it is probably the right time. Newly re-upholstered completed last week, new headlining 2016, new electric start outboard 2017/18. Trailer in good condition, hubs and brakes regularly inspected/serviced. PM me if interested we are taking photos as we complete tasks.

We are hoping to go up to the Clyde with it soon and may put it back on Windermere after.