Trailer with hinged or retractable hitch

[RobMantel]

Hi,

Trying to squeeze a larger boat into the garage!

Does anyone know if it's possible to get a boat trailer with either a hinged or retractable hitch. I've seen hinged hitches on Tahoe trailers in the US and have heard of retractable hitches but haven't seen any in the UK. Anyone if they exist?

Have tried the usual UK trailer sites with no luck /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Thanks

Rob

 

[Talbot]

Lots of places that will make one for you - at a price

 

[michael_w]

What about putting a hatch in the garage door?

 

[Lakesailor]

Or knock a hole in the back wall.

 

[RobMantel]

Car gets parked close to the Garage door and behind the back wall is the utility room so no option at either end.

Garage is 18ft long, so allowing 2 ft for the outboard means a 16ft boat....just.

Has anyone got a trailer with either a hinged or retractable hitch? Any comments on it?

Thanks

Rob

 

[Drascomber]

I know a guy with the same problem.

He tuned the roller mountings and axle position etc for minimum overhang without the boat hitting the car then he just unbolted the hitch each time out. He did this for about five years - then he bought a smaller boat.

 

[William_H]

I had a small box trailer built long ago for a catamaran. The guy put an extandable draw bar. The tow hitch was attached to a square tube just the right size to slide inside the main draw bar to the trailer. A large fat pin slipped through both to lock in extended or retracted position.
Interestingly the trailer was a pig to back with draw bar short but a piece of cake when extended. When retracted the trailer would jackknife quickly while when extended the trailer turned at a similar rate to the car.
Anyway if your drawbar is square or rectangular (or even round) tubing you have only to find a piece that will fit inside. (why not outside) Cut the existing draw bar very short and attach hitch to the new insert. Either remove competely when stowing or retract into the existing draw bar.
If you feel the existing draw bar is only just big enough and a smaller size extension will be too small you will have to replace the whole draw bar. Note you should have about 10% of total weight on the hitch to the car so it needs to be reasonably strong. A large bolt will hold it easily one tube inside the other. For safey you could attatch safety chains to the trailer part.
Incidentally my trailer now 28yo had a failure in theb first 2 years of the tubular drawbar going rusty from the inside so lots of paint oil etc.
good luck olewill

 

[BrendanS]

I think you maybe still have things a lot easier where you are than we do in UK. Trailers in UK have to have a plate attached, and mods are likely to be illegal.