What trailer will I need?

[matt167]

I'm building a boat, which has a hull that resembles a Jon boat, except it's wider and built into a cabin cruiser. It will have a 65" beam at the water line and a 16' OAL. Someone I worked with asked how I'm going to transport it, which is easy. Trailer it.

I looked for trailers and found it takes a special trailer to fit this boat if I go by width between fenders. It will be a very big little boat. Shorelandr makes a trailer with 68" between the fenders that is 1,800 lbs/ 16' and one that is 74"/ 16' but that is 2,200 lbs capacity. I'm towing this with a 1995 F250 so weight is not an issue really. But the boat might weigh 1,000 lbs

Load Rite makes the 17220090VT and EZ loader makes the EZW 14-18' 2100 as well. Will I be ok with these under weighted trailers?

 

[jimmbo]

You might be off on your 'guesstimate' of you boat weight.

EZLoader makes the

EZ 15-18' 2350 with 77 inches between the fenders, torsion axle

EZL90 15-17' 2350 with 76 inches, but with spring axle

 

[matt167]

I don't think it will weigh over 2,000 lbs with everything though and I'd guess probably closer to 1,500-1,800 with motor, batteries, fuel and gear..

The hull will use approx 10 sheets of 1/2" plywood which is under 500# total I might need 4 more sheets for the actual deck. There will be fiberglass and some 2"x2" DF framing. Not real sure how much that will weigh. It is a guess but I can calculate up to about 800 lbs for the hull

All in all the reason I say " big little boat " is because it's slab sided. it's overall width will be 65" and the width at waterline is thus 65" and needs a larger than normal trailer

 

[jimmbo]

Years ago, the trailers were narrower, with smaller tires, the boats were just carried above the fenders

Our 14 ft with a 70" beam on a late 50s/early 60s trailer



This one had a 77 in beam, but the trailer was wider and the boat did fit between the fenders, but it was very close, though being a roller trailer the boat still sat high

 

[matt167]

I understand how the older trailers worked, that's exactly how my custom Craft sat on the Mastercraft trailer. But I want a modern bunk trailer so that it has a low launching height that I might not have to go in too far to float it. I will need it to launch into the canals which I know do not have very good launches.

I would actually use the Mastercraft trailer I have except I can't really convert it to bunks and although it's still solid it needs refurbishing and rides on 4.80x8 4 lug wheels with a transverse mono leaf. My grandfather had actually chained down the axle to lower the trailer ride height.