Ultimate trailer?

[nyholku]

Hi,

I've now been out with my Riviera about half a dozen times, and I feel the trailer I have is not optimal. I bought it as I needed something last year that could have plates on it and the US trailer could not be registered here in Finland.

Picture below:



I have several issues with it.

It is a bit long (7.5 meters) for a 18 feet (5.7 meters) boat, so not very handy in my small yard.

The boat rides too high, I need to soak the tow car too!

See here:




The winch post is too short and the winch sucks.

It has not side way guides to help center the boat.

The bow/cut water support is prone to damage the wood if I'm not very careful.

The cross beams of the trailer can damage the keel it the trailer is not deep enough in the water or there are waves.

All in all, a lot of small issues that make retrieval of the boat a stress situation and could really turn in to a major issue if the conditions are bad.

So I'm sort of thinking that over the next winter I might try to improve the situation.

With that in mind, if there would no be any financial constrains, what would be an optimal/ultimate trailer for this boat?

Drawings, pictures anyone?

Any European sources (US made trailers are almost impossible to get into plates here in Europe)?

br Kusti

[nyholku]

And forgot to mention the trailer lights, they are disposable, dip it to the see once and you need to replace them...they really should be easily removable for launching and retrieving. The back lights are removable, but the previous owner wired the cable so that the socket/connector is in the water even if you remove the lights!

[Reginald Down]

Hi Kusti,

Here's a few photos of the trailer I had made for my 1952 18' Riviera a few months ago.

It was custom made by Ryan Trailers from Portland, Oregon.



Stainless Steel winch






Small removable nurf bars to protect the transom







Ryan Trailers builds many trailers for antique & classic boat customers on the west coast, and I consider them to be high quality units. Here's the link to their web site.

http://www.ryantrailers.com/

[nyholku]

Hi Reginald,

thanks for the many photos, looks very much what I need.

Unfortunately that is on the other side of the globe, sea freight
is in the ball park of 3000 USD when a 'standard' trailer sells
here for about the same amount. Of course they are not comparable.

Can I ask how much this set you back?

And the cost aside, EU regulations require lights, brakes, axels, tow bar/connection everything stamped with EU numbers which may not be readily available for typical US parts + plus there needs to be a material certificate for structural members. So much for the Free movement of goods, one of the founding principles of EU.

About your trailer...are the lights water tight or removable?

What type of brakes you have? Is the actuation is hydraulic or mechanical? Are they somehow sealed?

br Kusti




br Kusti

[mfine]

You need a trailer high enough to protect the prop and rudder. You need one long enough to float the boat without your tow vehicle having to back in the water. It sounds to me like yours is too short, not too long, unless you have room to safely lower the boat.

[drrot]

Kusti,
I have towed my 22' Sportsman extensively on this trailer. It has a high winch post. If you look under the bow of the boat there is a V block to center the front of the boat. And has the tall guide post to keep the rear in line.
Perhaps you need a steeper ramp?

[gbraker]

From everything I see, it looks like your trailer could be modified for a lot less than the price of a new one.

If they will let you do that.

[gbraker]

In order to back in farther with out getting the vehicle soaked, consider having an extension made that would be inserted between your vehicle and the trailer.

They are only used during launching and retrieving and otherwise is fastened to the trailer when towing.

[Oberon01]

I have ordered several trailers from Ryan. As a ball park, a single-axle with most or all bells and whistles is around $6k+/- depending on options, and a tandem axle is about $8k. This comapres quite well with other customo bulders of steel trailers. They are obviosuly quite a bit more spendy than a one-size fits all aluminum unit, which is then adjusted to fit the subject boat.

I trailer very long distances and feel that a custom fit on a well built steel trailer is worth the extra cost. That said, I did buy an aluminum loadrite for my Sea Skiff - it didn't make sense to put an $8k trailer under a $12k boat. That unit cost about $3700.

[NOT Firewood]

Hey Paul

Do you have any pics of your trailer for your skiff that you can send me. I have adjusted my trailer several times and still having issues with it getting on the trailer far enough ahead each time I pull it out.

[Al Benton]

Dennis, here are a couple of shots at Paul's Sea Skiff trailer that I got when he passed through St. Louis last spring. It was parked on the street while his truck got a new transmission.





Paul, hope you don't mind.

[57 chris]

Hi Dennis,
Getting the boat forward enough is something I wrestled with for a couple of years before I found the fix. First, get rid of the winch stand, you can't winch a wood boat onto a trailer anyway so it's only purpose is to keep the boat back too far during loading.
I replaced the winch stand with a large V shaped wedge covered in carpet that contacts the boat right below the water line. This allows the boat to come up to the correct place on the trailer and because of the placement is unaffected by the ramp angle.

Craig

[gbraker]

I Have seen these types of arrangements before in varying sizes. Where do you go to get them made?

[57 chris]

I custom build them right in my shop.
Of course my trailer in this picture is about 90% scratch built anyway.

[gbraker]

What would you need from me to get a estimate. I guess we should go off line that info. Do you do this work for others?

[NOT Firewood]

Craig, I see the theory here but when you have the bow into this shoe. What keeps the boat in the shoe and on the trailer. i.e.what stops the your skiff from staying in the water when you go and pull the trailer out?

[57 chris]

With the guides I have on the side of the trailer I just get the bow right up into the V block and leave the boat running in forward gear while pulling the trailer out of the water slowly. I don't leave it running all the way out of the water, just until the boat rests on the forward part of the bunks. Then I shut the engine off and pull the boat out the rest of the way. This method keeps the boat right up where it needs to be.

Craig

[57 chris]

Hi Gary,
I'd love to be able to make a living making stuff like this but each one is unique to the particular boat and trailer so I would have to travel to the trailer to make the necessary modifications, not very cost effective. I would rather just share my idea with everyone here. Any welding shop should be able to do this for you, that coupled with a little carpenter work for the backer boards and carpet and you're off to the lake.

Of course if anyone wants one that's within driving distance I'd be happy to set you up!

Craig

[nyholku]

A bit late to answer this thread but some comments just to let you guys now I do read and appreciate your answers and comments.

@drrot

Your trailer seems very similar to mine though 22' is a bit larger than my 18'.

I definitely need those guide posts and higher winch post, and I now see the error of my ways, the V-block which I have is way too high and small.

As to the ramp, that varies as I want to explore and there is no particular ramp for me.

@mfine

I see you point but I need to solve the length issue with an extension bar because as it is the trailer just too difficult to operate on my small yard and I would love to have a shorter trailer.


br Kusti