Trailers

[Donald Tyson]

I’ve heard many of you mention trailer quality with regards to towing these boats. Apparently, for almost all models, there are good trailers and cheaper trailers. I find myself in a position here, if I get the better trailer for a CD25 then I’m told I’ll be over weight. If I get a boat on the cheaper trailers, then I’ll potentially become a victim of the lesser quality trailer.
Could some of you with experience in this matter speak to the quality of the cheaper trailer. I’m assuming it’s just like with the Carolina Skiff I had. it came from Ed’s marine and had a very flimsy trailer under it. I did replace the axle before long, just to be sure, and there were no other signs of stress developing elsewhere. But I had people point out all the time that I had the cheaper trailer and I could’ve done better if I would’ve bought a better package. It turned out nice and light and I enjoyed that trailer for many Years. Is that the thing I’m going to find with the Sea Dory 25? That the cheap trailer will do just fine, but I’ll lose prestige when I pull up at the docks with the cheap trailer, lol?
It seems that the cheaper trailer is almost 1000 pounds lighter putting me back in the money with my F150 which is rated to tow 7800 pounds. :smiled

 

[thataway]

Some trailers are light weight, and inexpensive. some dealers specify these as the standard trailer, because it is more "affordable". I made that mistake, when I bought my first 25 without a trailer and I had one made specifying the load capacity, believing the "factory" weight. In Florida often the tag office wants a scale weight of the trailer--so we end up measuring it. That trailer wore out tires at rapid weight. Ironically, the marina where I picked up the boat--and the Marina lifted the boat and put it on the trailer, with a fork lift. The manager of the marina pointed out that they always had a few used trailers for sale. since they did dry storage. I eventually had to modify the hitch and put much different tires on the trailer--then upgraded the brakes etc...'where as the second (and Newer) C Dory came with the trailer which many prefer.

If you are going to have a trailer built and doing road trips, then go with the best. If just a few miles to and from the local boat ramp then the light trailers would work fine. Same as the single axle trailer for the 22. That is intended as a "yard trailer". When my single axle trailer broke, I needed another trailer ASAP. Fortunately the tow truck took us to a place which worked on boat trailers as well having a few used trailers for sale. There was a 2001 without brakes and I might have passed on it, but it looked so sturdy and well made.(Plus I was towing with a diesel 42 foot RV, rated to tow 10,000 lbs) After I got home from the trip to Lake Powell and back (about 4,000 miles). I had to register it--and there was no readable VIN sticker on it. I had done some internet research and found that the builder was close to where the trailer broke down--but also it was highly regarded by some of the regular performers at "The Hull Truth" forum--The owner of the trailer building place said it would be "illegal" supply a "new" HIN. A day later a plain white envelope arrived, and there were two boat trailer VIN registration stickers with the proper number for that trailer arrived.

The cheaper trailer had a 4"x4" Tongue--no brakes--A light weight aluminum frame (some with have as low as a 2 x 3 rectangular tube extrusion) the heavier had a 4" x 6" I beam much more flexible. Our theory was with the expansion joints on I 10, with time, the bouncing up and down had fatigued the relatively small pole tongue. The RV had "AirRide" so it was not bouncing, where when. towed it with the lighter Yukon XL truck's movement up and down was easier on the tongue.

The more expensive trailers have heavier extrusion, the running gear is at least one size larger than weight of the boat and motor. They have good brake systems--electric / hydraulic is best--and in Canada a GTW of more than 2,800 kg (6,160 lbs), the driver of the towing vehicle must be able to apply the trailer brakes independently of the towing vehicle's brakes.

Old broken trailer



"New" older trailer behind RV at campground:

 

[Donald Tyson]

So Many of the trailers that I've seen appeared to be overbuilt, Gussets everywhere, Tool Boxes, extra decks or platforms and electric winch...all which run the weight up. They may be nice but they run the weight up. Your second trailer shown has the nice channel beam rails but not a lot else. Good compromise it appears.

In Canada you are saying that the trailer needs to have a controller on the dash so that if needed the trailer breaks can be used independent of the tow vehicles brakes?

I'll soon be coming to a close on asking questions and apologize for so many.
When I get closer to the purchase I'll count on you for comments. I had 4-5 boats on the list and I can probably say now that it'll be a C-Dory. Probably March-April.

Thanks all for your patience.

 

[Esmi2]

Dr. Bob:

Slightly off topic for this thread, but a question: Do you launch your C-dory with the RV? I believe I might pucker up a little with my RV on a slick/steep launch ramp...



"New" older trailer behind RV at campground:

[/quote]

 

[thataway]

Slightly off topic for this thread, but a question: Do you launch your C-dory with the RV? I believe I might pucker up a little with my RV on a slick/steep launch ramp...

Yes, I have been launching boats behind RV's for a very long time. I have been RVing since 1963, and towing boats behind RV's. The most difficult was a 14' Valco aluminum boat behind a 38' diesel pusher. The short trailer and the long wheel base RV were an interesting combination. With the C Dory's I have used a 19' Dodge 1 ton Road Trek for both a 22 and a 25. (But that is cheating since it is really a slightly oversized van. I had a 30 RV with the V 10, and towed both a 22 and a 25 with that, including launching at Sunset Beach Aquatic complex at Hunting Harbor CA, In the Sacramento Delta at the State park across from RioVista (Delta Extravaganza). Anacortes Boat ramp, sequim Boat Ramp and Lake Powell State Line Ramp. All of these were solo (OK I had a small dog to help). Marie was tied up taking care of her mother one summer. We also launched the 25 and 22 plus our 18' Caracal Cat, with the 42' Holiday Rambler, rear diesel. This was fairly easy with the short overhang in the rear, relatively speaking. It is slightly easier with dual axles on the trailer, since it is more likely to back strait. You need plenty of room to get all lined up. The RV's all had good side mirrors, and back up cameras. Slow and easy. We are still launching with our 25' Winnebago VIA on an expanded Mercedes Sprinter chassis. Same thing--good mirrors and camera--plenty of space to get all straight before you start backing.

In Canada you are saying that the trailer needs to have a controller on the dash so that if needed the trailer breaks can be used independent of the tow vehicles brakes?

Yes, what I put in that post is straight out of Canada's DOT book.
" GTW of more than 2,800 kg (6,160 lbs), the driver of the towing vehicle must be able to apply the trailer brakes independently of the towing vehicle's brakes." The idea is exactly as you stated, so that the brakes can be independently applied from the cab. For example, coming down a long grade I use engine compression or an engine compression brake in the diesel RV's to slow the rig. I prefer not to use service brakes. If you use engine compression or even service brakes, the surge brakes will keep applying all of the time, and overhead the hub-damaging the bearings etc. It is better to keep touching a little of the trailer brakes along with engine compression / compression brakes. Also if the trailer begins to sway, or you have control problems on water or ice, often a touch of trailer brakes will resolve the issue.

 

[thataway]

Slightly off topic for this thread, but a question: Do you launch your C-dory with the RV? I believe I might pucker up a little with my RV on a slick/steep launch ramp...

Yes, I have been launching boats behind RV's for a very long time. I have been RVing since 1963, and towing boats behind RV's. The most difficult was a 14' Valco aluminum boat behind a 38' diesel pusher. The short trailer and the long wheel base RV were an interesting combination. With the C Dory's I have used a 19' Dodge 1 ton Road Trek for both a 22 and a 25. (But that is cheating since it is really a slightly oversized van. I had a 30 RV with the V 10, and towed both a 22 and a 25 with that, including launching at Sunset Beach Aquatic complex at Hunting Harbor CA, In the Sacramento Delta at the State park across from RioVista (Delta Extravaganza). Anacortes Boat ramp, sequim Boat Ramp and Lake Powell State Line Ramp. All of these were solo (OK I had a small dog to help). Marie was tied up taking care of her mother one summer. We also launched the 25 and 22 plus our 18' Caracal Cat, with the 42' Holiday Rambler, rear diesel. This was fairly easy with the short overhang in the rear, relatively speaking. It is slightly easier with dual axles on the trailer, since it is more likely to back strait. You need plenty of room to get all lined up. The RV's all had good side mirrors, and back up cameras. Slow and easy. We are still launching with our 25' Winnebago VIA on an expanded Mercedes Sprinter chassis. Same thing--good mirrors and camera--plenty of space to get all straight before you start backing.

In Canada you are saying that the trailer needs to have a controller on the dash so that if needed the trailer breaks can be used independent of the tow vehicles brakes?

Yes, what I put in that post is straight out of Canada's DOT book.
" GTW of more than 2,800 kg (6,160 lbs), the driver of the towing vehicle must be able to apply the trailer brakes independently of the towing vehicle's brakes." The idea is exactly as you stated, so that the brakes can be independently applied from the cab. For example, coming down a long grade I use engine compression or an engine compression brake in the diesel RV's to slow the rig. I prefer not to use service brakes. If you use engine compression or even service brakes, the surge brakes will keep applying all of the time, and overhead the hub-damaging the bearings etc. It is better to keep touching a little of the trailer brakes along with engine compression / compression brakes. Also if the trailer begins to sway, or you have control problems on water or ice, often a touch of trailer brakes will resolve the issue.

 

[Donald Tyson]

I've always preferred everything manual except the steering in the truck. I use separated trailer brakes for straightening out the rig on washboard roads or long slow grade, not the grapevine but on bumpy downgrades on local small roads. just a light tap a bit along the way straightens things out. These things only applied when I was hauling my trailer with many logs on them and is rarely needed for lite loads.
When I built my drift boat I put it onto an overly long trailer (long tongue) and it follows that it is easy to back. Mirrors are important to have right and extra convex mirrors help your turns.

 

[colbysmith]

Regarding cheap or expensive trailers. With a used 25, you have a $60K-$70K boat. You really want to put it on a cheap trailer? Loadrite makes a very nice simple trailer. When I purchased my trailer new four or five years ago, I paid about $6K for it. That was a pretty good deal, and there were several companies selling it for that over the internet. Other dealers were charging about $10K at the time. So, you can find a good trailer at a decent price if you shop around. You can probably also find cheaper "junk" trailers that I wouldn't even trust my boat to just sit on. Having electric brakes, be they all electric, or Electric over Hydraulic, gives you a lot more control over braking than surge braking. My Loadrite trailer weighs 1,640 pounds, empty. It's rated to carry 8,400 lbs. So plenty capacity for a fully loaded CD-25. I'm not sure how you can find any trailer with capacity for a 25 that weighs 1,000 lbs less. That empty weight included the aluminum chasis, twin axle, spare tire and extra hub carrier. It also came with EOH brakes on both axles. (They wouldn't build one with just electric.)

 

[Donald Tyson]

All good thoughts Colby. Thank you for expanding on that. I guess I should not have used the terms "Cheap or Good trailers". On a previous boat, a large Carolina Skiff, I had an inexpensive trailer. There were no ladders up and over the bow. There were no spare tire holders, electric winches or tool boxes. The tongue had an expanded steel deck on it and I'd say that saved a lot of weight. The cannel frames were no boxed but were of heavier steel channel that was somewhat flexible. The axle became badly rusted and I personally installed a slightly heavier axle.
I Guess what I'm trying to say is the factory states a 6400lb tow weight. You and others say that you boats weigh much more. I can legally only tow 7800. So a lighter trailer keeps me in the game with the F150 I currently own. If the boat I buy is over that then I'm also looking at replacing the truck for one with a heavier tow capacity, i.e. the Max Tow that is available.

I'll begin looking after the holidays and it will be interesting and fun.
I'm heading out for Cp'tn Chris course tomorrow and it will be a blast to learn from a pro.

 

[colbysmith]

I Guess what I'm trying to say is the factory states a 6400lb tow weight. You and others say that you boats weigh much more. I can legally only tow 7800. So a lighter trailer keeps me in the game with the F150 I currently own.

FWIW, My CD-25 weighs 8,304 lbs fully loaded, with it's trailer. That includes fuel, water, personal effects, groceries, etc. When completely empty, that is NO fuel, NO water, nothing personal on board, etc, then I'm down to 7,040 lbs. My trailer weighs 1,640 lbs. Thus looks like my empty boat by itself weighs, 5,400 lbs. So if you don't put any fuel or water, or anything else on your boat, with a decent Loadrite aluminum twin axle trailer, you could conceivably be under 7,800 lbs. But you are getting up against your limits. I suspect all same model year F150's have the same suspension and body. However, it's probably the engine and drive train that causes the lower towing weights allowed. Colby

 

[Donald Tyson]

This is great information, thank you so much. Hope springs eternal. I have the ford official chart here and It is strictly the suspension that defines the differences. The Max Tow Model may vary a bit. I don't know how the GVW of both vehicle interfaces with the legal limits. In other word s If I put boat stuff, gear and so forth, into the truck bed I may be overweight in the combined GVW. So probably, like with my earlier propeller post I'm overthinking this and perhaps should look to upgrade the truck if I go with the 25. I may be better with one of the smaller boats or upgrade the truck...Thanks. When I find the boat I'll be back.