Opinions on trailers

[kerrye]

I'm still looking for an Albin 25. I need to trailer it. There are some available without trailers. What are people's opinions on trailers and how difficult are they to set up correctly for the A25? Basic choice is between galvanized and aluminum. aluminum is lighter and longer lasting in salt water but galvanized is easier to repair with welding I think. What about torsion axles versus standard axles? Anybody purchase a used trailer and adapt it? How difficult was that? Looks like new aluminum ones can be had for around $4500.

[Jeremyvmd]

How often will it be trailered?mat launch and haul or is it gonn live on a trailer?
I would go aluminum, with torsion axles. I've towed both kinds of trailers and alumni m trailers with torsional are my personal preference. Honestly as with boats you get what you pay for, they are pricey but nothing tows like a boatmaster trailer. They are overbuilt but still maintain their light weight. They will likely outlast your boat. A good yard and trailer manufacturer can set up a trailer easy, down to setting the tongue weight.

[DesertAlbin736]

I would go aluminum, with torsion axles. I've towed both kinds of trailers and alumnium trailers with torsional are my personal preference.

That's exactly what I have, aluminum with torsion axles, and which came with the boat. I've had two issues happen with my trailer which is 16 years old (and of course not a bit of rust). And the Florida company that built it, "Performance Trailers" which was family owned, went out of business a few years ago when the owners decided to liquidate the company and retire. Actually three issues, but one is fairly minor. First, which I mentioned in another post, is that the front most crossmember developed cracked welds where it joined the side I beam frames. I'm pretty sure from the looks of it that they happened before we bought the boat, but I didn't notice it when we first looked it over at the previous owner's place. The boat was parked in a large pole barn (yes, my boat was literally a "barn find") and the lighting wasn't particularly good. That was a $760 repair. The owner agreed to rebate $500 off the price to compensate. If you look close at the picture below it says "Tropic Trailer" on the frame. That was the dealer in Florida that sold them, not the manufacturer. They are still in business selling other brands of aluminum trailers in Ft. Myers.

Here's their website. http://www.tropictrailer.com/boat_trailers.asp

Second, and this happened during my East coast trip this year and was partially my own fault for not checking them close enough beforehand, was that the Kodiak disk brake calipers hung up and dragged until the pads wore down to metal and trashed two of the four rotors beyond the ability to have them turned. Altogether I've accumulated about 10,000 road miles between picking the boat up in Idaho 850 miles from home plus a round trip of about 3,500 miles to Bellingham, WA and back in 2014 for our San Juans/Gulf Islands cruise and over 5,700 miles in this year's East coast trip.

The third and minor problem is getting the boat to center on the trailer when hauling out. It has some guide poles near the back end of the trailer, but since the hull tapers toward the stern they don't do a bit of good as the trailer gets pulled up the ramp and the hull settles down onto to the bunks. What I do now is make sure we back the trailer down right next to the ramp dock, have my wife drive while I stand on the dock and guide the boat with a boat hook and stern line. I need to figure out some sort of guides near amidships where the hull is the widest, but that is right over the wheels where the hull is even with the outside of the fender.

[kerrye]

It'll live on the trailer. Got a quote for about $4500 from Platinum Trailers for an aluminum torsion axle tandem model, give or take a few hundred for various options. Haven't gotten a reply from Triad Trailers. I'll try Boatmaster.

[Jeremyvmd]

Boat master is gonna be a bit more than that with all the bells and whistles (my quote for a a28 tri axle was 12k). But they are some of the best trailers made if not the best. Military and coast guard use their trailers, they are just beasts.

Seth Hartt is the guy I talked to about my trailer...got back to me quickly. If u want to pm me I can send u his info.

[Beta Don]

Whatever you buy, specify that you want 16 inch wheels with 10 ply Load Range E tires on them. The 6 bolt 16" wheels will automatically ensure that you also get heavier duty axles and brakes which is a good thing if you're towing long distances

When you see triple axle boat trailers, it's usually because they are using Load Range C tires, which have a much lower weight rating so the trailer needs 6 tires to support the load. 10 ply rated E tires have a capacity of about 3350 pounds each, so a tandem axle set-up can easily handle 10,000 pounds or more with just 4 tires. You'll have many fewer on the road breakdowns if you insist on 16 inch wheels and E rated tires

Don

[Jeremyvmd]

I use e rated tires on all my trailers no matter how small and light. I agree it's the only way to go for a trailer