Building a super new boat trailer, but on the cheap!

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by wavelength

ah well beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
What does the total rig weigh in at?
The trailer board is illegal!

I have yet to weigh the complete rig so I am not 100% sure at the moment. The calculated unladen weight of the trailer is somewhere between 135-150kg and the hopefully boat should weigh under 500kg. I saw another boat like mine for sale once and the weight quoted was 450kg so this seems a reasonable assumption. As long as the complete rig is under 750kg then its fine, because thats the braked trailer towing limit for my car. I cannot afford another car so if its over 750kg then its game over and I will have sell the lot!
Not sure why you think the trailer lighting board is illegal because I have never been stopped once by the police about it...Surely the important bit is that all of the board is fully visible?

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by Leapy

Think I'd worry about your strapping method Last time I saw something like that it was around a suitcase destined for a weekend package tour to Majorca.

???...They are 2 tonne capacity aircraft container ratchet straps...Whats not to like?

[Anchorhandler]

I think what leapy was referring to was the way the straps are only tied onto the rails.....

Ratchet straps are much more reliable (and certificated) and are very cost effective these days.

Simon

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Not sure why you think the trailer lighting board is illegal because I have never been stopped once by the police about it...Surely the important bit is that all of the board is fully visible?

Being illegal and being stopped are quite different things.

Firstly IIRC the board should be attached to the trailer not the load; although you might speculate that the most anal examiner might accept it if it were a better solution than a partially obscured board. Your Fog Lamp should be no more than 1m off the ground, Your tail lights and indicators should be 1.5m max height (you might be ok with these?) And your red triangles should be 0.9m off the ground (1.2m if that is impossible).

However what you are probably most likely to get 'pulled up' for is the board being so far backwards that the outboard is now an overhang that is not properly marked. (Its not clear from the angle just how illegal it is).

Thats not exhaustive - see here for more: http://www.ntta.co.uk/downloads/Safe...owingShort.pdf

Personally with your trailer I wouldn't want to be drawing attention to myself at a VOSA checkpoint because as soon as they realise its homebuilt they will be all over it. I'm not sure if homemade trailers should be 'plated' but if they should you will probably be more likely to get in bother with this than having made an effort with the lights. Unless of course you get the examiner / officer on a bad day when they will be within their rights to find all the faults.

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

I think what leapy was referring to was the way the straps are only tied onto the rails.....

Ratchet straps are much more reliable (and certificated) and are very cost effective these days.

Simon

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

But they are not tied on!...The straps have hooks at each end. The front strap goes over the boat and the end hooks are clipped together underneath the trailer and the strap is then ratcheted up and the remaining strap is tied as neat as possible onto the vertical part of the strap at the side of the trailier (which is perhaps what he was noticing?).
The rear strap goes underneath the trailer and the end hooks are clipped together about half way across the cockpit, then its ratcheted up and the excess can be simply left on the floor of the cockpit.

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by Poly

Being illegal and being stopped are quite different things.

Firstly IIRC the board should be attached to the trailer not the load; although you might speculate that the most anal examiner might accept it if it were a better solution than a partially obscured board. Your Fog Lamp should be no more than 1m off the ground, Your tail lights and indicators should be 1.5m max height (you might be ok with these?) And your red triangles should be 0.9m off the ground (1.2m if that is impossible).

However what you are probably most likely to get 'pulled up' for is the board being so far backwards that the outboard is now an overhang that is not properly marked. (Its not clear from the angle just how illegal it is).

Thats not exhaustive - see here for more: http://www.ntta.co.uk/downloads/Safe...owingShort.pdf

Personally with your trailer I wouldn't want to be drawing attention to myself at a VOSA checkpoint because as soon as they realise its homebuilt they will be all over it. I'm not sure if homemade trailers should be 'plated' but if they should you will probably be more likely to get in bother with this than having made an effort with the lights. Unless of course you get the examiner / officer on a bad day when they will be within their rights to find all the faults.

Well the plan was to fit brackets onto the side of each end of the side rails which will take the tube that the lighting bar hangs off...Just haven't got round to it yet.

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Not a bad job though with respect to the build of the trailer...
My only worry would be the thickness of the main longitudinals rails...are they 3mm thick? As they are not doubled or built using a 'ladder' design they have to be pretty strong. At the moment, the weight of Jeepster and the wobble rollers is being transfered down to the rails at a nearly equidistant point either side of the axle meaning that the rail is resisting being 'bent' over the axle.

You say the boat weighs approx 450kgs meaning that with the weight of the rollers/bars +fuel+gear on board, (not counting an engine) etc... you can easily be in the region of 600kgs (or 150kgs acting down either side of the axle on both sides).

Its just my opinion but i would consider Either reinforcing the side rails or adding a keel roller or two as close as possible to the axle to alleviate the weight on the sides.

Maybe an optical illusion but in the pictures it looks like the side rails are already slightly bent as they are loaded?...might just be my poor eyesight though


Simon

Before building the trailer I closely studied the materials used by commercial boat trailer manufacturers in their boat trailers, and where possible, copied what they used, going on the assumption that if its good enough for them, its good enough for use on my trailer.
In particular, I spent a fair bit of time closely examining an Indespension "Hallmark" boat trailer with a gross weight of 1300kg, in the car park of a local marina. My trailer will also have a 1300 gross weight and I know its strong enough for this because I have used the exact same materials as they use for my side rails and swingbeams.

[Anchorhandler]

Originally Posted by jeepster

But they are not tied on!...The straps have hooks at each end. The front strap goes over the boat and the end hooks are clipped together underneath the trailer and the strap is then ratcheted up and the remaining strap is tied as neat as possible onto the vertical part of the strap at the side of the trailier (which is perhaps what he was noticing?).
The rear strap goes underneath the trailer and the end hooks are clipped together about half way across the cockpit, then its ratcheted up and the excess can be simply left on the floor of the cockpit.

Ahh... fair enough, i must admit that in the pictures, it does look like the front strap is only tied onto the side rail though.

Still, its a pretty neat build you've done there and as long as you think the side rails are man enough to cope then that's good

Heres a couple of pics of the last boat trailer i built. This was for for our rib Gwenn....
And dont tell Wavelength or Poly but there's a picture there of it being towed down the road....(note the trailerboard )


Simon

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by jeepster

???...They are 2 tonne capacity aircraft container ratchet straps...Whats not to like?

I'm sure the straps are good and robust, it's the geometry of them that I'm uncertain of. They'll constrain vertical movement of the boat well but what about fore and aft? Personally, I'd want to see straps running rearwards from the front and forward from the rear to constrain the boat should it want to move forward or back. Occasionally on here, some joker posts a picture of a hard boat (in the USA, I think) that's gone for a walk and is now perched on the bed of a pick-em-up truck with the pointy end on the cab roof.

Could spoil your whole day

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by jeepster

My trailer will also have a 1300 gross weight

Not with your 1100kg caravan axle, it won't.

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Ahh... fair enough, i must admit that in the pictures, it does look like the front strap is only tied onto the side rail though.

Still, its a pretty neat build you've done there and as long as you think the side rails are man enough to cope then that's good

Heres a couple of pics of the last boat trailer i built. This was for for our rib Gwenn....
And dont tell Wavelength or Poly but there's a picture there of it being towed down the road....(note the trailerboard )


Simon

Looked better on this one (well I think so)

With it's big brother on

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Not with your 1100kg caravan axle, it won't.

Yes it will....1100kg is the maximum point load the axle can take but dont forget that the weight of the boat is not a point load, it is distributed along the length of the trailer so the trailer can have a gross weight of more than the axles maximum capacity.

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Looked better on this one (well I think so)

With it's big brother on

Ha, ha...So I'm not the only one that does that!
Lovely trailer BTW, but it seems overkill for the weight of a RIB...I thought they were very lightweight boats?

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Yes it will....1100kg is the maximum point load the axle can take but dont forget that the weight of the boat is not a point load, it is distributed along the length of the trailer so the trailer can have a gross weight of more than the axles maximum capacity.

Bollox

[A1an]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Yes it will....1100kg is the maximum point load the axle can take but dont forget that the weight of the boat is not a point load, it is distributed along the length of the trailer so the trailer can have a gross weight of more than the axles maximum capacity.

Eh??

Who told you that?

[Anchorhandler]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Looked better on this one (well I think so)

With it's big brother on

Ahh but at least i dont need to worry about going under bridges with it sat on my trailer....

Long time no speak Jim, trust your doing well?

Simon

[Anchorhandler]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Yes it will....1100kg is the maximum point load the axle can take but dont forget that the weight of the boat is not a point load, it is distributed along the length of the trailer so the trailer can have a gross weight of more than the axles maximum capacity.

Brilliant!

Where's the "Like a lamb to the slaughter" emoticon??

Simon

[willk]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Dont know about getting a RIB...I mean when you have a boat as pretty, comfortable and as seaworthy as Jeepster, a RIB seems a pretty poor choice in comparison.

Originally Posted by jeepster

...it is distributed along the length of the trailer so the trailer can have a gross weight of more than the axles maximum capacity.

Originally Posted by jeepster

...but it seems overkill for the weight of a RIB...I thought they were very lightweight boats?

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Brilliant!

Oh yeah, he's good. SR4 - eat yer heart out. Those planning a fishing expedition should check if they are the Fisher or the Fishee

[wavelength]

Not sure why you think the trailer lighting board is illegal

ah you see I don't think its illegal-I know its illegal.
The weight on the axle if weighed on the road will be the weight of boat+ equipment + trailer minus the load being taken by the hitch. But on your car that allowable weight will be probably 50kg max at a guess. There will also be a weight limit on each car axle and a max train weight (the max weight of the loaded car and trailer combined). Ok its all mass instead of weight these days but I'm old school!

Still you may be within weights of course but I sorta doubt it and someone else's claims when they were trying to flog a boat isnt a good guide at all and certainly no defence in law. Take it to a public weighbridge and find out eh.
Oh and yes in a long and eventful life I have been there and done that, and as it happens also built a couple of trailers. Bugga to paint every year though.

Going back to the lighting board, some years back a journo from Sea Angler mag was pulled for exactly the same set up.

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by jeepster

Yes it will....1100kg is the maximum point load the axle can take but dont forget that the weight of the boat is not a point load, it is distributed along the length of the trailer so the trailer can have a gross weight of more than the axles maximum capacity.

No, you can't, it's far too early for an April Fool