Ultimate trailer.

[Nasher]

Taking the Bunks Vs Rollers thread, and all the other trailer related discussions over the years into consideration, here’s my spec for my ultimate trailer.
In no particular order:

Nato hitch
Two speed reversible Electric winch with manual handle
Twin axles for anything over 6M Boat
Big, wide, jockey wheel
Disc brakes (with auto reverse of course)
Fixed waterproof light clusters
Built in tracking system
Tie down points
14inch diameter wheels with 8-ply tyres
Twin spare wheels
Built in spares/toolbox with bearing change kit.
Built in jacking system
Guide-on posts
Bearing buddies on the outside of the bearings
Stainless steel sleeves for the seals to seal to on the inside
Stainless brake cable and Bowdens
Replaceable stub axles, not welded in ones.
Stainless steel fixtures and fittings
Sliding launching trolley as Bedajims design
Rollers on the launching trolley
Bunks on Hydraulic rams that raise up to support the hull once the launching trolley is in position on the main trailer.


Mmmmm..........

Trouble is all of the above would weigh so much there wouldn’t be much of a big 4x4s 3500kg towing limit left for the boat itself.

Nasher

[Downhilldai]

How about galvanised wheel rims?

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

How about galvanised wheel rims?

How about keeping the wheels etc dry

[SPR]

yea - buy a sealegs RIB !, then you don't need all the kit listed above and might even be cheaper!

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by bedajim

How about keeping the wheels etc dry

On your trolley?

[Poly]

Cookee's truck with hiab?

[Ribtecer]

What is Bedajims trolley design, be interested in that?

[9D280]

Originally Posted by Nasher

14inch diameter wheels with 8-ply tyres

Which are fine until you start removing toys from your A-frame on the top of the garage door!

I got 10" on mine (spec'ed down from the standard 13") - means I have oodles of door clearance, and also can launch at 19/20 places without unhitching, as the whole setup is lower in the water.

(Passed Bedajim's Combi on the A9 last summer - awesome bit of kit, as is the boat!)

[Nasher]

I'd need to reduce the radius of my wheels by about 5 feet to get my A-Frame under the Garage door.

Nasher

[9D280]

Fair comment, my boat is a somewhat more compact setup than yours, and I also have some rather interesting approach grade geometry issues to add to the chaos Mental note for next time- don't buy a house on a steep hill.......

But definetly second all your comments, possibly bar the nato hitch (but that's just coz I don't have a landy with one on the back )

[JSP]

How abotu a water system so you can run the engines before you launch and flush after you've retrieved?

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Ribtecer

What is Bedajims trolley design, be interested in that?

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[Nasher]

Originally Posted by 9D280

Fair comment, my boat is a somewhat more compact setup than yours, and I also have some rather interesting approach grade geometry issues to add to the chaos Mental note for next time- don't buy a house on a steep hill.......

Sorry, wasn’t meaning to be funny in any way.

I can thoroughly understand your comments regarding the slope.
My drive is very steep downwards, and obviously the garage floor is level, so when the front wheels of the car start going in the garage the angle means the useable headroom under the garage door is reduced drastically, especially as the raised door sticks out a little way above the drive too.

Luckily I can still just get my Shogun in the garage to work on it, which would be an issue on the slope.
On the odd occasion I have the RIB at home, it’s on the slope and I have to chock(spelling?) all four wheels really well.
If I need to jack the trailer up, I hitch it up to the car to stop it rolling backwards off the jack, but because of this(It blocks my neighbours drive) I tend to only jack the trailer up round at the yard where I normally keep it, as it’s flat there.

Oh for an acre of land around the house and a Barn with a huge door in the front.

Nasher.

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by JSP

How abotu a water system so you can run the engines before you launch and flush after you've retrieved?

Know what John, I've though about adding a water tank set-up to my trailer a few times, but never done it on account of the extra weight that could only be added over the axles otherwise it would upset the balance depending on if it was full or empty. Plus the extra weight of course.

Nasher.

[9D280]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Sorry, wasn’t meaning to be funny in any way.

I can thoroughly understand your comments regarding the slope.
My drive is very steep downwards, and obviously the garage floor is level, so when the front wheels of the car start going in the garage the angle means the useable headroom under the garage door is reduced drastically, especially as the raised door sticks out a little way above the drive too.

No worries, I just guessed that as you have a 6+m boat, the chances of getting it through a standard garage door were negligible!

I have the same problem, but to add to the fun they decided to slope the garage floor towards the door so that any water that gets in runs out..... There are some very close clearances when extracting that boat.......

The one thing that would be handy tho' is a set of brakes that can be partially applied in reverse - would mean I could reverse approx onto the path & let gravity do the hard work, but not take over.

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Cookee's truck with hiab?

Yep, OK for me too!

One thing I'd like to add to that is a remote control so I can launch and recover without returning to the truck to lock things away.

A true, launch and go system

[Nasher]

The Hiab truck is only ideal when you can launch off the side of the slip, or off a wall, but admittedly it is a great solution.

I suppose you could have a non-road legal, unbraked trailer on the back with plain bearings but that sort of defeats the object.

Some may say the best solution is Drystack and get rid of the trailer, but I really wouldn't want to limit my cruising area that much.

Nasher.

[biffer]

you could alter a car transporter, have the roll on roll off bit the shape of a trailer, nasher, oh for an acre of land and a large barn, that would be nice my two acres takes some looking after

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Know what John, I've though about adding a water tank set-up to my trailer a few times, but never done it on account of the extra weight that could only be added over the axles otherwise it would upset the balance depending on if it was full or empty. Plus the extra weight of course.

Nasher.

For the amount of water needed to flush wouldn't make it worth while would it. Shame.
Anyone any idea how much water the RNLI trailers carry?

Love the Hiab idea, would be perfect for lowering over dock walls. But I don't think you could do it single handed.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by JSP

Love the Hiab idea, would be perfect for lowering over dock walls. But I don't think you could do it single handed.

The problem with lowering in from a dock that is that cranes don't lift very well below the level the vehicle is on. If the crane is capable of it, it's easy. (I do have an ALLMI hiab licence though).