Time for a new trailer

[JAdams1]

The prices seem pretty even across the board. It looks good.
Do you trailer often with it and how’s it working for you with the bunks?

My boat is slipped. My buddy has the same boat and he trailers his with an EZ Loader with bunks, no problems.

 

[leeccoll]

I’m primarily in the salt and fall striper season is approaching fast.
This roller trailer is the only roller I’ve ever had. All my others were bunk. I had a roller fall off while loading once and gouge the gelcoat. Never had a bunk trailer damage my boat.
I see videos where folks will tell you you have to totally submerge them but I used to leave 1/3 of my bunks above water with my bayliner which worked fine.
I can’t believe how rusted this thing I have now is. Chunks are falling off and I am religious about rinsing it EVERY TIME.

Plus one on this roller failure

 

[Lt.Mike]

Plus one on this roller failure

I stayed on my toes after that.
We all know how impatient people can be at the ramp but after damaging the hull while loading with a missing roller ( that made a sick sound too) I always go over the trailer checking it for missing or misaligned rollers to kick back straight before reloading.
I have made it a practice to pull the boat towards the trailer from the dock with a bow rope hook and crank as power loading has always been frowned on.
How many of you power load and on bunks or rollers?
I used to power load my 19’ Bayliner bowrider onto its bunk trailer then climb over the bow onto it, crank a little and off I went.
That was so easy but that had a low bow with no rails.
I tried that a couple times with the Overnighter I’m no spring chicken anymore. I didn’t it with all the grace of a three legged elephant. Of course there’s that ever present ramp peanut gallery too.
Saw one guy use a step ladder but was nervous for him with all the slime on the ramp. Was thinking about a simple small ladder that maybe hooked onto the bow rail (?). We’ll see.

 

[DennisG01]

I power load with both - even much larger boats. Those bunk slicks I mentioned make it even easier with bunks. However, a lot of this depends on the area and the ramp. If it's a short cement ramp with gravel, then you really can't do it as the constant prop thrust creates a raised mound just under the surface. A full cement ramp with no boats/slips directly behind it - that is usually fine. But then there could be specific rules to a certain ramp.

Google for pictures of 'pontoon boat trailers'. Many of them have steps built in. It's a bit easier with them since the bow eye is flush with the bow of the boat, as opposed to a v-hull having the bow eye tucked a few back. But it wouldn't be hard to fab something up. There are bolt-on steps you can buy, but most that I have seen don't have enough steps to get high enough to make it worthwhile... brings up back to making something.

Step ladder? I'd rather climb over the rail and down onto the winch stand than trust a ladder on a slippery ramp. Besides, who wants to carry a 6' stepladder onboard?

 

[Ky Grady]

I power load with bunk trailer and usually have a person on the ground to hook bow eye. If I have to hook up, I'll go over the bow rail onto the winch stand and down to trailer. I'm not as limber as I once was, but for now I can still do it.

 

[Lt.Mike]

The guy I saw with the step ladder kept it in his truck and set it up next to the trailer then went to the dock to drive the boat up.
I do miss the lower bow when loading but not on the water. We get some big swells out there which the Grady handles with ease. I can fish water with it that was unsafe with the Bayliner.
I was going through the Loadrite website and will include the additional “target bunks” in my purchase to support the bow while trailering and prevent it from possibly scraping when loading.

 

[CJ7Rob]

I bought an older LoadRite dual axle for my Overnighter, cleaned it up, painted it and put all new rollers on it and winch. I launch out of Trader's Cove in Brick, NJ with little to no probs. Nice concrete ramp there.

 

[Lt.Mike]

I bought an older LoadRite dual axle for my Overnighter, cleaned it up, painted it and put all new rollers on it and winch. I launch out of Trader's Cove in Brick, NJ with little to no probs. Nice concrete ramp there.

There’s a lot of concern about launching in poor or shallow ramps in the sales pitch for rollers.
We have pretty good ramps around here. I like the public ramp at Belmar boat basin and the Safe Harbor Manasquan River Marina.
I usually pick the ramps that always have enough water to navigate without getting in the mud. The shallow ramp benefit of a roller trailer doesn’t really hold water (pun intended). If you need it to launch in shallow water you can’t navigate in it anyway.
For those dicey ramps I have my 15’ aluminum boat with a 25 Mariner. Great for crabbing and uses a ridiculously small amount of fuel.

 

[CJ7Rob]

Yea true, you gotta watch the free ramps and the ones that are super cheap, they're usually shallow. It sucks to have the rearend of your truck soaking in saltwater too from having to back in so far. You ever launch out of Atlantic Highlands? Pretty nice there and real wide too.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Yea true, you gotta watch the free ramps and the ones that are super cheap, they're usually shallow. It sucks to have the rearend of your truck soaking in saltwater too from having to back in so far. You ever launch out of Atlantic Highlands? Pretty nice there and real wide too.

You won’t ever see me dip my tires in water on a ramp. Seen people do it but I do my own mechanical work on my vehicles, don’t need to create work for myself.
Another example of that kind of thing is that I’ve seen visitors to the shore blast through puddles even though it hadn’t rained in days. Saltwater left from a moon tide on the road is murder on electrical components. I feel no need to ruin my vehicle.
Helped my brother in-law pull his sailboat out in the highlands. What a fiasco that was. We arrived at low tide and the ramp was algae covered. Had a 2wd pickup and needed to have 6 guys jump into the bed to give it enough traction to pull the boat. Lucky we didn’t launch the whole rig. Wasn’t my boat or truck but it left a lasting impression. Haven’t been back since.

 

[CJ7Rob]

You won’t ever see me dip my tires in water on a ramp. Seen people do it but I do my own mechanical work on my vehicles, don’t need to create work for myself.
Another example of that kind of thing is that I’ve seen visitors to the shore blast through puddles even though it hadn’t rained in days. Saltwater left from a moon tide on the road is murder on electrical components. I feel no need to ruin my vehicle.
Helped my brother in-law pull his sailboat out in the highlands. What a fiasco that was. We arrived at low tide and the ramp was algae covered. Had a 2wd pickup and needed to have 6 guys jump into the bed to give it enough traction to pull the boat. Lucky we didn’t launch the whole rig. Wasn’t my boat or truck but it left a lasting impression. Haven’t been back since.

Yea maybe b/c it was at low tide. B/c of the risk of losing it all, I always keep my truck in 4wd, and chock the left front wheel when I'm loading and off loading just in case. I wouldn't attempt pulling my boat out with a 2wd.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Yea maybe b/c it was at low tide. B/c of the risk of losing it all, I always keep my truck in 4wd, and chock the left front wheel when I'm loading and off loading just in case. I wouldn't attempt pulling my boat out with a 2wd.

You work with what you have and though I went on after that to tow and launch with 2wd cars then a 2wd pickup I now have 2 4wd vehicles in the family (Chevy K1500, Jeep Commander) with plans to buy a third (2020 Tacoma for my wife). Wouldn’t buy anything else now.
Definitely safer vehicles all round.
The Tacoma has a 6500lb tow rating but isn’t a big vehicle compared to my Chevy. Size and weight of a tow vehicle is a huge factor so I’m not sure how it will handle towing the Grady but time will tell.
Guessing the Highlands ramp is fine just bad day there. Wish the marinas would make a regular practice of power washing the algae off at moon low tides, I don’t think that’s asking too much and it might save someone some heartache.
I used to launch over at the Keyport ramp years back. It wasn’t perfect but I did ok with bunks on the Bayliner.
I haven’t trailered the Grady to far from home in the past year with its trailer being as sketchy as it is.
I only dare going a few miles. Maybe with the new trailer I’ll haul it down to Chincoteague Va. like I did with the Bayliner and other places I used to explore.

 

[Lt.Mike]

You should be able to recoup some of the money by selling it on Craigslist, at least. .

When I read this I thought little chance of that, Dennis doesn’t know just how bad this thing is.
Then my daughters friend reached out to me asking if I was selling my old trailer. I thought it odd as she was with us on the last outing and fully knows it’s faults but she told me she knew someone who wanted it.
Can’t imagine that or my asking that much for it. I guess it’s worth something to someone who only trailers at the beginning or end of season or to escape storm damage. Then I suppose a POS trailer has some value.
So I looked up boat trailers and found more than a few selling for hundreds when they looked like they should be hauled away instead of hauling a boat.
If I did that I’d feel like I was taking advantage of someone.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Ordered my new trailer today.
Went with Loadrite again as the brand has served me well in the past.
The quoted price I originally got was for a dual axle aluminum 5star trailer ($3,150).
After going through all the options I went with the Loadrite AB21’(5,200lb, 23’6” overall) dual axle aluminum I beam trailer which upgrades and comes standard with radial tires, LED Lighting, additional target bunks under the bow, two speed winch, and guide poles. I added a spare tire with mount. All told it came to just under $4,200 with tax. Brakes on both axles would have been another $400. I could have ordered a single axle trailer for my 20’ grady and I’ve been towing this without trailer brakes for years so I’m ok if not thrilled to have brakes on one axle.
Had to choose between 2 dealers, as they both seemed decent and the prices were about the same. It came down to trailer delivery and setup. One said we set the trailer, you launch with the old and retrieve with the new. If you like we can adjust it a little.
The one I went with will pick my boat off with slings and fit the new trailer to the boat. When I roll out it’ll be set up right. That’ll cost around $128. It’s worth that for the piece of mind.
Without listing the old trailer I already have people wanting to buy it (I wouldn’t). The new trailer, a 2020 model will be delivered in 2-3 weeks. Just in time for the fall bass run.

 

[Ky Grady]

Congrats!!! Sounds like a nice trailer. You'll love the tandem and brake axle, even with the 20' boat. Makes it a breeze to tow with the tandem.

 

[DennisG01]

When I read this I thought little chance of that, Dennis doesn’t know just how bad this thing is.
Then my daughters friend reached out to me asking if I was selling my old trailer. I thought it odd as she was with us on the last outing and fully knows it’s faults but she told me she knew someone who wanted it.
Can’t imagine that or my asking that much for it. I guess it’s worth something to someone who only trailers at the beginning or end of season or to escape storm damage. Then I suppose a POS trailer has some value.
So I looked up boat trailers and found more than a few selling for hundreds when they looked like they should be hauled away instead of hauling a boat.
If I did that I’d feel like I was taking advantage of someone.

One man's garbage...

 

[Lt.Mike]

One man's garbage...

True, and I suppose it beats a second year paying yard storage fees.
KY - the old trailer is a dual axle and that’s much better than a single. I’ll bet it was really nice for the first owner back in ‘87, I’m not going to miss rollers that drag, fall off (along with other parts), no brakes, iffy lights, and multiple attempts to load straight with crooked rollers fighting me.
I think any trailer that’s new and works as it should would be good to have but yes I figured as long as I was letting the moths out I’d do s little better still. Besides the the old gal deserves a nice new ride.

 

[DennisG01]

Have you thought about adding brakes to that second axle? I've trailered similar boats both ways and it does make a difference. When it comes to braking, more is definitely better!

On another note about this topic... It's interesting how our viewpoints sometimes change based on what we're used to. For example, PA requires brakes on all axles and any single axle trailer over 3K gross (your old trailer). I would never even think about getting a trailer without brakes without all axles covered. But is it because that's what I'm used to? Would my viewpoint change if I lived in a state that didn't require that?

On still another viewpoint... brakes are required in Maine (we have a cottage on the coast there and that's where the Grady stays). However, I took the brakes off that trailer since it's really just a storage trailer for the Winter and only sees a few miles on the road at the beginning and end of the season. The roads up there are truly "back roads", not much traffic, and slow speeds. It's just not worth the hassle of trying to keep those brakes in working order. Salt water/air + limited use = constant failures. I kept the brakes and the coupler - I can always put them back on if I bring the boat back to PA sometime.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Have you thought about adding brakes to that second axle? I've trailered similar boats both ways and it does make a difference. When it comes to braking, more is definitely better!

On another note about this topic... It's interesting how our viewpoints sometimes change based on what we're used to. For example, PA requires brakes on all axles and any single axle trailer over 3K gross (your old trailer). I would never even think about getting a trailer without brakes without all axles covered. But is it because that's what I'm used to? Would my viewpoint change if I lived in a state that didn't require that?

On still another viewpoint... brakes are required in Maine (we have a cottage on the coast there and that's where the Grady stays). However, I took the brakes off that trailer since it's really just a storage trailer for the Winter and only sees a few miles on the road at the beginning and end of the season. The roads up there are truly "back roads", not much traffic, and slow speeds. It's just not worth the hassle of trying to keep those brakes in working order. Salt water/air + limited use = constant failures. I kept the brakes and the coupler - I can always put them back on if I bring the boat back to PA sometime.

Yup, slept on it and had a lot of thoughts.
* I could tow this boat with a single axle trailer that would have one set of brakes,
* the N.J. law says two axles two sets,
* been trailering with no brakes for years,
* paid over 4G for the trailer and a second axle set would be another $400,
* I have it. (Didn’t always but still feel that way)
* If I got in a bad spot would it make the difference,
* yes.
* Would insurance make an issue?,
* maybe.
* Am I going to buy another trailer anytime soon?
* Hell no.
Ok, so I just made the call and added the second axle brake set.
Bill said he feels it’s going to be a good day, he quoted me $312.50 for them. Again as long as I let some more moths fly out of my wallet I upgraded the brake lines to stainless, $135.
I’d never do that when I was younger because I could fix anything and had the drive to do it. (Also funds back then we’re pretty tight)
The knowledge is still there and then some but I can’t say the want to do the work is there as much.
I think I’d rather be on the water than under a trailer.
In incidentally I went with Bill at Bry’s Marine as he struck my as an old school guy. As straight forward and honest as they come.

 

[DennisG01]

Mike, has NJ law changed recently about "all axles requiring brakes"? Maybe I've been misinformed all these years? But I've seen a lot of dual axle trailers with NJ plates and a very good percentage of them had brakes only on one axle... so it seemed to backup what I thought was the NJ law of only requiring it on one axle.