New Load Rite Trailer for CP19

[Gil Weiss]

I should name this post "The Trials and Tribulations of Buying a New Trailer". When we bought our CP19, Suo Gan, last fall it had been a summer and winter resident at the Riverbank Marina in Pine Beach, NJ for many years. Wanting to relocate the boat this coming season back to Pennsylvania and Lake Nockamixon, I needed to buy a trailer. Actually the idea of buying a new trailer was very appealing since I never owned a "new" trailer with any of my past boats.

My first thought was to look into Magic Tilts like the one sold by Hutchinson with ComPacs. They always seemed a tad on the light side for ComPacs but they always seem to work OK. I was happy with the one I had with my CP16. I could not find a Magic Tilt dealer in business around my way and got no help from the factory. Hutch sells them but I did not want to go to Florida to pick one up.

I checked around and decided to look into a Load Rite trailer. They have a good reputation and the factory is located 5 minutes from where I work. I stopped in one day and they gave me a form to complete with the boat's measurements and related specs. This was just before I helped Captain Ralph haul is CP19 from Lake Nockamixon for the season last October. The day we did the haul out, I took photos and measurements which I presented to LR.

Since you must go through a dealer, the Mercury motor dealer, Fuller's Marine and Machine,  I hooked up with near where Suo Gan is located happened to be a LR dealer and a great place to deal with. I placed the order through them. The interesting part was that I had to buy a "pig in the polk" as LR would not provide any engineering drawings or images of what I was getting. They do not promote customers visiting their factory so I could not see the work in progress or completed trailer before delivery. I did get a lot of assurances, etc. so I confirmed the order and paid in advance. There was a $35 engineering fee and I was told that the chap designing my trailer was a sailboater. I picked a frame with a 2,800 lb capacity that seemed more than adequate for the CP19. LR recommended surge brakes and I said OK.

The trailer wound up costing somewhat more than I expected. It came in about 250 more than the Magic Tilt from Hutch. I took ownership of my new trailer this past week. I posted pictures on the Gallery in the CP19 Album. I was very pleased at what I got! My "pig in the polk" was a thing of beauty. The trailer was very well built with all very high quality components. Load Rite followed mt specifications and made what appears to be a well constructed and well built trailer. Considering what was included, the total price was very fair. The surge brakes are hydraulic with automotive type disk brakes. The axle has an offset torsion bar arrangement which is new to me. The components including the rollers, lights, hitch parts, winch, etc are high quality. Everything is adjustable which I like too.

My tow vehicle is a 2006 Ford F-150 with a heavy duty towing capacity of 9,400 lbs so this rig will not be an issue with my all up weight being no more than 3,300 lbs. I look forward to bringing Suo Gan "home" in April!

Gil

[Ralph Erickson]

Hey Gil, may I borrow your trailer?  Seriously, very, very nice!!!

Ralph

[Gil Weiss]

Thanks Ralph! It turned out just fine. I am surprised about the axle configuration. It is also interesting how the frame is lowered a bit to compensate for the large wheels and tires.

We can go to the Cheasapeak!

On a related topic, a key to easy mast raising is standing in the bed of my truck which makes for a good angle to pull it up. Made getting the 16 mast up very easy.

Cheers, a happy Capt.Gil