New trailer from SailTrailers

[relamb]

At the mention of some people on this forum and others, I had a new trailer made for my CP27 by Sailtrailers in Columbus, GA.  Very pleased with the price and results.  I had been towing the boat on a cradle on my flatbed, which I did not want to put in the water, and wasn't handy if I needed to use the trailer when the boat wasn't in the water.  Sailtrailers made a new trailer frame only, and I put my old cradle on it.  It fit perfectly, even the bolt holes lined up, from photos and dimensions that I emailed to them.   I picked up two trailers in GA and towed to St Petersburg and then to Punta Gorda FL for another CP27 owner, then loaded my boat and just drove 1100 miles from St Pete to Indianapolis IN.   I would highly recommend them if you need a trailer.  If I decide to change boats someday, I can change out the cradle, or I can deck it over for a car hauler.  It's titled as 10,000 lbs, but we used two 6,000lb axles since I tow long distances.
http://sailtrailers.com/

[relamb]

Some photos:

Old trailer with cradle


Hauled out and ready to roll


In the parking lot after the cradle was mounted.  I mounted it, sailtrailers never saw it, designed to accomodate via photos and dimension.


Mine on top, George's on bottom.  He opted for galvanized. I opted for cheap.   Both have electric brakes.


Another trailer in the yard at Sailtrailers, fitted for a Cape Dory



Note my black trailer and the cape dory trailer have a complete spindle and bearing set for the spare.  Besides being spares, you drop the spare  down to the pavement and now the whole trailer can roll down the ramp into the water much farther than you can back in, and you don't need a tongue extension.  Just don't forget to chain it to the truck so you can pull it back out!  I carry a pair of 20' log chains, but I haven't tried it yet.

[crazycarl]

Soooo with a new trailer, you're going to be the 1st participant to bring a 27 to CLR?

[relamb]

When and where?  Is there a ramp long and deep enough?

[thomeng55]

Nice.  Mine towed nice.

I like the piggy back.

Tom

[Patrick]

Soooo with a new trailer, you're going to be the 1st participant to bring a 27 to CLR?

I have considered it as I'm only a few hours north.  Same question though, I need 5' of depth to launch at the ramp.  Preferably a steeper ramp.

[NateD]

Great setup, I like the ability to swap out cradles.

I'm looking at replacing the axles/brakes on a similar sized sailboat trailer (6k axles). Why did you go electric instead of hydraulic? Personally I like the simplicity in install, ability to finely tune and adjust the brake force, and ability to back the trailer up without locking the trailer brakes, but I keep reading that you don't want to be dunking electric brakes. Also it seems like a caliper/rotor setup is better for long-term maintenance and stopping power, but no pure-electric disk brake setup available (only electric over hydraulic).

[relamb]

My rationale for electric brakes is that I've had a half dozen trailers with surge brakes, and they were all pretty much worthless.  Sailtrailers recommended the electric brakes instead of surge brakes, because I'd be submerging the trailer tongue and brake master cylinder,  and the master cylinder would get flooded through the vent.
Which what must have happened to me several times in the past.  I've also had the brake lines under the trailer snag on things and bend, kinking or breaking the lines.
I carry spare wire, so if the wires snagged it would be easy to rig a temporary fix.
So I thought I'd try electric this time around, they work fine on my other trailer that doesn't get submerged.  But it certainly gets wet when I drive in the rain.
Looks to me like the weak point (assuming I keep the brakes flushed and rust free) will be the junction/connection between the brake coil wire and the trailer wiring.  I'll have to check that and most likely seal it better than it is.
...we shall see!

[brackish]

What is the GVWR, in other words if it is titled at 10K is it rated 10K gross or GVWR that would be 10K plus the weight of the trailer?

[relamb]

It is titled as 10,400 GVWR  as if it would have two 5200lb axles.  But it was built with two 6,000lb axles which they say they can buy for the same price as the 5200lb.  It could be upgraded to 12,000GVWR by upgrading the tires, the tires are set up for 10,400.

My improvements are going to be to add a tongue box to store my tiedown straps, slide the cradle back about 6" to reduce the tongue weight, and replace the guide boards on the cradle which are rotten or missing.  I am also going to make the lights and wiring harness removable so they don't need to be immersed, and to add a removeable battery and emergency breakaway kit.    While I'm rewiring, I think I'll make a connection to charge the boat (and breakaway) batteries from the 12V available at the 7-pole RV style connector, because I sleep in the boat while on the road, and have run the batteries down a time or two.

[relamb]

For clarification, GVWR is "Gross Vehicle Weight Rating", which is the total combined design weight of the trailer AND the load.  Trailer ratings are usually expressed as GVWR, and you sometimes end up having to guess at how much the trailer weighs.
So if the GVWR is 10,000lb and the trailer itself weighs 1000lb, then you could only haul 9,000lbs of cargo on the trailer.  In my experience, the tires are usually the weak point, they're the first thing to go when the trailer gets overloaded and you hit a chuckhole, or you're a little low on air pressure and they overheat.

[redfishnc]

I just can't grasp dunking a perfectly good trailer in salt water unless there is no alternative...