Officially a Compac Owner

[HeaveToo]

Today I bought Norm's Compac 23.  I am very excited about the new boat.

I have a few decisions to make and I am wondering if anyone would care to chime in on this:

The trailer needs new brakes (Probably set me back about $1000).  I have a few options here and I hate to spend that kind of money because once I get her home I will only be pulling locally most of the time.  The journey is only about a 1.5 hour drive at trailer speeds!  There aren't any major hills, only the Rt. 301 bridge.

Option 1:  Suck it up and have the brakes put on the trailer.  This also sets me back in my other plans for owner specific modifications and blows my boat budget for this year (for the most part).  Pull the boat home.

Option 2:  Attempt to take leave and sail the boat to Colonial Beach.  Drive the unloaded trailer to Colonial Beach and then put the boat on the trailer.  Colonial Beach is at least a 3 day trip from where the boat is located now. 

Option 3:  Pull the boat home on a trailer without brakes.  I am not really favoring this idea.

The tow vehicle is a Toyota Tacoma with a towing package (able to pull 6500).  I also feel kind of off about pulling a trailer without a spare tire.

[HeaveToo]

The trip home by road is 76 miles and probably closer to 2 hours if there is a trailer in tow.

[MacGyver]

If it were me, I would pull it home how it is, but buy a spare, maybe 2 depending on how the tires are....

I have towed a lot of different things, and typically the brakes dont work, because normally they arent used. I pulled my 19 home, 100 miles and  no brakes. Just drove 45 with the hazards on. People give you dirty looks, but who cares...... I didnt.

The next day they get over it! LOL

Others will chime in, and it is all valuable information to take in. Just be sure to get insurance setup before you haul it home, that way, if something happens, your okay on that end.

Mac

[brackish]

You say the trailer needs new brakes.  Does that mean it has brakes but they are not serviceable?  Can they be fixed for the trip?  Does the surge unit work?  Are the hydraulics hooked up and tight?  I'm assuming drum brakes here, but it might be good to just pull the wheels and drums make sure the wheel cylinders are functioning and the shoes are at least reasonably good, clean it all up, de-rust the inside of the drums put it together and go.  You can check the wheel bearings while you doing the brake maintenance.

If they can't be made to work I would go without.  Give PLENTY of room between you and anyone ahead of you.  Go slow, stick to highways that will have a passing lane for folks to get by you. 

I also tow with a Tacoma with 6500 lbs. capacity.  It does fine.  But the brakes on the truck will not stop the loaded trailer without a lot of room to do so.  With the surge brakes it is fine, but I still give extra distance between me and anyone ahead of me.

If the tires have excessive sidewall cracking, I would invest in a spare for the trip.

Are you a Boats U.S. member?  Invest the $14 in the trailer tow option so you will have some help if something goes wrong.

[bob lamb]

Here's my nickels worth:

Towed mine across Florida with a Jeep Cherokee.  No brakes on trailer.  Then towed it back to NC and later back to Florida with an E150 v8 Ford van and later with a Ford Explorer...still no brakes.  No problem...just slow down earlier than normal. (and keep an eye out for idiots cutting in front of you)  Of course, being a retired Pastor I believe the Lord often overrules my ignorance.  I should tell you about the day I sank my Jeep!

Bob

[Billy]

I'm with Mac and Bob. Just do it. But do it SLOW!!!

Now what is the story once she gets home? You putting her in the water and parking the trailer for the season? Or are you going to keep her on the trailer and trailer her each time you go out?

[NateD]

As others have said, you're going to need extra stopping space. At 45mph it won't be too bad, at 55 I would be pretty anxious, and at 65 it would be pretty dangerous for you and others on the road. Also, it's not just other cars but critters. It's pretty unlikely that you're going to be able to stop in time if an animal runs out, and swerving with a heavy trailer is a bad idea, so mentally prepare yourself to plow through. Get yourself a spare tire, but also make sure you have a jack that will lift the trailer and that you can get the lug nuts off.

If the budget won't accommodate the cost, I guess I would probably still pull it home, but I would stay off the freeway at all cost. I'm extra cautious towing and like the trailer to be in tip top operating condition. Last week I was driving home from work and there was a traffic backup. When I finally got up to the flashing tow truck/highway patrol lights there were long skid marks across two lanes of traffic with a late 90's Suburban in the ditch facing the wrong way, an older ~23 foot cabin cruiser sitting in the ditch with the bow facing traffic, and the boat trailer was already up on a flat bed tow truck and the second truck was positioning to pull the Suburban out. Not sure how they were going to get the boat out of the ditch. The traffic typically backs up in that area at that time of day, so my guess is the guy was towing in the fast lane, all of a sudden traffic slowed/stopped, he hit the brakes, knew he couldn't stop, tried to swerve unto shoulder, trailer swayed, swung him 180 and put him in the ditch and rolled the boat off the trailer. I image a couple tow trucks, plus the equipment to get the boat out of the ditch, damage to the boat/trailer/vehicle totals well over $1,000. Trailer brakes wouldn't have necessarily saved him (if it happened like I think), but unexpected stuff happens all the time on the road, so leave yourself enough room.

[HeaveToo]

I am use to towing.  My boat before my Catalina 30 was a 1982 Hunter 22.  There weren't any brakes on that trailer and I pulled her from Elizabeth City, NC to Central Virginia with an F-150 with no brakes (this is before I knew better and ignorance is bliss). 

The trailer is the stock trailer that came with the Compac 23.  It is a Performance Trailer, two axle, with surge brakes.  I am pretty sure that they are drum brakes.  The brake lines appear rusty and when I pushed on the actuator there wasn't any resistance.  It smoothly slid back.  There is probably no fluid in the actuator (possibly a leak in the worn brake lines).  I have no idea what shape the drums or the brakes are in.  The trailer hasn't had any use in the last 4 years.

I can spend the money for the brakes but.....that kills my boat budget for the year.  I had other small things that I want to do but those can wait.

As far as use I plan to start out small.  The boat will be on trailer for the remainder of the year.  It is a few mile tow to the launch ramp.  Next season I am thinking about putting her in a slip for a few months at a time (5 months).  I don't have any plans for a lot of long trailering at this point.

There are two points of concern in braking for the trip.  This is down the 301 bridge (long two lane bridge that is a little narrow) because it is a steeper hill that lasts a bit.  After that there is one other place where you need to brake for a stop sign at the bottom of a hill.  I am VERY familiar with this route.

The tires are in pretty good shape.  All but one are free of cracks (the storage area was very shady and the tires didn't get much sunlight).  Three of them have all of their tread and look very new (they are at least 4 years old).  There is one tire that has a very minor crack on the sidewall and you REALLY have to look to see it.

Part of me considers trying the brake job.  They seem to be very simple but there is a few hang ups.  I wouldn't be sure about bleeding the brake lines and the brake lines have the loop in them for the tongue extension.  The rest seems straight forward.

[cfelle2]

It sounds like you have a lot of experience towing and know what you will be getting into by towing without breaks.  How about the sailing option?  That sounds like a fun trip.

Chris

[HeaveToo]

I am going to have to brakes done.  I sold a few items to help the cruising kitty a little. 

BIG SCORE!!!  Last night my uncle found two trailer tires that are on galvanized rims.  They had been stored in side and look brand new.  They were bought by a guy and kept in a garage as spares (haven't seen day light or asphalt).  The tires were being sold at a yardsale and they were picked up for $30 for both!  Yep, same size as on my trailer.  I was gong to buy a spare for around $100.  I now have two for $30.  That was a stroke of luck.

Today I did get down to the boat and I actually go to sail her.  I am impressed on how she handled 15-20.  When motoring out she definitely had a different feel than what I am use to but she was okay in the 1 foot chop.  Once the sails went up she really dug in and got really stable.  I ended up roller reefing the genoa quite a bit and I should have shaken a reef into the main but I was being lazy.  For some reason the tiller never really loaded up on me while I was sailing.  It actually felt very good and lively.  It wasn't even that bad when I rounded up. 

The way back to the marina I saw 5.8 knots with just the mainsail up.  NOT BAD!

She is going to be a very nice cruiser.

[HeaveToo]

I just wanted to update everyone on estimates.

I am having the work done by a mobile company in MD.  It will go to the marina and do the repair.

For having the actuator replaced, new brake lines, new drums, and basically re-doing the brake system plus putting two new hubs on the rear axle (replacing bearings etc) it comes to $999.44

The guy is suggested by other people in the area and from what I see on the net he has fairly positive feedback.  He totally inspected the trailer and told me that I have some lighting issues too.  I will simply re-do the lights myself and save a ton of money on that.

[mattman]

Glad you are doing the brakes, in my state it is required to have brakes on anything over 3000 lbs. gross. If there were problems your insurance probably wouldn't cover given you knew they were not working. (not to mention the angst if anyone was ever seriously hurt or worse).  I think it may be illegal to sell a vehicle without properly working brakes in the first place even as a private seller, but I may be wrong on that. Best of luck.   

[brackish]

Glad you are doing the brakes, in my state it is required to have brakes on anything over 3000 lbs. gross. If there were problems your insurance probably wouldn't cover given you knew they were not working. (not to mention the angst if anyone was ever seriously hurt or worse).  I think it may be illegal to sell a vehicle without properly working brakes in the first place even as a private seller, but I may be wrong on that. Best of luck.   

With all due respect I've heard that particular opinion so many times and it is just not true.  In my state the brake rule is 2000 lbs. and brand spanking new trailers with that and greater capacity are sold every day without brakes at national sellers like Home Depot and Lowes and the major boat dealers.  Additionally, if the insurance company writes the policy they cannot, I repeat, cannot renege on a claim unless they specifically have written in the requirement in the policy application or asked you and you committed fraud by lying to them.  It ain't written in and they never ask.  If they write the policy and collect the money they have to cover.

Now certainly, if you cause loss of property or harm to individuals you can, and probably will be sued.

This (insurance voiding) usually comes up in the context of DIY work on your house, car, boat, etc. without being certified, ratified, officially stamped, licensed, bureaucratically approved, etc.

[relamb]

I've towed boats thousands of miles without trailer brakes, mainly because boat trailer brakes just rust up and fail anyway.  however, the ONE TIME I decided to have the brakes redone for a 6500 lb boat, I was cruising along on a very busy interstate, leaving a large gap ahead as usual just in case.
Some %$#@!! had been pulled over on the side of the road, and seeing the gap decided to pull back out right in front of me.  Fortunately I was paying attention, and slammed on the brakes, which locked up the new brakes dead solid on the trailer and let out a hell of a squeal.  Unfortunately, the brakes stayed locked up like that, and within 1/4 mile smoke was billowing from the trailer wheels.  The rims were so hot I thought I was going to catch the tires on fire.  Basically it ruined my brand new $750 brake job, and I didn't bother to get them fixed thereafter.
My rule now - the hell with the brakes, just use the horn!

[HeaveToo]

Technically I am supposed to have this trailer inspected because Virginia Requires inspections on any trailer with brakes.  I will probably do this, eventually.  I am allowed the trip home from purchase and also the trip from home to the service center for inspection.

I have to rewire my lights also.  Anyone know where to get the light kit for the Performance boat trailer that was factory stock on the Compac 23?