Best trailer set-up for drive-on?

[GLXMAN]

Hi Guys,
This may be "putting the horse before the cart":)
I have been looking at a new CC tinny, budget around 23000 max,
Short list is a Brooker 5m CC with 60 4s,

The reason for the upgrade is that my 3.4 edgetracker was smaller than the average geckos in FN QLD;D

I want a good drive on set-up, possibly with the boat latch,
Unsure what I should be looking for?

I guess this could be a "difficult" purchase as most dealers would want to sell the boat and trailer as a package,

If I get stuck with the Brooker trailer, is it possible to modify a trailer to make it suitable for "drive on",

I would like to manage single handed,

Regards,
Gary

[fisho64]

Certainly without wanting to hijack, I am interested also to find out more about good drive on setups, but for a larger 6 meter boat.

Please-photos as well!

[GLXMAN]

Actually,
In have seen the best set-up at Weipa, it was Dave Donald's 5m Hooker but everything was custom made, If I remember correctly, somewhere in Cairns, I believe it was quite an expensive operation, was designed by Dave Donald, he had a lot of trouble getting someone to do the job because they thought it was too radical, all teflon or nylon skids, no rollers

The amazing thing was that you could approach the rear of the trailer at a very sharp angle and the boats keel was always in the right place and the design just made the boat track accurately right up to where the stem stops on the trailer

Will see if I can find some images, but way too expensive for me,
Regards,
Gary

[White Pointer]

Actually,
In have seen the best set-up at Weipa, it was Dave Donald's 5m Hooker but everything was custom made, If I remember correctly, somewhere in Cairns, I believe it was quite an expensive operation, was designed by Dave Donald, he had a lot of trouble getting someone to do the job because they thought it was too radical, all teflon or nylon skids, no rollers

The amazing thing was that you could approach the rear of the trailer at a very sharp angle and the boats keel was always in the right place and the design just made the boat track accurately right up to where the stem stops on the trailer

Will see if I can find some images, but way too expensive for me,
Regards,
Gary

G'day,

I have a 6M plate boat that I drive on to a bog standard Sea-Link trailer, with 32 wobble rollers on it, up to the boat latch where it locks in place. It is a one person operation.

If you want a drive on trailer you have to start by getting the alignment of the car and the trailer such that you don't have the boat trying to climb aboard. It has to drive into a V, settle on an even keel and then drive on. Skids are better than rollers for this because the skids force the hull to settle evenly. But skids are better for plate boats and f'glass boats should sit on lots and lots of rollers - never skids - so the rollers have to be positioned to guide as well as support.

I discussed using a boat latch and the technique I use for getting the boat up in a recent thread. Search on "boat latch". If you can't find it, come back to me.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

White Pointer

[GLXMAN]

Tks White Pointer,
I'm still searching the many thousands of posts with "boat latch"
I guess most trailers could be modified to suit, this may be my first option,

Regards,
Gary

[STUIE63]

I reckon go to your local ramp and set up a chair and watch the boiats come in in the afternoon and any trailers that look the goods go and talk to the owners as the rig the traoiler ready for the drive home . even if there are no decent railers an afternoon doing this is normally good for a bit of entertainment .but you should get a look at some good trailers
Stuie

[PADDLES]

i don't know too much about trailers but i know our's works great. we have a multi roller redco with a manual winch and no latch. there's only keel rollers at each cross beam, probably more to prevent the hull from hitting the beam than anything even though they do have weight on them. the wobble rollers are positioned closer to the centre line of the trailer and like white pointer says, the boat just centres itself into the trailer when you first hit it and you just power straight up. with the rollers closer to the centre the boat does seem really top heavy when you tow it but strapping it down at the sides helps this (we only have to travel around the corner to the ramp so i don't bother strapping it down but travel very slowly around corners)

i reckon if you don't know how to set up your trailer properly then get it professionally done by a boat dealer that sells your boat, they'll usually know how to get the best out of the trailer because they have to get them in and out of the water single handedly to do demos for people. in our case northside marine are the local whittley dealer and they set the trailer up absolutely spot on for our whittley, it drives on like a dream.

what makes you think the brooker trailer will be no good for driving onto?

[GLXMAN]

>Paddles,
"what makes you think the brooker trailer will be no good for driving onto?"

Don't know really, just heard in the past that a lot of guys have modified their trailers to assist drive on
Regards,

>Stuie
Will have a talk with the dealer and see what he has to say, just good to get independent advice from guys who may have a better handle on trailer set up, for example, my son in laws edgetracker just doesn't ever sit right on his trailer, would be impossible to drive on

Regards,
Gary

[megafish71]

Have a look at this thread, http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=123414&highlight
Have a look how I built the tralier, I can drive my boat on with strong cross currents and or cross winds. If it was self latching I would be able to launch and retrieve on my own.

Ron

[GLXMAN]

Much appreciated Ron,
Thats similar to Dave Donald's design for his 5m Hooker,

The Supporting mid ship cross members were curved on Dave's and the side guides were shaped to the boat

Tks for the heads-up on your design, that would have to be the best concept, I used to watch Dave coming on to the trailer at really sharp angles and the boat slowly found its way straight up the middle, I think your idea with the angle may even be better, the keel would center faster,

Will try and find the images from Dave's 2night and give everybody a look

Regards,
Gary

[GLXMAN]

Hi Ron,
A couple of pics of Dave's trailer,

62351
62352

Not sure how good this design would be for a brooker 500 CC but guess the mods could be expensive
Regards,
Gary

[GLXMAN]

Well,
A change of pace here, (a lot of water under the bridge since my last post:) )
I had the opportunity to have a look at an Allison Plate 5.95 side console today,
(Adelaide boat and camping show),
the Allison looks a better package and a better finished boat by a mile!
Has a Dunbier trailer in the deal, a whole lot better than the Brooker IMHO

Having a test on Tuesday, if this unit is stable enough at rest, I may just pony-up for this boat,

Not sure how the Dunbier is for "drive-on" but appears to be better set up

Regards,
Gary