Northwest Fishing Reports

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 8:54 am**

I have a few questions about the appropriate trailer for my boat, a 1969 Starcraft Chieftain 21.5' long, overall weight about 2200 lbs with aluminum frame. It came with a crappy rusty one that does not quite fit. Here is the previous discussion, viewtopic.php?f=20&t=23391&p=230291&hil ... ze#p230291 for reference.
Looking for a new trailer here are the questions (BTW truck was upgraded to Tundra 5.7 4x4).

What overall length should I be looking for?
Is there a guideline for how far the boat extends over the back of the bunks or rollers?
Rollers or bunks? Several people stated that the rollers are inappropriate for this boat.
Do I need brakes, overall weight is under 3000#, but will be real close loaded and adding trailer weight?

Trying to keep overall cost to $1500, preferably about $1000. Options on CL, most have rollers, some come with crappy boat. Also checking on Offerup, and boat yards (although they seem pricier).

Thanks for any tips or advise. Let me know if any additional details are needed.[img]

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Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 9:48 am**

When you find a trailer that you think might work, you can do a little research to verify it.

First, look at the data plate and check the gross weight capacity to see if it can handle the weight safely. It may or may not list the net weight, so you may have to guess on that. There will be a model number. Call the MFG and ask them about length/weight limits.

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 11:30 am**

Might be able to swing a deal on the trailer below. I believe it was listed 20 days ago, maybe giving you some bargaining power. Have not seen the trailer but based in the pictures it looks sound.

https://skagit.craigslist.org/boa/6148230709.html

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 12:22 pm**

As far as length - measure from the transom to the bow eye. You need the last set of rollers or the rear of the bunks, to line up pretty much perfectly with the transom. There is normally some room to adjust the bow position and sometimes the rollers and bunks. In any case, you will get at least a rough idea from measuring the distance from the bow eye point to the rear of the rollers/bunks if it can be adjusted to fit.

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 1:07 pm**

Thanks for the input, it gets hard to really tell much about many of the listed trailers as they give incomplete info about manufacturer and models. I have yet to see a picture of the spec plate that you can read anything from. Will have to pry more info from sellers that have good looking units.
I will measure tonight, it is a foot or two shorter than the overall length, but that should help find possible matches.

Seems like either bunks or rollers should work. I feel like the bunk would trap seawater and eventually lead to corrosion even though the boat is painted, but the rollers would have higher point loads due to smaller surface area.

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 1:35 pm**

There is a lot of debate back and forth about bunks vrs rollers. Ive seen too many old boats with dented hulls from sitting on rollers, so Im a bunks man. We replaced our carpets with plastic "slick" slide on covers. They dont trap water against the hull and make loading a lot easier.

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 1:44 pm**

We got ours locally thru one of the boat dealers - I forget where. They are similar to these, but more heavy duty.

http://www.caliberproductsinc.com/marin ... Retail.php

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 2:45 pm**

Thanks for the tips Larry, that looks like a good fix for carpet bunks.

Posted: **Wed Jun 14, 2017 8:14 pm**

If you google 'trailer bunk slicks' or covers or wraps, you will see that there are lots of options other than carpet. Most of them are to make the boat slide easier. They are also mostly smaller, individual sections of plastic 'slick' material. I didnt like the individual pieces because I want continuous support. They looked like they could cause the same issues rollers do - dents and sags due to point loads.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2017 9:07 am**

Excellent stuff Larry. I 'm going to take it one step further. Aluminum boats don't go on rollers period. They will dent your boat at every roller and loosen any rivets on the bottom. Just find one with bunks or get the hardware and switch them out. It's a pretty easy procedure, just make sure it's loaded to the mfg's specs. The UHMW slicks for the bunks are great.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2017 11:02 am**

Thanks for the additional input Bodo, luckily there does not appear to be dents yet as there is a rib running along the edge of the rollers giving extra support. Does sound like a bunk trailer with brakes (as I will be pushing 3000#'s loaded including trailer or is that not included in load?) is in my future. Good thought about swapping out roller for bunks, if I find the right trailer but it has rollers.

Posted: **Sat Jun 17, 2017 5:07 am**

Trailer weight is included in the calculation. It's how much weight is on the trailer wheels, including the wheels, and is known as Gross Combined Vehicle Weight. Also note the breakaway requirement applies as well.

RCW 46.37.340 - Braking Equipment Required:

(3) Brakes on all wheels. Every vehicle shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels except:
(a) Trailers, cargo extensions, semitrailers, or pole trailers of a gross weight not exceeding three thousand pounds, provided that:
(i) The total weight on and including the wheels of the trailer or trailers or cargo extension shall not exceed forty percent of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer or trailers; and
(ii) The combination of vehicles consisting of the towing vehicle and its total towed load, is capable of complying with the performance requirements of RCW 46.37.351

(4) Automatic trailer brake application upon breakaway. Every trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer equipped with air or vacuum actuated brakes and every trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer with a gross weight in excess of three thousand pounds, manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, shall be equipped with brakes acting on all wheels and of such character as to be applied automatically and promptly, and remain applied for at least fifteen minutes, upon breakaway from the towing vehicle.

If boat/trailer combo is less than 3,000lbs and does not have brakes then boat/trailer combo cannot exceed 40% of your tow vehicle weight.

An example, my son's '72 F250 4x4 has a scale weight of 5500lbs, max legal trailer weight without trailer brakes is 40% of that or 2200lbs. Don't know what year your Tundra is but a 2017 Tundra SR 4x4 double cab long box weighs 5600lbs. Your boat alone will be 40% of legal weight.

Posted: **Sat Jun 17, 2017 5:26 am**

My bunks (carpeted 2X4) were rotting so I changed them out for the plastic 'made for boats' bunks last year. I have not really noticed that they are any 'slicker' but I shouldn't have to change them again for as long as I own the trailer.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:17 am**

Thanks for all the input, but now trailer no longer necessary. Tried to take the boat out for first sea trial in lk. Wa, but motor would not start (started fine on hose at home), then the bilge pump kicked on and the boat was taking on a massive amount of water so never made it off the dock. Pulled the boat back out and the oil was full of water, not sure where the leak was coming from but boat that does not flat or run is not much good. Have to cut my losses at this point and find something that runs and floats.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 11:55 am**

I'm sorry to hear that. I can't remember the configuration, is it an IO? Sounds kind of like the bellows on an old IO went out and the boat filled up with water. The motor got filled through the exhausted system and into the combustion chamber through the valves. If that's the case, get the water and oil out and get it dried out and oil it up again. If you get right to it and didn't hydro lock it, you should be fine. Replace the bellows and or make her water tight, good to go. If the motors ok, it's a pretty small set back. I've seen it happen on quite a few older boats , in fact I've saved a few boats out where they shouldn't be leaking like that.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 12:40 pm**

Yes it is an I/O (mercruiser 140), I had already replaced exhaust bellows but could be a flapper valve (if this has one of those). The bellows on the linkage connection is starting to look old, but did not think that would let water in engine.
Bilge quickly filling up could be another issue, I have fixed any potential areas of leaks I could find so not sure where that could have been coming from unless seal around the outdrive has failed.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 1:00 pm**

Seal around the IO is a big one. They do go out especially if it been sitting. You can try filling the boat up with the hose and see where it comes out. Don't fill the engine.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 2:07 pm**

Tough call on your boat. The things wrong could be relatively easy and cheap compared to buying another "new" used boat - or not. You need to do a detailed survey and find out exactly whats going on to know for sure.

As far as it not running on the water when it runs well on the hose, thats usually because there is more back pressure on the exhaust when its in the water. The exhaust port is below the water line and it takes more effort to push it out. On the hose, there is no back pressure. The fix for that could be just turning up the idle a smidge.

If you got water in the engine though, you do need to address that asap before bearing and other important things start to rust or the engine will need a complete over haul.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 3:25 pm**

Thought the back pressure might have been the issue, but the large amount of water in oil and bilge seemed very concerning. I will dig a little more and at least get the watery oil out of there. Still turns over so no hydrolock yet. If I can at least ID the main issues it will help at least the next potential owner (or me). Since it still needs a floor and trailer, not sure I want to sink much more time or energy into this one. I know a boat is just a hull in the water where you throw money, but this one has just been a whole in my driveway where I throw away money, be nice to at least throw it in the water.

Posted: **Mon Jun 19, 2017 3:44 pm**

A floor in that boat is a few sheets of marine or exterior ply. Some good copper treatment a couple coats of varathane and maybe a little diy bedliner and you're good to go.

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