I am Planning on extra support front and rear. Is this a good idea?? Been done before? 10,000 lb trailer with trailer brakes cradle is all steel and in good shape ..trailering it 25 miles
Cradle + flatbed = sailboat trailer ????
- Thread starter SenecaDaze
- Start date
There are 3-4 boats at my club that are doing this exact thing. I'm not sure, but I don't think they use them at the boat ramp and instead take them to a facility that has a lift to launch.
Here is one that I built for our 41DS. We built the bottom from scratch to accept the factory cradle. Worked great. One thing to watch carefully is get the center of gravity over the axles.
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Thanks for replies ... I don't plan on using as a yard trailer or launching from trailer . this is for transporting to my home for a couple years. 25 miles one way
Seneca, no matter what you do with it make certain that axle rating is up to the full weight of the boat, the tongue weight is good and that the center of gravity is over the axles.
You have a flatbed trailer and want to place a cradle on top of it. Be careful on the loading and go slow. You will need to secure the cradel to the flatbed as I have seen the aftermath over the years as a dealer of the cradle sliding from movement hitting chuck holes or from braking. Not only securing the boat to the cradle, also secure the boat to the trailer. Many will simply put the straps over the boat and down. May I suggest that you lead the forward strap backwards and the rear strap forward somewhat to make sure the boat will not slide back or front.
If you have too much overhang in the rear assuming you are not wide load, you may be required to have a red flag or lights or both. Check with your state regs. Also make sure to carry all registrations and insurance card because you might find a new trooper out of trooper school trying to strut his stuff. Several times I had two cops who stopped my rig being driven by an employee who was racially discriminated. He had permits, registrations, insurance, title info, etc.. with him everytime. After the fourth I put a stop with to that when I got the attorney general after those two
If you have too much overhang in the rear assuming you are not wide load, you may be required to have a red flag or lights or both. Check with your state regs. Also make sure to carry all registrations and insurance card because you might find a new trooper out of trooper school trying to strut his stuff. Several times I had two cops who stopped my rig being driven by an employee who was racially discriminated. He had permits, registrations, insurance, title info, etc.. with him everytime. After the fourth I put a stop with to that when I got the attorney general after those two
What is the rating for each axle? That is different from what the rating is for the trailer. It's not just the physical weight that the axle will support, it's about the bearing size and load rating. I ask this because you state that it's moving 25 miles. If the axles are 1500lb units, they may well be too light.
Hey SenecaDave,
I went to college in Elmira and I did my Scuba Cert in Seneca lake in December, LOL! Anyway, lots of good advice already posted above. I think you will be fine. If your trailer is rated at 10K pounds (that is on the ID plate right?), then you must have 5K axles and springs. Most boat trailers I see for lighter boats (under 7K) use a pair of 3.5K axles, 7K total. An easy way to tell is if you have 6 lug wheels/hubs vs 5 lug. looking at the pic, although hard to tell without zooming, it does appear you have 6 lugs. Even if it turns out that you don't have the heavy axles I highly doubt your Ericson 25 is even close to that heavy, Sailboat Data has it at 5100. With the boat plus cradle plus any extra gear you'd be perfect with a set of 3500 pound axles and springs.
For securing the cradle to the trailer, just drill some 1/2" holes through the cradle frame and use 1/2" galvanized bolts and fender washers. Make sure you are securing to a cross member or main frame rail of the trailer frame and not just through the deck planks!
I went to college in Elmira and I did my Scuba Cert in Seneca lake in December, LOL! Anyway, lots of good advice already posted above. I think you will be fine. If your trailer is rated at 10K pounds (that is on the ID plate right?), then you must have 5K axles and springs. Most boat trailers I see for lighter boats (under 7K) use a pair of 3.5K axles, 7K total. An easy way to tell is if you have 6 lug wheels/hubs vs 5 lug. looking at the pic, although hard to tell without zooming, it does appear you have 6 lugs. Even if it turns out that you don't have the heavy axles I highly doubt your Ericson 25 is even close to that heavy, Sailboat Data has it at 5100. With the boat plus cradle plus any extra gear you'd be perfect with a set of 3500 pound axles and springs.
For securing the cradle to the trailer, just drill some 1/2" holes through the cradle frame and use 1/2" galvanized bolts and fender washers. Make sure you are securing to a cross member or main frame rail of the trailer frame and not just through the deck planks!
thanks for the good advice clouddiver..funny I saw the group up there that day ..
some women right? maybe you are one ?idk
so I just measured the trailer (have not purchased yet) trailer is heavy duty six lug and flatbed height is 24" that leaves me with about 11' and a few inches..anyone throw out a guesstamite of max legal height to travel down the highway..i know is 13' and some inches. I am going to try and google Ericson 25+ height from bottom of keel to pulpit with a mast on top of course..
And make sure you'll clear any bridges and power lines along your route. Hitting one would be ugly.
Correct... 13' 6" from the ground is the common max over the road height, from ground to top of load. For most 48 or 53 foot flatbeds this equals 8'6" above the trailer deck.
Max width without a wide load permit is typically 102 inches (8.5 feet), so you should be good there. Sailboatdata.com shows your beam at 8 feet.
Since you verified that you have 6 lug wheels/hubs then your axles/springs are a minimum of 3.5K each, but are more likely 5.2K or 6k each. Its worth checking, but you are good either way.
BTW, I graduated from E.C. in 2000, so its been about 15 years since I've been in the Finger Lakes region... And I am a dude, lol.
Max width without a wide load permit is typically 102 inches (8.5 feet), so you should be good there. Sailboatdata.com shows your beam at 8 feet.
Since you verified that you have 6 lug wheels/hubs then your axles/springs are a minimum of 3.5K each, but are more likely 5.2K or 6k each. Its worth checking, but you are good either way.
BTW, I graduated from E.C. in 2000, so its been about 15 years since I've been in the Finger Lakes region... And I am a dude, lol.
My bad thoughtyou said you were therein december....
Andmy boat has the 9'3" beam she's a fat girl
I'll need a special permit I think
If its 25 miles and you are not getting on the highway, you could get away with it. Check local DOT regs, for a wide load on a Non-big rig you might just need a wide load sign, you might need an escort vehicle, and you just might have to pay for the permit. If this is just a twice a year move for winter storage and back to the lake in the spring then it shouldn't be a big deal.
here is how she looks on the cradle, now picture this sitting on a flatbed trailer an extra 24" from ground....should I be concerned? top heavy?
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you have 2 foot less draft , yep I would haul that too..Meridian 25 Rochester New York, to Texas. Whole lot more than 25 miles
Just a thought on the matter. If you are going this route you can always have a pro do the haul on your trailer. They carry oversize permits anyway and you have the peace of mind that if something goes wrong they clean up the mess. I considered the same thing you are for my 27 and I would let someone else handle all the red tape. They will jump at a haul like this but get a reputable hauler. Check the route for tree limbs in advance. They don't pay attention to high load clearance requirements. In fact they can substantially cause some swerving to avoid them. Voice of experience after watching YOT go to the marina.