cradle yard trailer finished

[Don Crowther]

Here's a couple of pictures of the homemade trailer. I pulled the boat using this trailer this fall. It work well, the biggest thing is to make sure the pads don't move until the weight of the boat is on them. I can supply info to anyone who wants it on how I built this.

 

[Ray Bowles]

What size is your boat? Is it a 34 and how many pads do you have on it to support the boat? Thanks.
Ray

 

[Don Crowther]

Ray
It's a hunter 34
I've used the original cradle that came with the boat. It has 6 pads.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Don, That really simplifies building a trailer for a certain type of boat. Thanks, I'll pass it on to my friend as he is trying to come up with some type of trailer for his boat and a cradle is great.
Ray

 

[Don Crowther]

just let me know if he needs any info

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Good job Don.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Great idea, Don...

Are you sure that two axles/wheels weill support the H34's weight all-up?

 

[Don Crowther]

Are you sure that two axles/wheels weill support the H34's weight all-up?

I don't' think it will be an issue as the axle's are 7000 lbs each. And it's only going to be a yard trailer. From all I can find the all up weight is about 12,000

 

[Ron20324]

From all I can find the all up weight is about 12,000

Okay if it's only for yard use. My B32 is 13,000 on the travelift scales.

 

[Don Crowther]

I didn't use any springs as I wanted to keep the c of g as low as possible. I only have to move it about a half mile from the ramp to the winter parking lot. I have 16.5 rims 10 ply tires so they should be good for the load as well.

 

[Don Crowther]

Ron
Any idea on how the lift is plumbed to measure weight? Is it just a matter of putting a gauge into the hyd. line to measure pressure? We have a old lift that has no way of measuring the weight. If it was just a simple fix like adding a gauge to each ram we could do that.

 

[toddster]

Ron
Any idea on how the lift is plumbed to measure weight? Is it just a matter of putting a gauge into the hyd. line to measure pressure? We have a old lift that has no way of measuring the weight. If it was just a simple fix like adding a gauge to each ram we could do that.

I think it's something like that, but calibration might be a bear: At haul-out, one operator told me that my boat was 3000 lbs heavier than its book weight. When launching, a second operator told me that a 10,000 lb boat barely twitches the gauge, so the result is probably plus or minus a ton or two.

 

[StinkBug]

I didn't use any springs as I wanted to keep the c of g as low as possible.

Yikes, I hope you dont have to go up or down any driveways and that your tongue height is perfect on the truck. Springs aren't just for a soft ride, they also keep both axles sharing the load. With no springs or cantilevers to equalize the load between the axles any time you pitch up or down it's going to transfer the full load to one axle. I've seen many a bent axle from this exact scenario. With 12,000lbs on a 7000lb axle I wouldn't be surprised if you snapped a spindle off going over uneven ground.