I just bought my first sailboat- an 81 oday 25 cb- a couple of weeks ago and I have been sailing every chance I get ( still have until mid november before I have to leave the slip). I got a great deal on the boat but did not get a trailer with it. If I did have a trailer I would store the boat in my yard, but since I didnt I will have to find another way. There are three things I could do...1. dry dock the boat at the marina that its currently in-stonypoint,ny marina-and drive over about an hour to perform winter maintenance(i live in whitestone, queens near little neck bay) for $32 a ft, which is much cheaper than anywhere by me..or.. Icould..hire a boat transport company to transport the boat for about $250..and then store in my yard for free..but then I have to think about the spring where I will have to pay another $250 to get my boat from my house to the mooring..not to mention I will have to figure out how to unstep and then in the spring step the mast(this is my first sailboat and have no experience with this). My third option is search the internet like a madman for a trailer..what do you guys suggest? also does anybody know on average what a trailer goes for? Im a little handy but I dont think I could build my own..
newbie needs storage advice
- Thread starter digitek718
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In my experience of searching for trailers, most are custom made and cost several thousand dollars to have made. If you can, try and find a used trailer that will support the boat on craigslist and buy the popper jacks seperate, then find a reasonable welder shop to weld the jacks on the trailer to fit your boat.
This is the route I've considered for my O'Day, cost for a fin keel trailer have been quoted to me between $4000 - $8000 brand new with surge brakes. For that cost, I can deal with a transport company! Also, I'm sure if you shop around you'll be able to find someone who will transport your boat and step/de-step the mast at no additional cost. Good Luck!
This is the route I've considered for my O'Day, cost for a fin keel trailer have been quoted to me between $4000 - $8000 brand new with surge brakes. For that cost, I can deal with a transport company! Also, I'm sure if you shop around you'll be able to find someone who will transport your boat and step/de-step the mast at no additional cost. Good Luck!
Used trailer for your boat? Good luck
Start by reading all the posts with:
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=113139
Maybe go to Lake Ontario and see Uncle Bill's project.
Sailboat trailers do not last as long as the boats, especially if ever associiated with salt water. Modifying a trailer not made to handle the gross weight of your boat is wrong.
Modifying a trailer and making it a correct fit for your boat takes time, parts, tools, and maybe welding skills. Modifying trailers correctly is done all the time. That is how many small trailer places make their living.
Then there is buying a trailer. The cost of aluminum has skyrocketed in the last few years. And Aluminium beams need to be about twice as thick as steel. The steel trailers must, read must, be galvanized. Painting last about two years.
As pointed out new trailers for your boat made of galvanized steel would cost $4,000 to $5,000 plus. It would be tandem axle. It would have brakes on both axles.
One company that has measurements of your boat is:
http://www.triadtrailers.com/
From down payment to finish is 4 to 6 weeks depending on their schedule. Mr. Orro is available by phone to you for questions. They make one of the best trailers for sailboats. But then they charge for their trailers.
Another advantage of having a trailer available besides storage is in event of hurricanes or other disasters is being able to move the boat inland, say up to 'uncle Bill's'. Or vacation next year at Sodus Bay?
Does the quote given by the yard for stortage include stands?
Your boat is one that still fits on a trailer, but is kind of big to launch and retrieve. Having the yard to that may cost each fall and spring, but then they have equipment to do just that.
Many boats in your area are shrink wrapped. Just visit Lake George this time of year and see them wrapping boats like crazy.
Most of us use tarps.
Or you can just sail south and be a snow bird.
Ed K
26
Finding a serviceable used trailer is hard to do. There are several stories in the archives of this forum that make you think twice.
Start by reading all the posts with:
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=113139
Maybe go to Lake Ontario and see Uncle Bill's project.
Sailboat trailers do not last as long as the boats, especially if ever associiated with salt water. Modifying a trailer not made to handle the gross weight of your boat is wrong.
Modifying a trailer and making it a correct fit for your boat takes time, parts, tools, and maybe welding skills. Modifying trailers correctly is done all the time. That is how many small trailer places make their living.
Then there is buying a trailer. The cost of aluminum has skyrocketed in the last few years. And Aluminium beams need to be about twice as thick as steel. The steel trailers must, read must, be galvanized. Painting last about two years.
As pointed out new trailers for your boat made of galvanized steel would cost $4,000 to $5,000 plus. It would be tandem axle. It would have brakes on both axles.
One company that has measurements of your boat is:
http://www.triadtrailers.com/
From down payment to finish is 4 to 6 weeks depending on their schedule. Mr. Orro is available by phone to you for questions. They make one of the best trailers for sailboats. But then they charge for their trailers.
Another advantage of having a trailer available besides storage is in event of hurricanes or other disasters is being able to move the boat inland, say up to 'uncle Bill's'. Or vacation next year at Sodus Bay?
Does the quote given by the yard for stortage include stands?
Your boat is one that still fits on a trailer, but is kind of big to launch and retrieve. Having the yard to that may cost each fall and spring, but then they have equipment to do just that.
Many boats in your area are shrink wrapped. Just visit Lake George this time of year and see them wrapping boats like crazy.
Most of us use tarps.
Or you can just sail south and be a snow bird.
Ed K
26
Agreed.
When I said buy a used trailer, I should have specified. IF you are to buy a used trailer, you'll need a tandem axle trailer with surge brakes to hold the weight of the boat. Gross weight I believe on the O'Day 25 is right around 4,500lbs. Many of the trailers I've seen modified were flatbed trailers that someone welded the jacks to. If done right, you can save some money - if done wrong you can cause a lot of trouble!
www.triadtrailers.com is an excellent company to work with and they have great products, I have purchased several trailers from them - but any of these custom trailers are going to cost several several thousand to build. Then you have taxes, registration, maintenance, etc. You gotta ask yourself, is the boat worth as much as the trailer??
Like I said before, find a local yard or hauling company and build a relationship with them - they'll treat you right and should be able to meet your needs. In the long run, you'll probably save a lot of headaches, time, and even maybe some money. Another tip: Pay in cash, people appreciate that in this economy and I've found you can save a little bit when you just pay right up front.
do you have a vechicle that can pull the load? unless you have a full size truck or suv, most other vechicle's towing capacity are not over 3500 lbs. (even the lincoln town car is only rated at 1500 lbs.) much cheaper to store at the yard than buy money on a new vechicle with lower fuel mileage.
if you have a vechicle, you could always store it this year at the yard and spend some time over the next year finding a trailer.
if you have a vechicle, you could always store it this year at the yard and spend some time over the next year finding a trailer.
I have a nissan xterra with a towing capacity of 5000 lbs..which would probably be borderline..but I have decided that it will be easier to just leave it up the hudson this year and next year who knows..after reading some stuff on the web-some people actually sail there boat up the hudson every year from the long island sound just for the cheaper rates..so I guess I should be grateful that its up there already..the rates up there are $32 a foot..on the sound they are 40 and up(ridiculous)..I also do not want to start messing with the mast and rigging just yet..or cause some unneeded damage unstepping the mast..and not to mention every boat transport company that I called did not sound very confident or happy to get my business..and when I mentioned the mast..oh no we dont mess with the mast are the replies I got..anyway thanks for all the replies..now I have all winter to figure out which marina to get ripped off by in the spring on the infamous sound..bayside marina which is in little neck bay and 5 min from my house charges $55/ft for a mooring and you have to rent one of there moorings for an additional $250 (you cant bring your own)..thats gonna equal a whopping $1625 to moor my boat..and thats not including tax..I am probably going to pay it just for the convenience of the proximity to my house but that is highway robbery..
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