I am considering buying a trailer and pulling out the boat. I have never towed one before and am not sure what to look for in a trailer. I am seeking input about the trailers and the vehicles used to tow them. Thanks Tina
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Tow Vehicle
Tina, Make sure that your vehicle can tow 3,000 to 3,500 pounds. Get a trailer that will allow you to launch the boat with a short tongue on the trailer, rather than getting an extension on the trailer. Just two things to look out for. I launch mine all of the time without any trouble. Very easy to handle and launch. Good luck.
Tina, Make sure that your vehicle can tow 3,000 to 3,500 pounds. Get a trailer that will allow you to launch the boat with a short tongue on the trailer, rather than getting an extension on the trailer. Just two things to look out for. I launch mine all of the time without any trouble. Very easy to handle and launch. Good luck.
Trailering/Towing
Tina, ditto what Beau said, the vehicle doesn't matter as much as the owner's manual towing capacity, if it comes with 4/wheel or AWD and a limited slip differential all the better. Maybe look for a used trailer, much cheaper than new. I just got a Daysailer last year and I only trailer/tow to use it, if you plan to do this much, take some time on a quiet day whent he launch area is not busy and practice several times, especially watch out for over-head obstructions when choosing which launch ramp, one lake I go to near me has two ramps and one ramp has street flood light right above it - not mast friendly. Take your time and you will be fine.
Tina, ditto what Beau said, the vehicle doesn't matter as much as the owner's manual towing capacity, if it comes with 4/wheel or AWD and a limited slip differential all the better. Maybe look for a used trailer, much cheaper than new. I just got a Daysailer last year and I only trailer/tow to use it, if you plan to do this much, take some time on a quiet day whent he launch area is not busy and practice several times, especially watch out for over-head obstructions when choosing which launch ramp, one lake I go to near me has two ramps and one ramp has street flood light right above it - not mast friendly. Take your time and you will be fine.
Trailers
Hi Tina; I have a single axle trailer for my O'day 22. I presume that's the same boat that you have. A single axle trailer is OK for limited use (local pulls to the water) but not too good for long highway hauls. The 22 O'day with a motor can weigh around 2500 pounds or more. Add the trailer's weight and you have well over 1500 pounds on each tire. Tires can heat up fast with that much load on them. I use my trailer for simple short hauls at the end of each season. The trailer has flat wooden strakes molded to the 22's "flat" bottom. There are no rollers except at the bow. The 22 is nice to haul as she has no deep keel that needs you to sink your trailer in order to get the boat over it. Since the O'Day 22 has a "flat" bottom, a trailer with rollers might do. Perhaps other O'day owners can elaborate on this. Make sure your tow vehicle can pull 5000 pounds total hitch weight. The larger pickups and SUV's are quite capable. A 4 cylinder truck can haul my 22 and trailer around town OK, but only with limited speeds and distances. Happy trailer - sailing! Stu "Karakahl" 1979 O'Day 22 CB Centerport, NY
Hi Tina; I have a single axle trailer for my O'day 22. I presume that's the same boat that you have. A single axle trailer is OK for limited use (local pulls to the water) but not too good for long highway hauls. The 22 O'day with a motor can weigh around 2500 pounds or more. Add the trailer's weight and you have well over 1500 pounds on each tire. Tires can heat up fast with that much load on them. I use my trailer for simple short hauls at the end of each season. The trailer has flat wooden strakes molded to the 22's "flat" bottom. There are no rollers except at the bow. The 22 is nice to haul as she has no deep keel that needs you to sink your trailer in order to get the boat over it. Since the O'Day 22 has a "flat" bottom, a trailer with rollers might do. Perhaps other O'day owners can elaborate on this. Make sure your tow vehicle can pull 5000 pounds total hitch weight. The larger pickups and SUV's are quite capable. A 4 cylinder truck can haul my 22 and trailer around town OK, but only with limited speeds and distances. Happy trailer - sailing! Stu "Karakahl" 1979 O'Day 22 CB Centerport, NY
Single axle works fine for 22
Tina, I have an O'Day 222 and I use a single axle trailer to pull it. I had electric brakes put on the trailer a couple of years ago and feel much better about towing long distances. I've dragged it from Wisconsin to New York, Kentucky, Missouri, and also on quite a few short (100-200) mile trips around the state over the last few years. Make sure that you get trailer tires (I think mine are 8 ply) and you shouldn't have much trouble towing long distances. By the way, I have been told by "tire people" that getting the weight off the tires in the winter will greatly increase their longevity so I always put it up on blocks for winter storage. The tow vehicle I use is a Ford Expedition. I towed for a while with a Jeep Cherokee and it was a little underpowered. I could probably have made do with it if I had added a cooling fan for the transmission, but since I wanted to do quite a bit of longer distance towing, I opted for the bigger vehicle. As for the trailer, it initially had rollers. However, they were making indentations in the hull at the pressure points, so I had the rollers converted to bunks. It was actually a pretty easy conversion (my brother-in-law is a welder which helps). Anyhow, once you get the tongue-weight correct, it tows quite nicely. It's great to have a boat you can take places. We're already planning several trips this summer. Good luck! Dave s/v Hakuna Matatta
Tina, I have an O'Day 222 and I use a single axle trailer to pull it. I had electric brakes put on the trailer a couple of years ago and feel much better about towing long distances. I've dragged it from Wisconsin to New York, Kentucky, Missouri, and also on quite a few short (100-200) mile trips around the state over the last few years. Make sure that you get trailer tires (I think mine are 8 ply) and you shouldn't have much trouble towing long distances. By the way, I have been told by "tire people" that getting the weight off the tires in the winter will greatly increase their longevity so I always put it up on blocks for winter storage. The tow vehicle I use is a Ford Expedition. I towed for a while with a Jeep Cherokee and it was a little underpowered. I could probably have made do with it if I had added a cooling fan for the transmission, but since I wanted to do quite a bit of longer distance towing, I opted for the bigger vehicle. As for the trailer, it initially had rollers. However, they were making indentations in the hull at the pressure points, so I had the rollers converted to bunks. It was actually a pretty easy conversion (my brother-in-law is a welder which helps). Anyhow, once you get the tongue-weight correct, it tows quite nicely. It's great to have a boat you can take places. We're already planning several trips this summer. Good luck! Dave s/v Hakuna Matatta
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