Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

luckystreak

Cadet
Joined
Apr 1, 2009
Messages
9
Would anyone have any idea roughly the combined weight of a 14 foot fibreglass boat, a trailer made with 2 lengths of 7 1/2 metre 4mm box section and a 1973 50hp Johnson outboard engine?? Or if any one knows the weight of any of them individually that would help.

Thanks, Jo :D
 

NoKlu

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
786
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

There is no way of us knowing what it ways. Drag it to some scales and have it weighed.
 

lprizman

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
440
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

Jo, are you concerned with what you may be pulling it with?
As said previous, no way of telling you the weight,,,aproximating would almost foolish as well.
 

Wee Hooker

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 11, 2005
Messages
618
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

Agreed, take it to a scale if it's important to get it accurate. IF I were a guessing man, I'd vote 1050-1300# ( if she's not soaked to the core.).
 

lprizman

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
440
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

2200lbs or better,,to be sure,,check the tongue weight,,,:confused:
 

luckystreak

Cadet
Joined
Apr 1, 2009
Messages
9
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

ok guys thanks. I'm tryin to work out the weight as I'm building a trailer and don't know if I need to brake the trailer and also don't know which suspension to go for as don't know the weight :confused: Money is too tight to just go for the biggest.

Anything over 3/4 ton in England has to be braked

Got no way of getting the boat anywhere to weigh it :redface:

Is the weight for suspension units per axle or combined. For example when it says a unit is for 250kg, is that each one so you actually have 500kg or combined together??
 

180shabah

Rear Admiral
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
4,995
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

depends on who is selling the "unit"

If the "unit" is a single axle assembly, then yes the capacity is for that axle.

If the "unit" has two axles, you will need to clarify this witht the seller. They could be giving you two 250kg's or two 125kg's for a combined 250.
 

mrdancer

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
235
Re: Boat, engine and trailer weight combined. Need help??

Simple Math :D

1. First put the scale under the tongue with the boat pulled all the way up on the trailer. For example, the scale might read 225lbs so W1=225

2. scoot the boat back on the trailer EXACTLY 12" so 12=X

3. reweight the tongue. For example, it may now weigh 125lbs so W2=125

4. measure the distance in inches from the axle to the tip of the tongue. For example, it may be 160". so 160=C

5. Plug all 4 of your numbers into the equation. C(W1-W2)/X


For example, it might look like this... 160(225-125)/12

6. do the equation
a. first you subtract 125 from 225 which = 100 b. then you multiply 100 by 160 which= 16000 c. finally you divide 16000 by 12 which = 1333

So this boat weighs 1333 lbs.

Note that this gives you weight of the boat and motor and everything in the boat, including fuel, etc. It does NOT give you the weight of the trailer.

What if the tongue weight from your trailer is more than your household bathroom scale can weigh? Then build a contraption such as found on these webpages http://www.etrailer.com/faq-trailertowtips.aspx or http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/tongueweight.html
With a setup like that, you can weigh pretty much any trailer tongue weight with a bathroom scale.

The tongue weight should be around 10% of the total boat, motor and trailer weight, with a range of about 6-15%, depending on tow vehicle, etc.
 
Top