How to know if boat will fit trailer

[Vipercwf]

Recently bought a used boat its a 1989 Four Winns 235 Sundowner so its a 23.5ft boat. My buddy works at a scrap yard found me a trailer thats in working condition (not worried about the looks) and was for a 25ft aluminum boat. Its has the rollers (see attached pic). Any ideas if boat will fit this trailer or how do I find out if it will fit prior to buying it, do you need to take specific measurements or something? Sorry I'm so Naive have no familiarity with trailers not made for a specific boat and how to go about getting one.

 

[indy440]

Re: How to know if boat will fit trailer

those are some interesting looking homemade fenders.

As far as the fitment... i have no clue... Check for the rated weight of the axles and compare that to how much your boat weighs...

 

[nlain]

Re: How to know if boat will fit trailer

You can probably make it work, you will have to make some adjustments to have the rollers in the proper position on the boat hull, to have the weight properly distributed on the trailer and have the bow at the wench. So adjusting rollers and winch could make it work. I put a 16 foot boat on a 18 foot boat trailer and made it work fine.

 

[Stachi]

Re: How to know if boat will fit trailer

that winch stand looks questionable.....

 

[royal0014]

Re: How to know if boat will fit trailer

Check the axle rate of the trailer vs boat weight, and lots of measurements, lenght, beam, height. Make sure the boat will fit between those fenders, ie angle of the sides. Oh, and check all the rollers for free movement, would hate to drag the pretty off the boat

 

[HappierWet]

Re: How to know if boat will fit trailer

That appears to be a tandem axle trailer. Looks a lot like one my granddad has back in the early seventies.....including the wheel wells.
My first concern would be rust inside the channels.
If it doesn't look to rusty, there are other questions.....
How low can you fit the boat and still have fenderwell clearance?
How beatup are the rollers and their cradles, what's the hardware look like?
How good a price compared to something not out of a scrapyard? IE, cl, ebay or the sale ads in the paper.....

That winch pedestal is hacked, I would not trust leaning on it....much less pulling a boat.

Ultimately, if the weight is in range .....you either take the plunge and put the effort into resto and fitment or not.

Good Luck.

 

[Vipercwf]

Re: How to know if boat will fit trailer

Thank you all for the insight. I'm def concerned with the integrity of the trailer. The only reason I'm considering it is because we will not be using the trailer for any significant towing, no more than a couple miles at the end of the season for storage or to the mechanics house who lives about 4 miles away. Never going to have it on the highway or anything like that. I'm thinkin about just gettin it and see if it works because if it doesn't my friends brother is the owner of the yard and said if it doesn't work hell take it back and refund me. Thank you all again