Need a guess on pontoon weight

[lfreng]

I have a 1980 Kennedy 24 ft Toon (20 ft long deck), 25 hp motor, 3/4 plywood decking, no furniture (just railings). Building a bunk trailer for it to get it on shore for the winter. Need to get a big enough axle to handle it. Looking for a guess to the weight of it... I am thinking around 1500-1700 but wanted a second opinion.

 

[Scott Danforth]

2 come alongs, 2 2 x 12's and a truck and you can get it on shore without a traielr.

1790# per NADA

 

[lfreng]

Thanks Scott! This is going to be a yearly in and out on a lake that varies quite a bit in level come spring melt due to it being a river fed lake. Want to be able to move it quite a bit on shore with out mucking around a lot.

 

[Scott Danforth]

just giving you options. I personally would buy a used cheap scissors trailer and charge people to remove their pontoon and place it on blocks in their drive or along their garage.

 

[Reel Kahuna]

One 2500# single axle and springs will be sufficient.

 

[bruceb58]

One 2500# single axle and springs will be sufficient.

That would be pushing it. If the boat weighs 1790 and the trailer weighs 500, you only have a few hundred lbs left for engine, fuel and gear. That is of course you want to actually trailer it somewhere.

 

[Silver Eagle]

One 2500# single axle and springs will be sufficient.

If you ever take the trailer on the road you have to have duel axels.Any pontoon boat over 20ft, it's a law. Forget scissor trailers,get a bunk trailer with brakes on the front.Mine is a 24fter and I have dual axels and brakes and no problems ever. 10 inch wheels .

 

[bruceb58]

If you ever take the trailer on the road you have to have duel axels.Any pontoon boat over 20ft, it's a law.

I looked at many 22' pontoons that were on singles. I wouldn't want one but they are very common.

http://www.trailersforpontoons.com/satrailers.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-suntrac...6c6fe7&vxp=mtr

 

[ahicks]

If you're building something that's not going to spend much/any time on the road, what about converting a conventional boat trailer? Sometimes those are available for near nothing. Might provide quite a head start for you if building from scratch.

 

[lmuss53]

I've seen dozens of over 20 foot pontoons on single axle trailers. Those old Hoosier single axle drop/scissor trailers are everywhere with a 24 footer on them.

Everyone bad mouths the scissor trailers, but my first pontoon was a Manitou 24 footer on a two axle Hoosier. I hauled that sucker all over PA and Ohio never knowing what a terrible trailer that was supposed to be and never had one single problem with it.

I traded the old Manitou in 1995 and the dealer jerked the boat off the double axle trailer and stuck it on a single axle Hoosier. He is still using the dual axle trailer to haul out 'toons every fall.

I think Scott's suggestion to find an old drop trailer is a good one, especially if you are just going to pull the boat and move it around a few miles.

 

[Jeep Man]

If it's just for putting it in and pulling it out maybe you can do what I did. I bought a stripped down rolling frame from an RV trailer. They are plentiful and cheap. ($200). Came complete with 2 3500 lb axles, brakes, tires, tongue, and lights. Adding bunks was easy and cheap. Worked great for 5 years but I decided to hit the road this year a bit and sprung for a new Hoosier bunk.

 

[HotTommy]

If you ever take the trailer on the road you have to have duel axels.Any pontoon boat over 20ft, it's a law.

No doubt Silver Eagle can point us to the website where that law is described for the OP's particular state. I'll be waiting.

 

[bruceb58]

No doubt Silver Eagle can point us to the website where that law is described for the OP's particular state. I'll be waiting.

Yeah....me too.

 

[ahicks]

I'm calling BS on any single axle law....

 

[Scott Danforth]

yes, everyone bad mouths scissor trailers, and if I was hauling a 'toon 300 miles, I would want a bunk trailer.

however my friends FUGLY looking crappy yellow painted $200 scissor trailer (price 15 years ago). makes a minimum of $600 every spring and $600 every fall taking 'toons in and out of a lake in Wisconsin every year placing them on and off blocking in peoples yards and drives. by my math that trailer is gleaming polished 24k gold.

no-one wants scissor trailers because they are a bit unstable at highway speeds, look like an erector set on steroids, and usually rusty as heck - just plain ugly eyesores. However they are dirt cheap, you can unload the 'toon anywhere

you missed the main point why I suggest a scissor trailer - to not only get the OP's pontoon out of the water, however to also make boat money on the side.

 

[lmuss53]

I agree with what you said Scott, except I found my Hoosier tubular framed tandem axle scissor trailer to be very stable on the hiway. I towed from central PA, 100 miles to Pittsburgh on these old cattle trails that pass for roads in PA and never had a bit of trouble. I went into a long sweeping right hand turn way too fast one rainy evening and really expected to have a disaster on my hands, by the grace of God my old Chevy pickup stuck to the road and that old Hoosier stuck right behind it. I never listened to a single bad thing anyone said about a drop trailer again. I don't have one now, but I'd trade my bunk trailer for one in a heartbeat if someone wants to get rid of one.

First thing I'd do is drop my boat in the yard and advertise to pull people out for $75 flat and $1.50 a mile.

 

[ahicks]

Bought our boat(used) and scissor trailer (new) in Mi, then pulled it to Fl. without issue. I've never had/used anything but a scissor trailer since we started with the toons back in the 70's. Recommend them for anyone comfortable towing. If you're new, or a nervous nellie type, bunk type trailers were made just for you! That said, not being a great welder, if I were going to scab something together for infrequent in and out use, it would be a bunk type.

 

[Silver Eagle]

No doubt Silver Eagle can point us to the website where that law is described for the OP's particular state. I'll be waiting.

Why don't you take a Coast Guard approved course on boat safety ,Seems like you need it They can tell you want you need to know.

 

[bruceb58]

Why don't you take a Coast Guard approved course on boat safety ,Seems like you need it They can tell you want you need to know.

I am still waiting for the website link to the law.

 

[Silver Eagle]

If you ever take the trailer on the road you have to have duel axels.Any pontoon boat over 20ft, it's a law. Forget scissor trailers,get a bunk trailer with brakes on the front.Mine is a 24fter and I have dual axels and brakes and no problems ever. 10 inch wheels .

For you cry babby's who know everything about boating try taking a Coast Guard course,you may learn something about boats and trailers and all the good stuff And then you can ask the dumb questions that you think you know as the truth.