Pontoon Trailer - Bunk vs scissor

[Reg312]

20' Lowe pontoon. I have a bunk trailer for my pontoon that i use to transport to the lake in spring and home for winter storage. Unfortunatly my cabin is on low water. Deep enough to allow me to tilt my motor or troll to main water but to shallow to put boat in or our at end of weekend. So I have to moor it at my dock the whole season which obviously the algae LOVES. So I had and idea to get a sissor trailer to put it onto the shoreline and drop it to the ground. I can't find one for under $1500 in decent condition but found a great deal on a NON- SCISSOR trailer (I'll call it a frame trailer) that will fit between the toons but is low enough that will work in my low water cove. My question - is there extra stress on the pontoon frame on the frame trailer with the weight of the toons hanging freely?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Pontoon Trailer - Bunk vs scissor

My question - is there extra stress on the pontoon frame on the frame trailer with the weight of the toons hanging freely?

Not an issue... In my family, we have owned pontoons going back 30+ years. In that time we haven't owned a single bunk trailer that supported the tubes. (Not all were scissor trailers, some were just what you are talking about, bunk for the floor of the pontoon, not the tubes) Right now my 26' pontoon is resting happily on its scissor trailer for the winter, tubes up in the air.

If anything, the only thing that adds stress is when you drop it to the ground. Unless you have pontoon cradles, and the ground is 100% perfectly flat/level, you are adding stresses that the pontoon normally wouldn't see. Unless you have some extreme weird angles going on, its not going to be in issue. (In other words, there really is no reason to drop it on the ground unless you need to pull the trailer out.)

Only word of advice, scissor trailers aren't the best at going down the road. You do not want to tow on a windy day, and you want to keep your speed down.

 

[Reg312]

Re: Pontoon Trailer - Bunk vs scissor

Thank you sir. I don't plan to hi-way tow with it. Just to get it out of the water so I can clean the toons regularly. I was surprised how the algae build up throughout the season can effect the handling and speed of these barges.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Pontoon Trailer - Bunk vs scissor

Another tip, and I'm not sure why not a single pontoon mfg does this, is to add big rollers on the bottom of the pontoon. Right under the front edge, I've got some keel rollers. I can back the scissor trailer in until just the tips of the bunks are wet, and then just drive the pontoon right up. Otherwise you either have to have the trailer entirely under it, or try and slide it, which doesn't work well.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Pontoon Trailer - Bunk vs scissor

In my neck of the woods you can rent a scissor(sp) trailer for 35 to 50 bucks.
Can rent it alot for 1500 bucks. ??? just a thought.