Trailer advice - need trailer for 2001 Four Winns Horizon 180 Bowrider

[Gryph]

Hey guys,

So I've been on the hunt for a bowrider - serendipity lead me to find out that a family friends is selling their 2001 Horizon 180 18' bowrider - looks like 2500lbs therabouts (4.3 inboard). They don't have a trailer and I'm looking into what I need - will be used to trailer to my lake I'd say 150kms and then seasonally a few KMs to the marina for storage. Tow vehicle is 2013 Pathfinder rated at 5000lbs

Questions are: bunk vs. roller - does it matter? Do I need trailer brakes? How do I know if a trailer will work/fit the boat - are they all adjustable? Could I borrow my father in laws Mariah R18 Bowrider trailer to get it to my lake without adjusting?

Thanks

 

[JoshOnt]

First off you need the correct length and I personally like roller trailers the best. You will need to make sure the trailer can handle how wide your boat is at any point you think it might touch it. I would look at used trailers as they can't really be a bad buy if you use common sense.

 

[jkust]

My take is that roller trailers are the best invention since electricity (maybe a little dramatic but they are nice)...of course for a seasonal twice yearly tow it doesn't matter. Roller trailers turn every boat access into the perfect boat access when you trailer to a lot of lakes with differing ramp conditions and the suv never needs to even get the rear wheels close to the water. You could load and unload a boat in your front yard with a roller trailer if you really wanted to. a bowrider at 2500lbs is about average but a trailer can add 1000lbs to that and so for safety sake alone, regardless of what the law might be, brakes are great. If you have access to a trailer, I would absolutely compare the measurements of the trailer set up and the beam of the Four Winns...I'm betting it will fit fine.

 

[Gryph]

Thanks for the responses guys. Here I've been focusing on bunk trailers as I've read they're easier for novices.

Got a few options here. The first is cheapest, no brakes but apparently the guy had a big 19.5 footer on it. He's negotiable too. I feel for my use it may be all I need.
Boat trailer on Kijiji http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorboat/belleville/boat-trailer/1081841058

The second is ideal but twice and far and almost twice as much, small repair needed.

Shorlander Bunk trailer on Kijiji http://www.kijiji.ca/v-boat-parts-trailer-accessories/ottawa/shorlander-bunk-trailer/1082123507

I'm thinkin I may borrow my father in laws to get it to my lake. And pick up something like the first for winter storage/the few blocks to the marina from the launch seasonally.

How do I adjust the bunks? The boat will be in the water when I go to see it.

 

[fhhuber]

Bunk vs rollers...
The bunk won't ever dump the boat on a steep ramp if you un-clip the winch strap.
The roller you have to ensure that the winch strap is clipped until after the stern of the boat is in the water.

Just remember that if you go roller and you'll be fine.

Trailer brakes are a good idea but they can be a maintenance nightmare. If you launch in salt water you want to avoid the trailer brakes if you can.

The bigger the tow vehicle the bigger the boat before you must get brakes on the trailer. Too heavy a boat and no brakes and the trailer will tow your car into the lake.
Every vehicle has a tow rating and if you get into the manual it should have a recommendation of max weight before the trailer needs brakes to be (reasonably) safe on the road.

Adjusting bunks/rollers depends on the trailer. Some you just can't adjust them without going to a welding shop. Some have bolts and sliding adjusters. You jack and block the boat into position over the trailer and then bring the bunks/rollers up to meet the hull.
Of course... you have to ensure the bunks/rollers will hold the boat in alignment and they are on the right lines to support the hull at its strong points.

 

[Gryph]

Alright wish me luck guys, boat deal is going through and I've arranged to pick up this trailer http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorboat/belleville/boat-trailer/1081841058 tomorrow, with boat pick up Sunday. Really hope it works out, the seller assures me this trailer will work for an 18' bowrider and that it should be perfect, I suppose I'll see how the boat looks like it's going to be sitting when I pull over the trailer in the water and decide if any adjustments are needed/I need to bail on using this one.

 

[JimS123]

That trailer looks a little light weight for a 2500# bowrider. Also, my guess is that the boat fully loaded will be more like 3000#.

Be sure to look at the capacity plate, and the tire ratings, before you commit. If it is the proper size, all you may have to do is adjust the bunks up or down.

 

[Gryph]

I went to see it and the trailer was beefy and big wheels. No capacity plate visible. I ended up bailing as the guy with the Sea Ray trailer above emailed me and is willing to deal on price - more appropriate for the boat with 3100lbs rating, brakes, set up for 18' bowrider. A little farther and a little more $ but worth it in the long run, says all is well other than the one loose fender weld.

 

[Gryph]

Picked up the Sea Ray trailer tonight. Definitely beefier than that galvanized, it's a 3100lb load rating from an 2009 18' Sea Ray - hoping my four winns will just fit right in with the current bunk set up, I'll keep you posted.

 

[redneck joe]

you will most likely have to do some adjusting on the bunks, possibly width and height to make it fit 'perfectly'. To get it home you should be ok just avoid huge potholes.

 

[Gryph]

you will most likely have to do some adjusting on the bunks, possibly width and height to make it fit 'perfectly'. To get it home you should be ok just avoid huge potholes.

That's what I'm hoping. Another thing I noticed after buying and looking at the set up manuals for this trailer vs the one shore lander recommends for my boat is that they're almost the same but the OEM sea Ray one I bought has bunk brackets that don't adjust up and down like on the universals - I can just move them side to side along the V frame, not up and down in a given location. I suppose I could buy those brackets if I need them.

 

[redneck joe]

yeah they aren't too expensive, or might get luck and could just add wood.

I had to do a bunch of adjusting. Long boring thread but here is the part about the trailer. Pages 6 and 7 cover what I did.


http://tnfreebird.proboards.com/thread/21625/medium-boat-thread?page=6

 

[redneck joe]

BTW my advice is worth ten times what you paid for it. And I'm sure I did it all wrong.

 

[Gryph]

So much for the sellers weld fix of the fender that had rusted out. Halfway to the boat I stopped for gas and the fender was completely loose, I guess the wiring for the light held it on. Now the frame was rusted out at the bottom where the fender mounted as well, oddly only the right fender, scarily the part of the frame is right on either side of where the suspension welds to the frame - my friend is taking the trailer to be properly welded - just hoping there will be a sufficient strictural fix. I'm thinking this 2009 had to be used in saltwater which is rare near me (last minute the seller mentioned something about the PO taking it to the coast).