Trailer conversion question

[dcartie]

Hoping for some help with my pwc trailer that we regularly tow to the lake (where the boat remains docked in the marina). I have a Karavan aluminum double pwc trailer and only one pwc right now. I thought of trading it for a single, but mine is more stable and easier to back up. I would like to convert to a single by moving the pads and by moving one of the parts (that holds the roler) to center the pwc...however it's not as easy as moving the bar over because of how karavan built the trailer. I almost need another bar to put horizontally or vertically to make it work. Anyone done this? Or anyone know of where I can buy the aftermarket bars to alter it? The hardware will be the easy part -Home Depot. The attached photo is a new karavan. They have a center bar that looks padded and is probably there as a walk through. I do not have this bar on my trailer but basically need a metal bar to be mounted exactly there and centered. I could then just turn each inside pad to make it work. Thanks in advance!

 

[bobdec]

I would sell the double and pick up a single for $100-200.00 less than a double. Converting will kill the extra resale value of the double, plus the cost to modify. Also the double is probably about 8 ft wide, the single would be a lot easier to store.

 

[smokeonthewater]

WHS plus if you advertise it on c/l as will trade for single and cash your phone will be blowing up....

Personally tho I think ur making a mistake... leave the single ski on one side and put a plastic tool box on the other to store life jackets n such.... or better yet keep ur eyes open for a second ski at a good price.

 

[oldjeep]

Why not just leave it loaded to one side? Does it handle poorly? I've never noticed a difference when I'm running only one snowmobile on the trailer.

 

[dcartie]

Actually these concerns everyone mentions is what I am thinking about. I do not notice many issues towing with one side loaded... But seems reasonable that it is not good for the trailer or towing to have such a weight distribution (it's a heavy rxp). And I do not want a permanent conversion...would like to add a metal aluminum bar to the center so I can simply turn the pads in the existing spots to center the pwc. And I thought about the single trailer, but would like to keep this for the better handling, and possibility of adding something to allow 1 or 2 kayaks

 

[dcartie]

Actually these concerns everyone mentions is what I am thinking about. I do not notice many issues towing with one side loaded... But seems reasonable that it is not good for the trailer or towing to have such a weight distribution (it's a heavy rxp). And I do not want a permanent conversion...would like to add a metal aluminum bar to the center so I can simply turn the pads in the existing spots to center the pwc. And I thought about the single trailer, but would like to keep this for the better handling, and possibility of adding something to allow 1 or 2 kayaks

 

[bobdec]

No Title

OK, understand.. I just took a look at my 2002 PWC Karavan double. Mine is steel and already has a center piece ( pic 1) running the same length as the two outer pieces that hold the two bow stops and winches. I mounted a carpeted 2 X 8 on top of the bar as a walkway for launch/retrieval. Your pic shows that you do not have the center piece (you called it a bar). I also measured mine I could just fit a set of center bunks (21 inches on center) to the existing V brackets (pic 2) . If you added the center bar, moved a set of bunks and one of the bow stop the middle bar you would have a wide single. It would be convertible back to a double. On mine the outer bars holding the stops are 1 1/2 X 3 and the center main is 3 X 3. Remember there could be a lot of stress on the bow stop/winch bar in an emergency (holding back 500 lbs of ski). Not sure if just bolting it or using U-brackets would be safe. Here are pics of mine for reference..

 

[dcartie]

Bobdec - Iooked again at my trailer (my pics won't upload) and I don't have the center bar (my trailer must be steel also) and I have 2 small pieces of welded metal pieces each with a bolt hole. The first would be under the front of your center bar, and the other under the rear of yours. Do u have these? Is your center bar welded or bolted to the frame? Is your center bar the same steel as the outer ones? I would simply move the winch over if I had your trailer (darn!) And since they stick out, I cannot simply slide the existing outer bar (with stop/winch) to the center because of these pieces. So what I did was move the outer bar just to the right of the welded pieces (so now it's just off center on the trailer, but darn close and would be safer for distance towing).....and if I turn the two inside bunks, I will only need to measure the distance from the old winch bar to the bunk mount, and drill new holes of the correct distance and bolt the reversed bunk mounts in the new holes. This way no extra hardware or permanent conversion will be necessary and could be reversed easily. (Am I making sense?). I did a dry run tonight and unfortunately I can't just turn the inside two bunks as is due to no pre drilled holes existing that far to the center of the trailer. Any thoughts? If this works I believe I could fashion some mind of simple mount for a kayak on either side, or a platform for storage boxes (that's a very low priority) I wish Karavan had some of this in mind when they designed these. I'm extremely happy with the stability and longevity of this one. Thanks for the tips! With this would let me upload pics

 

[smokeonthewater]

Just leave the ski where it is... you are trying to 'fix' a problem that doesn't exist

BTW I have the same trailer... I have pulled it with only one ski more than once.... can't figure out any need to center the ski