transom strap question

[smokeonthewater]

To add... The wood hanging out isn't enough support for the same reason that the wood stringers in the boat NEED support in the first place.

Edit IMHO

 

[ondarvr]

You haven't supported your position with any facts, just "I don't think it's good". I guess the wood beams that support large buildings and bridges can't work either.

Not all trailers of this type use wood bunks, some use aluminum beams, does that make it better?

 

[bruceb58]

IMHO that boat needs to move forward a LOT and you need to saw off those bunks at the back of the trailer.

That is the way that trailer is designed. We went through this on the exact type trailer months ago.

Proline boats always seem to be on this type of trailer.

 

[littlerayray]

http://i57.tinypic.com/vebtyv.jpg[/IMG]

the reason I don't like this type of trailer is because the taillights are hard to see and are essentially buried under the boat this is almost a legal issue in ontario canada anything 3 feet or less hanging past the end of the bumper needs a red flag and anything over 3 feet needs a red light

 

[ondarvr]

Now that is something that could be a real concern, there are ways around it, but it is a very good point.

 

[littlerayray]

The bunks are wood bunks that are on edge they are structurally stronger on edge then the flat but there it is still wood that is cantilevered and without weight or bracing the unsupported ends can still twist warp and crown now if that's not a good argument for being against this type of trailer then I don't know what is

 

[bruceb58]

Just do a search for proline boats. You will see a lot of this type trailer.

http://boats.iboats.com/2011-pro-line-boats-pro-line-20-express-panama-city-beach-fl/1286772.html

 

[littlerayray]

That being said I'f I were you I would go and purchase a ratchet strap rated at 5000 lbs the 3 inch wide ones and go over the gun Wales at the stern hook it tie it right to the frame

 

[ondarvr]

The bunks are wood bunks that are on edge they are structurally stronger on edge then the flat but there it is still wood that is cantilevered and without weight or bracing the unsupported ends can still twist warp and crown now if that's not a good argument for being against this type of trailer then I don't know what is

The exact same thing can be said for an undersized support of any material, why do people assume it's undersized, or can't support the load. A normal trailer has the frame cantilevered back over the axle all the way to the back of the boat, why should we assume the engineer got the load rating correct on that, but not on this style?

And does replacing the wood with aluminum solve the distrust of wood issue and make it something you would feel comfortable with?

 

[ondarvr]

As for the strap, the mounting point only needs to be stronger than the strap, so mounting it to the bunk could work fine, I'm not saying it is in every circumstance, but it could easly be engineered to hold the load.

 

[smokeonthewater]

This really does get old... Of course metal trailer frames flex...
It doesn't matter if the frame flexes as long as the bunks are correctly spaced from it so as to preload the frame and apply equal support to the boat... I wouldn't want a trailer that had the boat resting directly on the frame either.

Talk about beams in houses is rediculous....
1: they are protected from the weather and certainly not immersed in water.
2: they DO flex and deform over time
3: most importantly if the wood beams in a house allow the center of of a floor or roof to sag 1/4" it won't be a big deal unless you have a pool table and don't level it but deform the bottom of a boat 1/4" and you could possibly end up with a boat that will never perform correctly again.

You have your OPINION and I have mine..... I brought it up to offer my opinion to the O/P and not to be ridiculed by you.... Feel free to put your boat on any trailer you like but how about instead of attacking my OPINION maybe in the future you could be satisfied with simply offering your own and we can agree to disagree.

You and I along with a couple others have derailed this thread so how bout we at least agree to let it get back on topic unless the O/P wants to know more about our opinions on the way his trailer is set up.

 

[bruceb58]

Thread got derailed from the get go with post #7!

Maybe the person who derailed it should stop!

 

[poconojoe]

First off, I would never trailer without stern straps.
All that boat and bunks hanging off the back of that trailer scare me. I realize the wood is on end, but wood is wood and can still warp over time after constant wetting.
On a boat that size I would run the straps from the stern eyes down under the boat and attach them to the trailer frame. It should prevent the boat from sliding off the trailer if something gives out at the bow eye. I wouldn't attach them to wooden bunks. The wood might flex too much and also may become weaker over time. Plus drilling a hole to attach an eye would weaken the wood.
Running a strap over the boat from one side to the other would only hold the boat down and would not prevent it from sliding back off the trailer. I would only do it this way if it were a small lightweight aluminum boat.

 

[NYBo]

If those bunks are through-bolted to the trailer frame, they could be used for transom straps, I suppose. But lag-bolted? No way. The places where the lag bolts are in the bunks would be very susceptible to rot, not to mention being relatively weak to begin with.

 

[littlerayray]

So are we a majority that agree he should figure out a way to go from the trailer frame to transom rather then drill through the bunks

 

[bruceb58]

It's a Magic Tilt trailer. Maybe call them up to see what they recommend:
http://www.magictilt.com/aluminum/item/201-als-series-tandem-axle

 

[SilverSS07]

The bunks are through bolted to the trailer. I measured the bunks and the wood is 3" x 8". They appear to have been replaced at some point. They are solid. The trailer is a 1989 according to the registration. I hadn't really noticed before but looking through Craigslist almost every boat around here 20' and longer has a trailer similar to this with the bunks being longer than the frame. None have transom straps either. I might give magic tilt a call but I've called them previously and they wouldn't tell me anything they just refer me to a local dealer. Maybe I'll see what they say- even though I'll bet they will tell me I don't need them lol.

 

[ondarvr]

Yes, they are common, I have friends with this type of trailer and I've heard no complaints. I would put straps on it just becuaes I would fell better about it, it would bother me to not use them.

 

[smokeonthewater]

You are required by law to secure your boat to your trailer... Straps are not optional

There is nothing at all from a safety standpoint wrong with strapping over the stern and to the trailer... Honestly it would be the safest easy option since you don't have anything solid below the transom to strap to.

Bruce I simply made a comment for the benefit of the O/P and then started defending myself... When I suggested that we ALL stop I was sincere and will not discuss the design of the trailer further unless the O/P requests it.... I have no problem with agree to disagree but I fail to see where there's anything wrong with my initial post on the subject.

 

[ondarvr]

I don't think there was anything wrong with your post, I only asked you to defend the idea that this trailer design is incorrect, or flawed. It looks odd at first only because it's not done in the traditional way, but I can't see any issues if the engineering is correct. If that beam was replaced by a 2x4 then yes, the execution of the design would be incorrect, but the design could still be fine. Some brands of this type of trailer use aluminum beams for bunks instead of wood, does that make it more acceptable to you?

Asking you to explain why you believe this design is wrong is not an attack, or an argument, I just like knowing the reasons behind opinions, sometimes they're valid with solid facts to back them up, other times they come from missunderstandings or old wives tales.