enclosed trailer

[B~C]

crazy thought of the week. I've often thought that some kind of a partially enclosed boat trailer would be damn fine thing. Anybody have any thoughts on such a creature?

I imagine it would be tougher to launch and load but it sure would be nice to have the boat protected from the elimates and securlly locked up.

[TyBoo]

Well, I still have to get a horse trailer. Maybe I can find a long one and we can shove your boat in it for a test. I won't make Tiff clean it out ahead of time, and it will launch real easy.

Nope - your crazy thought this week was to make your anchor rope more limber because the windlass might like it. The windlass don't care, but unless the rope is stiff enough to avoid coiling tightly, it piles up in a tall skinny heap in the center of the locker and comes back out all kinked up. You're screwed.

[Sea Wolf]

Ken-

This is a little different than a rigid trailer, but an interesting project nonetheless.

I made a portable covered frame for my trailer a few years ago.

Ran 2 1/2" PVC Schedule 40 tube down each side of the trailer from front to rear.

Drilled 1/2 inch vertical holes in the tube from front to rear about every 14 inches.

Took 20 1/2" PVC Schedule 40 tubes and inserted 1/2" dowels about 8" long in one end of each of them.

Put the dowels in the hole in the large pipe on one side of the trailer, then bent the pipe into a bow high enough to clear the boat and keep a plastic cover off of it.

Cut the other end of each 1/2" pipe off to the necessary indicated length and inserted another dowel in that end which was then put into the appropriate hole on the opposite side of the trailer.

Repeat for the rest of the bows. Makes a "covered wagon" frame tapered to the shape of the boat that will hold a plastic cover over but not on the boat so as to not rip the cover on the sharp corners of the boat, and to also prevent pooling of water or snow.

Of course, you'll have to stretch a plastic cover over the trailer, boat, and ribs. Secure with bungee cords to tension.

Makes a great and cheap covered housing for storing the boat outdoors and out of the sun, rain, and snow. Not strong enough for on road use, however.

Be sure to number the matching holes and ribs for easy removal and replacement, since the ones up front will be shorter than the ones to the middle and rear in gradually tapered lengths.

The 2 1/2" larger PVC tube is secured to the trailer frame and guide-ons with large U-bolts.

I added a 8" tube down one side of the trailer with removable end plugs in which to store all of the 1/2" ribs during transit.

This works great to store your boat in at a remote location for a few months or so during the summer when you don't want to drag it back and forth to a lake you fish at frequently. I used it at Eagle Lake in California one summer.

I don't use it much any more with a covered marina slip and an RV barn in which to store the boat.

I'll have to get some pictures of the set-up if anyone indicates interest. Will involve bringing the trailer home from friend's where it's stored and assembling it.

Fun, simple, doable project!

Joe.

[Chris Bulovsky]

Boat house on wheels? This would need to be huge to be of use. I think you need a cool boat shed like DaveS made.

I too need a solution for a place to keep my rig out of the sun , rain and snow.

Think I need to check out sea wolfs idea.



Christopher Bulovsky

[Sea Wolf]

I also had one of those portable canvas garages available from Costco that you see everywhere set up at Lake Amador along side my motorhome a few years back. Was great to back the boat into and leave it there until next week.

Added a lot of extra tie-downs, stakes, guy wires, etc., for windy conditions.

Big wind storm. 50-60 mph winds. Canvas garage in shreads, and 2" steel steel frame tubes look like tornado victums, twisted by Mother Nature!

The manufacturer says take it down in winds over 25....good advice!!!


Joe.

[Sea Wolf]

Ken-

Put boat on trailer codnnected to Charlie's Kubota tractor in 40 foot shipping container with slide out ramp (another DIY project).

Buy 18-wheeler to lug around container.

Back down ramp.

Slide out ramp, back tractor and boat out of container, and launch.

Don't forget to send out the monthly payments:

Container.......................................$300/month

18-wheeler....................................$2500/ month

Charlie's Tractor Rental.....................$350/month

Alimony paymentt to Ex-Admiral.....$3500/month

Total.............................................$6650/month

Nice idea you have, huh?

Joe.

[Salty Dog]

Not really such a crazy idea. Pace America brand trailers actually showed a cargo trailer in their brochure a few years ago that was equipped to haul a boat. They showed the boat driving into the trailer. Not sure how successful that was or if they still do it, but they tried to market it a little. I thought it was kind of crazy, but hey, what do I know.

Jack

[CatyMae n Steve]

I'm tryna get a grip on this one...who's backin it down and then gettin in that trailer to tie it on? Not me! you forgot the cost of a wet suit (I'm guessin more than the waders I use now) to get out in the water far enough to crawl into the trailer to secure the boat in the trailer...Ken, find another wish-for-the-week!

[B~C]

Mike, tying out that horse trailer would be a win-win kind of thing. I could see how hard it would be to launch in an enclosed trailer ++++ get a free bottom paint job.

Joe, cool creative idear on the covered wagon, something along those same lines that could be permanent may be slick.

As Jack says, it aint totally crazy, I've seen enclosed trailers for low slung bass boats....picture this, a Toyhauler type of trailer with a cradle for the boat that, at a push of a button, plops the boat out and into the water. It wouldn't be hard to rig up with a winch or hydraulics.......It will never happen around here, just scheming

Well heck CMnS, if I wasn't always schemin & dreaming I'd still be working at the Umatilla Co. Road Dept and and chasing bass in my little canoe

[Sea Wolf]

Ken-

I actually suggested once putting the boat and trailer on one of those sliding and tilting flat bed wreckers.

Basically all the launching gear would already be in place, plus you'd have a much shorter rig overall without a trailer.

Would be a lot easier to drive than a 50 foot long tow rig-trailer combo.

Might be a little tall.

Adding sides and a roof would complete your enclosed rig except for the tailgate.

Someone reading the post checked out the price for a used wrecker on ebay, however, and it was something in the $65k range, which makes the tow rig a little steep.

Maybe this type of a set up with some tall tires and a pair of sliding hull cradles would solve the launch problems of the TomCats?

Still think your idea is really basically sound and could be done by someone with some ingenuity, fabrication skills, and the right tools.

Do you have access to a welding or metal shop at the college?

Joe.

[CatyMae n Steve]

That uncleaned horse trailer idea gives a whole new meaning to the term "stinker." I'd get it patented immediately if I were you

[Larry H]

Anyone who has trailered in the desert areas knows about the sand and small rocks that fly up from the tow vehicle tires.

Other that mud flaps on the tow vehicle, I thought of filling in the forward vee portion of the trailer with plywood and making a ply 'bow'(slanted to match the boat) on the that same part of the trailer to protect the boat from road debris. Access to the bow eye for launching and hauling out would be the challenge.

[Knotty C]

Leave it to Ken to come up with an idea. You can tell you were without much to do today. Ken, did you ever come up with a set of plans or drawing of your flying bridge idea for your 22? What type of material were you thinking of using? What type of helm seat? And of course we would all be interested in what type of controls you would use. Do you have a simple drawing of the concept?

Sincerely,

Don

[B~C]

simple plans? simple drawing? no just a simple mind, hell I was just going to duct tape some partical board and a lawn chair to the roof. I'll just have some rope and pulleys running through the window to the controls below.

[gljjr]

Some of the Bass Pro's use the same trailers as the NASCAR guys do. They actually have 2 boats in them already on their trailers.

But you would also need the matching motor home to tow it...