Trailering

K

KEN M.

New member
Bought my 2001 22 foot C-Dory from Cutter Marine in Essex, MD in 8/04. Keep it in Sea Isle City, New Jersey. I am not new to boating but I am inexperienced when it comes to towing a trailer. Had the trailer looked over by a professional and all is well - Have towed the boat and all feels fine - My question is:

For long distance trailering would I be better off with a dual axle trailer. I have an E-Z loader bunk and it is no big deal to launch and recover the boat. Any opinions will be appreciated.

Just disovered this web cite and I will visit frequently.

Ken
 
Ken- Welcome to the site and C-Brat group! Nice to have you aboard. Hope you enjoy your stay and find many rewarding ideas here!


As to the trailer question, many people prefer the tandem axle trailer for a variety of reasons, but before running out and changing the rig, you might try a "longer" trip and see how you like the one you have. What you mean by "longer"? 250 miles? 2000 miles?

The tandem trailer generally tows better on longer trips. It tracks truer and sways less, , it pitches less and rides over rough roads better, it distributes tire wear over a larger surface area, and, most importantly, is MUCH SAFER IN A FREEWAY SPEED BLOWOUT. Additionally, after a flat or blowout, you can usually proceed forward enough to get to an off ramp or at least a safe area. There are additional advantages, but you get the idea!

The principal advantages of the single axle trailer are that it costs less initially and maneuvers better in tight parking situations where the tandem trailer squeals its tires because of the dual pivot points.

If you were asking about which one to buy from scratch, I'd not hesitate to tell you to go the tandem route. But depending on how far you're going to trail and how frequently, the trade-in / new purchase may be more or less attractive and cost effective.

Another factor in all of this is the tow vehicle you're using. The advantages and disadvantages stay the same, but the bigger, stronger, and more adequate your tow vehicle, the less the trailer's deficiencies seem threatening.


Tell us a little moe about yourself and your prospective adventures and we can discuss it further if you like. Hope to hear from you soon! Joe.
 
Ken- Allow me to add my welcome and ditto to Joe's comments. I also purchased a 22 cruiser from Cutter and towed 2500 miles over 16 outings this season. The tandem trailer does track well behind my 3/4 ton pickup. I like the added margin of safety with the extra set of wheels. Only additional disadvantage not yet mentioned is twice the bearing and tire maintenance. I've had one inside seal leaking since the trailer was new. With two more wheels comes additional opportunity for problems. For how I use my boat I am pleased with the tandem trailer.
Mike 'Levity'
 
Great, another Ken...welcome to the pub.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over towing long distances with a single axle trailer. The trailer is rated to handle the load and with proper care and feeding won't let you down.
Each trailer has it's advantages and disadvantages, in addition to those already mentioned, the single axle trailer offers less rolling resistance due to sidewall flexing which results in better gas mileage. An unmentioned plus for the tandem axle is that I would assume that the boat would ride lower and would not require you to back as far into the water.
I have a single axle that I tow with a F150 all over the Northwest. Freeways, two laners, gravel, up and down and all around and have no complaints.
 
I got the single axle trailer as part of Cutter's basic package, and haven't had any problems. I would probably have to flip a coin between single and double axle if I had it to do all over again.

I would urge you to carefully check your weight and weight distribution, though. Cutter's assurances as to the tongue weight were well meaning, and well off. The tongue was overloaded, and the trailering experience left a lot to be desired. I finally discovered the error, and corrected it myself. Now, it pulls like a charm.

Let me know if you have any problems, and I'll write up the procedure I followed.
 
For what my 2 cents is worth, when I was considering a tandem or single axle, I was pointed to the single for many of the reasons already mentioned: easier manueverability - easier to pivot on two wheels than four. This has worked for me since I have a font hitch to push my 22 into tight spots. With 4 wheels, my understanding is that some of the wheels are dragged. Also, wear on hubs and tires. Since tandems have four wheels, they are smaller tires. They turn faster when towing and are more prone to wear-and replacement. Again, 4 times the hub maintenance. My dual wheels are 15". And what about braking? Are the brakes on a tandem on all four wheels, or just two? If its only two, then does this effect stopping power? Some of you more knowledgable individuals can answer that.

I am now pulling with a 2004 Ford F150 5.6L 4WD. I have a Loadmaster aluminum trailer rated at 5600 lbs. It tows straight with no sway. It does sit high, but I just back down a little deeper when launching. No big deal. Should I be sorry that I didn't opt for disc brakes? Some say drums are just fine. I bought the trailer new, delivered for $2900. I thought this was a GREAT deal. I have not regretted my decision.

John
Swee Pea
 
Ken, Congratulations on your new boat. We towed our 22' Cruiser up to Nova Scotia and back this summer (about 1500 miles) on a single-axle trailer and had no major problems. About 50 miles from home, we had a flat on the one of the trailer tires and it was no big deal. Pulled onto the shoulder and changed the tire and was back on the road. This may be stating the obvious, but you've got to be sure that (1) you have a spare; (2) you have a lug wrench that fits your trailer lug nuts; and (3) you have a jack that will work under the trailer. For the latter, I use a small hydraulic jack that you can pick up at any autoparts store or Wal-Mart. One other note from my experience: If you launch and retrieve frequently, you will eventually have problems with your tail lights. "Submersible" is a bit of an exaggeration, and water will creep in there. I got tired of replacing them, and now I just use a home-made light bar that I attach to the back of the boat with suction cups and straps when I trailer on the road. All the best,
 
Swee Pea":3avp9rc5 said:
And what about braking? Are the brakes on a tandem on all four wheels, or just two?
John
Swee Pea
Click to expand...

My tandem axle trailer has disc brakes on all 4 wheels. It is a King Trailer which is manufactured just down the road from me in Marysville, Washington. Washington State law requires brakes on all wheels. (I believe that some states are not that stringent and allow brakes on only two wheels). Therefore it would behoove a prospective customer to research the laws of their state.
 
Ken,
All of my boats have been on single axle trailers and I have never experienced any problems with them. Tom on Otter has good advice; I would add to be sure the jack will fit under your axle with a flat tire. The axle will be quite a bit lower when the tire is flat! Depending on roadside conditions you may also need a small piece of wood under the jack (in very soft ground).
 
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