Safety Notice - Trailer brakes

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks all for the very useful comment and feedback on trailers, braked or otherwise.

I will now definitely be doing my own thing re sourcing a trailer for my shiny new BC23, and am actively researching manufacturers. One that has stuck out amidst the rest is this one:

http://www.degraafftrailers.co.uk/sb1500-boat-trailer.htm

Twin swinging arms, looks like plenty of support with 32 rollers and designed for launching/recovery in shallow water and slips.

I'd appreciate any comment/thoughts on this one, or similar. But I will be physically going round to see the manufacturers with a list of the issues bought up on our forum and confront them with it!

The Bramber/SBS/Indispension rollerglide models are all pretty similar and are still an option to consider if anyone has any of these makes?


I agree with Simon, the annual rising of the Swallow Boats clan at Rutland (despite the earthquakes!*) could turn into a trailer fest - with none of us getting off the slip as we each launch and recover to an admiring audience ....maybe a scoring system ala figure skating..?  Maybe not!


Simon.

May I make so bold as to ask if I may have just a tiny little play on your BC23 at some time during the event? Under strict supervision of course. I would love to hear of any foibles/issues you have experienced in sailing her, or what you now would do better or differently, with the benefit of hind sight?

In return I have an open tube of Plastic Padding white gel coat repair gunk that we can use to fix the scratches in your gel coat that were dastardly injured by your recalcitrant trailer!


Thanks

Andy

* If you weren't aware a 3.2 magnitude earth quake hit Rutland early yesterday morning..!

[Andy Dingle]

Just noticed that the trailer I quoted in my post above is for boats up to 21 foot, not 23..  damn!

It seems their next higher option takes me into the twin axle bracket and I really do not want to go there.. not at the light weight of the BC23
Maybe speak to them to see if the single axle version can be modified to fit a 23 footer..?

This trailer lark is something of a minefield!

Andy

Ps I just bought a cracking catapult. Karen thinks I am regressing ...

[Ian Cowie]

It is possible to have your trailer tailor made by manufacturers. I bought my Drascombe Coaster trailer through Churchouse Boats for approx £2000. You do not have to buy an off the shelf one size fits all trailer.

Ian Cowie
"Moksha"

[Simon Reeve]

Andy,

You are very welcome to have a sail on Anam Cara and thanks for the offer of the gel coat, that's great.

Simon

[Andy Dingle]

Many thanks Simon, I look forward to that very much - the sailing that is, not the gel coat repair!

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks Ian - I did know that Church House did build trailers (or have them built for them?), it is interesting I think that a boat builder takes a genuine interest in the trailers they provide for their boats.
They are very well spoken about - and not only by drascombe owners, I know that Cape Cutter 19 owners rate these trailers very highly.

I certainly will be contacting them to discuss my requirements.


I've just come across the new EU legislation regarding trailers. From the little I have gleaned it seems that MOT style annual testing may (will?) be coming into effect for boat trailers after Oct 2014, probably for trailers built/supplied after that date ?. (And not a bad thing in my opinion).
Something I will be looking at more closely as and when I get the time... or if anyone else wants to research this and let us know?! No?..  didn't think so!

[Julian Swindell]

Interesting discussions. One of the major attractions of the BC20 to me was that it was light enough to not need a braked trailer. I had a braked one for my previous boat. a 16 ft Winkle Brig, which weighed considerably more than a 20 ft Baycruiser. The only problems I ever had with the boat were with the trailer brakes. They seized every year, regardless of what precautions I took. So brake-free was at the top of my list of essentials.

I also discovered the ideal way to recover a BC20 onto the trailer at the English RAID in 2012. Ask Andrew Wolstenholm to hold onto your boat whilst you back your car down the slip. He and Colin Henwood will then hook you on and crank your boat onto the trailer without you having to raise a finger! Mind you, I think there was a bit of industrial espionage involved. Andrew wanted to know just how easy it was to recover a Swallowboat. Kite needs a fairly heft, braked trailer...

[Blue Steve]

I am thinking of buying a BR20 or BRe or even a BC, but has anyone actually weighed their boat fully loaded on the trailer and can confirm they are within legal towing weight of unbraked trailer at 750kg.

Thank you.

[Julian Swindell]

Matt weighed my BC20 with a load cell just before I towed it home. 451kg. He was gutted as it should have been 450! So provided the engine, trailer and my junk add up to less than 299kg, I should be within the 750 unbraked limit.

[jonno]

Steve

Yes, I weighed my grp BR20 on its CLH trailer prior to towing to the Semaine du Golfe last year.  Over 750kg.  I moved stuff out of the boat and into the tow vehicle, getting the all up weight down to 740kg.  Sensibly, I made a note of what remained in the boat.

I lost the note.

From memory, in the boat were all rigging and sails, fenders, lines, Suzuki 2hp outboard.  Not trailed were the anchor, chain and warp, the trailer's spare wheel, the petrol can, the trailer wheel security clamp.

So yes, you can get within the limit.  But you can't use the boat as a space for luggage.

Or shouldn't I have used a commercial weighbridge?  Are they insufficiently accurate/reliable?

Jonno

[Blue Steve]

Thanks Julian, did the 451kg include all spars, sails, rudder, anchor, warps and oars?

I was speaking to CLH. They say their trailer weighs 220kg excluding spare wheel, which weighs in at 10kg, outboards normally 30kg. So that would only leave me 39kg for my junk?

In fact it is worse for me as my car's kerb weight is 1460kg givng a max unbraked trailer 730kg.

Looks like it is a bit close for my car?

[Blue Steve]

Steve

Yes, I weighed my grp BR20 on its CLH trailer prior to towing to the Semaine du Golfe last year.  Over 750kg.  I moved stuff out of the boat and into the tow vehicle, getting the all up weight down to 740kg.  Sensibly, I made a note of what remained in the boat.

I lost the note.

From memory, in the boat were all rigging and sails, fenders, lines, Suzuki 2hp outboard.  Not trailed were the anchor, chain and warp, the trailer's spare wheel, the petrol can, the trailer wheel security clamp."

Thanks Junno, that is really useful. I am happy with a weighbridge as that is what VOSA would use. I understand if you are overweight they impound the trailer and car on the spot!

I only have 730kg limit so it would be really close for me. Only option take out the outboard 13kg would just get me in.

From your figures it could be really close for a BRe?

[John Perry]

The weight question is an interesting topic. My 'experience' is all paper and chat at the moment as I have yet to take delivery of my BRe. Nevertheless, the story I am getting is that boat + sails + rigging + trailer comes very close to 750kg. Leaving no room for outboard and clobber. I have talked with Matt and have decided a braked trailer is the only way to go, which is not exactly what I wanted to do, but the numbers would seem to indicate an all-up trailer weight of greater than 750kg would be very easy to 'achieve' and I didn't want the palaver of removing the outboard and putting it in the back of the car every time. Nor the worry of am I over or am I OK?

I am still hanging-on to the hope that launch and retrieval will be straight forward and practical for those of us that aren't olympic weight lifters… You're beginning to worry me with this thread!

[PeterDT]

John, no need to worry about physical strength when you have a BRe and a braked CLH trailer. At least, i have the same combination and getting the boat on the trailer is really easy. I just pull the boat to the first rollers, standing on the frame of the trailer. Keeping the line taught, i stroll leasurely over the frame to the winch. Tighten the rope with the winch and start winching. Make sure that the keel is on the middle rollers and keep on winching. Nice and easy. Only the tires get wet, not the wheel hubs. And your shoes stay dry too.
Drive home with the gratifying thought that the trailer will not overtake you when you have to brake suddenly.
As with the seizing of brakes, i only have the trailer since last year. No problems yet. We will see.

Peter
BRe 7

[Jonathan Stuart]

Given that it has become apparent that a BRe and trailer can be close to the weight limit for unbraked trailers I weighed my last weekend.The boat, trailer and sailing rig was 740kg. That's on a weighbridge that measures in 20kg increments so the actual weight is somewhere between 730kg and 749kg. To know if I'm legal with my 13kg outboard I need a more accurate weighbridge, but even then I will be very close to the limit so a braked trailer would be more appropriate.

John - I've never had a problem with launch / recovery and it is nice and easy for a boat of this size.