trailer size weight for 20sf

[Bushwacker]

Although float-on trailers are very popular here, and I don't disagree with the extra stability of a tandem trailer and the low CG advantages of torsion axles and tiny wheels and tires, I'd like to offer an alternate and possibly cheaper and lower maintenance solution that's worked extremely well for me for nearly 30 years . . . a properly set up HD single axle roller trailer with powerwinch!

I bought the 4000 lb capacity single axle galvanized steel EZ Loader pictured below in 1985 for about $1800. It has a HD 6000 lb axle and the big 225-75D15 tires have a load capacity of 5080 lbs. As the second pic shows, that roller system has so little friction that I don't have to dunk the trailer to load or unload it, so I'm still running the original springs and I think I've only packed the bearings about 3 times since I've owned it! (I repack the bearings about every 10 years, whether needed or not!) With those big slow turning 27" diameter tires, the bearings only run about 170-200F when rolling down the road at 65 mph, well within the capability of the synthetic bearing grease I use. In addition to the original cost, I've added a PowerWinch, disk brakes, spare tire/wheel & mount, extra rollers on aft X-member, and I finally replaced the aft X-member last year for a little over $200 because the rust on it had gotten ugly although it was still over 1/8" thick. (The center of it is the only part of trailer that normally touches salt water.)

Unless you're just making trips of a few miles to the local ramp, there is much to be said for having some margin on load capacity! Small items of gear have an amazing way of accumulating to add a surprising amount of weight, so when I was preparing for a long cruising trip a few years ago I took the time to actually weigh a bunch of gear as I loaded it on the boat. See attached .PDF file for weight tally. Who would have believed my 1800# boat actually weighs over 4600 lbs when it's rolling down the road! I've towed it all over Florida in this configuration with zero problems, including numerous trips down the turnpike to the Keys. With nylon bushings on aluminum axles the roller system is virtually zero maintenance; with 24 rollers supporting about 3800 lbs, the average load per roller is less than 160 lbs, and you can wiggle each individual roller with the boat sitting on it, so I have no concern with local bearing stress/deflection on the hull. The only disadvantage with EZ Loader roller system is that it has so many degrees of freedom that, if the boat lists to one side in the water, it will tend to come on the trailer the same way! However that's easily corrected by properly adjusting the rollers, and my boat always loads consistently regardless of cross wind or cross current, on virtually any type of ramp.