Trailer and Hitch to tow a small boat

MurrayM · May 2, 2019

Todd R said:
This is what I bought for a 12' Row boat: Aluminum Trailers, enclosed car trailers, multi carrier boat carriers, utility trailers - Trailex, Inc.

Very Light. Assembled at home.
Todd

Where you live must be flat...you'd get a hearty workout here!

Alaskaflyer · May 2, 2019

jleonard said:
I have installed 2 Drawtite hitches and they both fit perfectly and the instructions were right on the money.

When I had a small trailer for my RIB, I added two of those plastic orange marker sticks that they use on snowplows because I could not see the trailer when driving as it was hidden from view.

Anyone handy with tools should be able to install one, having a torque wrench to tighten things to spec would be safest but I’m guessing most people don’t bother.

Bike flags work great too. Use scissors to trim the flags to a much smaller triangle for better wind resistance for highway speeds.

JLD · May 3, 2019

It probably goes without saying, but make sure that the grease that you are using for the trailer bearings is a marine wheel bearing grease!

Jim

Tamrow · May 4, 2019

Todd R said:
This is what I bought for a 12' Row boat: Aluminum Trailers, enclosed car trailers, multi carrier boat carriers, utility trailers - Trailex, Inc.

Very Light. Assembled at home.

View attachment 88120

Todd

Todd, is that a 12 foot Little River Marine Heritage? I have the 18 foot with a single sliding seat rower, same color. I wish I lived close enough to a ramp to use that bicycle trailer setup.

Todd R · May 4, 2019

Tamrow said:
Todd, is that a 12 foot Little River Marine Heritage? I have the 18 foot with a single sliding seat rower, same color. I wish I lived close enough to a ramp to use that bicycle trailer setup.

Good eye! Yes it's the 12'. I get more of a workout towing to the marina than I do rowing. (and it's less than 1/2 a mile) :rofl:

The Trailex trailer is rated for 220 lbs, but they make larger ones. Highly recommend.

Todd

Group9 · May 9, 2019

Action said:
For the use you have described, get a greaseable bearing protector. Bearing buddy is the industry leader. https://www.bearingbuddy.com/ I can not tell from the picture if the trailer hubs have these protectors on the hub end.

This is the reason why …... trailer the boat to the water. Back trailer in and put boat in water. Pull trailer out and store. The bearings were very warm from the tow and you dropped it into relatively cold water. Inside the hub everything contracts and maybe pulling in water. Then you park the trailer for a long period and that water has the opportunity to do a chemistry project on your bearings. With a bearing protector, there is a seal with spring tension at the hub end. The spring will move out and back in with the temp changes keeping grease in and water out.

To put grease in there initially with the bearing protector is a Goldilocks thing. You want enough grease in there so the spring against the seal has something to work with. But not too much that when things heat up the grease pushes out the rear seal or pops the bearing protector off when towing.

This will give long life to the trailer bearings in a not so nice environment. There are better things to do in life than replace bearings and races that have pitted and then ruined because water got inside.

Yep, I always put Bearing Buddies on any trailer that's going in the water. The number one failure in boat trailers are the hubs, and usually due to water intrusion. Bearing Buddy is the best protection there is from that.

Trailer and Hitch to tow a small boat

MurrayM

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Alaskaflyer

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JLD

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Tamrow

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Todd R

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Group9

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