DaySailer.org Forum

Hello, all. New here, great site! I have the chance to pick up a very nice DS1 Spindrift, problem is the trailer is shot. I have a small trailer for my Saroca, it is has bunks and seems a little on the small side for the DS1. I believe the DS1 weighs about 500 lbs, the Saroca while 16 ft long only weighs 150. Does anyone know what the recommended width for the bunks would be. I know that rollers are recommended, but beggers can't be choosers. I have to move the boat about 30 miles.

I have a Cox trailer for my Daysailer. Like yours, it is showing its age and I am debating whether to re-build it, or simply buy a new one.

Anyone out there have any thoughts on the matter?

-Guinness

When I bought my boat last year it came with an old Calkins galvanized trailer. I was thinking of upgrading to an aluminum trailer because it is light and everything would be new, but I didn't. Here is a few of my reasons, and just my reasons, they could be bad reasons but at the time seemed logical...
1) Didn't know what to do with the old trailer, it wasn't worth anything.
2) Even though the galvanized trailer is heavy the boat is balanced correctly, so moving the boat around by hand isn't hard. I was also afraid having a light boat and a light trailer might cause it to bounce or not track well.
3) I was restoring my DS1 so why not restore the trailer? I have time on my hands (not really that much time)
4) It can't be hard to replace every piece of hardware on the trailer. (yeah it is tracking down ubolts, ect.
5) I wanted to upgrade to LED lights, after all this is a marine trailer.
6) I didn't want to spend more then I paid for the boat and the trailer on a new trailer. (I spent $250 on the boat, and to date haven't spent more then $120 bringing the trailer back to life).

There you have my thoughts/opinions.

Marc

If the trailer frame is basically sound it would be worth it to upgrade the axles, hubs/bearings, lights, etc rather than laying out unnecessary cash just to have a new trailer. An old trailer can be recycled so to speak and that would be “GREEN” , I mean great ! Brad

Thank you all for the advice. I have decided to refurbish the trailer. It is sound, although quite rusty. I have already sourced wheels and tires, springs, lights and bunk carpeting. I am planning on using POR-15 for the rust remediation, I had good results using this on car restorations. The trailer is obviously not the one that came with the boat as the rollers/bunks do not sit properly. I am wondering if anyone out there could provide some measurements for the bunk widths as well as where the rollers are placed under the keel/and or centerboard. I can't wait to get this puppy done so I can try out the new boat!

Excellent, save that old trailer. As they say in Maine when something is awesome it is "wicked" and POR-15 is wicked good.

I’ll try to post the bunk measurements Saturday if it’s not raining. Brad

Hi, if anyone has the chance to get some dimensions for bunk spacing and lengths I would most appreciate it.