Contoversial Question for you!!

[Trailer Guy]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

there isn't much to a trailer.

Hey, watch it!

[SW Boat Transport]

I get phone calls on a pretty much daily basis from people asking if I have any second hand trailers in stock. The usual answer is no, but I can offer a new one for not a vast amount more and they almost always loose interest. I find this hard to understand. Yes they might be saving a bit on the purchase price, but the chances are that the saving will be all but wiped out in maintenance costs down the line.

[Fenlander]

I've only ever owned "lesser" used smallcraft than many of the RIBs here and I've never bought one with a properly maintained trailer yet.

One comes to mind not that many years back where I travelled to NW Wales to buy a small "fast fisher" boat. Hull and outboard were as described and the guy says "I've greased the bearings and checked the trailer over so it's OK for your trip home" (some 250mls).

I wanted the outfit so drove home with fingers crossed. Then to sort the trailer I replaced....

Hubs, wheels, tyres, mudguards & brackets, keel rollers & U bolts, side rollers & clamps and winch... then set it up so all the rollers were actually in the right place for the boat.

[hippyhunter]

From VOSA's IVA manual for trailers;

"2. A secondary coupling must be fitted to all unbraked trailers. Note 2"

"Note 2: A secondary coupling can only be used on braked trailers not fitted with a breakaway cable with a maximum mass not exceeding 1.5 tonnes.
This cable attaches the trailer to the towing vehicle whilst towing and provides a secondary link. A secondary coupling is a legal requirement for all unbraked trailers."

Here's mine on my new trailer build, 6mm (because a 3mm breakaway cable isn't a secondary coupling).

[hippyhunter]

Originally Posted by Poly

YES I think that might be the point ShinyShoe is making (badly!) - secondary couplings are more often than not unrated and it requires the driver to be intelligent enough to specify a suitable system.

That's a cracking point Poly/ShinyShoe, VOSA says


"5. The coupling device must bear an ‘e’ or ‘E’ mark to ensure the construction of the coupling device meets the appropriate approval criteria."


The secondary coupling is a "coupling" primary/secondary it's still a coupling. Mine isn't CE marked and I'm hoping that when I present my new trailer for its IVA I don't get a VOSA bloke who's having a bad day and insists on seeing the CE mark on the wire rope.

[jambo]

Glad I have a new braked cable with the obligatory breakaway brake cable supplied. Saves me wondering if I'm legal or not!!


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[MrHeadsocket]

For my unbraked trailer I just use a standard breakaway cable (designed for braked trailers/caravans) that is attached to the jockey wheel bracket so it won't come off (unless the bracket falls apart!) And so far has been useful to stop the trailer rolling down Littlehampton Harbour's slipway when I unhitched it!

[Searider]

I guess we would prefer to be spending money on the boat - the item that gives us enjoyment, rather than the trailer which is simply a necessary evil.

I was quite happy to pay the bill for the new tubes this spring, will be less happy to pay the bill for the trailer service shortly.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by MrHeadsocket

For my unbraked trailer I just use a standard breakaway cable (designed for braked trailers/caravans) that is attached to the jockey wheel bracket so it won't come off (unless the bracket falls apart!) And so far has been useful to stop the trailer rolling down Littlehampton Harbour's slipway when I unhitched it!

OK let's assume the slip is 1:8 its at an angle of about 7degrees.

Let's assume trailer and boat combined has a mass of 1000kg and gravity exerts of force of 10N/kg perpendicular to the horizon.

I think that means the force on the secondary coupling is 10 x 1000 sin (7) which is about 6500N - so 65% of the boat+trailer weight.

Breaking strain of 3mm wire rope seems to be in this sort of region. So no major surprise it was fine.

But what happens if the pulling vehicle is travelling at 60mph (26m/s)... And the load is applied suddenly... Let's assume the trailer was doing 60mph and stopped in 1 second flat it decelerated at 26m/s2 if that's a 1000kg load that means a deceleration force of 26000m/s2 or 26000N. That sounds to like a wire with a breaking strain of 2.6T is needed...

Is 1second too short a time or too long? I don't know...

[kerny]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

OK let's assume the slip is 1:8 its at an angle of about 7degrees.

Let's assume trailer and boat combined has a mass of 1000kg and gravity exerts of force of 10N/kg perpendicular to the horizon.

I think that means the force on the secondary coupling is 10 x 1000 sin (7) which is about 6500N - so 65% of the boat+trailer weight.

Breaking strain of 3mm wire rope seems to be in this sort of region. So no major surprise it was fine.

But what happens if the pulling vehicle is travelling at 60mph (26m/s)... And the load is applied suddenly... Let's assume the trailer was doing 60mph and stopped in 1 second flat it decelerated at 26m/s2 if that's a 1000kg load that means a deceleration force of 26000m/s2 or 26000N. That sounds to like a wire with a breaking strain of 2.6T is needed...

Is 1second too short a time or too long? I don't know...

Shiny!! I think that your nickname should be ..."Poly's Apprentice" from now on

[ShinyShoe]

B****r that. I'm not doing all the crappy jobs for minimal money... If I wanted to do that I'd go get a job as a council waller...

[Poly]

Originally Posted by kerny

Shiny!! I think that your nickname should be ..."Poly's Apprentice" from now on

The apprentice has a lot still to learn... Not least the difference between degrees and radians... He's about a factor of six out in his estimate!

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Poly

The apprentice has a lot still to learn... Not least the difference between degrees and radians... He's about a factor of six out in his estimate!

Slapped down or What!?!
You should remeber Steve....Poly's a Jock!.=..Fav Film ...Highlander!
"THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!"

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Searider

I guess we would prefer to be spending money on the boat - the item that gives us enjoyment, rather than the trailer which is simply a necessary evil.

I was quite happy to pay the bill for the new tubes this spring, will be less happy to pay the bill for the trailer service shortly.

Yep I agree with that, but a very necessary evil linked to how far you have to travel. I've never come down the A34 on a sunny weekend without seeing a boat trailer or Caravan minus a wheel sat at the side of the road.

[Maximus]

The Bottom line is our Trailers are a very ,integral,and essential part of most people's Boating/Ribbing experience..
.A part which if fails in a Big way will not only ruin your day!...but possibly impact seriously on other people's safety too!
I tow ALOT....(and there are no guarantees) but any time/money spent on trailer maintainance/servicing is money well spent in my view...if you Tow on Public roads,there is no choice in the matter anyway....and rightly so!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Maximus

The Bottom line is our Trailers are a very ,integral,and essential part of most people's Boating/Ribbing experience..
.A part which if fails in a Big way will not only ruin your day!...but possibly impact seriously on other people's safety too!
I tow ALOT....(and there are no guarantees) but any time/money spent on trailer maintainance/servicing is money well spent in my view...if you Tow on Public roads,there is no choice in the matter....and rightly so

The launch and recovery process is also one of the biggest inconveniences and stresses of using a boat, which makes me wonder why there really hasn't been much evolution in trailer design in 40+ yrs, do we believe it is as good as it can get?

[kerny]

Originally Posted by Poly

The apprentice has a lot still to learn... Not least the difference between degrees and radians... He's about a factor of six out in his estimate!

Originally Posted by Maximus

Slapped down or What!?!
You should remeber Steve....Poly's a Jock!.=..Fav Film ...Highlander!
"THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!"

I don't see it that way looking at Poly's post above it seems to me that he has acknowledged Shiny as an apprentice it's just that Shiny has got to brush up on his skills distinguishing the difference between degrees and radians ... simples...


Radian and degrees are just two different scales used to measure angles just like how metres and feet and two different ways to measure distance.

In degrees one whole circle is equal to 360degrees and everything can be calculated relative to this.

In radians one whole circle is equal to 2π and everything can then be caculated relative to that.

[Searider]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Yep I agree with that, but a very necessary evil linked to how far you have to travel. I've never come down the A34 on a sunny weekend without seeing a boat trailer or Caravan minus a wheel sat at the side of the road.

I guess i'm lucky that the trailer only gets used a couple of times a year.

I still need to make sure it's ok for the trip up the motorway to get the boat serviced though.

[Maximus]

O

Originally Posted by Poly

The launch and recovery process is also one of the biggest inconveniences and stresses of using a boat, which makes me wonder why there really hasn't been much evolution in trailer design in 40+ yrs, do we believe it is as good as it can get?

To be honest P I don't find it that stressful.
You have the choice of either towing with the limited hassell and stress it incurs,or have the "stress" of finding Dry Stack..Mooring..or Boat Yard fees every month
Not to mention the inevitable extra maintainance required for a Boat kept beside or on the water like regular anti fouling cleaning,sun damage ect.and the security implications,coupled of course with limited choice of Cruiseing grounds..or at least jump off point.
To me the bennifits of being able to tow/launch anywhere,with the massive choice of cruising grounds it opens up...any hassell IS well worth the effort!
As to design options...maybe if it works it doesn't need fixing?...although most of tweak our rigs to suit,and I'm always open to new ideas!

[mick]

I don't find towing or launching stressful
Look after your gear and it will look after you