Is storage inside the boat an advantage of flat bed sib trailers?

[Lachlan]

Hello Rib Net!

I've just purchased my first sib (Zodiac MK3) and high on the list of things to do is replace the trailer. Existing trailer is gone, I'm honestly lucky I got it home.

The existing trailer is custom made for the sib 20 years ago. It is a flat bed trailer with four poles around the edges of the trailer to guide the boat on and secure it. Photo attached. This approach looks good but I've noticed all the modern sib trailers allow for the keel to be inflated while on the trailer.

While mulling how annoying it will be to inflate and deflate the keel every time the boat goes in and out of the water, I thought that perhaps an advantage of the flatbed over the bunks is potentially storage. With the keel deflated it seems possible to store inside the boat things like scuba tanks strapped to the aluminium floor while transporting it. Am I crazy for even thinking about this? It looks a bit more possible than on a trailer with bunks.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Lachlan

[GuyC]

My immediate thought is that you will be sandwiching the bottom fabric between the load / alu floor and the trailer and this may give rise to excessive wear.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Ive had my sib trailer made to my spec keel inflated lowest possible depth of Water to launch thread to support

[Locozodiac]

Guy C has a tech point.

Much better is to fabricate a new trailer with side bunks with open middle space for the keel to rest inflated while air supported.

Happy Boating

[pagick]

Make sure the transom is supported by bunks to keep the engine from hanging on the tubes. Especially if air pressure drops while not used for long periods.

[Poly]

If you are buying a new trailer shouldn’t be too hard to have some boxes added to the trailer to store kit in.

Alternatively you could go the modified box trailer approach (put bunks on top of trailer) giving you cavernous storage.

[Lachlan]

Thanks for all the replies. After finally taking the boat off the trailer to give it a wash and seeing the damage the flat bed has done to the keel there is no way I am getting another flat bed trailer