(censored) wrote:
Right-side-up on cross-rails? Everybody tells me that's the wrong way...
What would a production model of this trailer cost?
the shop guys at Float On argued and pitched fits on this as well. its the 'wrong' way. reason is, for carrying weight. if you were carrying a lot of weight, you'd want rails with the long side, vertical. makes sense. like trusses, I-beams, floor joists. BUT, we are not carrying a lot of weight. it is more important to provide a wider surface so that plastic boats wont deform where they are resting. now, my last trailer had normal 2x4 bunks, running sideways with the short side up. i never had a problem in 2 years with ever seeing a dent in our kayaks. I'm sure it could happen, but i never experienced it. but to be safe, and to allow greater area for ease of loading and attachment of cradles, should one desire, i convinced them this was ideal.
production trailer cost, as i was told, should
retail between 1500 and 2000--depending on options--storage box in a couple of sizes, the rigging light, etc.
it's not exactly cheap. but thats kinda the point. i'm carrying over $7000 in kayaks, sometimes 700 or more miles, one way. i
really dont want to try and trust a harbor freight trailer for that precious cargo. and when you consider this trailer will likely outlive any used $500 trailer that is retro fitted to 'work good enough', it's really not a bad investment.
float on, and myself, understand that this trailer is not for everyone. they cannot compete with a guy who wants to take an old trailer and make something, or someone who is only willing to spend $300 on a tool shop trailer. that's not the market a premium trailer builder targets. but there are plenty of folks out there who want a premium trailer to carry their expensive boats, or who haul long distances and want to make sure they get there in one piece.
IS, im not sure the gross weight. the axle is a 750lb, so obviously the trailer loaded is less than that. figure the boats at 300 loaded? so the trailer would have to be below 400. i'd guess it's closer to 200-250.