Building a trailer

Hi all!
Not sure if this falls under Help With Repairs, but this is not sailing either.

My H16 came with a galvanized trailer. I want to add hull rollers and side supports or guides to it. I want it all to be galvanized or aluminum and this is where the pain starts. I cannot find parts to do all this. If I decided to weld things on, I would be done in an afternoon, but I have no luck with galvanized parts.

Ok, I found galvanized roller brackets, I found U-bolts to attach them, but I cannot find anything that would serve as side guides or supports.

Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places... any ideas, links?

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

Could you purchase these from a local welder or machine shop? And isn’t it dangerous to weld galvanized metal?

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"Breach hull all die"
'83 H16
'90 Hobie One 12

Yes, it's dangerous to weld galvanized metal.

Hey localizer.. Are the trailer crossbars full tube or c-channel? If it's tube, the place we buy our trailers from sells a slide on roller with side guide. Not sure of the cost or part number (I'm still at home).

Brian C

Yes, it is dangerous, but I would weld everything on if I did not care of the trailer condition. I hope this trailer and this H16 will serve me for a long time, so I want all parts to be galvanized.

The Dog, it is a 2" square cross bar. let me know what your place sells and prices.

You know I think I have gotten a break here. I was told to contact Long company, but was confused with the company that we have in Greenville. Apparently ours and this one www.longtrailer.com are different. I talked to them and they would send me a picture of their brackets.

Thanks!

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

Hey Yuri,

The cross bars on our trailers are the same size. These rollers slide over the end of the bar and are tightened on with two bolts. They have a bracket to mount the clearance lights. Galvanized body with black rubber rollers. The bottom roller is mnot quite 8" wide. The side roller is two pieces about 5" tall, and angle out at about 20 degrees.



When I have them, I charge $42 per corner plus s/h (and they're heavy).

The place we buy our trailers is called Sportsman Trailers. They're in Santa Fe, TX (near Houston). http://www.sportsmantrailers.com/ and (409) 925-2526. They will sell parts to individuals, so you might save some money going directly to them. Sorry, but I couldn't find a direct link to the roller on their parts website.

Brian C

For a comparison, look at Trailer Parts Depot under the Pontoon & Catamaran Trailer Accessories/Catamaran Trailer Parts section.

They have brackets, rollers and assemblies.

A similar assembly to the one above is $75

http://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=PS1550&eq=&Tp=

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John Latimer
'79 Hobie18 - Magnum
Sail#4854

Thanks guys! I'm now surely moving forward with this!

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

Just my own curiosity why is welding galvanized steel dangerous. I think I had heard this before. Noxious gas's?

Yuri- Just to give you a reference I had an aluminum trailer built. Granted I'm an idiot, but I've got around $2500 into it. But it is sweet. All LED lights (13 of them, I think you could see it from space at night), 3X3 square tubing with the ends capped. I also had a bracket welded all the way around the inside of the frame so I had a spot to attach composite decking. It's nice not having to hop over frame rails anymore when setting up the boat. Another thing is if you have one built get a torsion axle. They pull so much nicer with less bouncing. Another thing I did was put a female plug on the trailer for connecting it to a vehicle. That way I just plug into the truck, and plug into the trailer. None of the wiring is exposed to the elements this way.

Karl, yes, it is the poisonous gas; I don't know the name of it.

By the way, my friend still had to do some welding on the trailer - the first time I took the boat out I buckled the front mast support and partially tore off its foot, although U-bolts held up pretty good, just lightly bent.

Sounds like a very cool trailer. Yep, I'm also going to put a deck on the trailer, but I think I will just use treated lumber. Isn't it just lighter than composite? I have no idea what the female plug is, but I will go to Northern Tool and ask to see it. Maybe it won't work, because you know I tow with my Lumina, it is not a truck.

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

My pickup has a 7 pin trailer connector. I put the same thing on the trailer. I'll take a picture and post it. Easier than describing it.

Treated is much lighter than composite, but composite will never rot, or need refinishing.

How did you rip the mast crutch off???

The condition is called "Metal Fume Fever":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_fume_fever

(I used to work in a shipyard that built AEGIS Cruisers & Destroyers - it's common when welding the exotic alloys in Navy ships.)

Metal Fume Fever sounds like a trendy new drug.

Easy - install a winch on the mast support and start raising the mast. Support pole starts to bend a bit, then more, but you just keep going. Then boom! it has buckled and the foot is torn. But the mast did not even rise an inch from the rear cross bar...

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

You need to use a higher mast support and raise the mast a bit off the rear cross bar to get a better angle before winching. I added a folding support that also has a stay to the trailer tongue and use a small crutch on the cross bar- see my post w/pics on the 17 forum.

Update: I just noticed that you did see my post.

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Alan
'86 H16, Sail #89057

Yes, Alan, I saw your post. It is a great system you've created.

My friend not only fixed the mast support but also added additional parts that I can now raise the mast without any problem. I will probably mane a picture one day to show it.

It was just interesting experience - buckling the support.

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago