Tandem Island double deck trailer and intro

Hi to all. First time poster, been lurking for a while, getting many good ideas. I decided to buy a couple of Tandem Islands near the end of last year and then decided to wait for the 2015 models. I was having trouble getting the boats due to the west coast shipping strike like a lot of others. I decided to go ahead and build my trailer based on pictures I saw on this site and visiting my local dealer and taking a lot of measurements of last years model. The trailer base I decided to use was a Carnai out of Washington Model HC1618-1000. I have a few things to figure out on this set up, but will stick to one on this post. How to load the top boat. My over the top idea is to have a winch with four cables lower the top boat to the lower deck after the first boat is moved out. I currently use two ropes slung under the boat, like slings and lower and or raise the top boat. The rails under the top boat are removable. The boats in the pictures are my boats that finally came in from two different dealers. Finally I would like to thank stringy and others for all the pictures and ideas I got from the posts.



More pictures: https://plus.google.com/photos/10533528 ... n72Pp4W2Ow

Welcome to the club. I am a new owner as well. Nice job on the trailer! Your idea of the winch sounds reasonable to lower the TI from the top level to the bottom. Do you plan on launching from a ramp or using a dolly of some type?

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island

Thanks for the welcome. To launch the boats I pull the lower one out and plug in a Hobie heavy duty kayak cart with a cradle on it. I then fully rig the TI and park it next to the trailer. I then lower the top boat and pull it onto a Hobie kayak dolly with tuff tires. I do not strap the dolly to the boat and have not had any problem moving it this way. I then fully rig the second boat. I roll both boats down the boat ramp into the water front forward. I retrieve the kayak cart by using the paddle to push it out from under the boat through the mirage drive hole. The kayak cart floats to the surface and I retrieve it. I can either carry it on the TI or store it in my car. For the second boat I have a short length of rope on the dolly handle, when the TI is fully in the water I pull the dolly out of the water. To retrieve the boats I almost always use just the dolly. I do have a problem with the second boat however. Most the boat ramp docks I have been at do not have a good way to tie up a Tandem Island without scratching the Amas. I just leave one of the people with me to hold the boat off the dock edge until I can retrieve it.

In the next few days I am going to test fit a "Thule 571 Roof Mount Cargo Box Storage Lift" to see if it would work the raise and lower the top boat.

If you have the ability to do some metal fabrication or have it done for you I would consider having the two upper crossbars sitting on ledges that allow you to drop one end at a time to a lower level just above the cradles for the lower boat after it is removed. That seems simpler than the pulleys and cables you would need for a hoist system. The ledges would have to be long enough to let you lift one end down at a time then have a securing bolt or clamp when you are transporting the trailer.

Chris

Hi - I have a question about long haul travel with this trailer. I have the same Carnai HC1618-1000 trailer for a Hobie Getaway. We are preparing for a trip of about 300 miles and wondering if you or others in the community may have experience trailering over such a distance, especially with this particular trailer. Main goal is to confirm that this trailer is capabale of haulign such a distance. I believe the total weight is 1400 lbs including trailer, hobie, and all rigging. Thanks! Eric

My Carnai HC1618-1000 trailer originally came with 8" wheels but was upgraded to 12" wheels prior to my picking it up. I think they now come with 12" wheels standard. My two boats and the trailer weigh about 800 pounds. The 1618-1000 is sprung for a total weight of 1400 pounds. The trailer travels very well. I have taken two 1000 mile trips with it and many shorter ones. My only problem with the trailer was that it was over sprung for my total weight and this caused the boats a jarring ride when I hit a bump. I tried to buy a new set of leaf springs for my trailer for the 800 pound load but could not find any. After a little research I decided to remove the smaller of the three leaf springs on each side. I can now stand on the trailer while the boats are loaded and bounce and down and the trailer springs now compress which they did not do prior to removing the short leaf spring. I have taken one 1000 mile trip and a few shorter ones since changing the springs and the boats seem to be having a smother ride when we hit bumps.

Hi all, new to this great forum. We just acquired a pair of Tandem Island 2011 on a double-trailer. I'm using this first post to test my image hosting skill! And maybe provide some ideas to others for a double tandem island trailer. The previous owner did a fantastic mod job on this trailer. The tongue was extended to accommodate the 18.5' of a tandem. A 2 level frame, each with its own set of cradles was soldered on, and 2 tubes were added on top to store the masts. An aluminum sheet is attached at the front to stop any flying rocks from damaging the boats. To unload, pull the 1st one out and drop the aft on a hobie cart with tuff tires, carry to shore. Repeat for #2, quite simple. We barely had a chance to try them before storing for the winter, but wow, what a blast. Can't wait for spring.

_________________