Trailer Purchase in Canada

[cmattj]

Good looking trailer Snow! Rarely see a adjustable bunk with a swivel top. Yeah as long at the bow stop movement can fit the R5.999999 it’s pretty perfect.

So what’s the center bunks in slides? And my big question is what’s the white pvc in the forward outside edge? Guide pole cover?
Pretty slick!

[AsLan7]

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Sweeeeeet trailer S8....rival’s T’s.

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[Snowman8]

The bow stop is a windlass bow stop and is filly adjustable, up, down angle and everything! My dealer said this is the most adjustable bow stop they have ever seen. The mechanics told me they are usually cutting and welding bow stops that are supposedly custom made for the boat trailer combo. They told me this bow stop is the same one they use for all of their trailers all the way up to the large cruisers if you spec out the windlass bow stop. It’s really impressive!

The white poles you highlighted are the guide poles in their storage slot. They are white PVC schedule 40 pipe slid over the top of a metal pipe that runs most of the way to the end of the PVC. Not just a short pipe inside the PVC so if you hit the pipe they just snap off. These will actually hold something! I just need to order some guide pole covers. Loadmaster told me they build a storage slot for the poles because when in use they are over 8’6” width and some states are sticklers for over width.

Loadmaster builds their trailers with 6 bunks instead of 4. They told me the 2 center bunks help to center the boat as it is loaded. We will see I guess.

The tall black pole in the front is a grab handle for the bow boarding ladder. It was a $100 option, no brainer for me when sometimes we have to use ramps that don't have a dock right next to the ramp.

Aslan7. I contacted T. It’s basically the same trailer in black... Thanks T!!!

[Big Block Power]

Very nice snowman. After having both 4 bunks and 6 bunks I don't know. A larger boat the 6 is nice fur the support but loading on my 6 sucks compared to a 4. You really have to be right on to get it to load. The 4 bunks is more forgiving I think to load.
I had a load master under my donzi and it was a great trailer and you couldn't load it crooked if you tried. Congrats

[BobRae99]

How much was it?

[Snowman8]

Very nice snowman. After having both 4 bunks and 6 bunks I don't know. A larger boat the 6 is nice fur the support but loading on my 6 sucks compared to a 4. You really have to be right on to get it to load. The 4 bunks is more forgiving I think to load.
I had a load master under my donzi and it was a great trailer and you couldn't load it crooked if you tried. Congrats

That’s what they told me about having 6 bunks. You are either on or you are way off and you can tell when you are way off right away. I had an EZLoader with 4 bunks, you can’t load that thing straight no matter how hard you try!!! My R5 sat so close to the fenders on the EZLoader that if my drain plug was more that one inch off center to one side or another the hull would set down on the top of the trailer fenders. I could hear the fenders creaking as I would pull the boat out of the water because the hull was starting to crush the steel fenders.

I have 3 friends that have 35’ plus sized cruisers sitting on Loadmaster trailers and they all swear by them.

[Big Block Power]

Yes I hear yea. The problem is the 6 bunks hold so well the boat won't slide into position sometimes. It's like glue. Oh you will love the trailer no doubt. But when you look at the area you have to hit with the frt bunks you know what I mean. Those bunks are set up just like mine. Each ramp mashes a big diff too. The crappy launch I used to use at my brothers was a bear. Any normal cty launch was not so bad.
Anyways let's get the boat loaded on her. Bandit out!

[Snowman8]

Yes I hear yea. The problem is the 6 bunks hold so well the boat won't slide into position sometimes. It's like glue. Oh you will love the trailer no doubt. But when you look at the area you have to hit with the frt bunks you know what I mean. Those bunks are set up just like mine. Each ramp mashes a big diff too. The crappy launch I used to use at my brothers was a bear. Any normal cty launch was not so bad.
Anyways let's get the boat loaded on her. Bandit out!

The boat is on the trailer, just sitting at my dealer. No rush I guess, most of the lakes I boat still have ice on them and I think the river is still a no wake due to high water. I haven’t checked the river level for a while though so maybe I should be in a hurry to get it back!

[Snowman8]

How much was it?

$7700. It was slightly more than an EZLoader. I also got a quote from either Prestige or Heritage, it’s been so long I can’t remember which one. Loadmaster was a little less expensive but I believe its way more trailer. Loadmaster was truly a custom trailer. If you ask for something they will build it. The other custom trailers are just seemed to be cookie cutter custom trailers, about the only options are wheels, bow stop, and spare tire.

[BobRae99]

How much was it?

$7700. It was slightly more than an EZLoader. I also got a quote from either Prestige or Heritage, it’s been so long I can’t remember which one. Loadmaster was a little less expensive but I believe its way more trailer. Loadmaster was truly a custom trailer. If you ask for something they will build it. The other custom trailers are just seemed to be cookie cutter custom trailers, about the only options are wheels, bow stop, and spare tire.

That works out to about $12,000 CAD plus another $1,000 in freight. At this point, I'm thinking I'll just buy 2017 the aluminum Venture trailer my dealer has a line on. I can have it for $5,000CAD ($3,500USD) and it will be sitting at my dealer next eek for me to have a look at. I'm thinking that in a year or two when I sell my boat, it might be easier to sell/bring a higher price if it has a trailer sitting under it - that way a shopper from a bit farther away knows he can drive in, pay for it and haul it home.

When I move up to my next (and last?) boat (R6) I'll get a trailer custom for that boat. Depending on how the Venture trailer works out, if I like it I can always keep it and use it for the R6. Venture has already looked at the specs (sent by my dealer) and says it will work for both boats. If I understand this correctly, the axles are mounted in such a way that they can be slid forward/aft a certain about. So if the weight of the R6 moves forward because the boat is 2' longer, the axles get moved a certain amount forward and the tongue weight stays within the spec required for safe towing.

That's the plan today, tomorrow? Who knows. )

Thanks for everyone's input.

[cmattj]

If I understand this correctly, the axles are mounted in such a way that they can be slid forward/aft a certain about. So if the weight of the R6 moves forward because the boat is 2' longer, the axles get moved a certain amount forward and the tongue weight stays within the spec required for safe towing.

Interesting theory they offer. Would they use a tri axel fender I wonder?

I’ve seen that on Semi truck trailers. So much technology out there so who know what these crazy trailer mfg are coming up with.
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[BobRae99]

The fender is a good question. I’ll have to see how they attach them. No question the custom built trailers are better but when I compare custom at $12,000 plus freight to $5,000 plus 5% tax out the door, it’s hard to justify the $7,000 difference for a boat that travels 60 miles x 2 trips a year with the boat stored on it the rest of the time. If I wanted more support for the hull when storing, I’m sure I can get a local trailer company to build a couple of swiveling bunks to carry some of the hull.

[Big Block Power]

That's a great idea Matt. We should send this vid to venture. They might be able to make this set up happen.
Really Bob your worried about a few grand. Heck you lose that when you drive off the lot. Get the trailer made for the boat and get it from the factory right away o your r6.24564. Your trading in the r3 boat anyways. It's not your worry if it sells or when it sells. Why waste the money on a universal trailer. Get the proper trailer for the r3 and be done with it. You don't need a $7000 trailer for something you will maybe pull with your Porsche 2 times. Get a not so custom painted steel trailer that was made for your boat. None of this universal crap. You got a $90k boat sitting on a $3000. Trailer. That looks worse to me and steers me away from it more than one with a matched trailer. 5k for a great matching trailer and be done. You will get more than half of that back when you trade it in this summer. Ok rant is over.

[Snowman8]

Just be careful with triple axel aluminum trailers. They can float. I know some of you are thinking yeah right but some of them actually do. Six tires and wood bunks are buoyant enough to float the light weight aluminum trailers. I’ve seen it myself and one of the salesman at my dealer owns one that does. He says by the time he backs the trailer in and gets the boat up to the trailer it is floating enough to move to one side or another. They don’t float to the surface but they lift of the ramp enough to move in current. Another friend of mine had one that floated also. His wife would have to stand on the dock and hold the guide pole until he would get the boat to touch the bunks. I know it seems crazy but it does happen to some of them. It makes a huge pain to load!
I agree with BB. A cheap trailer makes a nice boat look cheap! That’s enough to steer me away. I tow a lot so I feel better when my trailer isn’t maxed out with the load of my boat without anything extra inside the boat. Coolers full of ice and Coors Light, I mean water and food really add up!

[mdadgar]

That's a great idea Matt. We should send this vid to venture. They might be able to make this set up happen.

The already do this. I had the axles moved on my old Venture trailer to balance my boat better and get the tongue weight right.

The axles are essentially just clamped onto the trailer frame with U-bolts, so you can loosen then bolts and slide the axles fore/aft as necessary.

- Mark