Unusual Trailer idea
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12665
Printed Date: 07 Jul 25 at 1:19am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Unusual Trailer idea
Posted By: pompeysailor
Subject: Unusual Trailer idea
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 12:52pm
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I was speaking to my local trailer builder and they commented about an old Fireball combi they made which was a covered 'box' design where a boat could be wheeled straght into and driven off / when storing can be wheeled inside with mast up / and overnight stays can be used as accomodation. does anyone use something like this still / has anyone got an photos of a trailer similar to this? Considering something like this for ease and accomodation when travelling to opens/nationals/etc ------------- Formerly - OK 2145 Phantom 1437, Blaze 819, Fireball 14668, Mirror 54145 |
Replies:
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 1:03pm
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I saw something once, it was a sort of mini-folding caravan/trailer tent affair, with brackets to hold the launching trolley on the folded lid. It seemed to pack down to a box about 18in tall, and open to a funny wedge shape. It might have been Fireball related. |
Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 1:36pm
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A little like a race car transporter or a glider trailer; makes a lot of sense for frequent travellers probably not so much of a cost benefit for occasional use, having said that could be a good winter storage solution. I have seen a double stacker like that from Germany, they used it for accommodation and storage for the week of a regatta.
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Posted By: tgruitt
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 1:37pm
Trailer tent with boat attached to the top. Admittedly we did take out the tent bit...
------------- Needs to sail more... |
Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 1:50pm
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http://prgtrailers.co.uk/cms/resources/prg-trailers-pricelist-2017-april.pdf
Much lighter versions of this sort of thing. To carry a dinghy on a trolley a Max 750 kg gross unbraked should be achievable also solves the thorny question of lighting boards on twiggy sticks at the same time.
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Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 3:05pm
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A friend of mine had an enclosed box trailer built for his wooden Miracle. It saved time putting covers on though it did still need strapping down within the trailer. The main rationale was that it was cheaper than having a garage built! ------------- RS600 1001 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 8:20pm
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There is a German boat box trailer that turns into a caravan. Converting an old caravan has crossed my mind, or one of those box trailers you often see hired. Big to have around compared to a combi, though. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Bellingforth
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 10:29pm
Don't you need a car that you can fit a towbar to first?? :-) Seriously though, a couple of factors had lead me to similar thoughts: 1 - The current trailer lighting rules which mean the lights bounce along on unfeasibly long and thin bars that are a right PITA to deal with. 2 - When you arrive at an open, you're frequently told you can drop the boat off, but have to park the car (containing all the bits you need to get the boat to work) a long way off. So perhaps a solution to both would be a large box trailer with fixed sides & front about the same height as the boat, so if required a sold top could cover it. All boat clutter could travel inside, and there would be a hinging tailgate onto which lights would be mounted, as well as supporting the mast. Instead of a solid roof you could have a number of canvas options: Mast up boat storage, travelling boat cover, camping cover etc. I'm sure it could be made such that the overall footprint isn't significantly larger than the existing roadbase -ie it can be stored in a standard dinghy park slot. ------------- Icon 04 Blaze 840 "Ate For Tea" |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 11:04pm
| Could certainly be done but I don't know anything about the current trailer "construction and use" regs. It would have to be a custom build, professional would be expensive and I'm not sure if DIY is an option anymore. I'd certainly consider a multipurpose trailer if I was doing events regularly. |
Posted By: Bellingforth
Date Posted: 20 Feb 17 at 11:35pm
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Any new trailer has to be either Type Approved or undergo an 'Individual Vehicle Inspection'. Anyone suffering from insomnia can find the details of this here - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367387/IVA-inspection-manual-for-categories-o1-o2-o3-and-o4-trailers.pdf A quick scan though suggest they're mostly concerned about the position of lights etc.... Existing trailers have 'Grandfather rights', so assuming your existing A-frame road base has a suitable weight limit, I dunno if there's anything stopping you adding a box to it? In fact, if you're transporting a sub 100kg boat on a road base with 300Kg suspension units, adding weight may improve things. ------------- Icon 04 Blaze 840 "Ate For Tea" |
Posted By: pompeysailor
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 10:01am
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any designers out there fancy sketching up something / trailer designers to price up? My idea: * Fully enclosed boat 'box' constructed on existing trailer base * Sloped to rear to allow water to drain off * Thick / boat cover material for 'roof' and clip down points along sides - allow transport with roof on/off etc (weather dependant / need to dry hull) * double ended zip along middle for allowing mast up storage * flat floor to allow accomodation when required * Internal tie down points for transporting ------------- Formerly - OK 2145 Phantom 1437, Blaze 819, Fireball 14668, Mirror 54145 |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 10:13am
| Do you think it's worth accommodating mast up storage? It's pretty easy to take the stick out of an OK. Also I'd have the low end of the roof at the front but otherwise it looks like an interesting project. |
Posted By: JohnJack
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 12:34pm
| Often thought about this when you see those glider trailers on the road |
Posted By: maxibuddah
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 1:47pm
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Or you go with http://www.hittrailer.nl but at €8500 for the low one it ain't cheap. But it looks like it's big enough to live in when the boats not in it. ------------- Everything I say is my opinion, honest |
Posted By: Jack Sparrow
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 2:18pm
  You mean something like this? Yes, my old 3.7 had a box tailer with a canvas roof which you could sleep in. Not to difficult to make around a trailer.------------- http://www.uk3-7class.org/index.html" rel="nofollow - Farr 3.7 Class Website https://www.facebook.com/groups/1092602470772759/" rel="nofollow - Farr 3.7 Building - Facebook Group |
Posted By: pompeysailor
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 2:28pm
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Thanks, between Hittrailers.nl and Jack Sparrow I think there is a good solution for what im looking for. Now to find someone who can quote for a build.. ------------- Formerly - OK 2145 Phantom 1437, Blaze 819, Fireball 14668, Mirror 54145 |
Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 3:36pm
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Why sleep in the trailer with that lovely VW on hand though!? |
Posted By: Jack Sparrow
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 5:21pm
That's not my VW! That's why! :-) To be honest I'm happier with Hotel Mazda. ------------- http://www.uk3-7class.org/index.html" rel="nofollow - Farr 3.7 Class Website https://www.facebook.com/groups/1092602470772759/" rel="nofollow - Farr 3.7 Building - Facebook Group |
Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 6:43pm
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HI
I think Nigel Wallbank built a trailer where the boat sat on top and then it folded out to form a mini caravan type thing. I think he was sailing Contendors at the time. ------------- Gordon Lossc |
Posted By: KazRob
Date Posted: 21 Feb 17 at 6:47pm
| A few years ago (well the 80s) a very well known Scottish laser sailor used a big horse box I believe to carry a few lasers and he could then sleep in it overnight. I assume he washed it first tho and I guess the idea would still work, but perhaps too low tech nowadays |
Posted By: Bootscooter
Date Posted: 22 Feb 17 at 10:51pm
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiblryu5aTSAhUEBcAKHdeNBG4QjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hittrailer.nl%2F&psig=AFQjCNHdtAYluO2cG6ENgIAVBoDPl6q-tA&ust=1487890278996314" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 22 Feb 17 at 11:05pm
If the trailer costs more than the boat you have your priorities wrong 
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Posted By: Bellingforth
Date Posted: 22 Feb 17 at 11:39pm
I think I have a good idea about what you're after. Something that would sit on an existing road base would negate the type approval / inspection thing, and then in turn the boat sits in that. First problem is that road bases with 8" wheels are quite low - when towing the hitch may be higher than the axle. So if you put a flat base on it extending out to the transom of the boat, it would probably have grounding issues. The solution would be for the floor to be hinged just behind the road base roller - when travelling this would be raised close to the transom to provide ground clearance, but would be fully lowered for loading. Possibly could be a mid position for camping? Would need some thought about what was going on with the sides & rear at that point! ------------- Icon 04 Blaze 840 "Ate For Tea" |
Posted By: Phil_1193
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 6:13am
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With an unladed weight of 780kg those HIT trailers are far too heavy! Try moving that about the dinghy park on your own. The cost in fuel just to drag it about (apart from the sily expensive purchase cost) would be huge. You might just as well get a 16-18ft caravan, gut it, make the back a pair of doors and use that. Far better to sleep in as well |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 9:23am
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Years ago, wasn't there a bloke with a moth, who put a couple of rails into his van, so the moth just slotted in, held by its wings? I can't imagine what you'd do with one of those Hit trailers at venues like Lyme Regis? Which is also a place I've valued having the good old road base under the trolley while everything's tied down overnight. |
Posted By: PeterV
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 12:17pm
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I'm sure it doesn't meet the boat cost vs trailer cost criteria but I saw a German Finn sailor with a caravan with a tailgate on it. The tail gate lowered, his Finn rolled out then he lowered the double bed from the ceiling hydraulically. The kitchen and washroom were at the front of the caravan with some settees. A beautiful bit of kit! ------------- PeterV Finn K197, Finn GBR564, GK29 Warsash |
Posted By: maxibuddah
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 12:36pm
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Something along the lines of a knaus
http://www.knaus-uk.co.uk/knaus-deseo-caravans.html ------------- Everything I say is my opinion, honest |
Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 1:16pm
| The Germans and Dutch are all over the trailer engineering. I guess driven partly by their far stricter laws on trailers they look at our ratters with some distain. It's not a new thing by any means, I remember 40 years ago in farming while we were still dragging converted horse carts down the road behind tractors they had brakes and lights!!!! |
Posted By: The Moo
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 1:54pm
| If nothing else that Hit trailer certainly seems to nail the perennial cheap crap lighting board issues we have to deal with from time to time usually when it is raining cats and dogs |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 2:06pm
| My extensive experience of cheap crap lighting boards suggests that it's most often the plug and socket that fails. Sadly that won't have been solved by my buying one of http://www.screwfix.com/p/4-led-trailer-board-with-5m-cable/80456?kpid=80456&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=CJ35isGxptICFQq3Gwodb_0Cyw" rel="nofollow - these but at least (I hope) dodgy bulb connections should be a thing of the past...... |
Posted By: Bootscooter
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 9:24pm
As someone who's just about to pay for a spanking new Finn for the boy, I can assure you that the trailer is cheaper! ------------- |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 10:26pm
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Wrong boat then?
edit :- please take note that comment is not meant to be taken seriously........
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Posted By: Bootscooter
Date Posted: 23 Feb 17 at 10:43pm
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Posted By: skslr
Date Posted: 24 Feb 17 at 8:47am
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Another example of German trailer engineering:
http://www.ixylon.de/ixybox.html On the Skiffbenelux circuit someone has proven it is possible to build a sub 750 kg enclosed trailer that is large enough to hold an RS800 - this would be the other book end I guess. |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 24 Feb 17 at 1:06pm
You can fit two Cadets in a horse lorry, and then four kids can sleep in it for a week. I'll always have fond memories of the Rutland indicators in 1989. Can't think why the parents all went to a local B&B? It was something like this... 
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Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 24 Feb 17 at 2:03pm
Did that drive into the hedge, or did the hedge grow after it broke down? |
Posted By: Turkey Pie
Date Posted: 25 Feb 17 at 5:48pm
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There was a guy from stone sailing club who made at least one enclosed trailer and was in the trade, Mokes Boats" i think. It was aluminium framed with glass fibre panels. He used to wheel his kids cadet out of it. Awesome bit of kit.
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Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 26 Feb 17 at 7:31am
| Lovin' the Germans, ixybox how lush is that. If you are a dedicated traveller who didn't like tents it could pay for itself over B&Bs or holiday cottages. Going the other way of camper van for accommodation is far from cheap, the T5 club continues to hold high secondhand values. |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 26 Feb 17 at 9:28am
| I used the base off a touring caravan, £75 from a caravan breakers, made a box with 6 x 8ft x 4ft ply sheets, lined this out with cord carpet, used it to sleep in, boat was to go on top or on edge down the side, almost finished it when it was stolen. |
Posted By: johnnyt
Date Posted: 27 Feb 17 at 7:40pm
Us catamaran sailors have it tough having to pull this lot around. Lost count of how many people ask if i sleep in it. Brought the caravan chassis on Ebay and got a local coach builder to do the rest. It works of sorts
 ------------- John Tuckwell Development Executive GJW Insurance www.gjwdirect.co.uk Insurance rebel without a clause. |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 27 Feb 17 at 8:01pm
| I did consider whether a trailer tent would be a workable idea for open events: just put the boat on top, take it off when you get there. But all the trailer tents I found at the time were massively complicated affairs that expanded way beyond the footprint of the trailer and looked enormously complicated to erect and provided more facilities and hassle than I felt necessary. All I wanted was to lift up the top and have 4 canvas sides on the trailer footprint. A fold down leg at each corner would have been fine... |
Posted By: Nipper
Date Posted: 27 Feb 17 at 10:44pm
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"I saw something once, it was a sort of mini-folding caravan/trailer tent affair, with brackets to hold the launching trolley on the folded lid. It seemed to pack down to a box about 18in tall, and open to a funny wedge shape.It might have been Fireball related. It was beautifully made ( as was everything Neil turned his hand to) but I only ever saw it in use once. ------------- 39 years of dinghy racing and still waiting to peak. |
Posted By: Nipper
Date Posted: 27 Feb 17 at 10:47pm
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I saw something once, it was a sort of mini-folding caravan/trailer tent affair, with brackets to hold the launching trolley on the folded lid. It seemed to pack down to a box about 18in tall, and open to a funny wedge shape. It might have been Fireball related. RS400atC, I think the trailer tent arrangement you are refferring to, belonged to Neil Thornton of Number1 sails, when he was campaigning on the Fireball circuit in 85/86. It was beautifully made (as was everything Neil turned his hand to) but I only ever saw it in use once. ------------- 39 years of dinghy racing and still waiting to peak. |
Posted By: tmoore
Date Posted: 28 Feb 17 at 5:31pm
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Why not get a rooftop tent. Loads of people buy them for 4x4/ safari trips. You attach it to roof rails or roof bars and the sleeping part just folds out in about 30seconds (depending on model). Throw a sleeping bag in and you're ready to go. Then you can have a normal (cheaper) trailer for you boat and have the flexibility of using a double stacker etc if you chose to. ------------- Landlocked in Africa RS300 - 410 Firefly F517 - Nutshell Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse |