Looking for a Canoe Trailer

[Steve Ambrose]

I've tried several times to get a description inserted in my want ad without success so I thought I'd follow up with this Misc post.

I'm looking for a solid construction 6 or 8 place canoe trailer capable of handling up to 18' boats with an occaisional 20' cheated on top. Must be able to withstand cross-country and back-country travel so that rules out the bolt-together stuff. Before I go about modifying a boat or utility trailer I thought I'd see if anyone here has a canoe trailer they no longer need.

 

[Dan Miller]

I've tried several times to get a description inserted in my want ad without success so I thought I'd follow up with this Misc post.

You are probably using Internet Explorer 9, which for whatever reason doesn't play nice with our classifieds. If this is the case, try a better browser...

 

[Ossineke]

Steve- Do you think 8 canoe stalls and 20 footers is big enough? Are you opening a livery?

For our homebuilt 4-canoe trailer we took photos of nearly every trailer we spotted at last year's assembly. Some how we came up with our design from those photos and we use it 90% of the time. It is even easier took take one canoe than loading on car top. Note- you can never have too many eye-bolts.

Oh yeah, my wife (& favorite paddler) and I each carry a set of "tie-downs" and 4 cusions in our cars in case we come across a wooden maiden at a garage sale (it has occured twice!) Keep those paddles wet!

 

[Steve Ambrose]

I ended up with a 5' x 14' utility trailer with welded removable canoe racks. Empty or lightly loaded it can be rough since it has a 3000 lb axle and springs with a payload capacity of 2200 lbs. With a load of lumber and 6 canoes it behaves nicely. I vary the tire pressure to compensate for light loads (15" wheels and tires rated for 50 PSI, I typically air down to 30 PSI if I don't have any lumber on the bed). On its maiden voyage I retrieved 7 boats from MI (6 on the trailer plus 1 on the truck) and last week I brought a OT Guide from assembly and added a load of lumber plus 2 Otcas, a Morris, and a Carlton, all 17'-18' from the Harrisburg PA area. This kind of load is exactly what the trailer was rigged for. It's a compromise but being a builder/restorer stuck in the deep south far from the land of white cedar and clear waters I need to be able to stock up on materials and boats on my annual migration. The top bar sits 1" below my garage door so I can roll it in and out with 4 boats on it plus I can load to the top bar solo, something that's impossible with an 8-place trailer.

 

[pklonowski]

Excellent!

 

[Ossineke]

Wow Steve, So you grabbed 7 canoes out of MI! their not going to have any boat remaining to paddle if you continue with trips like that. How do you connect on so many canoes? What part of the south are you flooding the market with?

Nice trailer, you did it right. Keep those paddles wet.

 

[Steve Ambrose]

A couple were mine, one I picked up for a friend, a few hangers for a decorator (best way to deal with a fiberglassed boat!), and the rest will get stashed awaiting an interested soul. When you're nowhere near traditional canoe country you need to make every trip north count! I'm located south of Birmingham AL but am working on canoes from all over the SE.