Trailer Discussions

[Bill]

This exchange took place on the Yahoo site and it appeares interesting enough to repost here.
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Hi, I'm a new member interested in Carl Alberg designs and would like as large a boat as I can safely trailer with a Tahoe or similar SUV. I noticed several pictures of Ariels on trailers on the web and the photo page of the group. Any advice on practicality of pulling an Ariel?
Thanks, Clay
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Mike Goodwin writes:
Pulling isn't the problem if your truck can tow #6000 (boat and trailer + extra gear), launching is the problem. You need a crane in most cases to get the boat off the trailer. Most ramps aren't steep enough to float the boat from the trailer, the wheels would be aprox. 5' underwater and even with a lowboy trailer they would be 4' under. To do it safely you would need a winch on the front bumper to keep the boat from pulling the vehicle into the water too . Around here they charge $100 to crane launch or retrieve a boat .
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Scott Wallace writes:
Check with high quality trailer designer and builder, Mike Otto, at TRIAD Trailers...He owns the company, founded by his father, who got blueprints of most of our old "Classic Plastics" from the manufacturers back in the 1960's and 1970's...they make tremendous trailers, well designed and well built. They also offer a launch package, that includes a metal ladder to reach the winch, an extension for the tongue, so that most launch ramps can launch boats like our old Pearson (Alberg designed) Electra, Vanguards, Tritons and Rhodes Rangers.

His shop is located in New Milford, Ct. and I drove there from Cincinnati, Ohio, a few years ago, picked up my new trailer, drove to Cleveland, Ohio, where the travel hoist loaded my boat, then to a smaller lake in South Central Ohio, where launching and retrieval were amazingly easy!
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Here is their contact info:

Triad Trailers Ltd
90 Danbury Rd # A
New Milford, CT 06776-3412
Phone: (860) 354-1146
http://www.triadtrailers.com/

Business Types: Trailers Boat, Trailers Equipment & Parts, Boat Dealers, etc.

[Tony G]

Well, we know trailering Ariels and Commanders is relatively easy. Unfortunately, I don't have any personal experience 'launching' from a trailer
A few years back Yves Gelina (developer, builder, seller of the Cape Horn self-steering gear)was going to pull Jean Du Sud, his A30, around the Great Lakes area with a diesel powered Suburban. Our boats must weight in a little less than an A30.
Tony G

[aspasie]

I build my self one and I actualy can launch from it but I do need a crane at the end of the season. If anyone want picture. It cost me about 2000 $ CDN to build it.

Andre Roberge

[Tony G]

Andre,
A month off cruising?! Wouldn' that be nice... Of course we all want pictures of trailers, boats, equipment, whatever. I am curious though, why do you need a crane for the end of the season and not the begining?
Tony G

[Jackhartjr]

Hi folks, may purchase Ariel #286 or 386, (He said it is a 66 and the hull # is 285, I think that number would be #386)...anyway here is my question.
On my Oday 22 almost all of the weight when trailering goes on the keel, the sideboards are only there to support the hull side to side, there is very little weight on them. Is that the way you would also transport an Ariel?
Next question...is the keel bolted or it is similar to the Oday, there the lead is encased in the fiberglass?
Thanks in advance.
I am hoping to be an Ariel owner soon, if so will join your lively little crew!
Jack Hart
Hickory, NC
PS...Looking at the boat tomorrow!

[Bill]

A check of the Ariel brochure on the home page may answer some of your questions. Also, a search on the subject of trailers should be instructive.

[Jackhartjr]

Hi Bill no disrespect meant here. The brochure didn't help. As to trailers, I know all about them. The question is this; do you put most of the weight on the keel when transporting or a fraction of it?
And I still don't know if the keel is bolted on or if it one in which the lead is encapsulated in the fiberglass?
Thanks a ton!
Jack

[Bill]

Jack,

Directing you to the brochure was to show that the Ariel is a full keel design. The cross section drawing of the boat shows that the keel as a major component of the hull and indicates (rather poorly) the location of the encapsulated lead ballast. Photos of boats out of the water posted in the gallery forum are also illustrative.

The point of the trailer reference is to suggest a review of the discussions of how others have addressed similar questions. Again, there are photos of the boats on trailers.

As for the specific weight distribution question, the boat's weight rests on the keel in most cases, depending on whether the cradle design is yoke or shoal.

[Jackhartjr]

Thanks Bill, I appreciate that!
Hope you and yours are doing GREAT!
Happy fathers Day too.
Jack

[bill@ariel231]

Jack

If you are looking at trailers.. expect an ariel/commander to weigh in at 5200-5600 lbs.

There are some companies our there who build trailers of this type. Triad is one of them. The triad picture galley contains a picture of a Cape Dory 25D (same shape & weight, also by Carl Alberg).

http://www.triadtrailers.com/gallery.htm

There have been some other pictures posted showing ariels mounted on construction trailers using cradles to hold them upright.

good luck

bill@ariel231

[Rico]

... this posting is not THAT old

I am in need of a trailer for a Commander; If these drawings are still available, I would be grateful if I could get a copy.

Tony G - I have sent message... Please let me know

BTW; Great looking trailer - Thanks in advance.

Has anyone from the above postings built one of these?

[eric (deceased)]

I need ball park figures for good condition used trailors for these boats----as I have infact found excellent dry storage in perris valley where I can live on and work on my next ariel.its at the perris vally skydiving center where I am currently camped out.people have rv's here and boats up on blocks, and I have been informed by the management that fer' a mere hun'erd bux a month ------(well I would have to generate my own electricity(hence forth the oncoming diesel generator to power an electric outboard) thats rite folks dont touch that dial---fer a hunskerdabbadoodle per month----that aint even sneakin aboard-----and no harber patrol harralements.you can stay here too------theres jus'one 15000 foot above ground level predicament-----ya' gotta be a skydiver to live here.I have produced the necessary credentials to meet that requirement. an' jus' soze ya kno---even tho' I have had a recurrance of thyroid cancer-----I have had no problem exiting aircraft at such aforementioned altitudes. plus---- I am infact back to work. within a few months----if all goes well----"starcrest recipient"

[eric (deceased)]

I was jus' lookin' at the fact sheet that was standard issue when these boats were originally sold----who knows what---about the optional "cradle" that was available at that time fer' $180.00----can they be reproduced---then put on a standard flat bed trailor???

[Mike Goodwin]

Easy to build in wood or steel .

[Bill]

I was jus' lookin' at the fact sheet that was standard issue when these boats were originally sold----who knows what---about the optional "cradle" that was available at that time fer' $180.00----can they be reproduced---then put on a standard flat bed trailor???

Plans for the cradle are in the appendix to the manual.