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Trailer for "Chessie," a Core Sound 20 Mk3 . .


Pete McCrary

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Here's the data on Chessie's trailer:

Load-Rite (Elite), Model 5S-172200V

Load limit: 2,200 lbs

Tires: ST175/13C, 50 psi

Widths: Total 90", Between fenders 73" (see Note 1)

Length: 18' 10"

Weight as finally configured (9/9/2017): 680 lbs, including add-ons (see Note 2)

Weight (unsprung): ~ 150 lbs (axle and two wheels & tires)

No brakes.  Note that Virginia doesn't require trailer brakes for trailed weights under 3,000 lbs.

 

Note 1:  Chessie's chines fit between the fenders with just about 2" total clearance (total for each side).  That spacing allowed me to rig padding on each side made of 3/4" pine with "bunk carpeting material" attached to the inboard sides.  These "cushions" are wired (SS wire) to the trailer frame so they won't float away when down on the ramp.

Note 2:  Trailer weight as delivered: 500 lbs (includes basic trailer with winch, wheel-jack, and bunks).

Add-ons: Guide-ons 20 lbs,  three Rollers 30, Spare Tire 37, 3rd roller's support 14, CB Catcher 9, Running Boards 70 -- (sub-total 180)

 

Here are two photos showing the City of Manassas official scale weights for the trailer & Chessie loaded with all cruising equipment including Coast Guard required safety items plus spare gas and drinking water:

image.thumb.jpeg.5ff535a990a0ecf3ffeea42fcb59c980.jpeg

 

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The first weight (1,720 lbs) was with only the trailer wheels on the scale (tongue hitched to tow vehicle).  For the second weight (1,940 lbs), the tongue was unhitched and (wheel jack) dropped to the scale.  Tongue weight 220 lbs.  That's ~ 11% of the total load.

 

 

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With Chessie (loaded with all sailing and cruising equipment) PLUS the trailer weighing 1,940 lbs, LESS the trailer at 680 lbs, EQUALS approximately 1,260 lbs for Chessie (loaded ...)

 

The tongue weight for earlier configurations (i.e., no running boards) was ~ 180 lbs.  For my Tacoma pickup, I'd prefer the lower weight.  I might move the trailer axle forward a few inches to reduce the tongue weight.  Here's a photo of the trailer sans boat.

 

 

 

 

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Nice trailer, I built mine. Unfortunately my plan to galvanize it didn’t get done and the metal mites have started to eat it away.  I can see a new trailer in my not too distant future.  I wanted 15 inch wheels because we seem to pull long distances and I want the bearing speed lower, wanted a dropped torsion axle with a 1500 load limit to ride smooth  and the trailer large enough for the frame to extend beyond the transom to protect the boat from Buffy texting Biff.  This design concept make it a little harder to load/unload on some ramps but it has protected the boat well for at least 20,000 miles. I painted the trailer with primer, paint then epoxy based bedliner but still rusting.  My original galvanizing place closed kinda left me “uncovered “Grrrr! 

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Jay, up here in the north we have snowmobile trailers with wide tiny wheels that are awesome. And they don't seem to suffer much from the higher rotation speeds. I put those littl tires on a Snipe trailer many years ago and was surprised they were buoyant enough to float the trailer. My ideal trailer would be one that the boat was up over the fenders keeping it narrow. The CS boats are so light that a breaking tongue with a two speed winch would solve the need to keep them low for a launch. I will start my search soon. There are many manufacturers and many models.

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Regarding the bunks.  Delivered, they were "pressure-treated" 2 x 6s covered with bunk carpet.  They were very heavy and quite stiff.  They carry very little load as their main purpose is to balance the boat so that almost all the load is carried on the keel.  So, to lighten the total trailer weight and make [the bunks] more flexible, I removed the bunk carpet and tossed the 2 x 6s and substituted [them] with 1 x 6s carefully chosen (straight grain & no ugly knots) from pressure treated stock at Home Depot.  So that I could use the same mounting hardware -- I cut short (4 each ~ 16" x 1 x 6) to double-up each bunk end -- and then reapplied the carpets.  The modified bunks are quite flexible, but stiff enough so that Chessie doesn't wobble (hardly any) on the trailer when I climb aboard.  They were flexible enough so that when fitting them to Chessie's hull, I could push the ends close-up against her bottom (at the ends) so that the buinks' baring surfaces extended nearly the whole length of the bunk -- nicely distributing the load.

 

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There are three rollers -- each mounted on pressure-treated 2 x 6 stock.  The roller centerlines are about 4" offset from the center lines of each trailer cross-brace.  This adds a little "give" to the roller (as the off-center load torques the cross-brace) which softens the ride a little.  I wanted to "equalize" the load on the three rollers -- but had no way to measure the load on each.  So, with the boat resting on the two aft rollers, I loosely mounted the forward roller on a wooden cross-brace approximately under Blk 2.  Then I placed a jack under the keel (near the cross-brace) and raised the boat up a little bit (maybe ~ < 1") -- and then fabricated a spacer under the roller frame such that the roller firmly pressed up against the keel.  When lowering the boat the cross-brace was deflected ~ 3/8".  The span is about 33".  If I stand on a 33" span on a 2 x 6 -- my 200 lb weight will deflect the board < 1/4".  So, I'd say that the forward roller has significantly relieved the load on the middle roller and increased it (somewhat) on the aft roller.  After about 300 road miles, inspection has not revealed any visible damage to the keel from the rollers.  And I've hit some pretty big bumps at highway speeds.

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