Need trailer for Columbia 26

[gibson925]

I recently purchased an older fixed keel Columbia 26 without a trailer and need to transport it from Great Lakes, IL to KY (about 7 hours normal driving). Can anyone direct me towards a trailer to rent or buy. A used trailer would be preferable. I can weld, so making mods is not a problem if necessary. Any additional advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

[RXBOT]

You are going to need a better than 6000 pounds trailer. I would say a minimum of two 3500# axles. If you have a cradle it could simply go on a flat deck used or rental. If you have no cradle then you will likely have to modify a used trailer or build from scratch. If you plan on storing on the hard every winter it would probably be worth building a trailer then you could store it at home and have easy access for working on it.

[gibson925]

Thanks for the reply. The specs will definitely guide building the trailer. The boat is on stands now and not on a cradle. I could build a cradle and haul it back on a flat bed trailer (which may end up being the best solution). I am trying to avoid that though at the moment as I will need to do that at the shipyard due to not knowing the boats measurements exactly. I also have to get in and out of the shipyard in a decent amount of time to not block traffic. Once I get home, then I can set it up to begin restoration.

I found a company out of GA that would rent me a trailer for 500/week. However, I do not prefer to drive south to GA, make the loop up through IL, and then back to GA to drop off the trailer.

[SlowButSteady]

One note on building/modifying a trailer. While it's obvious that one doesn't want to use a trailer with too light a capacity, it can also be problematic to use one with too heavy a capacity. If the springs of the trailer's suspension are too stiff, the boat can suffer from all the resultant rattling and bouncing around. Making sure that the boat is well supported and tied down tight to the trailer helps. But, if the trailer hits a pothole on the highway, and the suspension is too stiff to smoothly absorb the shock, the force generated by the inertia your 3 ton "baby" has to be absorbed by the hull and the relatively small contact areas between the hull and the trailer.

[coral]

We have a trailer you maybe interested in. You can call George 281-844-4458

[sailkeys92]

Hi,
I been looking at building a frame for my Tartan 27 on a low-boy trailer. If someone knows where I can find a basic diagram with dimensions/stand height,
I'd be very grateful. Or any other Ideas. Thanks.

[Wintermute]

Coral, do you still have that trailer?