I'm in the market for a new trailer. Trailex's A-cat model seems over priced at $1900+. Am I off base about the cost? Does anyone have another good source for a reasonably priced cat trailer? I'm not interested in a build your own or an assembly project. Thanks in advance!

You get what you pay for... Key Sailing uses a local trailer manufacturer. Even their galvanized Wave trailers are $800 right now. The Trailex line is the best I've seen at regattas... I expect I'll bite down and pay the price someday soon because I'm travelling more. Right now I'm using an old Hobie 16 trailer that I picked up cheap and worked on - that'll do you fine if you don't travel too much. There's plenty of them out there, even if you have to buy the scrap boat that sits on it. I almost bought a rotting Sol Cat for that reason.

Good luck - post pics of whatever you find...

You may want to contact Trail n Sail for your local dealer. Their web link is http://www.trailnsail.com/Catamaran.htm. Their prices seem reasonable for a galvanized trailer. The Cat House sells them in Michigan (see www.cathouse1.com).

Ken

My boat came with a 1999 Performance Trailers model number PC 20-21 and I have been very happy with the trailer.
http://www.performancetrailers.com/sailboat.htm

I have removed and replaced the lug nuts on the wheels about every two months, coated them with anti seize paste. I've repaced the grease a couple of times in the bearings (buddys). After my 5 years (3rd owner) of repeated dunking in salt water, the springs are about ready to flake apart. That is the only thing failing and that is because you don't make high carbon springs out of non-oxidizing materials.

GARY

It doesn't make sense to me for someone to get a really lightweight boat that is easy for one person to move around on the beach and then get a really heavy trailer that is hard to move around in the parking area.

We have had Trailex trailers since the 1970's, and we love them. It is nice to be able to adjust the width of the cradles for different boats. And it is nice to be able to replace parts (if you break them), rather than replacing the whole trailer.

Because an A-Cat is so light, I would think you could get away with their smallest cat trailer, which is only $1,000 suggested MRP, especially if you put the boat on the trailer with sterns facing forward so most of the weight is more centered over the axle and you don't have to worry about the bows hitting the car when you make a sharp turn with your vehicle. And A-Cat sailors probably would be customizing the cradles for the hulls on the trailer anyway.

Trailex trailers last forever. And on any trailer, you should keep your springs oiled to keep them from rusting and/or freezing up. (Not that we do that, but we should!)

I have to agree with most of what Mary says about Trailex Trailers.

I had one for 15 years and the only reason I ever had any problems with it was because I modified it to to accomodate my sailbox. When I had to get replacement parts, though - all it took was an e-mail to the factory.

The only reason I sold it was that it was too small for my Tiger. I got a new (bigger) one to replace it.

They are more flexible than steel trailers, though (at least my old one was). It would ocillate badly when I got caught behind a truck on the highway.

The new one seems to be rock-solid, though.

I think it makes a big difference whether you have one straight tongue coming from the hitch to the main frame of the trailer or whether you also have triangulated sections coming back to the main frame. Triangulation definitely make the whole trailer stiffer and less likely to oscillate. (And that is true of any trailer.)

I'm also a big Trailex fan. I'm having my 4.3 trailer converted to double stack right now. It'll end up similar to Dave Fort's double stack which is pictured on their website.

While I was at Trailex they showed me their A cat trailer. It's set up from the factory to hold the A cat from the beams rather than the hulls.

The really cool thing about trailex trailers is the custom extrusions with t-bolts that they use. It makes the trailer infinitely adjustable without drilling holes, welding, etc..

Thanks everyone for all the help! It sounds like the Trailex trailers are worth the money. Mary, you are right that some of their smaller models will work for an A-cat. I guess close to 2K is what it takes for a nice trailer. I appreciate the help!

The better sailors in our Fleet all have Trailex trailers. If you can every find a used one, buy it. You'll find parts are always available and they are just so nice to have. You can move them around on the beach by yourself and easily maintain them. I have one for my Hobie magnum and my daughter has a 1980 Trailex for her Hobie 16 that still is a delight.

I know they're pricey, but You won't be sorry.
Wyatt

A couple of concerns

1) Trailex -Run this thru the USACA first. I have heard of stability problems with A-Class and aluminum trailers. I have not heard any "first hand accounts" where a steel trailer would not have had problems too or they were doing something so strange a semi might have had problems. I have heard a lot of vague "so and so had problems" stories.

2) A locally built welded galvanized or welded aluminum trailer will almost certainly be much cheaper. Make up a drawing or find a photo of what you want. Call the local builder(s) and fax them the photo or drawing. As long as they can figure out how to do it by welding things on or cutting tubing, the price is normally reasonable. One of the local builders near Houston built a nice double stack A-Class trailer.

3) I use a Tornado trailer (1500 lbs). There is a piece of mind to knowing the shrouds will break before the wind blows an A tied to it over. If I sell it, I will consider a trailex. It's so wide my A sits inside the fenders and you always know it's back there when you are towing it.

4) Quality counts. If you want something beyond Trailex, Texas-Tilt builds a A-Class trailer. It will cost

I have been considering modifying my trailer; getting rid of my current suspension and installing a torsion suspension. Torsion axles give independant suspension and shock absorbsion. They also allow you to lower the trailer's height, significantly.

If anyone has not pulled a trailer with independant suspension, let me tell you that it is a dream. They follow where you go and are nearly impossible to sway.

I have seen that there are some torsion suspensions available with galvanized cross members. There are several different brands.

I would be interested in advice on what to buy, and who has them at the best price.



GARY Galvanized torion axle assembly

Gary,
I have a torsion axle on the trailer that I built for my Prindle and it works great. I bought mine from QDS/Henschen Industries in nearby Jackson Center, Ohio. http://www.henschenaxle.com/
They also manufacture the axles that go on Airstream camping trailers. (also made in Jackson Center)
http://www.henschenaxle.com/



Jack

Hey Gary -

Lowers the boat, as in closer to the road? Do you have any problem with debris? With boats riding a couple of feet off the road, I have seen dings from small stones, even through canvas covers. I'd be nervous about dropping clearance... sound like you're sold, though...

I would certainly expect the debris problem to worsen if you lower the boat. I don't have a problem with the issue in my particular usage. But you can still enjoy the independant suspension

and the shock absorbtion of the torsion suspension without lowering the trailer if you wish. It would require that you add blocks or other spacers between the torsion bars and the frame.

I travel little and use a launch ramp a lot. Being lower will allow me to launch without having to back as far into the water.

Also, having a lower boat on the trailer makes it a lot easier to prepare the boat, work on the boat, etc.

GARY

Hi John,

I have been evaluating installing a torsion axle too.
I want to use 15" wheels but leaf springs would raise the boat too high.
My idea is to lower the frame but keep the boat up high.
This would allow a lot more storage room under the boat.

I have also considered buying a nice aluminum utility trailer like http://www.tritontrailers.com
and using removable crossbars.
It seems like such a waste to spend $1500-$2000 on a trailer that can only be used for a boat.
Especially when you don't race all 12 months.

I have a 27-year old Trailex that came new with my first slightly used 1978 Hobie 18 White Knight (Now don't that take you back some?). Trailer now looks almost new under my all-carbon Javelin XJ A-class, and the trailer runs great. I put a new axle & springs on before going on a blitzkrieg trip to New Jersey with Woody Cope (46 hours) to pick up 2 new XJ boats. My wife kept fussing at me that the original springs were looking thin and rusty, plus some dang where I had bent an axle spindle a little on a curb...hey after 33 years you expect a little wear eh? Nah-Wife was right.....again. She even cleaned it up for me, Wow!

I am building a new trailer. I am interested in a good layout including what materials were used and how it was fastened together. I want to use aluminum is possible. Was thinking about I-beam but not sure how to bend - or if the corner can be cut and fastened with a stainless gusset of sorts. Any ideas?????
Thanks

Hey Gary and Sam, Based on your comments you would like my trailer. It is a 12 foot aluminum drive-on/drive-off snowmobile trailer (V front) from Becker Welding in Michigan. Their website is: http://www.beckerbuilttrailers.com/ I was really lucky when I ordered mine about 13 months ago as I got my order in the day before prices went up due to rising aluminum prices. Then I had them make the tongue three feet longer than standard so that it is an ideal boat trailer yet can haul so many other things well also. I agree, Sam, that a trailer ought to do more for you than just haul boats around or then I would need a fleet of trailers and having a fleet of boats is enough (you may have seen it at Spring Fever last year). The aluminum frame will last forever like the trailex trailers but the deck provides much more protection for the boat from road debris and grime. It also makes it more user friendly for hauling all the different sizes boats I have and for mounting the two different sailboxes I have. It is great to walk on as well while rigging and the extra stiffness the deck provides keeps the boat from working so hard on the road. Have you ever travelled behind a Trailex trailer and see how much the boat is torquing around? I have and I don't want my boats getting that much abuse on the hard - I'll save that for the water! I have seen extra cross members added to trailex trailers to stiffen them and that works well. But this trailer cost me about half the price of a similar sized trailex and I got a whole lot more trailer for the money. It has a Dexter torflex axle and that makes a big difference, as Gary mentioned. It rides rock solid even at excessive highway speeds, handles bumps really well, and the fat tires do not sink in sand and mud like skinny trailer tires do. Having had to deal with a broken leaf spring on the way to a regatta, I will never have that type of trailer suspension again! The only drawback to this trailer is that it is heavy compared to a trailex trailer but much lighter than the galvanized steel snowmobile trailer it replaced. For all the advantages it offers and with a nice folding tongue wheel, it is an easy trade-off to accept.

For anyone looking into the torsion axle conversion, be aware that they are made with different mounting angles and that is very important to get right so that you have the proper suspension travel clearance. My advice would be to sell your curret trailer and get the aluminum one of your dreams as it WILL last forever as others above have already described. You are not buying it so much as investing in it since they have great resale value and save a lot of time and money on maintenance which allows more sailing time. And this type of trailer really protects your boat and offers much more versatility. You can probably find some really good deals online on new or used trailers on EBAY or like sites. I was looking on EBAY when I discovered Becker Welding and the trailers they make so you may find something similar closer to where you live and order just what YOU want, although I suppose not too many snowmobile trailers are made in the south! Plenty to consider and research! Good luck!

Mike Fahle
North Coast

Related to your "building my own trailer"

I designed my own tilt trailer when I was in the market for a tornado. Never bought the boat so I never built the trailer, but designing a trailer is pretty simple. I actually found a book in the public library that walked me through all the "technical" aspects of trailer design. Can't remember the title now, but modelling it in solidworks was easy enough: