Sunfish Utility Trailer

 07 May 21:

We have a 5x10 Carry On utility trailer and were curious if it could carry a Sunfish on a dolly? We know that it can carry Sunfish with the ramp folded down, no dolly, and minimal modification. We used it last year to recover a hurricane damaged Sunfish. Using a utility trailer to carry Sunfish or other boats has appeal because other adventure gear could be carried as well, such as bikes, coolers, chairs, etc...

Ideally we could lower a ramp and roll the dolly and Sunfish up the ramp, which we were able to do with sufficient side to side clearance. But in order to close the ramp, the Sunfish and dolly protrude too far forward.

If we push the dolly back far enough to get clearance from the tow vehicle, the stern sticks out about 2 feet and interferes with ramp closure. 

One idea is to remove that ramp and use 2 Carry On ramps. But then those ramps would need to be stored somewhere. 

Or to make a modified ramp, like a bobtail.

The utility trailer could be further modified to carry more Sunfish, canoe, kayak etc...

Comments appreciated.

Rust Never Sleeps

22 Dec 20: 

Our good friend Eddie of Eddie English Boat Trailer in Milton, Florida shared an article with us on trailer maintenance, Rust Never Sleeps, posted at https://www.nzfishingworld.co.nz/.../rust-never-sleeps.... Our boats are only as good as our trailers, and the article points out some key items to look for. What we were surprised to learn is that rust grows from inside a box frame to outside, so by the time an external spot appears, there is extensive rust inside the frame. So it is just as important to rinse off a trailer as it is a boat. Some folks even carry a pump sprayer with them to rinse off their trailer after launching, as they can get to all the nooks and crannies easier. Rhett English mentions that a lot of corrosion starts where the bunks drip on the frame and axle, while folks are out boating. When the boat is in the water is a good time to check rollers, bunks, hardware, axles, etc that are usually hidden by the boat. We have rehabbed a few trailers and the problem spots we see are corroded U bolts on the axle, so bad that a wrench can not grip the nut, and leaf springs corroded to the point where leaves start to fall off. And rusty fenders, don't even get me started on that...So don't stop at just the tires, wheels and bearings, give the whole trailer a good looksee. Or swing by Eddie's Magic Kingdom and his team will take care of it for you, or send your boat down the road with a shiny new trailer.

Eddie and Skipper, with her "new" trailer aka My Grandfather's axe, or Theseus' Ship. All Skipper's trailer needed was a new coupler, safety chains, tongue, bow stop, winch, winch strap, hook, bow roller, keel rollers, roller plates, axle, axle hardware, springs, spring bolts, nuts, washers, hubs, bearings, wheels, tires, guide posts, LED lights...Eddie fixed up CYANE's "new" trailer so it will be good for our grandkids. 

ROSE"BUD"s trailer before.

ROSEBUD's trailer after, we saved the frame and fenders. A new trailer would have been the same price but what is the fun in that? And a local scrapper scored a rusty axle, I barely got it to the curb before they ran off with it, I think they had been waiting in the woods, watching.

For all your boat trailer needs, give Eddie English Boat Trailer a call.

Small Boat Double Stack Trailer

25 Feb 20:

We have identified that our Armada needs another double stack trailer, to carry a combination of Sunfish and kayaks, or Sunfish x 2, or the Penobscot 14 with a canoe, or the Sailfish...you get the idea. Back in 2013 Eddie English Boat Trailer in Milton Florida set us up by adding 2 pairs of steel trailer guides and aluminum crossbars to a MagicTilt double jetski trailer.

We padded the crossbars with large pool noodles and set off on a 2,348 mile road trip from NW Florida to the Niagara Sailing Club in Grand Island, NY to gather our wooden 1953 Alcort Sunfish ZIP and the 1977 AMF Sunfish NEPTUNE. The trailer rode great both with and without a load of boats.

The trailer also made a 1,234 mile round robin trip to Marshville, NC to pick up our 1963 Alcort Sunfish CHIP, with stops on the way back to pick up our wooden 1950s Alcort Super Sailfish ZSA ZSA and a 1963 Alcort Super Sailfish MKII SWEETNESS.

ZSA ZSA top rack and CHIP on bottom.

SWEETNESS was suspended on cargo straps below the top rack.

We sold the Magic Tilt trailer a while back with CIEL and put the guides on WILLOW's trailer, but WILLOW wants her trailer back for a road trip. Eddie is going to set us up again with one of his galvanized trailers specifically designed for Sunfish, he has made a lot of them for our local Sunfish dealer Key Sailing. He will also add the upper rack. The trailer comes complete with a bow stop, winch, fenders, bunks, 12 inch tires and LED lights. MADISON will be the Sunfish nominated for fit testing.

FMI: Eddie English Inc Boat Trailer

Alcort Catfish SMEDLEY 03 Apr 18 New Trailer

03 Apr 18:

Picked up SMEDLEY on her new trailer fro,m Eddie English Boat Trailer. They built nice custom roller supports on one of their stock small boat frames and crafted inner vertical rollers to help with loading. Hot dip galvanized frame, 12 inch tires with fenders, bow stop and winch, mast support, LED lights.

The man himself, Eddie.

Now we have to figure out why these transom holes are so big.

Log of SMEDLEY.

O'Day Daysailer Cyane Trailer, Mast Raise and Bow Eye Replacement 30 Sep 17

30 Sep 17:

Got some trailer work done to fit Cyane to her new trailer. New rollers, axle, springs, hubs and tires. Eddie English does great work for us!

Boat was moved aft just a bit to set a good tongue weight. I couldn't lift it before and now I can, so I'm guessing it is around 80 pounds.

Eddie's crew replaced all of the rollers with HDPE non marking rollers. The new brackets are galvanized and fastened with stainless hardware, shiny!

New 1500 pound axle, new springs sized for the trailer/boat combo. This roller is set to support the centerboard and keep it in the case.

8 foot carpeted bunks and LED lights. Skipper says leave Onkahye's name on there, Cyane kind of like it.

Eddie has sold us 2 trailers, repaired 4, and built us 2. Plus helped us upgrade several more with trailer guides. We always enjoy visiting his business and seeing the wizardry in progress. If you need a trailer, give him a call and tell him Small Boat Restoration sent you.

A few of the mast fittings. Cheek block for the topping lift.

Spinnaker halyard, roller furling and jib halyard block for regular jib.

Spinnaker pole line block.

Preparations to raise the mast.



After the mast went up we installed the new bow eye. Upgraded to U bolt style, located spot for second 3/8 inch hole. We bedded the new eye in TotalBoat thickened epoxy to fill in the chipped area.

Opened inspection port to bow compartment and removed a few foam blocks. Bow eye bolts coming through the stem backer strip, it's wooden for some reason.

Tightened down the nuts.

Foam blocks returned to the bow compartment and inspection port closed up.

Faired the bow eye plate with some TotalBoat THIXO.

Mast up, 8x10 cockpit cover installed.

Log of Cyane.

Small Boat Trailer Restoration

Sold the Sunfish, now it's time to get the trailer back on the road.

Rusted latch and pawl underneath is completely gone.

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

Light electrical parts are corroded.

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

Cut off old latch, cannibalizing new latch from new coupler.

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

A little cold galvanizing compound maybe?

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

New coupler latch installed, that nut (no not me) is used to adjust the pawl tension on the trailer hitch ball

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

Once lug nuts were loosened with a breaker bar, impact wrench did the rest.

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

Ready to roll with new tires and LED lights.

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

From SBR 3: Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

ODay Daysailer Trailer Guides

The flat hull on the Daysailer makes it tricky to get back on the trailer, so we added some trailer guides to assist. Our local trailer manufacturer Eddie English in Milton, FL sells a nice trailer guide kit that comes with trailer brackets, steel guide posts and PVC rollers.

From Small Boat Restoration 2013

The guide brackets bolt onto the trailer frame. In order to get the right size guide it is important to know the size of your frame, the width of the frame and the beam of the boat.

From Small Boat Restoration 2013

The guide bolts into the frame and the PVC roller fits over the guide. These guides are pretty tall, but now I can see where the trailer is when backing up without the boat loaded. Before it was too low to see.

From Small Boat Restoration 2013