Trailer upgrading issues

[cruiser]

Didnt read the QLD transport stuff he linked to, but guess I probably should as I can see what the guy at the marina told me about overhang, is probably not right...................

This is the link to the June 2011 Qld Regs - Special Use Trailers Carying Yachts, etc.
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/3c1dc ... orm_26_v1_
Yes I think it use to be that your boat could only extend back some miniscule number of metres from the rear of the trailer but that has now changed to a more logical arrangement based on distance from axle/axles. Don't know how that would pan out with a 28 foot water ballasted boat but I guess Rome can only be built in small stages. At least this new reg is a big improvement.

[cruiser]

So do I get this right in any way

If I shipped to Aus for any permanent residency type period (as in importing a left hand drive car) I would have to upgrade to meet the particular state specs Or if I was to import for a limited period of visitation I would be exempt from compliance obligations, and only subject to country of residence extended coverage?

Confused

Crikey Crikey you can see how much trouble we have with a boat trailer - give us a break mate.

No seriously, I have seen LHD vehicle on the road here with special permits but doubt you could get that for a car that was going to be driven on a regular basis. I think what you are asking would have the answer deep in the bowels of government admin. If you intended doing something like that you would be best to do it in conjunction with an importer/modifier who regularly did that sort of work. We have quite a few second-hand Japanese car imports these days (ie. imported from Japan as used cars say 4-5 years old) and they have to go through a compliance process once they arrive.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Thanks Cruiser. That link kind of scares me in how much dribble I'm sure I will have to wade through, but yeah, I guess I should try and dig in to it

Is moving the V of the trailer really the answer? I mean isnt the boat designed to sit in a specific spot on the trailer to get its weight distribution etc right ?? Arnt you messing with this by having the boat further aft on the trailer than it is designed to be ?

[cruiser]

Thanks Cruiser. That link kind of scares me in how much dribble I'm sure I will have to wade through, but yeah, I guess I should try and dig in to it ......

No Paul, that document is actually very simply you just go down to the bit on yachts, as oppossed to dragon boats, rowing sculls, etc. - the document isn't very long actually - very refreshing. Couple of bits of definition wording take a bit of digesting but if you look at the vehicle/trailer diagram first you can then go back to the definitions to clarify what they mean. The overhang across the rear of the vehicle took some digesting, for me, but once I went back to the definition I could see what they meant.

.....Is moving the V of the trailer really the answer? I mean isnt the boat designed to sit in a specific spot on the trailer to get its weight distribution etc right ?? Arnt you messing with this by having the boat further aft on the trailer than it is designed to be ?

I presume you are refering to the rubber "V-block" that the front of the bow goes into? If you moved the block back say 2" (or whatever your normal gap) from where the bow has to come up to you could then winch it up tight on the block whilst in the water. Once you pull the trailer out of the water it will then flex back and leave the 2" (or whatever) gap - you then just shift the block back firmly against the bow.

I think if the bow is held tightly in the "V-Block" block plus tightly on an extra bow roller under the front of the bow it will make the boat a much firmer and steadier fit on the trailer. I am thinking of putting on the underneath bow roller as well as say a 6" steel "V-Notch" lined with carpet - the roller would sit on the back of the support bar and the "V-Notch" on the front. Both would be height adjustable and the bow would end up being supported by the "V-Notch" rather than the roller, once the boat was firmly sitting on the trailer.

[Mac26Mpaul]

better actually look at the link before commenting next time - not to hard to understand eh

Yes, interesting thanks, 5.5 metre max overhang from your axel or the centre of twin axels. to the furthest point of overhang for trailer yachts. I will have to get out there and measure that tomorrow..
Deffinately that guy at the place that does trailers at Horizon shores was referring to powerboat trailer rules when he was telling me I had way too much overhang and needed an extension. As someone said, I guess most of the trailer people just dont know when it comes to trailer sailers.

[cruiser]

As someone said, I guess most of the trailer people just dont know when it comes to trailer sailers.

Yes, particularly with water ballasted boats like the MacGregor as there is relatively no weight in the back bit of the boat. Boats with heavy keels are a bit different as most of them need support all the way back along the keel and thus the end of the trailer will be pretty near the back of the boat. Under the previous rules I doubt most MacGregor trailers would have been legal. One of the Mac owners in the States extended his trailer back and put on a third bunk as he was unsure about legislation in some of the individual states he had to travel through.

[Boblee]

I did put a third bunk in between the existing ones but only because I do a lot of long miles over some fairly rough roads, also strengthened the rails going up to the drawbar and the drawbar itself was beefed up last year before we went to the Kimberlies because we now use a 5 ton Toyota Dyna as a tow vehicle which is pretty stiff.
Paul if the rails you are putting on are too low to see on a steep ramp you could make some flags on sticks so you could get a guide, I was thinking more about the boat getting blown over them by wind or current though? only way is to try it be interesting to hear results.

[Boblee]

Just got a reply back from an ebay seller who I asked for a price to do a complete replacement of the axle and equip, it's not itemised but should include brakes axle, everything just like the dual axle I linked earlier.

Do you have a single axle kit rated over 2 tonnes and preferably higher, this is to replace a single axle on a boat trailer but as it is American want to replace the complete setup.


Hi we could do a 2.5T single axle but would cost $1760.00 Cheers Peter ELF TRAILERS 02 9618 3573

If complete is not bad and would only require welding hangers but you would still need to get trailer certified? not sure where they are other than NSW by the Ph no but could be an option to get it all done by them?
Supposed to be harvesting but rain put us off so heading tomorrow now, look forward to how it turns out as if our boat doesn't sell may do it too.
May even keep it sshhh

[Mac26Mpaul]

Bob, ya need to get this talk of selling the boat out of SWMBOs head. The market is crap and you have to wonder if boat prices will ever come back up, certainly not for a few years. Best just keep the boat as a great little holiday home

I am not surprised that you have found someone who will do the single axel job, but wouldnt go ahead with something like that until I had it from the engineer that he would certify such a job to 2500kg. I'm also confused about how cheap it sounds. I was told you need these fancy electric breaks if you are over 2t and two different places have now told me that the break controller alone is (The guy at Horizon shores said $1800 and the enginner guy from the other place said $1900) My quote is for about 4 grand which includes this controller and a duel axel setup and load sharing suspension

[Boblee]

Ah thought I would check before bed, if you check the list on that other link for the dual axles the controller is in it.
Maybe someone is making dollars (for the controller) just like anything listed as 4x4 is twice as dear bit like marine too.
The dual axle set up complete was only 1400 I think with four brake setups and see eye to eye springs are available but not sure whether that is rocker springs (load sharing).
There are huge differences in trailer parts prices, I have built a few (they aren't hard) and even the springs for the Mac were less than half price at any other Alco dealer.
No won't be doing anything until April something next year, the boat is going down to a yard in Paynesville for the summer season (when I get home) and if it doesn't sell it will be going up to Yeppoon for the season up there in a yard and I will stay up there for a while with my brother, might even go up the coast a bit to get away from the cold down here.
Wouldn't mind taking it back to Bowen or even up to Cooktown it's a great place (pity about the wind though).
Talk to ya'll in a week or so bed time now got a 500k drive to work in the morning.

[cruiser]

Wouldn't mind taking it back to Bowen or even up to Cooktown it's a great place (pity about the wind though).
Talk to ya'll in a week or so bed time now got a 500k drive to work in the morning.

Bob, if you are going to take your boat up to Yeppoon why not sail from there to Bowen - one of the most interesting trips you will ever do. All the best with the harvest.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Its all too hard for me Think I'll just leave the axel thing for a while and just enjoy the boat, As I said, I only drive 200 metres to the ramp at the moment anyway...

Enjoy your harvesting Bob - what are you harvesting anyway?

[bartmac]

My quote is for about 4 grand which includes this controller and a duel axel setup and load sharing suspension

Re quote for dual axles....I'm looking to set up a dual axle trailer...bought another trailer to do just that and have the controller...any chance of putting me in contact with your supplier?

[Mac26Mpaul]

The first quote I got was from the Stainless fabrication place at Horizon shores Marina, Steigltiz (northern end of the Gold Coast) The second quote(about 4k he said) was from Kenneth Jobbins (QLD transport certified engineer for trailer modifications) 55462800 which is accross the road from the Woongoolba pool on the road between Jacobs Well and Yatala. But I dont get ya. You have the trailer and the controller and you want duel axels and the controller installed I take it? There must be several trailer places down your way you could use surely.

[cruiser]

....The second quote(about 4k he said) was from Kenneth Jobbins (QLD transport certified engineer for trailer modifications) 55462800 which is accross the road from the Woongoolba pool on the road between Jacobs Well and Yatala. ..........

I am a bit puzzled. I purchased my trailer unregistered - wasn't sure what may or may not need doing to it and didn't want the pressure of having to fix the trailer and changed ownership, etc all at the one time - I was originally thinking of having a whole new trailer built. Then went to trailer guy and had repairs and upgrades done. Then had to take it to a seperate guy to get the new safety certificate so I could get it registered. My understanding was that the trailer builders could not be the certifiers - for obvious reasons.

From what you are saying Paul it appears the governement transport people have 'certified engineers' who can say yea or nay if a trailer is OK to register?? - is there some bit I am missing here? Does Kenneth Jobbins build trailers or is he perhaps just a stock standard issuer of safety certificates?