Trailer more than 4200 pounds possible? (2 axles)

[sapphire2]

We just bought our new (second hand) Mac26M, 2006 model and am going through the whole trailer thing now. We live in Australia and the laws are pretty tough on overweight rigs. The stock steel trailer has US plate to 1905kg but the Aus compliance plate is incorrectly rated only to 1450kg so we are way over already at 1900kg with hardly anything in or on it. We can get it replated to 1905kg but that doesn't let us pack the wheaties let alone water, fuel, tools and a few extra goodies bolted on.

After much investigation, we've come to the conclusion that it is marginally possible to upgrade the trailer to 2500kg tandem, but with quite some compromise and with the extra weight of electric over hydraulic brakes and extra axle, we decided to abandon the stock trailer and will most likely buy a new (Duralum) Aluminium trailer rated at 3400kg to give us plenty of room and a much safer ride. We plan to tow it to the Whitsundays and back soon (8000km return) so we think the investment will be worth it and we can add the fridge, solar panels, dingy and davits etc. etc. without panicking about the weight.

[Crikey]

Welcome Sapphire2! I like to see a picture of that trailer when you have it. Particularly interested in which direction the bunks travel. Also, what is it with the hydraulic vs the electric brakes?
Ross

[Mac26Mpaul]

Hi Sapphire
I recently had my 2007 built M weighed on the stock aluminum trailer with no fuel or water and just basic emergency gear onboard ( I did however have my 47L Evacool fridge, and 120 solar panel, stereo etc) That stuff don't really way that much extra. The rig came in at 1960kgs. (Considering they have no heavy board like similar sized trailer sailers, these boats seem to be, contrary to popular opinion, pretty dam heavy!).
I really doubt there are too many of these rigs legally on Oz roads...
Local to me, the guy that does trailers reckoned by making up a duel axel bogie and putting the electric breaks on, he could get the macgregor trailer certified for 3 tonnes (although he wanted 4 or 5k to do it)

Just out of interest, what are you planning to tow this rig to the Whitsundays with?

[Relackson]

I'm an Aussie and just started researching making my trailer set up safe and legal (thinking about insurance ramifications ... bloody hull!!!).

Not liking what I'm hearing: $4500 to $5000+; get a new trailer; .....

Sapphire 2: can I have some more information about the Duralum trailer - especially cost; what are you going to do with the Mac trailer?

Mac26Paul: I certainly agree with you - "I really doubt there are too many of these rigs legally on Oz roads..." But where does that leave us legally and insurance-wise?!?!?!? We really need to do something. Like you, I intend to lighten the boat and carry as much as I can in the Holden Rodeo - but I'm not at all confident of getting down below 1905 kgs.

Open for any suggestions

Stan

[Mac26Mpaul]

From weighing my boat, it appears likely that even if I took the addons (eg, stereo, BBQ, Solar panel, fridge etc) out of the boat, and had just the bare boat, motor and rigging, I would still be either over, or perhaps, just on the 1905kg mark. These boats arn't really that light compared to other trailer sailers. I'm pretty sure Nolex 25s are not much over 1200 kg and imagine many of the trailer sailers this size are about this. THe Mac is suppossed to be around that, and that is without the heavy centreboard that others have!! Then there is the fact that the Mac seems to be substantially heavier than claimed anyway.

As to the legal ramificatons, well, there are a lot of guys taking a risk I guess. If the police decided to make you put the rig on a weigh bridge, you would of course be fined and I guess your boat would have to stay there until a crane and truck could be arranged to come pick it up for you
, but if you had an accident and they decided to weight the rig (I know of someone on TSP who this happened too, but not with a Mac), then you can be sure your insurance would be worthless. So, say, it was a $700 000 Bently or something you had run up the ass of, you could probably kiss the house goodbye Sorry to sound so negative, but thems the facts I think

Having said that, yep, I'd say there are hundreds of these boats on our roads, and most of them are still on the Macgregor single axel trailer without electric brakes and only rated for 1920kgs... Actually, I bet a lot of the Maxi trailer sailers on our roads are illegal because even many of those duel axel trailered boats do not have the electric breaks and are therefore rated for under 2 tonne...

I'm just sitting on the idea for a while since I only launch locally and will for the next year or two (until we buy a car that can actually legally tow the Mac and the kids are old enough to start taking away ).... WHen it comes to it, we may just join the masses and take the risk

[DaveB]

I don't know the laws Down Under in your neck of the Seas but in Florida my Mac.X with a 3 year old aluminum Tandem trailer has a 5500 lb rateing. I paid $3200 new and this is the facts.
Trailer 1065 lbs with surge brakes ( have you considered them?) on front axel. The Hitch load is about 450-550 lbs (keeps the rear wheels from spinning at pullout on ramp and reduces load on trailer.
I weigh in about 4500-4700 lbs trailer and boat fully loaded with firewood for camping on my Mac.X, you weigh at least 300 lbs empty because of you fixed keel ballest and probably come in at around 5000 lbs on your M once fully loaded with all your add ons.
I have two 6 gal. fuel tanks , a Honda 50 at 228 lbs and 11 gal water tank. I also have 2- group 30 house batteries and one group 24 for engine and a 63 quart refig and other coolers, anchors, inflatable dingy, 2 gas grills...etc
Dave

From weighing my boat, it appears likely that even if I took the addons (eg, stereo, BBQ, Solar panel, fridge etc) out of the boat, and had just the bare boat, motor and rigging, I would still be either over, or perhaps, just on the 1905kg mark. These boats arn't really that light compared to other trailer sailers. I'm pretty sure Nolex 25s are not much over 1200 kg and imagine many of the trailer sailers this size are about this. THe Mac is suppossed to be around that, and that is without the heavy centreboard that others have!! Then there is the fact that the Mac seems to be substantially heavier than claimed anyway.

As to the legal ramificatons, well, there are a lot of guys taking a risk I guess. If the police decided to make you put the rig on a weigh bridge, you would of course be fined and I guess your boat would have to stay there until a crane and truck could be arranged to come pick it up for you
, but if you had an accident and they decided to weight the rig (I know of someone on TSP who this happened too, but not with a Mac), then you can be sure your insurance would be worthless. So, say, it was a $700 000 Bently or something you had run up the ass of, you could probably kiss the house goodbye Sorry to sound so negative, but thems the facts I think

Having said that, yep, I'd say there are hundreds of these boats on our roads, and most of them are still on the Macgregor single axel trailer without electric brakes and only rated for 1920kgs... Actually, I bet a lot of the Maxi trailer sailers on our roads are illegal because even many of those duel axel trailered boats do not have the electric breaks and are therefore rated for under 2 tonne...

I'm just sitting on the idea for a while since I only launch locally and will for the next year or two (until we buy a car that can actually legally tow the Mac and the kids are old enough to start taking away ).... WHen it comes to it, we may just join the masses and take the risk

[raycarlson]

Ditto on that, on my 08 M fully loaded ready for a 4 day wkend im 5200plus change on a public scale. slightly over what a single axle mac trailer is rated for.