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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Hunter Valley NSW
    Age
    69
    Posts
    1,759

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    I had a look at the Harbor Freight utility trailer. It's the same one as is marketed here in Australia as the Easy Trailer, made in China, the type I have for my GIS (see prior post). The quality of them is good, although if you get the powder coated one, the powder coating does come off as I've seen them in the trailer parks at regattas. If you can stretch to the galvanised one, get that. You definitely need bearing wheels. The non bearing wheels are only good for very short trips that are limited to 60km/h. If you need to go any distance at highway speeds, then you need the bearing wheels and proper marine bearing grease. Even so, keep the hubs out of water. A spare is handy, but I still carry a couple of bottles of the liquid puncture repair in case a puncture occurs in an inconvenient place. They always do!

    The Goat is light so you can lengthen the draw bar on these trailers very easily as they just slide in. However, here in Australia doing so means that the trailer is no longer covered by the designer's engineering certificate, and if you have an accident, your boat insurer can deny a claim and you could also be liable for other 3rd party damage caused. If that's the case in NH, best to get the correct sized trailer in the first place. If you can get an engineer to certify the mod, then you should be OK, but check out your options.

    A planer/jointer is nice kit to have .

    Edit: PS. The longer utility trailer could work nicely if you covered the bed with some ply and added simple bunks, or even just screw down some cleats to locate the skids. The ply might prevent stone chips flying up. Check that the flared sides of the GIS clear the wheel guards.

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  3. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    'Delaide, Australia
    Age
    65
    Posts
    8,138

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    Bruce, I stole your pic of Hakuna Matata on the trailer and some of my above for the old trailer page on my website.

    Thanks

    MIK

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    77

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    Made a pile of chips today and got all the blocks ready and the inwales scarfed. Saw a trailer yesterday for $200. It had been used for a sort of mini goat. About 12' with a raked bow and rotted transom. Could probably move the winch so there is 9-10' to the axle. Might need to raise the bunks an inch or so so the goat sits above the wheel wells. Think it might be an inch or so narrow as is. Might go for it if I could get it for $150 or so. Any thoughts? Worried it might just be a bit small.

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    319

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    Quote Originally Posted by woodeneye View Post
    I had a look at the Harbor Freight utility trailer. It's the same one as is marketed here in Australia as the Easy Trailer, made in China, the type I have for my GIS (see prior post). The quality of them is good

    The Goat is light so you can lengthen the draw bar on these trailers very easily as they just slide in.

    Edit: PS. The longer utility trailer could work nicely if you covered the bed with some ply and added simple bunks, or even just screw down some cleats to locate the skids. The ply might prevent stone chips flying up. Check that the flared sides of the GIS clear the wheel guards.
    ---------------------------------------

    I have this trailer from Harbor Freight: Its the one in the picture and a can of spray paint got it to match the boats color.

    950 Lb. Capacity Foldable 4 Ft. x 8 Ft. Utility Trailer with 8" Wheels and Tires

    Got it for free which helped my decision to make it into my GIS trailer. Cut off the extra folding parts, painted a 1/2" thick, 4x8 plywood deck and bolted it to the trailer, built (2) bunks for the boat to sit on. 1 under the aft tank bulkhead and 1 at bulkhead 3. Run straps thru the gunnels for tying it down. Note I do not have a tow ring on the bow. I think they are ugly on a bow that looks so good.

    Extended the tongue/draw bar so I could open the rear deck of the minivan. It's a heavy gauge tube for a little extra weight to keep the trailer from bouncing around. Had to lengthen the wiring harness too. Fenders do miss the boat while it's on the trailer, but you can ding the boat on them when launching/retrieving the boat.

    I rusted out the first set of bearings and have replaced the hugs with ones that have grease fittings.

    It tows great and it does well at above posted speed limits. Anyone that has driven across Texas knows 75mph is just too darn slow for how big our state is.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    77

    Default

    Thanks for all the input. I think I'm going to pass on the used trailer I saw. How are you guys lengthening the tongue on the utility trailers? Welding on parts or fastening them some other way?

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Savannah GA USA
    Posts
    583

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by john goodman View Post
    ---------------------------------------

    I have this trailer from Harbor Freight: Its the one in the picture and a can of spray paint got it to match the boats color.

    950 Lb. Capacity Foldable 4 Ft. x 8 Ft. Utility Trailer with 8" Wheels and Tires

    Got it for free which helped my decision to make it into my GIS trailer. Cut off the extra folding parts, painted a 1/2" thick, 4x8 plywood deck and bolted it to the trailer, built (2) bunks for the boat to sit on. 1 under the aft tank bulkhead and 1 at bulkhead 3. Run straps thru the gunnels for tying it down. Note I do not have a tow ring on the bow. I think they are ugly on a bow that looks so good.

    Extended the tongue/draw bar so I could open the rear deck of the minivan. It's a heavy gauge tube for a little extra weight to keep the trailer from bouncing around. Had to lengthen the wiring harness too. Fenders do miss the boat while it's on the trailer, but you can ding the boat on them when launching/retrieving the boat.

    I rusted out the first set of bearings and have replaced the hugs with ones that have grease fittings.

    It tows great and it does well at above posted speed limits. Anyone that has driven across Texas knows 75mph is just too darn slow for how big our state is.
    I have the same trailer but without the plywood deck. Instead I mounted a 2 by 12 to walk on when launching and retrieving.

    BTW--I have never wet the trailer nor the wheels when launching. I position the tires at the waters edge and tilt the bow up and shove the boat aft. Most of its weight rides on a 10 inch rubber roller mounted on the after face of the after bunk. Pulling the boat back onto the trailer is a little harder but I used to do it. Nowadays I would need a winch to do the job.
    The "Cosmos Mariner,"My Goat Island Skiff
    http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w168/MiddleAgesMan/

    Starting the Simmons Sea Skiff 18
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/37973275@N03/

  8. #22
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    319

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beaton1 View Post
    Thanks for all the input. I think I'm going to pass on the used trailer I saw. How are you guys lengthening the tongue on the utility trailers? Welding on parts or fastening them some other way?
    I looked for a bolt on tongue but could not find one long enough to clear the mini-vans rear door. I had to be able to open the rear van door for two reasons.
    1) I always forget something after all the gear is in the van and the trailer is hooked up.
    2) I cannot see the trailer without the rear door open. It's impossible to see the empty trailer.

    My new tongue was welded at the local trailer shop for about $125 and they got it done the day i dropped it off. Well worth my money.


    JDG

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    New London, Minnesota
    Posts
    181

    Default

    I just hate trying to back up a trailer I cannot see. I always attach some uprights of some kind, usually guide on arms or lights or both so I have something to use. I had a friend tell me if you can't see it, you are doing it right. Not good enough for me. I have the trailer built, now I need to finish up the goat.

  10. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    77

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    Did you use one of the Harbor Freight trailers, Northstar? Just saw a 25% off coupon in National Geographic and it didn't look like trailers were excluded in the fine print. The used trailer I looked at had a couple pressure treated uprights with lights attached as you described.

    Made a little more progress this past week and got all the spacer blocks and inwales glued in. Cleaning up the squeeze out on all the blocks was a bit of a pain. I knew they were going to be, but it went better than I had been thinking it would go. I pre-screwed each block with one screw and then they went right on without slip sliding around when the epoxy goo went on. Used all my clamps plus a half dozen or so makeshift plywood clamps and wedges for the inwale. Got the front knee fit but not glued in and working on the back knees. Then it's time to get her cleaned up.

    I've been looking at paint etc. I was thinking of using the West System 407 fairing filler and then priming with Interlux recommended primer followed by Brightsides maybe with some of the gloss reducer for the exterior. I was thinking a marine enamel in semigloss for the interior. I'll likely use Epifanes to varnish the gunwales. I'm open to any opinions and suggestions for an alternative course. I'm thinking of finishing in the barn. Ventilation is okay in that it is drafty and it has a big door. Bat droppings and dust could be a problem. Last night we had a "black thick o' fog" as my Aunt used to say. Don't know if the barn will keep back that type of moisture that could interfere with the paint curing.

  11. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    New London, Minnesota
    Posts
    181

    Default

    I bought a wrecked trailer we found in a salvage yard. It is overkill for a goat, but will allow me to attach a bike rack and easily handle both the boat and bikes. That way I can have all the toys together.

  12. #26
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    77

    Default

    Made a bit more progress on the boat this weekend and got the epoxy coating applied to the interior. I'm looking forward to the end of the epoxy work! Maybe I'll look back fondly at it once I start the paint? Anyway, here's a photo. Hope everyone else is enjoying their builds as well. No trailer yet. No money for one. Hope to figure it out in time for fishing next spring.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NSW, Australia
    Posts
    474

    Default

    Hadn't seen this build before. You appear to be doing a very nice job of it. I like the way you've detailed the frame tops and the thwart.

  14. #28
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    77

    Default

    Thanks Sumbloak. I've been referencing Clint's photos quite a bit. He tapered the frames in this way and I thought they looked nice. We also liked how he painted his middle thwart to match the gunwales so we decided to do something similar but I'm planning to varnish the thwart and gunwales and paint everything else.

  15. #29
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    960

    Default

    Wow, she's looking lean and mean! Love it.

  16. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    32

    Default

    Beaton1, looking great. I couldn't help but notice what appears to be an oval inspection hole in the face of bulkhead 4. If you have further details or pictures you could share, it would be very much appreciated. I am not quite yet to your stage, so looking at all possibilities.
    Trevor D

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