CHOOSING THE RIGHT BOAT TRAILER
We know that choosing the right boat trailer for your boat can be a daunting experience so below we have compiled some information that should help in choosing the correct trailer
The ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) Rating is the total weight measured through the axles and towball. The ATM must be higher than the weight of the combined package including Boat, Motor, Trailer, Fuel and any gear carried in the boat ie Esky, Fishing Gear, Water.
All trailers in Australia with a ATM of 750kg or under do not require brakes to be fitted but it is advised that you check your towing vehicle specs as some small cars require brakes to be fitted on trailers with an ATM of 500kg or more.
All trailers with a ATM of 751kg to 2000kg require either Mechanical, Hydraulic or Electric Brakes on 1 Axle
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All trailers with a ATM over 2000kg must have a Breakaway Brake setup that will immediately apply the trailer brakes in the event of the trailer becoming disconnected from the towing vehicle. In the event of the trailer being disconnected from the towing vehicle the brake set up must be capable of remaining applied for at least 15 minutes.
Brakes must be fitted to all axles and the brake system must be able to be applied from the drivers position in towing vehicle
All Seatrail Trailers up to 2000kg ATM come with Mechanical Disc Brakes
All Seatrail Trailers above 2000kg ATM come with AL-KO IQ7 Brakes
Buying a new boat trailer can get confusing trying to gather all the required information need to choose the correct trailer. We thought we would share some of our knowledge when it comes to choosing between skids and rollers.
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I have a Aluminium Boat what should I choose?
When it comes to Aluminium boats it depends whether you have what is commonly referred to as a Tinny or a Plate boat. A Tinny is any aluminium boat constructed using 5052 Aluminium and commonly seen to have pressings in the bottom and side sheets. With a Tinny we recommend using a Skid Trailer as the skids distribute the weight of the vessel thru the ribs in the boat. Rollers can cause the boat to crack due to the load being imparted on the bottom sheet in very small areas which it is not designed to do.
Plate Boats are Aluminium boats built using 5083 High Tensile Plate Aluminium and having fully welded ribs, stringer and floor sections. Depending on the exact make of your plate boat it can vary from Skid or Rollers but generally a Plate Boat with a 4mm or small bottom sheet is best on Skids and a Plate Boat with a 5mm or larger bottom sheet is safe to use on rollers but it is always a good idea to consult with the builder of the boat especially if it is a custom built boat as their construction can vary from boat to boat.
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I have a Fiberglass Boat what should I use?
Fiberglass boats can use either Skids or Rollers but it is more common to use Rollers as they allow a boat to be driven on when set up correctly also it requires less effort to remove the boat from the trailer which means the trailer does not have to be put in the water as far when launching and retrieving. Fiberglass boats can also be used in Skid Trailers but generally on Carpeted Skids not Teflon Skids that wont damage the gelcoat but car must be taken to keep the skids clean as any debris such as sand which can act like sand paper between the skid and hull. Teflon Skids are not generally used on Fiberglass Boats as the teflon can be to harsh and mark the gelcoat as well as burning the gelcoat if it is used dry due to friction.
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This is just a basic guide recommendations can change due to the way a customer is planning on using there boat as well as the configuration of there hull.
When we advertise a boat trailer as being a 5m boat trailer we mean that it will fit a 5m boat not that it is 5m long overall. Generally a Seatrail 5m boat trailer will suit a boat from 4.7m to 5.3m with the total length of the trailer being approximately 5.8m.
It is also important to get the right width trailer for your boat as the boat is only allowed to be 300mm wider than the trailer so 150mm each side of the mudguards. We make a variety of different length and width trailer to suit just about every boat.
To help in selecting the correct there is a Boat Diagram here which if you fill out and email to us and we can help in selecting the correct trailer.
Simply click the PDF File below image and download or print the file.