Having just collected a vintage wooden boat from near Cirencester and towed it to Keyhaven near Lymington I found it being thrown about by our terrible road surfaces so on arrival it needed remedial work done to the various joints !
I need a trailer with decent suspension so if anyone can recommend a suitable trailer I will be very grateful.
Nick,
I'm not sure of your setup but I find that custom cradles on the dinghy trolley (if your setup is a combi trailer / trolley) is the best way.
Some of the road surfaces really are terrible.
A problem I've always had with towing lighter boats, they don't like hunkering down to the road surface and prefer to bounce around to the detriment of the owner's heart rate!
I suggest fixing some weight to the trailer near as possible to the axles to try and relieve the bouncing, and letting the tyres down as far as you dare to create some give.
Most trailer bases have suspension that is far too hard for our little boats, and I've not managed to find any modern trailer axles with a low enough load limit to allow movement when needed.
Others may have found a better solution but this is how I've managed to lower the bouncy behaviour in the past.
Good luck!
Good call on the soft slung trolley, but only works if you have a combi trailer and trolley.
If a road base only with supports then you could also add some cushioning to the supports and strap down gently as possible...
Thanks guys. At the moment it's just a road base trailer and quite old I think. I'm getting the boatyard next to my club to look at it but really I'm thinking of getting a new trailer.
I'm getting Tim Gatti to restore an important N12 for me and once done I want to take it to the various vintage meetings and maybe the Nationals etc. I don't want that to be shaken about on those journeys so I'm looking for the "Rolls Royce" of trailers, a smooth ride, jolts cushioned and no rattling.