# Trailer refurb



## finstr (May 22, 2017)

I started with this old trailer from Kmart. Its a Taiwan version of the HF trailer thats produced in china now





The boat wasn't an exact fit lol




some new bunks;








And the grafted Corolla axle. The PO ruined the original. New carpet on bunks, welded the seams and small fenders from Princess Auto. (our HF lol)








Splash of new paint...


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## finstr (May 22, 2017)

Here you can see the repaired axle better. Has 14" tires now instead of the 8 inchers.








All new lights and ready to rock! I also added a roller on the tongue up front.


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## finstr (May 22, 2017)

A couple of things I want to do is add a step on the tongue so I don't have to walk the beam over the water lol.
Also I plan on some kind of extendable tongue to make reversing easier and keep the truck out of the water.
This trailer is small and light enough for me to pick up and almost carry myself so I can stash it in the back yard for the winter. Same with the boat. That's the part I like about tin boats. Portability!


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## Stumpalump (May 22, 2017)

Could you imagine ever going back to a heavy glass boat? I love trailer builds. Mine is next.


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## finstr (May 22, 2017)

Lol I had a 16' glass trihull boat with a walk thru windshield that ate fingers and a 50hp Johnson that barely got up on plane. Thing was a tank. It's been gone almost a decade now and I wanted something small and light. But mostly cheap. We have 100,000 little lakes in Ontario with good populations of small mouth bass and speckled trout. Portability is key.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (May 22, 2017)

You should get a taller winch stand. You want the strap or rope to be pulling straight.


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## finstr (May 22, 2017)

You're exactly right. Except I did the next best thing. I put an eyelet in the bow that's level with the winch. One of the ongoing refinements this project is evolving into.


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## gnappi (Jun 9, 2017)

Stumpalump said:


> Could you imagine ever going back to a heavy glass boat?



Nope


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## jethro (Jun 14, 2017)

finstr said:


> You're exactly right. Except I did the next best thing. I put an eyelet in the bow that's level with the winch. One of the ongoing refinements this project is evolving into.



So one thing that is extremely important is the winch strap and/or safety chain need to be routed under the bow roller. In the event of a front impact crash the safety chain routing will prevent the boat from travelling forward and ending up in or on the vehicle. You want to avoid this:






This gives you an idea of the proper configuration:


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## LDUBS (Jun 14, 2017)

jethro said:


> finstr said:
> 
> 
> > You're exactly right. Except I did the next best thing. I put an eyelet in the bow that's level with the winch. One of the ongoing refinements this project is evolving into.
> ...



Wow, look how the trailer just kind of folded up in the top photo. That is crazy.


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## ProduceMan (Jun 14, 2017)

finstr said:


> A couple of things I want to do is add a step on the tongue so I don't have to walk the beam over the water lol.
> Also I plan on some kind of extendable tongue to make reversing easier and keep the truck out of the water.
> This trailer is small and light enough for me to pick up and almost carry myself so I can stash it in the back yard for the winter. Same with the boat. That's the part I like about tin boats. Portability!



If you can find something to fit inside your existing tongue, this may help. https://www.forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=43115


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## gnappi (Jun 16, 2017)

HOLY CRUD!!! I never saw such a mess with a boat accident and there's a lot to think about in that pic too!

I'm wondering if that boat was even secured at all? If so it broke the waist strap and the winch strap too or maybe like some I've seen the straps may have been badly deteriorated by sun and salt and just dusted away on impact? I can't see the winch strap hanging on the bow, maybe the cleat gave way too?

One thing though, in that case with a 100% deceleration of the truck hitting that pole, I doubt that the 1/2" or even a 5/8" bolt of the bow roller (in addition to deteriorated straps) would have stopped that big boat, if it did I'd think the boat may have done a 180 flip onto the pickup? 

In any event for sure the winch strap should be under the roller, and straps really should be in good shape. I replace my winch strap and waist straps at the first sign of discoloration or thread bare looks, for $30 or so they are the best insurance you have.

Thanks for posting that!


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## shoestringmariner (Jun 17, 2017)

Great looking refurb. Sharp looking boat too, what model is that. I really like the colour. 

What are the boards for on the transom? Trolling motor mounts?


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## LDUBS (Jun 17, 2017)

shoestringmariner said:


> Great looking refurb. Sharp looking boat too, what model is that. I really like the colour.
> 
> What are the boards for on the transom? Trolling motor mounts?



X2 -- that is a really nice looking setup.


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## LDUBS (Jun 17, 2017)

gnappi said:


> HOLY CRUD!!! I never saw such a mess with a boat accident and there's a lot to think about in that pic too!
> 
> I'm wondering if that boat was even secured at all? If so it broke the waist strap and the winch strap too or maybe like some I've seen the straps may have been badly deteriorated by sun and salt and just dusted away on impact? I can't see the winch strap hanging on the bow, maybe the cleat gave way too?
> 
> ...



Why are we using straps instead of cables on the bow winch? Just curious.


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## shoestringmariner (Jun 17, 2017)

Hey, I just noticed you are in S. Ont. Not sure which side of the T dot you live on, but there's an even better trailer supply than P.A. called Cerka in Milton. 
You pay less than their listed prices if you pick up at their location.


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## jethro (Jun 19, 2017)

gnappi said:


> HOLY CRUD!!! I never saw such a mess with a boat accident and there's a lot to think about in that pic too!
> 
> I'm wondering if that boat was even secured at all? If so it broke the waist strap and the winch strap too or maybe like some I've seen the straps may have been badly deteriorated by sun and salt and just dusted away on impact? I can't see the winch strap hanging on the bow, maybe the cleat gave way too?
> 
> ...



Yes, I am sure there is more to that pic than just the bow stop configuration, but it gets the point across! In either way, the OP definitely want a safety chain at the very least going under the bow stop.


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## jethro (Jun 19, 2017)

LDUBS said:


> gnappi said:
> 
> 
> > Why are we using straps instead of cables on the bow winch? Just curious.



Becasue in the event you winch it up under stress, like at a shallow ramp or something, a cable can bind into itself quite badly. I had it happen on a glass boat I used to own where the previous owner had used a cable in a pinch. Bad idea, especially for a heavy boat. 

It also has a memory and can be a coiled mess when you yank it out to retrieve the boat. A strap stays nice and flat and is easy to deal with.


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## finstr (Jun 22, 2017)

shoestringmariner said:


> Great looking refurb. Sharp looking boat too, what model is that. I really like the colour.
> 
> What are the boards for on the transom? Trolling motor mounts?



Yes in a sense. The original 5hp motor I acquired was a long shaft so I raised the transom 5" and decided to add extra wood as a splash shield. The chunk of 2x6 is for the trolling motor.
I've since cut them down for the short shaft but still have approx 4" of extra height on the sides.
The boat I think came originally from The Hudson Bay Company. As far as I can tell it's a Baycrest boat. No idea what model it is. There's no id plate. I stripped it and painted it with automotive paint that was left over from a body job. It's a dark Chrysler green.


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## finstr (Jun 22, 2017)

shoestringmariner said:


> Hey, I just noticed you are in S. Ont. Not sure which side of the T dot you live on, but there's an even better trailer supply than P.A. called Cerka in Milton.
> You pay less than their listed prices if you pick up at their location.



Hey thanks for this!


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