# What is the best raft trailer you've seen?



## Learch

I'd say yes to a bar, I don't have one on the trailer I currently use. Mine is on a half homebuilt boat trailer with an all wood deck. It's a 7X8 deck, works fine for a 14 foot sized raft, I think any wider and I'd go for a wider trailer. Most of the launch points I've used I can't dunk the trailer very well, so we have to lift or drag the raft. 
My cousin has a 5x8 Iron Eagle utility trailer that he built an above rail rack for. The rack is about 5 feet off of the ground. We tossed my raft up there with 5 guys fully rigged with a frame, cooler, and drybox. It was a bitch, but we did it. I'd hate to use that trailer for day trips, but it is awesome for bigger trips. 
I want to build a flat deck trailer, I think I'd be happier overall. I have a small 4X8 snowbear trailer that might end up getting a rack on top, it's a lot lower to the ground than my cousin's trailer. 
My experience is a trailer with separate storage is a great expedition trailer. The flatbed is a good day trailer. Oh, and tires. Most trailer tires easily meet our kind of weight requirements, the 18-20" tall tires that snowmobile trailers use don't ride as well when they hit bumps. A trailer tire that fits a 13-14-15" wheel will ride better than the tiny tires, but either will carry a raft no problem. 
One thing about trailer suspension, torsion axles ride better than leaf sprung, are quieter, and they have more ground clearance. The cost difference is typically not very big.


----------



## cataraftgirl

I'm pretty happy with my trailer, although I'd like to add a roller bar. Mine is a 9.5 X 6.5 ECHO ATV trailer. My 14 ft. catarafts have fit really nice on it. A 14 ft. raft should work as well. With the cats, I could store stuff between the tubes on the deck. Don't think that will work with a raft. The trailer came with a metal texturized floor with gaps. The gaps allowed for quick draining when I backed into the water to unload/load. But the texture stuff was bad for the boat and the gaps make for ankle breakers when walking around on the trailer deck. I covered the deck with plywood, sealed it, and covered it with indoor/outdoor carpet. The best thing that we did with the trailer was add stake pockets all around and had metal mesh side panels made (two panels on each side, one front and back). They are two ft. high, and are super easy to put on & take off. This turns the trailer from a "flatbed" with the boat rigged & ready, into a long distance trip gear hauler. Also great for at home hauling needs. Except for a rear roller bar, I can't think of anything I'd change on my trailer.

Here's some pics of the trailer when I first got it. You can see the open deck. The sides flair out and the cats snuggle right between or on top of them. The stake pockets and side panels are around the deck, so inside of those flaired out sides. With the side panels on, I can still strap oars along the sides, between the panels and the side rails. That works really nicely. All around a pretty decent small/medium trailer.


----------



## [email protected]

I love my triton trailer 16 foot V nose. I carry my 16 foot cat fully rigged and packed to launch. Two people can slid it off no problem, and load rigged if gear is removed. I built it with 2 x 4 boards and rollers from northern tool item #11295, $63 with freight.
bed is 192" x 101' with a overall length of 268", and a carrying capacity off 2045#. It has a torsion axle.


----------



## Osprey

It would depend on my primary usage.** If I was a fishing guide I would probably go for a flatbed.* For multiday trips I’m pretty happy with my rapid rig.* Storage underneath is pretty nice for a variety of reasons.* Plus with a utility type trailer underneath the next time you want haul boxes, dirt, whatever you are good to go there too.** The higher you get that raft up there though the more you put it into the wind = mpg hit.*** If I had a truck and could put my cooler, drybox, etc there it might be a different story but since I have a Tahoe I like being able to put all the gear in the trailer and haul a lot of people in the car.***

*

Winch, roller, and torsion axle are the way to go.** Elongated tongue with a bike/scooter/motorcycle carrier is nice for the shuttle.*** Trex or composite decking and you are good forever.** 13-15” tires.*** I also have a hitch receiver on the back for the odd shuttle to carry two trailers.*** 8’ can be enough, 10’ is decent, 12’ nicer yet.**


----------



## [email protected]

*Snowmobile to boat trailer*

I love my triton trailer 16 foot V nose. I carry my 16 foot cat fully rigged and packed to launch. Two people can slid it off no problem, and load rigged if gear is removed. I built it with 2" x 6" boards for the floor and rollers from northern tool item #11295, $63 with freight.
bed is 192" x 101' with a overall length of 268", and a carrying capacity of 2045#. It has a torsion axle. I like the extra length of the V nose so I can slide boat forward to get the right tongue weight. Trailer empty is 905 pounds.


----------



## OldandBitter

I think we need a trailer porn thread.


----------



## Gremlin

Sure wish I could upload a photo like I used to. Instead, I get this message:

Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.

If this occurred unexpectedly, please inform the administrator and describe the action you performed before you received this error.

I went to "manage attachments", and then "browse". After selecting a photo from my hard drive, it acts like it is uploading but then the error occurs. Maybe it is my computer but I haven't been able to upload a photo for over a year. I see that others can so perhaps I'm just outdated.

Anyhow, I pulled the carpet off my trailer this weekend to reveal the hole I have been avoiding in the middle of my deck. Turns out the entire thing is rotten and all the fifty+ carriage bolts heads sunk into the squishy wood had to be grinded off. I hope to have the new decking, Grace Water Shield, and blue indoor/outdoor grass on this weekend. With the previously replaced axel, lighs and wiring, and the rollers, plus new paint, it should be a sweet setup and good for a long time.


----------



## Learch

[email protected] said:


> I love my triton trailer 16 foot V nose. I carry my 16 foot cat fully rigged and packed to launch. Two people can slid it off no problem, and load rigged if gear is removed. I built it with 2" x 6" boards for the floor and rollers from northern tool item #11295, $63 with freight.
> bed is 192" x 101' with a overall length of 268", and a carrying capacity of 2045#. It has a torsion axle. I like the extra length of the V nose so I can slide boat forward to get the right tongue weight. Trailer empty is 905 pounds.


Wow, I'm surprised it weighs 905 empty. I weighed my raft and trailer, with a light gear pile and two hardshells on top at 1100 lbs. Looks great, though. Did it come with a full deck?


----------



## Dahlia

Has anyone used linoleum for the trailer deck?


----------



## Learch

I don't think you'd want to, it requires glue and is only waterproof on the top side, not the bottom.


----------



## [email protected]

Learch said:


> Wow, I'm surprised it weighs 905 empty. I weighed my raft and trailer, with a light gear pile and two hardshells on top at 1100 lbs. Looks great, though. Did it come with a full deck?


The trailer empty weighs 905, with boat, normal gear, food and etc about 1900 pounds. It is rated for 2400 pounds total.

It came with a plywood deck that did not last long about 5 years. I have about $1400 total cost in the trailer set up this way, that includes all new wiring and led lighting I installed.

I use mop & glo floor one step floor cleaner/sealer once a year, cheap fast deck protectant. 15 minutes to mop on the top and under side, 1 hour dry time.


----------



## yesimapirate

mar008609 said:


> I think we need a trailer porn thread.


On it's way.


----------



## Machias

Here's mine, I converted a Hobie sailboat trailer. Works great for my cat. I put full size tires on it, those are not in the pictures.














































started off looking like this, bought it for $350 off of craigslist and have about $150 into it. I want to replace the springs.


----------



## MT4Runner

pcrawford said:


> If you could get any trailer what would you get?
> 
> Storage under or flat bed?
> Roller bar?
> What size for 14-15' raft?
> What size tires?


 
Flat bed is more handy for day trips, storage under for long distance trips/multiday shuttles.

Roller bar or rollers is a must.

As long as 16', as short as 10-12'. You really only get support under the flat of the tubes. The kick can hang over as long as your tongue is long enough. check your local laws for overhang behind the rear taillights. Still, you can build platforms/bunks that are longer than the trailer frame. Shorter is lighter.

The largest you can fit. Larger diameter = tires and bearings last longer.
14-15" is ideal. Nothing smaller than a 12" rim for longevity.

A spare is a must.
Spare bearings are a must.


----------



## jnich

I like to have the storage underneath the boats.
Camping before launch I can get to everything.
I'm also pulling with an SUV, so no room for gear with a load of passengers.

My neighbor did the welding work on this one for me.
it's only 6" higher at bunk level than most "deck over" trailers.
5' between the wheels, 12' long and 15" wheels.


----------



## king

I got old gutted camp trailer from a friend for free. I took it to my job site ran a sawsall all the way around it. picked the top off with an excavator,had aflat top trailer in no time. wheels where 2 inches above deck, so had a friend weld new deck out of box tubing posted up off old frame. made deck to what I wanted 7ft 11ft. put plywood painted ply was on top off deck did not like ply edges exposed so carpet deck to match truck rapped edges with 2in 2in. super light I back it in river all the way to top off deck. I can drag fully load 14ft sotar by myself on and be gone in matter of couple min. more to story but getting little long. do it again? craigslist.


----------



## mtgreenheads

The best trailers I have seen are from Sleeping Giant in Livingston, MT. Awesome build, love the tilt feature. I paid $2400 for mine, but I bet it lasts for the rest of my boating career. 

Will try and post pics this weekend.


----------



## yesimapirate

mtgreenheads said:


> The best trailers I have seen are from Sleeping Giant in Livingston, MT. Awesome build, love the tilt feature. I paid $2400 for mine, but I bet it lasts for the rest of my boating career.
> 
> Will try and post pics this weekend.


Post on trailer porn too please. I know, duplicating effort.


----------



## Riverbound

These were some of the best looking true raft trailers I had seen when I went out to Oregon. Canyon Elite Aluminum trailers parked at a takeout. I saw a lot less of the utility style out there and more of the traditional raft trailer shape,lots of American raft trailers also. I also put the pictures in trailer porn for reference


----------



## king

American manufacturing also make excellent raft frames. they build a lot of frames for sotar. they are both in grantspass ore. I believe. I have their frame , kitchen and dry boxes. my dad has their trailer which looks like the trailer you have pictured only steel.


----------



## Idaho

I have been very happy with my Iron Eagle trailer . . . Roll Bar and winch make solo loading and unloading simple even when fully loaded with frame dryboxes and gear. Marine led lights and smooth rubber/plastic like deck are nice as well


----------

