Thats it, we have too much stuff to carry about on the roof of the Suby.
We need a trailer.
Anyone know of where one goes about getting an enclosed windsurf trailer these days? Melbourne preferably...

Also a little keen on a trailer..... that or a Van similar to the Mercedes Vito or VW Transporter, but would prefer a trailer as it's a much cheaper route I'd imagine.

Similar to the one posted by AUS02 in the other trailer thread would be nice

I found some pretty good trailer links when I was doing research, simply google trailer victoria, see what you can find, I ended up building my own (with lots of help - dad, Chris Hi!) set a budget of $600-$700 for a base trailer and another $1200 for materials

This is a diy trailer based on an old 6 by 4 box trailer with an extended drawbar. The design criteria was that its frontal area should not be greater than that of the vt wagon towing it. ( for fuel economy) . Hence the low height and tapering sides. The challenge was then to fit 5 boards in it. The boards load from 2 side doors onto painstakingly positioned racks. The footstraps would make it difficult to get as many in by sliding from the rear. The boards interleave rather than sit side by side - beware - this is not as easy as you'd imagine to arrange. The boards all sit above the height of the original box trailer so other stuff slides in underneath thru the tailgate. The load area down here now extends over the draw bar.

But you can do it all yourself with 6mm plywood, a jig saw, a bit of glue and a screwdriver. The standard box trailer is way over engineered for this purpose, so unless you already have one maybe base it on a lightweight dinghy trailer.

That's similar to what I did a few years ago too.

The commercial builders rip you off, and they rip you off again if youw ant something made a little different.

Build it yourself, it is fun, you get exactly what you want and a lot cheaper. Mine was $600 total, trailer and all materials Took 3 boards, 8 sails and camping gear for two ppl for a fortnight (incl 200L water)

People think it is too hard and they need a welder etc but you don't:

(1) buy a 7x5 (smaller if you must)
(2) make a set of shelves to sit on top of it. Use 1" square hollow section aluminium with the plastic joiners so there is no welding just click it together like lego
(3) Once happy with the frame and how it sits on the trailer etc, get sign sheeting (0.8mm colourbond) from a signmakers. Used stuff will be cheap. Cover the trailer with it. No drilling no riveting, just glue it on with Sikaflex.

Perfect seal, won't rust, looks like a bought one and you can make the whole thing with a hacksaw and tin snips, nothing else!!! Oh unless you need a door on it.... you'll need a drill for the hinges.

It's very easy to make an unenclosed sailboard trailer. Just add racks and dump your gear in the bottom. Not very secure though.......

It's amazing what you can get on one though!


Spotted at Sandy Point!

i believe Andrew McD of KA Sails is selling one of my ex trailers.

we do do the odd specialised Trailers, but mainly ultra smick service bodies for Tradies.
they know the real value of the equipment they are protecting.

we are expensive but you pay for what you get.

Simple and cheap, nothing ever thieved in over 10 years using a trailer

Jeez, guys, talk about overkill!! Nice, though... But who watches over the remaining 10 grand worth of gear while you're out on the water?

Me, I've never had that problem...




...style is one thing money can't buy...

ahhhhh the old golf cart....can you polish your balls in the hubs?

chase up a used motocross enclosed trailer, I have had 2 over my racing days, these are always well built and reasonably secure.

You can get new ones built for about 2k secondhand from 700 bucks up, go to the trading post website and search, or ebay, they are around, heaps of dads get them to set uo the family racing, then sell them after a few years.

ok here is my variation on the theme--
stats-fits 4 boards,7 sails,all the masts,3 booms and all the other stuff that you need.
trailer stats-twin solar powered extraction vents (shifts 50m3/hr),316 s/s roof racks full aluminium construction.

story-this started life in 1978 being built up from the ground by my old man to start life as a flying ant trailer..(he tested it to 160km/hr that year on the way to an ant carnival!)
its undergone a couple of rebuilds since then and did a stint for 10 years as a rubbish trailer. i finally decided 2 years ago that trying to predict what sailing gear i would need to tie on the roof racks sucked so hence the rebuild, since then i have modified again.

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ejmack said...

Also a little keen on a trailer..... that or a Van similar to the Mercedes Vito or VW Transporter, but would prefer a trailer as it's a much cheaper route I'd imagine.

Similar to the one posted by AUS02 in the other trailer thread would be nice

Mack, that's not the road up from Licola heading towards the Snowy Range is it?

Nope, it's part of my driveway ...

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firiebob said...

Simple and cheap, nothing ever thieved in over 10 years using a trailer

Of course.......there's nobody there

(sorry nobody)

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Wineman said...

firiebob said...

Simple and cheap, nothing ever thieved in over 10 years using a trailer

Of course.......there's nobody there

(sorry nobody)

Apart from keeping your stuff out of the sun, cool and less dependent on boy scout quality knots, enclosed trailers aren't really needed. I've mainly used roof racks, utes or open trailers for 25 yrs and, even on the shores of Botany Bay, nothing ever stolen.

In NSW most guys seem to buy Go-cart or motorbike trailers and convert them for windsurfing....Super easy and exactly the right dimensions...Cheers

When roofracks are too difficult ...

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AUS02 said...

Nope, it's part of my driveway ...

Trying to work out where that is - near Deloraine?

The solution to working out what trailer you need is a van.

Here is the latest version of our windsurfing trailer completed in just the last few months. Originally the aluminium box sat in a rusty old 8x5 box trailer which we replaced with a new galvanised steel chassis and Landcruiser wheels and heavy-duty axle for better off-road ability for towing behind our Landrover Discovery.



Photos of the old trailer with a full load of gear are here: ozmac.com/index.php
Salt water spray blowing on the old box trailer was just killing it hence the upgrade.



My brother-in-law Ric built this trailer to my design and his little company Stirling Marine Fabrications stirlingmarine.com (based here in Perth) can make this same design (or a custom variation) for around $5,000 give or take I think.

ps. my wife and I normally carry a lot more gear in the trailer :-)

-Mart

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Mobydisc said...

The solution to working out what trailer you need is a van.

:-)

Yeah, we considered that but as we already owned a nice 4WD, we wanted something we could easily hitch up and take on trips up to Corros etc that wouldn't blow a gasket and that we could still use to carry lots of people and go off in for off-road adventures while holidaying/camping etc.

I can understand the attraction, but rusting out a nice van by cramming it with wet, sandy stinky gear dripping with salt water didn't really sound that appealing. Having a strong lockable aluminium box to keep it all secure, out of the sun and away from prying eyes and not having to pay an extra car rego, servicing, insurance etc etc is also good.

(plenty of room to park a trailer down at Safety Bay or Woodies is also helpful) :-)

-Mart

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mrrt said...
My brother-in-law Ric built this trailer to my design and his little company Stirling Marine Fabrications stirlingmarine.com (based here in Perth) can make this same design (or a custom variation) for around $5,000 give or take I think.

HOLY SH#* !! $5k you could buy "Knot boards" van a brand new board (or 2) and 3 new sails for that

www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Miscellaneous//~z552/Toyota-1988-Hiace.aspx?search=bTdP9wSUHzoYNUouYiiQ0A%3d%3d

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ducati said...

mrrt said...
My brother-in-law Ric built this trailer to my design and his little company Stirling Marine Fabrications stirlingmarine.com (based here in Perth) can make this same design (or a custom variation) for around $5,000 give or take I think.

HOLY SH#* !! $5k you could buy "Knot boards" van a brand new board (or 2) and 3 new sails for that

www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Miscellaneous//~z552/Toyota-1988-Hiace.aspx?search=bTdP9wSUHzoYNUouYiiQ0A%3d%3d

Picked up a boat and trailer for $600 sold the boat for $500,built a steel frame box 2.9x1.2x1.2 added formply floor and 4 racks sheeted with alloy sheeting and bolted to trailer.Am able to transport4 boards,sails etc and if I have to can add a mattress and overnight in it.All up cost about $600.00 and has been on the road now for 2 years without a problem.If anyone wants some info and details or photo's give me a shout

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ducati said...
HOLY SH#* !! $5k you could buy "Knot boards" van a brand new board (or 2) and 3 new sails for that

www.seabreeze.com.au/Classifieds/Miscellaneous//~z552/Toyota-1988-Hiace.aspx?search=bTdP9wSUHzoYNUouYiiQ0A%3d%3d

That is always the difference between new (and custom) and secondhand isn't it.

A new van would set you back $30,000 for example. I wouldn't be all that keen taking an old van worth only $1500 on the many road trips we do each year and when you add car rego (inc compulsory 3rd party insurance) of $400 or something per year, servicing at say several hundred dollars each year, parts & labour for all the things that go wrong in vehicles that age, tyres, depreciation, fuel for old gas guzzlers etc, that $1500 isn't looking so cheap anymore. Add to that the fact that the rust, smell and mould problems inherent with storing wet gear inside the vehicle all year.

The aluminium in the box of our trailer alone cost $1700 just in materials and it took 3 full days with 2 guys welding just the box together so the labour is pretty significant. Then there is the cost of fully galvanising the chassis and the new Landcruiser wheels, off-road axle and springs, new LED tail lights etc.

As usual, it comes down to new vs second-hand, custom vs non-custom etc. Different people have different needs. In our case we use the trailer for a windsurfing camp we run each January up in Geraldton for school kids as well <ozmac.com/index.php;

Also, after growing well and truly fed up with trying to tie down boards on the roof of our 4WD in 30 knot winds all the time, scuffing up, soaking and sanding the interior of our new 4WD with sails and booms, not to mention the hour of sailing time we'd lose packing and un-packing gear every session and the innumerable times we cursed ourselves for not bringing a bigger or smaller sail or a learner board for a friend who turned up out of the blue, we found it pretty easy to justify.

I guess for those who spend several thousand dollars each year buying new sails and the odd board (not us - I still sail a Tiga Wave and NP RX-1!), a once-off of $5k for security and convenience isn't such a bad investment either.

YMMV

-Mart

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mrrt said...

Add to that the fact that the rust, smell and mould problems inherent with storing wet gear inside the vehicle all year.

But that's the best reason to drive a $1500 van !!!

Mmm Mmmmmmmmmmmmm the smell of the new board/s inside the rusty,smelly moldy van.........PRICELESS

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ducati said...

Mmm Mmmmmmmmmmmmm the smell of the new board/s inside the rusty,smelly moldy van.........PRICELESS

They say smell is the best sense for triggering recall of fond memories. My ol' wagon is now a long way from the sea, eau de la west coast, lasts for months, OK I should give it a bit of a tidy up.

Though I better join in with some piccys of my first attempt at an enclosed trailer. I copied the track of the Commy and used police rims so I have 2 spares and the trailer rides nice and level.

Uses a laser cut interlocking plywood framework with a lofted plywood skin. All sealed with epoxy.

Fits 4-6 boards, 8 sails etc and has heat reflecting paint - keeping all those goodies inside cool on hot days."

That's a fantastic effort Kimba.

Easty, the driveway pic was from Allens Rivulet, south of Hobart looking north to Mount Wellington. Second pic with the Merc was Hawley.