New Trailer at last

For MacGregor/Venture owners in Australia and discussions about country-specific sailing-related topics.
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sunshinecoasting
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New Trailer at last

Post by sunshinecoasting »

Well it was time, the original trailer was rusting away under the boat so I took the plunge and bought this.
http://www.swiftcotrailers.com/69-Metre ... s-C22.html
I spent all Saturday down the boatramp with it fitting the boat to it by adjusting rollers, hot day, on my back on rough bitumen but it was so worth it, it looks great, tows well and feels about 800% safer than that floppy Mac trailer, which I towed directly to the tip and left there.
Feel like a rat with a gold tooth now.
DownSouth
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by DownSouth »

Could you please post a picture of your Mac on it's new trailer?

DownSouth
Last edited by DownSouth on Mon May 01, 2017 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Excatman
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by Excatman »

I noticed it was a 6.9m trailer - did your X fit ok? I am looking to upgrade my old original trailer and if I can get away with the 6.9 at this price, I'll be a happy man!
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sunshinecoasting
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by sunshinecoasting »

Excatman, be a happy man then, the X fits perfectly, I used the trailer for the first time this weekend, I took this picture this afternoon. Click on pics for larger view.
Image

It tows really well, feels solid compared to the original trailer. The only issue I found so far is that the boat started to slide sideways across the trailer during a hard right hand turn, moved 6 inches then stopped, worried the begeezes out of me, I think I need to fit removable side rollers on rear to stop this happening again, I think it is due to relatively flat bottom of rear of boat.

This pic I took a few weeks ago after fitting the boat to the trailer.

Image
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Mac26Mpaul
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

Looking good Dennis. I didnt realize you can get a decent duel axel trailer for so little.

One of my worries with putting an M on a duel axel is that I can't see it could be kept under 2 tons (actually, I cant keep it under that on the single axel aluminum trailer :? )

I know the X is a lighter boat, but, have you checked the weight?
DownSouth
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by DownSouth »

From the trailer spec sheet it weighs 660kg + 26X @ 1300kg (inc motor and fuel??) = 1960kg? so it should be just under 2000kg

The original 26X steel trailer was only good for 1587kg/3500lbs US or maybe 1650kg GVM in Australia but weighed only 300kg ish

So 300kg + 26X @ 1300kg (inc motor and fuel??) = 1600kg only just under 1650kg..........

If my figures are off please let me know - keen on buying a new trailer this year.
Last edited by DownSouth on Mon May 01, 2017 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
marcopolo173
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by marcopolo173 »

Dennis,
Nice trailer! Looks like it was made for the Mac.

Just a quick query. I've also bought an ally trailer with bunks. At the moment, the boat is sitting on the trailer and I haven't yet fully set it up (its at a marina, mast up, which is handy - but it makes me a bit slack in finishing the trailer setup!) Anyway, my boat sits above the level of the fenders at the moment, and it looks like it can come down between the fenders but it might be tight. I'm keen to get the boat lower on the trailer so I can get it into the water at low tide.

I was wondering what the internal dimension is between your fender guards so I can cross check with mine. Would also like to see a photo if at all possible (thanks!) showing the relationship between the side of the boat and the inside of the fender guard for reference...

Any assistance much appreciated, thanks Dennis.

Cheers, Marc
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Mac26Mpaul
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

DownSouth wrote:From the trailer spec sheet it weighs 660kg + 26X @ 1300kg (inc motor and fuel??) = 1960kg? so it should be just under 2000kg

The original 26X steel trailer was only good for 1587kg/3500lbs US or maybe 1650kg GVM in Australia but weighed only 300kg ish

So 300kg + 26X @ 1300kg (inc motor and fuel??) = 1550kg only just under 1650kg..........

If my figures are off please let me know - keen on buying a new trailer this year.
Is that what Roger told us, or does the X really only weigh 1300kg including motor, and fuel :?

The M has some lead, maybe 160kgs or so, but other than that, there isn't much difference in the build is there?

I took everything out of my M except 2 empty fuel tanks, my fridge (not very heavy) three batteries (60kg) stereo, sand anchor and 4m chain, Magna BBQ and a few minor bits and pieces and I got 1960kgs on the stock single axle aluminum trailer. I'd be very interested in hearing what other X and M owners have got. Roger, like every other trailer sailer builder, liked to fudge his weight figures :wink:

We were looking at putting a duel axle under her a few years back, but got put off by the expense and hassle of having to put electric brakes on (no way I can see that one could keep an M under 2 tons on duel axles), and also because I was a bit worried about trying to get a duel axle down the side of my house..
DownSouth
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by DownSouth »

I think it was 1021kg or 1067kg for a 26X bare without motor (or sails or anything probably) so that is where the guess of 1300kg with a 100kg motor plus battery and abit of fuel (but NOTHING else I suspect) came from...

Happy to stand corrected by anyone who has a better idea than me, which is likely everyone!

DownSouth
Excatman
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by Excatman »

I spent all Saturday down the boatramp with it fitting the boat to it by adjusting rollers, hot day, on my back on rough bitumen but it was so worth it, it looks great, tows well and feels about 800% safer than that floppy Mac trailer, which I towed directly to the tip and left there.
Feel like a rat with a gold tooth now
Did you have to take it off and on many times or could you do the majority of the adjustments with the boat on the trailer?

Cheers
Glen
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sunshinecoasting
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by sunshinecoasting »

OK, so some pretty good comments amongst those replies, here's my take on it, firstly there is no way this trailer weighs 660Kgs as quoted, I can push it around easier and lift the draw bar easier than the original trailer, secondly I will put it over a weighbridge soon but to be honest, I just don't care, I am confident it weighs under 2000Kg and it is by far safer than the trailer it was on, it is more rigid, tows better, dual axle, cable based brakes that wont have hydraulic problems like rusted lines and so on..... Lets use some logic, lets say the previous trailer and boat were 1900kgs and this is 2100kgs, what would you rather tow? Which is safer? I know the whole insurance argument but again, I have done everything to make my towing safer by threefold minimum. Yes I could have bought a 3 tonne trailer for $9000 but then I would need to buy a bigger car too, at what point does logic go out the window? The rig is far safer, I am confident it is legal and if its legal insurance is no problem.

To answer a few other questions, I had to do the fit at the boat ramp because I needed a flat level area to adjust rollers and yes, it went in the water twice to get it right, put the boat on uneven ground and the trailer chassis twists enough to make a few rollers become loose, so average weight on each roller can only be achieved on level flat ground.

No, an X or an M will NOT fit between guards, this is simply because the rollers at their lowest are still higher than the guards, so this means that the boat sits at least 6 inches higher than on the old trailer, however this doesn't matter as the rollers make it so much easier than bunks to roll off and winch on, the boat glides smoothly over them with a little more than half the pressure on the winch than the old bunk trailer, same ramp I always use and launch and retrieve were no harder, in fact I reckon easier.
DownSouth
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Re: New Trailer at last

Post by DownSouth »

I would have to agree - I like tandems (especially as a tyre on my other boats tandem blew up (exploded) at 90kmh and nothing happened....).

I only gave the weight as it was on the spec sheet - others seem to be around 400-450 so you may well be right.

Certainly looks better on the tandem!

Thanks for posting.
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