Adjusting oversize trailer

[Dustys]

I have a 89 300 Weekender that has been in the water since birth but now has to come home for an extended time. I was looking for a standard 30-34' trailer but found a deal on a 40' 2009 Zeiman Trailer so now I need to adjust the trailer to fit the smaller boat. It will be on the trailer for an extended period of time so I want to do this right to avoid damage. I have the hull specs from the owners manual but don't know where to start.

 

[MonacoMike]

Looks like the first thing will be to build rear bunks to support the stern. Then you will need to set up keel bunks and the bow stop roller. Be sure to locate thru-hulls so they are not on the bunks. I hope the price was so good that making it work for your boat is not a budget buster.

MM

 

[Dustys]

Thanks for the help. I have a full fabrication shop so the recreation is easy and I got the trailer for 4K which according to what I found s about 40% off. I am in a really bad place for large trailers and old man winter is moving in.

 

[Woody]

Do you know what boat used to be on your trailer, it might be helpful. How far is the boat from your shop? I don't know what you got available to you but if you were lucky maybe you could carefully run the boat on and take it some where to work on it. You might have to block between the current bunks and boat for example to make it fit temporarily. Once you got the boat someplace to work on it you could jack it up off the trailer, block it and modify the trailer as needed to fit the boat properly. Are the bunk brackets adjustable, some are-some aren't. I think your boat has straight drives. If so, it's going to sit back a little farther than you might think. Boat location relative to axles is very important to tongue weight, you gotta get that figured out first. Where that boat sets on the trailer will then dictate bunk adjustments and bow stop location. Maybe someone on CSR will have a pic of their 300 weekender sitting on a trailer to get you in the ball park.

 

[jitts3]

Think of boats you see on land in storage. Only a few blocks holding them up by the keel and a few screw jacks holding them up side to side. I would make everything as ready as possible. Make the bunks and supports for them. Place the boat over the trailer and then drill out the holes and bolt the bunk supports to the trailer with grade 8 bolts. This is assuming you are using a crane to place her on the trailer. Basically useing the boat as the template for the bunk placement.

 

[Gofirstclass]

One thing that you may not have thought of is the weight capacity of that trailer. If it was built for a boat that is heavier than yours you likely will have to lighten the springs or remove some of the leafs. Ideally a boat's loaded weight should be about midrange of the specs for the trailer. If the boat is too heavy it will compress the springs too much and they won't be able to properly 'suspend' the boat to minimize shocks to the hull. If your boat doesn't compress the springs enough (too light for the trailer) every little road shock will be passed up through the suspension and it will jolt the heck out of the boat.

You also may find that the boat is so short on that trailer that too much of the weight of the boat will sit ahead of the axles and you'll have way too much tongue weight. There's only two ways to fix that problem....#1 is to move the axles forward to reduce the tongue weight, and #2 is to buy a much bigger boat.

You should be able to call Zieman, give them the VIN and find out the weight rating on the trailer. If your boat is too light ask them for their advice on how many leafs to remove and from which axle.

 

[Woody]

Think of boats you see on land in storage. Only a few blocks holding them up by the keel and a few screw jacks holding them up side to side. I would make everything as ready as possible. Make the bunks and supports for them. Place the boat over the trailer and then drill out the holes and bolt the bunk supports to the trailer with grade 8 bolts. This is assuming you are using a crane to place her on the trailer. Basically useing the boat as the template for the bunk placement.

Hey there, long time no see.