- Mar 26, 2017
- 140
- Boat Info
- 2003 SeaRay 420 Sundancer
2003 SeaRay 320 Sundancer
- Engines
- Cummins 6CTA8.3-M3
Mercruiser 350MPI
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Nextrail didn’t even offer to look at the boat and trailer to see if any adjustments or modifications could be completed to make the trailer work.Did you spend $11k on a custom trailer without having something in writing from the builder regarding exactly what it was being custom built for? Did they measure your boat or suggest they had measurements for your boat?
You said they guaranteed it would work for your exact boat - did you get that in writing?
I personally wouldn't go on the internet and claim foul play if I didn't have a 100% secure position. To spend this kind of cabbage without an appropriate agreement is almost as heinous as them not returning your calls at this point.
I do hope you can get this rectified. It sounds like some modifications to the bunks might help remedy this? I assume you'd never power-on or power-off with a boat/trailer like this. So maybe you can make this thing work with "minimal" clearance?
The chance of damaging the boat is to great to even try loading it in the water. There is a big difference in loading with a fork lift and water loading. Could maybe get it to fit with 2 inches to spare with a fork lift, but in the water your now dealing with tides, currents, winds, other boat wakes. Not worth the chance to me. This is not a trailer custom made to trailer a 320 DA, no matter what Nextrail states.The boat either fits or it don't, whether loading it with a fork lift or floating it on should not matter which method. The boat should be floating all the way to the winch stop. Maybe you should try it in clear enough water to see what touches first, bunks or gear. Until then it's speculation
How would a forklift be any different then loading at a ramp ?.... something doesnt sound right if your lawyer says it's clear that a judgement would be in your favor why isn't the trailer company working to modify the trailer to fit the boat ?
It seems raising the bunks might be a possible solution or modifying that last cross member.
You could also have a yard sling it and see exactly what needs to be changed
Thanks for the input. I did ask them for trailer guides when I ordered the trailer. They said they won’t put them on a trailer/ boat combination that size because if the boat hit the guide it will flip the trailer.You're $11k into this thing...I'd head to your marina and pay them the haul-out fee to carefully sling your boat over/onto the trailer. For a couple hundred dollars you could get the boat within a few inches of the bunks and start taking photos and measurements. With that maybe the trailer guys would be willing to make some modifications? So far they probably still assume your boat will fit and that there is some other reason you don't want it.
I can see your point on the exhaust. This seems addressable with some PVC guides as mentioned above though, maybe?
Don't give up so easily. That's one sexy looking trailer...
Not considering legal action. Not worth the money. I just want fellow boaters to know that if your dealing with Nextrail they are not a reputable company as I later found out.In the "for what it's worth" category - with this thread you're confirming that your boat WILL fit on this trailer. What you're describing here is that you're not comfortable with the amount of clearance. I'm not sure how your lawyer can be so confident in your case if you've told him the same story you're telling us.
Wanting more room to accommodate wakes, tides and the like is not the same as "not designed correctly for my boat". It's possible prior trailers have been made to this design and have been used for your same boat and that those customers have accepted the risk associated with the tight clearances.
If you were seriously considering legal action your lawyer would have just advised you to stop posting immediately.
Good point. I will look into that option. ThanksI have been thinking about this a little and looking at some pics of the underwater exhaust.....
I know when you trailer a stern drive boat or an outboard boat you want to have the bunks run all the way back to the edge of the transom to keep the weight of the stern drive or outboard motors from warping the back of the boat and creating a 'hook' in the hull....
but since your boat has inboard engines and transmissions their weight is inside the boat and not centered over the transom and should not pose a threat to warp the transom, especially if you are not going to leave the boat on the trailer for extended periods of time.......
would it be possible to simply shorten the bunks on the new trailer so that they do not hit the underwater exhaust when the boat is loaded on the trailer?
cliff
If it were me....I'd get this boat in slings over the trailer and prove/take pics that as built the trailer can't handle your boat. Be able to show the trailer mfg that they made an error. Coordinate this with them, try to get them there to see for themselves. It might benefit them to see it and be a help in deciding how to correct it. Everyone might find out this isn't as big a deal as it seems.View attachment 55792 View attachment 55792 View attachment 55793 I would have around 2 inches of clearance between the bunks and under water exhaust, and the drive shafts would be touching the crossbeam of the trailer. I had two professional boat haulers look at the trailer and both stated it won’t work for my boat.
Does that paperwork say specifically that it's a V-drive boat?The paperwork does show the trailer being specifically for my make/ model/year boat.