Before Posting, Please Read Our Posting Guidelines Below.
1. Use the full 4 digit year for everything you are asking your question about. Example: 1962, 1988, 2000, 2011 2. Include the correct name of your Whaler model. Example: Montauk 17, Montauk 170, Outrage 26, Outrage 260 3. Include the length when necessary. Example: 16, 17, 18, 20, 22 4. Do not post your email address anywhere on this site as it is already in your user profile.
I have finally gotten my 1989 Montauk 17 sea worthy. A project I allotted 3 weeks for...five years ago! This forum has been invaluable for me during this process. I will post some before and after shots shortly. From finding her in a corn field, full of leaves, to ripping across a glass like lake at 40 MPH...it has been a slow, but rewarding process.
Now I am ready to haul her around with me. Outer Banks. Tampa Bay. Lake Fontana. Inter-coastal Waterway. You get the idea.
I want a single axle galvanized trailer that will last as long as the original did (+/- 25 years). What make and model might you recommend? All roads seem to point to EZ Loader, but I'd love some thoughts. I am not tech savvy enough to have found past discussions on this, although I tried.
I'm looking for something "beefy" as I might haul across the Country.
Here is a photo of my second one when purchased last year. It has a higher rating then what you need. Note: I added the keel roller brackets and hardware myself.
I previously had a Magic Tilt trailer. This company uses Box Frame construction. The trouble with that is the inside is not painted and it rusts from the inside. The back cross member is V ed and the bottom of it collects water. I had to drill a hole to let the water out. It lasted in salt water 13 years.
My new trailer is a Continental. It is C channel construction. That means it is open and maintenance can be done in case of any rust forming. It is heavier than the Magic Tilt but there is now nothing to prevent me from checking for corrosion. It should last a lot longer.
It has 2 8' bunks and 3 keel rollers. I use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on the bunk carpet and it slides off and on with ease.
I also have a Continental Tilt-Frame CV-7-2000 under my 1979 Montauk. As far as I am concerned, this is the best trailer you can buy for a Montauk, and fits the boat like it was specially designed for the boat. For photos, see the Montauk album in my personal website link.
These trailers are made from construction grade hot-rolled structural steel channel section ("C" shape) and are fully welded together and pre-drilled before being hot dipped galvanized. This eliminates all the plated bolts and nuts, and holes (which rust) in tubular members needed to hold the tubes style trailers together. No squeaky joints also. The one piece all welded trailer frame is considerably stronger than a bolted together tube frame trailer.
The trailer should be equipped with 4 Stoltz keel rollers on SS shafts, one on each cross member, all of which add strength to the trailer frame. Stay away from the standard black rubber rollers. Mine has two 2 x 4 x 5' side bunks for lateral support only.
I highly recommend the all stainless steel bolt and U-bolt package.
My trailer cost $1250 as shown, and if you want, you can upgrade to 14" wheels for a small extra.
One of these trailers is worth the extra effort to get one in Florida, the only state in which they are sold. There are several dealers in Jacksonville.
I have the same Continental trailer under my Outrage 25, and it is now 29 years old, with not a spot of rust (except on the springs) after each winter being used in salt water. It has about 150,000 miles on it!
I have bought new Load Rite, Venture, and EZLoader brand bunk trailers set up with keel supports for my Boston Whalers. The one trailer that stood out among the lot was the torsion axle EZLoader trailer that carried my 1972 Katama. The boat was easy to launch, and, more importantly, easy to recover because the cross-members were slung low with the keel of the boat about 15 inches off the deck. I could recover the boat on a beach at low tide in little water without putting the tow vehicle into the water. The torsion axle was quiet and the hull did not stress impact like the other trailers did that had leaf springs with too high of a semi-elliptical load bearing capacity. Yes, its true, you do not want to buy a trailer with higher than needed max capacity because the hull will take the brunt of the road impact.
I've had quite few trailers and then I bought and Owens and Sons for my 180 Dauntless. You can spec. out the trailer you want. Stainless, LED's, axles etc. If you want quality go with them. By the way they're in St. Pete.
