[GreyGhost]

My trailer for my skiff weighs 300 lbs and has a 1500lb torsion axle and the skiff and motor weigh 200 lbs. The trailer has way to much bounce and need to get a better ride out of it. I think I can get a custom torsion axle made with a rating of 800 lbs. Would this help with the ride or am I just wasting money.

 

[speckhunter80]

Get a heavier boat

 

[Drum Runner]

It would help. Over sprung trailers are bad for the cargo.

 

[GreyGhost]

It would help. Over sprung trailers are bad for the cargo.

I was thinking it would help just have to figure out what weight rating to go with a new torsion axle. I was thinking of going with a 700 lb axle that would give me a 200 lb extra over what is needed.

 

[Drum Runner]

You know the transom savers most of us probably have used. The support arm that went from a raised lower unit to the trailer?
I'm sure it helps but it also transmits road vibration through engine and transom which isn't good especially with shock sensitive electronics on the dash and on the engine itself. A trailer not sprung right it would be a worse situation.

A better scenario would be lower unit to lower transom.

I hate little trailer tires. Give me a 15 or 16 inch wheel any day.
The problem though, if you have a trailer for light craft, say a kayak, maybe 2 kayaks, this may not be the ideal situation for that tire size in relationship to properly springing the trailer for that load.
It's the problem I see with taking a utility trailer and turning it into a kayak trailer.
Most are going to be sprung somewhere around a ton and carrying 200 pounds worth of yak and gear.

Everything gets transmitted to those yaks. The yak becomes the shock absorber. The energy eater.
I would say my ideal situation would be 25-50% above the weight of whatever my loaded boat weighed which would be much better than the 500% some people are running around with by re-purposing an existing trailer without respringing it.

 

[GreyGhost]

The trailer in my avatar was made for this skiff and they sure got it wrong on load. If the trailer and boat weight is 500 lbs then I would want a torsion axle rated at around 650 lbs if I'm reading your post right. The tires on the trailer are 13 so I figure they can stay. Interesting thought on the transom saver.

 

[Drum Runner]

I think you'll be a whole lot better going in that direction. The boat certainly will.

I would love to find a plan similar to that boat.