Tracker 1542 - trailer?

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Joe.kelsi

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I am getting ready to pick up a tracker 1542 for a new conversion I am doing. It will be a present to my dad for fathers day. I am getting my hitch installed on my jeep this weekend. Next step.. trailer.

I was thinking of getting the harbor freight boat trailer rated for 600 lbs, but has anyone used this with a 1542?

I know others have used a 1436, but am worried that the 42 width might be too wide to clear the inner fender well?

If I do get this trailer I will be raising the bunks with 2x4 (probably end up using two pieces.. as I know that might help with the width issues.

Any ideas?
 
a picture of my general idea can be found on this page below in the second picture attached...

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=23554&start=30
 
If you raise the boat above the wheel wells it will sit higher therefore you might have to back into the body of water farther or possibly get a tongue extension in order to launch it. Of course you could get some ultimate bunk boards for easier launching but I have been that route before of having too narrow of a trailer for my boat. I sunk stupid money into this trailer trying to get if to work just for it not in the end. Now your trailer to boat width isn't as extreme as mine was but your trailer to boat length is. If I were to do it I think I would look into a tongue extension so that the boat isn't hanging off the end of the trailer 4' or so.
 
The previous trailer I bought was a Seadoo trailer and had 13" wheels. In between the fender wells was right at 44". It was a welded trailer and was built tough. You might look into something like this. You would have the boat sitting right at the top of the fender wells and would just need a trailer tongue extension so that you wouldn't have the back 1/3 of your vehicle in the water! These can be had on Craigslist for under $500 around here. Just another idea.
 
I have the same boat and "bit-the-bullet" buying an EZ loader EZTB 14' 800. The 1542 fits nicely between the wheel wells with an inch to spare on either side. I changed out the supplied 3 foot bunks with 5 footers (spreads the load over 2 more feet, but more importantly in this case it adds an extra foot of length out the back), and added a standing board in between the bunks for loading. It's great! I park with the board above the water line, push the boat out behind the trailer on a rope, carry the winch line out with me to the board, hook up and crank her in straight every time. On land with it fully loaded, I can just maneuver it around on my lawn by hand when necessary. There's more pictures with the boat on it in the link if you like.
 

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After time would the weight of the boat and motor warp the bunk boards and cause hull damage? I mean it looks like you have 3' of bunk board past the mounts unsupported. Just thinking out loud.
 
The trailer I'm using is too short for my boat by about 2' the bunks hang over the back of the trailer 30". It's been this way for 4/5 years without any problems. I picked up a piece of 3"x3" steel tube and will be lengthening the tongue.
 
[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=341200#p341200 said:
DrNip » Today, 07:24[/url]"]After time would the weight of the boat and motor warp the bunk boards and cause hull damage? I mean it looks like you have 3' of bunk board past the mounts unsupported. Just thinking out loud.
Click to expand...

2.5' past the mounts vs 1.5' originally. The trailer's rated for 800 lbs, my boat loaded is about 500 lbs. The same amount of force is on the pivot point whether I use 3' or 5' boards. If anything the extra length spreads the pressure over more of the hull, I don't expect to have a problem.
 
[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=341206#p341206 said:
lckstckn2smknbrls » Today, 09:08[/url]"]The trailer I'm using is too short for my boat by about 2' the bunks hang over the back of the trailer 30". It's been this way for 4/5 years without any problems. I picked up a piece of 3"x3" steel tube and will be lengthening the tongue.
Click to expand...

It's not critical, but in a perfect world I would lengthen the tongue on my trailer also... better visibility when towing (aka backing up), and more leverage when moving it by hand.
 
I wasn't questioning there being a better weight distribution with longer bunk boards. If it was me and I spent $1200 on a boat and possibly up to $4000 on a new 25 HP I would be worried having the heaviest part of the boat hanging off the trailer 2.5' with only the support of the 2x4's. It would be another thing if within the 2.5' there was bunk board mounts to the bunk board and trailer but there isn't. My concern would be over time the bunk boards getting weak or stress cracks. Then possibly driving down the highway at high speeds and hit a bump and one of the bunks or both snapping. Maybe I'm just over thinking it but if it was my hard earned money I would get a trailer that would fit better or extend the tongue instead of the bunks off the back end. Can you use transom tie downs or a transom saver this way????
 
I use a strap over the hull at the rear of the trailer and a transom saver.
 
Well I guess your worries would be less driving if you had a gunwale strap.
 
[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=341221#p341221 said:
DrNip » Today, 11:59[/url]"]I wasn't questioning there being a better weight distribution with longer bunk boards. If it was me and I spent $1200 on a boat and possibly up to $4000 on a new 25 HP I would be worried having the heaviest part of the boat hanging off the trailer 2.5' with only the support of the 2x4's. It would be another thing if within the 2.5' there was bunk board mounts to the bunk board and trailer but there isn't. My concern would be over time the bunk boards getting weak or stress cracks. Then possibly driving down the highway at high speeds and hit a bump and one of the bunks or both snapping. Maybe I'm just over thinking it but if it was my hard earned money I would get a trailer that would fit better or extend the tongue instead of the bunks off the back end. Can you use transom tie downs or a transom saver this way????
Click to expand...

No transom saver, I haven't seen one that would work with this setup; just a gunwale strap in front of the bunk pivot point. The trailer was designed to handle the weight, so I'd be more worried about the Tracker than the trailer if I had a 25 hp hanging off the back of it even though the boat is rated for it. The bunks reach the transom, and the cantilever effect of the bunk setup seems to provide lots of support at the back. I only need a 9.9 hp for the local lakes, but if you are right and it's too much, someday my bunks will be 2x6's... but so far "rock solid".
 

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