Dunbier Boat Trailer
Submitted by mnixon on Mon, 2013-01-14 15:04
I own a Quintrex Bay Hunter and have been doing a bit of beach launch and retrievals lately around Ledge Point and Horrocks, I have found that when bringing the boat in I cant really get the trailer in the water far enough and have to half drag the boat up the trailer which when a wave comes in tends to throw the boat off line and as a consequence the boat hits the guides and is causing damage to the front of the boat, has anyone got any ideas on how to modify the trailer so as to minimise damage. I am fairly new to the beach launching/retrieving so any help would be good.
opsrey
Posts: 1200
Date Joined: 05/10/07
Extendable draw bar.
You could set up a break back trailer, where it folds in half. But a Dunbar trailer wouldn't like that.
So you can cheaply put an extendable draw bar on for very little cost and without too much bother and disruption to your already full drawbar.
If you cannot find pics of the set up no the net then PM me and I will try to help. In essence you make a five foot draw bar of the same steel section as the current member, mount it to pivot on a locating bracket behind the current tow hich and it swings out from the frame (where it sits when not in use) to project forward of the current hitch point by four feetish. There a one or two more little items to it but that's the main elements.
Common, and you will find good,trailer shops can provide items and/or do it for you at very low cost ($250)
Good luck, hope to see your post if you make the mod.
You could also put a drop down 3rd wheel. Again the trailer shops can help($150), but its much more of a hassle as you push the trailer out from the car, load the boat and tow trailer via a rope to dry ground and rehitch the trailer. I have this set up on a Dunber trailer, and its for emergency up north use.
mnixon
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 11/12/12
Extendable draw bar
thanks alot opsrey, I think the extenable draw bar is the way to go, i think I get the gist of what you are saying. I will have a look on the net and see what I can find. If not I think Wangara Trailers may be able to help.
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Same
I have the same boat and dunbier trailer. The back rollers should swivel down to accommodate the boat if you are retrieving in shallow water. I can't say I have ever had this problem as my trailer seems to centre the boat.
If your interested pm me your email address and I can email you some pics of my trailer as it may be slightly different.
Those extendable draw bars are worth while as its easy to get stuck at some beaches I have been meaning to sort one out for myself
keg
Posts: 398
Date Joined: 17/07/07
i
saw a trailer up north that had a square tube all thway down the centre and a square tube inside it that was pinnned in position.pull the pin and pull the inner tube out and put the pin back in doubling the length of the draw bar.you might gain a metre or so by doing this with a dunbier trailer.
mnixon
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 11/12/12
thanks keg, I thought about
thanks keg, I thought about doing that just not sure how to go about it, but now most of my time will be spent beach launching I will do some more home work.
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Hi mnixon. On my old tinnie,
Hi mnixon. On my old tinnie, Bermuda 410 Salmon, i got a drop down wheel put onto the front of the drawbar of its Dunbier Trailer. Used to use it all the time at Horrocks. Sometimes didnt need to use it if i didnt mind the car getting a bit wet. hahaha.
But worked great as i would just drop the wheel down disconnect the boat trailer and attach a rope from the hitch to the towball (about 10m) then just push trailer and boat in until it was deep enough then pushed it off and 'towed the trailer back onto shore. Same with retieveing i just pushed the trailer into deeper water then put the boat on then towed the trailer and boat out with the rope.
Took a bit more mucking around than probably an extended drawbar will for those launchings on nicer flat shallow beach launches but it was great for when we had to launch the boat off VERY steep beach banks as we could keep the car well up in the hard sand. Plus it was a complete spare hub and bearings on the drop down wheel so its good spares when on the road. Only cost $450 for the setup too.
Oh yeah to keep the boat nice and straight when winding up you could try some attachments on the back of the trailer called Retriever Mates. I have previously bought some from Roadmaster Boat Trailers in Bayswater. Or could go mega all out and get multi rollered bunks just on the back of your trailer, from them?
Pages 17 and 22 in their PDF catalogue
http://www.roadmasterboattrailers.com.au/uploaded/files/client_added/PARTS_CATALOGUE-web.pdf
mnixon
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 11/12/12
my old tinnie
Hi Buz, thanks again for the info, not sure what I will do yet, I am thinking at this stage an extenable draw bar and bunked rollers on the rear and then should be good to go. My trip to Horrocks was fantastic, found some really good ground about 3 days into the trip, pulled a coral trout then my dog started to get a bit sea sick..normally really good on the boat, the next few days the wind came up along with the swell so couldn't get out. Will definately go back probably around May/June and already have booked Christmas again!
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Email
I sent a few pics through mnixon of my trailer let me know if you don't get it. I am looking at sourcing an arm that swings out and extends for beach launching that I have seen on a few boats after I attach another mod to my trailor...... And pay for my wedding :(
Dhuvinile
Posts: 228
Date Joined: 13/05/12
Beach Launching
Personally when i beach launch i get my tinny up on the plane and " run the boat up the beach" so to speak. I have also set up a length or cray rope that i loop around the rear on the draw bar with a hook so i can drag the boat up the beach and dry winch it on.
Beach launching without a breakback trailer can be quiet difficult and can eventucally damage the trailer by bending the draw bar. If you were to contiunue beach launching i would suggest you either convert your trailer into a break back or invest it one :)
Cheers
Dylan