If you are planning to carry just one boat it should be fairly simple to
design a trailer with fixed supports. If you are going into the
business it gets a lot more complicated making everything adjustable.

First, check underneath the trailer for the cross framing. See how many
you need to remove and substitute a keel cradle. Fabricating keel
cradle will be the critical part because it needs to be able to support
at least twice the boat's weight to allow for bouncing inertia.

Jack stands should be fairly easy. Either cut up some Brownell stands
or make some with 2 1/2" steel tube, 1 1/2" acme threaded rod and
nuts. You can get the rod and nuts from McMaster. Chopping the heads
off some used stands would probably be cheaper. I would mount them down
the sides on U-brackets so they can tilt in as needed. They will need to
be rigidly braced fore and aft and have adjustable cross bracing.

I suspect that the real problem administrative. There are probably half
dozen agencies that will want to inspect it before you can get it on the
road.

Courtney Thomas wrote:

I have the lowboy/tractor,.... suggestions as to how to build the cradle
and where to get the jackstand w/swivel pads would be appreciated.

Appreciatively,

Courtney



Glenn Ashmore wrote:

Find a reasonably good shape 46' Fontaine double drop box beam lowboy,
rip out the center bed and weld in a cradle for the keel and some
jackstands with ball swivel pads. Not cheap but it would be a lot
cheaper than starting from scratch.

You would still need a travellift to launch.

Courtney Thomas wrote:

By large I mean 40' or more.

Thank you.





--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com