Question about an old boat trailer
 

I have recently acquired a Michigan Boat Trailer, made by F.A. Long company
in Benton Harbor, Michigan (Model DB-16). It was under a 1959 Lone Star
runabout. Anybody know anything about these trailers? I'd like to get it
back in good shape...

Question about an old boat trailer
 

On Feb 16, 3:36*pm, Jim Willemin
wrote:
I have recently acquired a Michigan Boat Trailer, made by F.A. Long company
in Benton Harbor, Michigan (Model DB-16). *It was under a 1959 Lone Star
runabout. *Anybody know anything about these trailers? *I'd like to get it
back in good shape...

I dont' know anything about the Michigan that you're speaking of, but
boat trailers are fairly simple. If the steel isn't rotted out, most
components can be had rather simply, or a welding or machine shop can
make things like replacing rails or fabricating struts etc. rollers
can be had at a marine repair or ebay.

What seems to be the problem with it?

Question about an old boat trailer
 

Tim wrote in
:

On Feb 16, 3:36*pm, Jim Willemin
wrote:
I have recently acquired a Michigan Boat Trailer, made by F.A. Long
compa
ny
in Benton Harbor, Michigan (Model DB-16). *It was under a 1959 Lone
Sta
r
runabout. *Anybody know anything about these trailers? *I'd like to g
et it
back in good shape...

I dont' know anything about the Michigan that you're speaking of, but
boat trailers are fairly simple. If the steel isn't rotted out, most
components can be had rather simply, or a welding or machine shop can
make things like replacing rails or fabricating struts etc. rollers
can be had at a marine repair or ebay.

What seems to be the problem with it?


Well, it has kind of a neat design - the wheels are mounted on stub axles
which are themselves attached to a broad U-shaped tubular axle, which
rotates through tubes welded onto the trailer frame. The tubular axle is
connected via a linkage to a fitting in the front (I was told it was a
lever of some kind). When missing lever is moved, the axle rotates, the
trailer frame drops (or the wheels rotate up, take your pick), allowing one
to launch from a shallow ramp. Now, there are some significant bits
missing from this mechanism on my specimen, and I sort of wondered if
anyone if anyone had ever played with one of these and knew (a) what I was
talking about, and (b) how hard it would be to get it functional again. As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road' position),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

Question about an old boat trailer
 

On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin
wrote:

As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road' position),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on paper
but didn't quite work out in real life. There may be a reason why
that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot of other
trailers with a feature like that.

Question about an old boat trailer
 

On Feb 16, 6:02*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin

wrote:
As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road' position),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on paper
but didn't quite work out in real life. * There may be a reason why
that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot of other
trailers with a feature like that.

I was going to say, it does sound like a neat idea. But then again,
in practicality... if it was such a great idea then everybody would be
doing it.

That's just my opinion.

did you see if the Mfj. was still in buisness? if so, they may have
some info left on it.

Question about an old boat trailer
 

Tim wrote in
:

On Feb 16, 6:02*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin

wrote:
As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road'
position
),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on
paper but didn't quite work out in real life. * There may be a reason
why that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot of
other trailers with a feature like that.

I was going to say, it does sound like a neat idea. But then again,
in practicality... if it was such a great idea then everybody would be
doing it.

That's just my opinion.

did you see if the Mfj. was still in buisness? if so, they may have
some info left on it.


It's early innings yet - I just discovered the painted-over builder's plate
this afternoon. Maybe tomorrow when the sun is out I can try to decipher
the patent number. Anyhow, I googled the company, and scuttlebutt is that
it's long since belly-up. (The F.A. Long Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan)

Question about an old boat trailer
 

On Feb 16, 10:04*pm, Jim Willemin
wrote:
Tim wrote :





On Feb 16, 6:02*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin

wrote:
As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road'
position
),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on
paper but didn't quite work out in real life. * There may be a reason
why that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot of
other trailers with a feature like that.

I was going to say, it does sound like a neat idea. *But then again,
in practicality... if it was such a great idea then everybody would be
doing it.

That's just my opinion.

did you see if the Mfj. was still in buisness? if so, they may have
some info left on it.

It's early innings yet - I just discovered the painted-over builder's plate
this afternoon. *Maybe tomorrow when the sun is out I can try to decipher
the patent number. *Anyhow, I googled the company, and scuttlebutt is that
it's long since belly-up. *(The F.A. Long Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If it's anything like most trailers then it was not real complicated.
You might be able to fabricate the missing pieces. But I have to
agree with these guys about the practicality. I've always found these
guys to be helpful and have good prices on regular trailer stuff.

http://www.championtrailers.com/

Question about an old boat trailer
 

On Feb 16, 10:04*pm, Jim Willemin
wrote:
Tim wrote :





On Feb 16, 6:02*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin

wrote:
As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road'
position
),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on
paper but didn't quite work out in real life. * There may be a reason
why that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot of
other trailers with a feature like that.

I was going to say, it does sound like a neat idea. *But then again,
in practicality... if it was such a great idea then everybody would be
doing it.

That's just my opinion.

did you see if the Mfj. was still in buisness? if so, they may have
some info left on it.

It's early innings yet - I just discovered the painted-over builder's plate
this afternoon. *Maybe tomorrow when the sun is out I can try to decipher
the patent number. *Anyhow, I googled the company, and scuttlebutt is that
it's long since belly-up. *(The F.A. Long Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If it's anything like most trailers then it was not real complicated.
You might be able to fabricate the missing pieces. But I have to
agree with these guys about the practicality. I've always found these
guys to be helpful and have good prices on regular trailer stuff.

http://www.championtrailers.com/

Question about an old boat trailer
 

wrote in
:

On Feb 16, 10:04*pm, Jim Willemin
wrote:
Tim wrote
innews:a30b718e-902a-4229-8232-4b4565f65f
:





On Feb 16, 6:02*pm, Wayne.B
wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin

wrote:
As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road'
position
),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on
paper but didn't quite work out in real life. * There may be a
reaso
n
why that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot
of other trailers with a feature like that.

I was going to say, it does sound like a neat idea. *But then
again, in practicality... if it was such a great idea then
everybody would be doing it.

That's just my opinion.

did you see if the Mfj. was still in buisness? if so, they may have
some info left on it.

It's early innings yet - I just discovered the painted-over builder's
pla
te
this afternoon. *Maybe tomorrow when the sun is out I can try to
deciph
er
the patent number. *Anyhow, I googled the company, and scuttlebutt is
t
hat
it's long since belly-up. *(The F.A. Long Company, Benton Harbor,
Michi
gan)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If it's anything like most trailers then it was not real complicated.
You might be able to fabricate the missing pieces. But I have to
agree with these guys about the practicality. I've always found these
guys to be helpful and have good prices on regular trailer stuff.

http://www.championtrailers.com/

Yeah - the more I think about it, the more it seems to me that a manual
lowering of several hundred pounds of boat and trailer a foot or so
might get uncontrollable kinda quick, regardless of a small mechanical
advantage - not to mention after several hours rowing, all nice and
tired, having to manually lever the thing back up. No, I think in this
case letting well enough alone is probably the wisest course... though
it would still be neat.. :) And thanks for the link!

Question about an old boat trailer
 

On Feb 17, 8:06*am, wrote:
On Feb 16, 10:04*pm, Jim Willemin
wrote:





Tim wrote :

On Feb 16, 6:02*pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:22:11 -0600, Jim Willemin

wrote:
As
it is, the trailer is safe (the linkage is locked in the 'road'
position
),
but you know how it is when something neat is bust...

It might turn out to be one of those things that looked great on
paper but didn't quite work out in real life. * There may be a reason
why that handle is missing, and why there don't seem to be a lot of
other trailers with a feature like that.

I was going to say, it does sound like a neat idea. *But then again,
in practicality... if it was such a great idea then everybody would be
doing it.

That's just my opinion.

did you see if the Mfj. was still in buisness? if so, they may have
some info left on it.

It's early innings yet - I just discovered the painted-over builder's plate
this afternoon. *Maybe tomorrow when the sun is out I can try to decipher
the patent number. *Anyhow, I googled the company, and scuttlebutt is that
it's long since belly-up. *(The F.A. Long Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If it's anything like most trailers then it was not real complicated.
You might be able to fabricate the missing pieces. *But I have to
agree with these guys about the practicality. *I've always found these
guys to be helpful and have good prices on regular trailer stuff.

http://www.championtrailers.com/- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Here's a link to a patent for such a trailer held by that company:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...&RS=PN/2968413

I remember an old trailer my dad had under an 18' Penn Yann at one
point. While I think it was much bigger it wasn't as complicated
looking as the one in the patent but operated using the same general
idea. The swinging axle was connected to a hyadraulic bottle jack at
the tongue by two long metal straps. Pumping the jack placed tension
on the rods and pulled the axle causing it to rotate through an arc
raising the trailer and boat. Using the release screw on the jack
allowed a controlled lowering. I actually worked fairly well and
allowed us to launch from very shallow ramps.