I just bought a used 15' sailboat and trailer. I also had a trailer hitch put on my car. I plan on putting the boat in the water in the spring and taking it out in the fall. The rest of the time the trailer will be empty.
Anyone tried using a small boat trailer to haul plywood and 2x4s?
Sure. Use ratcheting cargo straps and/or C-clamps.
Roger what Tom said. Where have you been, Toller? (Maybe it's just me.)
I've never seen it done; just wanted to make sure there wasn't some fundamental problem I was overlooking.
Sell your car and get a truck.
Are you going to use this when you are not using the boat, or are you converting a boat trailer frame to be used to haul materials?
If you are trying to get double duty from a boat trailer by occasionally using it to tow, no problems. Just try not to overload the tongue or rear end, depending on how the wheels were placed. They were placed to match the center of gravity and balance point of the boat, and could be a bit off for hauling.
If you are going to just use this trailer for hauling materials, you can cut off stuff, and make flat decking to hold materials.
Either way, the trailer will serve the purpose provided you load it right, and consider weight, balance points, and centers of gravity when carrying things.
Remember weight limits, too, as a load of plywood can get close to weight limits real quick.
Steve
My neighbour has a boat trailer that he built a box for. It's roughly 6' wide, 8' long and has 2' sides with a "tailgate" He takes it on and off the trailer as he needs to and uses it a lot. It can't be to heavy because he's in his 80's already. It works well and is a good idea.
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