pontoon boat transport??

[Ryry4545]

Hey guys I got a 9 foot pontoon boat that weighs about 70 lbs. I would love to find a way to pull up to a lake, unload and start fishing, but I have a ford explorer. I live in a town house so I cant really get a small trailer. Does anyone know of a good rig to transport a pontoon boat with little hassle. Also it would be great if I could do it by myself... Insights please
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[flygoddess]

Trailer would be nice, but you also need a wide enough trailer as most have wheel fenders in which the boats must ride on and that will cause wear.

OR:
http://www.tackletour.com/reviewezpackerpg2.html
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[albinotrout]

Do you have a roof rack? Can always tie it down on top.
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[sinergy]

In less your looking to spend some cash there really is no way to transport a 9ft pontoon fully assembled. Ive seen guys strap them to the luggage rack of there SUV's but I worry about driving 65 with a fully assembled pontoon strapped to the roof. Had a Oar come loose once was flapping in the wind on I15 .. scary. [blush]

As FG mention that trailer hitch attachment would be choice and I think the guy who makes is is local but I think he asking like 400 bones for it. Good price for what it is but my pontoon didn't cost 400


I too own a SUV, a Chevy Trailblazer in the past ive strapped just the frame to the roof kept the deflated toons & gear in the back. Once I got lake side I just pumped up the toons. This works well if there area near the lake but some lakes I had to carry the setup and make multiple runs back to the suv.

Just a side note if your toon will house a wheel attachment Get the attachment and wheel the wheel makes getting it to the lake so much easier.
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[Ryry4545]

I do, but it would be too hard to put it on the roof if I fish by myself.
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[albinotrout]

I did it that way for years. The only other choices are to either deflate, take apart and store inside vehicle or get a small trailer. I picked up a 4x8 folding trailer from harbor freight and built it up to carry my toons. Due to my too s being wider than the trailer I picked up a Yakima roof rack cheap and attached it to the bed of the trailer and tied the toon down on that. Keeps the toon from resting on the fenders of the trailer.

Here is a link to the float tubing board showing pics of what I have done.

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...ost=651237
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[sinergy]

Wow nice setup, I just got the smaller HB Freight Trailer now I just need to assemble it. Any reason why you didn't want the toon to sit on the fenders ?
Mine came with 8" wheels any worries with such small wheels ?
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[albinotrout]

Sharp edges. Also with the space underneath the toons on the deck I can strap down batteries and oars. I have the 8 inch as well. Keep them greased and should have no problems. I grease mine every spring. When my tires finally give out I will upgrade to the 12" wheels.
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[kochanut]

all of this fits in the back of a trailblazer, we just deflate and fold the big red one up, and deflate the blue one as well



it also helps to take the oars down as well, but once its all folded up and ready to go we stick our fishing gear on top. once at the lake we use the electic pump and are fishing in 15'ish minutes
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[sinergy]

Yeah but you got those kick ass Frameless Scaddens, (still saving up for my Renegade[]. ) The frame is what usually gets in the way on my old Creek Company the frame was too wide to fit on the back assembled, POA to assemble the frame lakeside.

@ [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/community/community.cgi?do=user_page;pg=user_profile_view.html;username=albinotrout"]albinotrout[/url] Thanks for the heads up

@Ryry4545, sorry didn't mean to jack your thread [angelic]
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[kochanut]

the Avenger has a frame. the frame barely fits, but it fits, its the oars for the red one that are a PITA cause they have to be taken down
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[SkunkedAgain]

Hey nice trailer, I like that rig, it looks great. Later J
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[albinotrout]

Thanks!
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[flygoddess]

I came up the Thule or Yakama idea back when we bought the little Harbor Freight trailer. Albinos pontoons were riding on the fenders too, and Pete was looking for a wider trailer
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...ma;#607888

We have the two layer (in fact there is a third level) but ours is out of steel as wood can and will break as Albino found out with Old Trollers boat.

Here is how we are hauling now with the reconstructed Harbor Freight trailer like Albinios, but there again, with wood, Thule, and I suggest getting the size 12 tires, you will be looking at the $400 mark, let alone storage.


And if I am by myself in my Grand Vitara


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[sinergy]

Wow those are some nice setups on that thread, Im thinking about coping that setup but doing a plywood floor with a metal riser so I can get some gear on the trailer maybe even a mount for bbq.

Only thing that concerns me is the tires, on the ad it says 45 mph at that rate it take me days to get any were. I seen some hb freight trailers with small car tires just got to figure out rims and mount them on the axle.

Thanks for the thread makes me want to hit the water right now.
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[flygoddess]

Time you buy even the Harbor Freight trailer, and the lumber and I do suggest getting the 12" wheels, I am betting you are in that $400. price tag anyway. Plus as you mentioned, a place to store the trailer.
The tilt up could stay on the vehicle for a while.
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[albinotrout]

Hb has the 12 inch already mounted. And I do 55 mph to 60 with my trailer. Like I said keep the bearings greased and it should be fine. I picked up a grease gun from hb as well to help keep them greased.
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[sinergy]

If its any help this is the trailer i got

http://www.harborfreight.com/870-lb-capa...42708.html

a 9 foot toon going to hang off of it but with risers you can center the toon and add your gear to the botom

Its 183.00 but on the Harbor Freight web site you can get a 20% off coupon roughly came to 150 + what ever the cost of adding a floor & rails. ( & upgrade tires. )
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[flygoddess]

Ours are the 12" and we have been using the trailer for over 10 years now, and you know we use it all the time, Replace the tires twice. Just grease them frequently. But the bigger Harbor Freight trailer (the one that folds in half) does have weak leaf springs. We made our trailer 10' X 6' using just the axle, leafs and wheels after ours got run over. We have made numerous trips to Montana and local trips hauling two to three boats, Batteries, Motors including a 5 hp gas motor, for about 8 years till one leaf finally broke. The little 4 X 4 trailer that Harbor carries actually has more beefy leafs, so we use them now and on our 3rd or 4th year.
Always pack a spare although we have only needed one once and that was because the trailer bounced off the hitch on the highway and landed on the side mounted spare. Wore a hole right through it...LOL Scared the crap out of us. ALWAYS use safety chains and make sure clamp is locked down![]
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[sinergy]

Nice, I too bought grease gun from HB to do some tie rod ends on my SUV 55 huh ... what about 75 ? Those fish need catching [[laugh]
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