Is there any hope for this trailer with this boat?

[richg99]

I'll let the welders answer the welding question.

One time I added length by "sleeving" my trailer tongue.
Cut my present tongue off leaving 2 foot and the coupler.
Found a four or five-foot piece of 2x2 (or whatever size you need to fit INSIDE of your present tongue) galvanized square tubing.
Slid it inside about 3 feet.
Added two mega-sized pins with cotter pin type fittings.
Slid the original foot or so of the tongue over the 2x2 and bolted them together.

The only time I disconnected the addition was when I put the boat into the garage.

richg99

 

[onthewater102]

Is there any concern over the tongue being too long if I have a new section welded on? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I guess I would only have to lengthen it 2 feet or so.

Not necessarily (as long as your extension is a reasonable length) - apart from the obvious that it will be harder to put in a garage (if this is an issue they make bolt-on fold-away tongue extenders) it will change the geometry of the axle to the trailer ball, so it will turn more slowly which you will notice more so when you're backing up. Personally I've never found this to be an issue, really short trailers can be a nuisance because they turn so radically for every little adjustment in the steering wheel but you'd be making the trailer longer & would not compound this issue if you have it.

 

[timsmcm]

With what I am seeing you won't have any problem putting the extra length on there. You would have to put a heavy glass rig on it to have it not work. It won't be expensive, just make sure you find someone in your area that others can vouch for. It is a very easy ,low hour job.

 

[pmshoemaker]

So what do I use to preserve these 2x6's before I wrap them with downspouts? I know pressure treated wood is a no-no -- so do I just get pine and seal them with something?

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

So what do I use to preserve these 2x6's before I wrap them with downspouts? I know pressure treated wood is a no-no -- so do I just get pine and seal them with something?

No need to seal or treat the 2x6's their cheap just replace them when needed.

 

[Shoedawg]

You could seal the 2x4's then wrap em' in carpet. That is what I did with my build. I didn't want to have to replace them every so often when they got warped/old, plus my boat isn't light enough just to move off the trailer and replace the bunks. Your mileage may vary (a lighter boat that can be move off the trailer easy) on your decision. Lots of great input here.