Dart 15 Forums

Charles Watson wrote:

I'm having a trailer built, but the cost of the box adds a significant amount, so I thought I'd try building my own. (Bob, I thought your trailer with the raising arms was great so I'm having those included)

I also want to be able to stick in some of our kids' gear when we go on holiday & wondered what the largest size was, while being able to get the boat on & off easily & the trailer being well weighted both with & without the boat (I'm not going for a jockey wheel at the moment).

As I've got a roof rack at the moment general advice on trailing cats & box design more than welcome, I've done a fair bit of mono-trailing.

Thanks, Charles.

Bob replied:

Hi Charles,
The best thing to do is to put your boat on the trailer and measure it. The height is the critical dimension - make sure that you have got atleast 50mm clearance. I made mine out of two sheets of 2400 x 1200 10mm exterior ply. The width = (1200-height) thus you get two sides, a top and a bottom out of 2 sheets of ply. Any bigger and you are into 3 sheets.
I think it is very important to be able to get into at least half the box with the boat tied on the trailer - so if you go camping you do not have to unload the boat to set up camp. This means have the top in two halve which fit/lock independantly. Hinges are no good. A sliding fit so the whole (half) lid removes for easy access.
Cheers
Bob

PS To answer your question Chris Black and Steve Petts have both got big boxes - but you should see the state of them!!!!

Charles Watson replied:

Thank Bob, I'll enlist the father in law, a retired engineer with advice to spare on construction matters!
In the sliding lid scenario does the lid split in half so the front half comes off & this is predominantly in front of the fore cross-beam ?

Bob replied:

Yes - it is an entire half the length of the box (1200mm) which sits infront of the forebeam.
cheers
Bob

Colin replied:

Can any one help me i am building a trailer box for my D15
What's a good size ?