Light dual axle?

A forum for discussing issues relating to trailers and towing MacGregor sailboats.
bobbob
First Officer
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:14 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto

Light dual axle?

Post by bobbob »

The Magic Tilt dual axle trailers claim to be around 800 lbs empty weight- perfect for my tow rating. But I'm having difficultly finding out which model(s) are a good match for a :macx:

Any other suggestions for a sub-1000 lb dual axle aluminum trailer?

Cheers
Last edited by Hamin' X on Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: edited for clarity
User avatar
Erik Hardtle
First Officer
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:45 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: New Bern, NC
Contact:

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by Erik Hardtle »

User avatar
March
Captain
Posts: 970
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:54 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Iowa, MacGregor 26X, Yamaha 4 stroke 50 HP

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by March »

I think the MacGregor 26X might weigh more than that
User avatar
RobertB
Admiral
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:42 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Clarksville, MD

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by RobertB »

Erik Hardtle wrote:Here is what I used:
http://www.enctrader.com/hardtlefamily/ ... newtrailer
Eric, looking at your list of mods, I see you use a yard LED light for an anchor light at the top of the mast.
Do you have a way to switch this off?
Reason: If you sail at night, this light would indicate to others you are under power since it can be seen from ahead. This is the reason I have a relay reverse the polarity of my mast and anchor light (on top of mast) depending if I am under power or at anchor.
bobbob
First Officer
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:14 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by bobbob »

Erik Hardtle wrote:Here is what I used:

http://www.enctrader.com/hardtlefamily/ ... newtrailer
Despite the picture that is a dual axle model right? Regardless its just too heavy. There seem to be several Aluminum models that can carry 5000-6000lbs, are long and wide enough, and weigh around 840lbs, but I don't know enough about the bunk configuration to say if any of them will work:

http://www.magictilt.com/trailers/aluminum
sirlandsalot
Engineer
Posts: 146
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 3:50 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Kimberley, BC, Canada

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by sirlandsalot »

One thing to consider with dual axles. If you ask any trucker they will tell you your fuel economy goes up. And the cost of keeping the rubber up to standards over doubles because of the dramatically increased wear time. If you use good quality tires with high load capacity, there is no reason you should ever have a blow out. If you think about how many blow outs you have had on your car in your life.....

You also double the chance of a blow out! :D

In the commercial helicopter world, oil companies are all asking for twin engine. Those of us that know the helicopters, not like they would consult the pilot.... know that very few can actually fly at gross weight on one engine. So now there is double the chance of engine failure in a machine that can't maintain level flight on one engine! The world today......
User avatar
Russ
Admiral
Posts: 8325
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:01 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Bozeman, Montana "Luna Azul" 2008 M 70hp Suzi

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by Russ »

RobertB wrote:
Erik Hardtle wrote:Here is what I used:
http://www.enctrader.com/hardtlefamily/ ... newtrailer
Eric, looking at your list of mods, I see you use a yard LED light for an anchor light at the top of the mast.
Do you have a way to switch this off?
Reason: If you sail at night, this light would indicate to others you are under power since it can be seen from ahead. This is the reason I have a relay reverse the polarity of my mast and anchor light (on top of mast) depending if I am under power or at anchor.
Interesting. I use those solar LED lights on my dock, but they aren't that bright. Surely not 2nm bright.

(Back to trailer talk)
bobbob
First Officer
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:14 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by bobbob »

Good points about dual axle. In my case towing will be occasional, and the need to keep a lighter tongue weight combined with the redundancy piece of mind is driving me to dual axle.

I still have been relatively unsuccessful in getting information about the appropriate dual axle Magic Tilt trailer. The company will not respond directly to me, wanting my questions to be handled by the dealer network. The two dealers I have talked to are clueless and are instead asking the questions back to the company. Not a great way to run a business if you ask me...
Gabby_SC
Deckhand
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 11:56 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Moncks Corner, SC "Sandy Cay" 2007 Macgregor 26M

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by Gabby_SC »

Charleston Trailer co. #843-224-6634 http://www.charlestontrailer.com/ is custom building trailers just for Macs. You can actually talk to a technition
81venture
Captain
Posts: 553
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:59 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Wake Forest, NC

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by 81venture »

I've got one that would prob work with some minor re-bunking with a clean title for $800

It's galvanized, dual axle...no brakes though, but could easily be added for not too much..
User avatar
gabid
Engineer
Posts: 132
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:32 am
Sailboat: Other
Location: Toronto

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by gabid »

bobbob wrote:The Magic Tilt dual axle trailers claim to be around 800 lbs empty weight- perfect for my tow rating. But I'm having difficultly finding out which model(s) are a good match for a :macx:

Any other suggestions for a sub-1000 lb dual axle aluminum trailer?

Cheers
Hey bobbob, I picked up last week my new trailer from this guys in Brampton: http://www.excalibur-trailers.ca/traile ... f4555b.htm. It does not look like the one in the pictures, but the same characteristics. For the same price they build a custom one to fit my boat and included the ladder forward and boat guides, electric disk brakes on forward axle. They had my old :macx: trailer for the summer to build a template of the frame.
I am really happy with it, I hauled the boat for 100km on highway, it's very balanced and now I really enjoy pulling it. I finally feel safe with that load behind the 4Runner.
bobbob
First Officer
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:14 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by bobbob »

Thanks for the recommendations, but just to be clear - due to towing capacity I need a lightweight (read: Aluminum) trailer. The Magic Tilt trailers are compelling because they are sub-900 lbs. I don't think a Galvanized Steel trailer could ever be that light.
bobbob
First Officer
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:14 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by bobbob »

Well, I finally got word back from Magic Tilt through a dealer that they have no specs on a Mac 26 and are unable to suggest a trailer model that would be appropriate. So back to square one I suppose. :(
Gabby_SC
Deckhand
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 11:56 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Moncks Corner, SC "Sandy Cay" 2007 Macgregor 26M

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by Gabby_SC »

Bob, Just talked with Charleston trailers again http://www.charlestontrailer.com . Give them a call 843-224-6634 , they make a trailer fitted to the Macgregor price about $3850- 6000 lb capacity and weighs about 800-900 lbs. They do send trailers to Canada
bobbob
First Officer
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 6:14 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto

Re: Light dual axle?

Post by bobbob »

Thanks - I'll call them today. That's a little more then I was hoping to spend (particularly with whatever shipping rate is going to be applied), but its an option.
Post Reply