Posted By: SenkoSam
Utility trailer great for 12' jon boat - 05/13/23 08:58 PM
Up until last week, I struggled to get my 12' Jon into the back of the p/u and then had to jump down to the ground after hauling it forward. (...easier than lifting the bow up and picking up the back end to shove it forward.) A buddy suggested I get a trailer, no way a boat trailer which would have been out of my price range. So, for the h of it, I visited Tractor Supply and found a 10' utility trailer for $1,000 which meant the back of the boat would only hang off a few feet.
When I got it home, I loaded the boat and used ratchet straps to secure it, went for a drive and noticed the boat was not secure. The painted back gate was down which made it worse. So, I took the back gate off, strapped the boat forward and toward the back but also strapped the bow handle to the trailer handle on the hitch. The boat is now flat on the treated wood floor and goes nowhere even on bumpy roads.
Launching it is no different than when I launched my bass boat years ago. The back end of the trailer goes into the water a few feet and the boat slides off with the gas boat motor, trolling motor & battery still in place. (Before, I had to load the three into the truck in order to load the boat.) Getting it back on the trailer is just as easy - pulling the bow all the way forward via a rope and strapping it to the three spots starting with the bow strap.
It will work just as well with my heavy 10' V bottom al boat. Now all I need is a tarp to cover all my gear stored in the boat for when it rains.
When I got it home, I loaded the boat and used ratchet straps to secure it, went for a drive and noticed the boat was not secure. The painted back gate was down which made it worse. So, I took the back gate off, strapped the boat forward and toward the back but also strapped the bow handle to the trailer handle on the hitch. The boat is now flat on the treated wood floor and goes nowhere even on bumpy roads.
Launching it is no different than when I launched my bass boat years ago. The back end of the trailer goes into the water a few feet and the boat slides off with the gas boat motor, trolling motor & battery still in place. (Before, I had to load the three into the truck in order to load the boat.) Getting it back on the trailer is just as easy - pulling the bow all the way forward via a rope and strapping it to the three spots starting with the bow strap.
It will work just as well with my heavy 10' V bottom al boat. Now all I need is a tarp to cover all my gear stored in the boat for when it rains.