Gulfstream Trailering

[crabber1]

Great forum with great enthusiasts ! Here are my questions as I am narrowing my rearch to purchase a newer Gulfstream.

1. What is the minimum outside width (at the boats maximum beam) of efficient trailers carrying a Gulfstream ?

2. Is there a brand of trailer that is preferential over others ? I want an I-Beam and what should the trailer capacity for the weight of the Gulfstream ? Anyone estimate to weight of boat, gear, full tanks, ice, etc. for a 75 mile offshore trip ?

3. I will most likely purchase the boat on the East coast and have it shipped to Oregon. Has anyone ever heard of transom damage due to long distance towing.shipping due to the weight of the engines. Should the engines be shipped separately ? I intend to buy or repower with twin 150's or 200's

4. I had a friend ship a classic car from Toronto in a rail car picking it up in Vancouver B.C. It was cheap, much less than $1.50 per mile. I need to find out the max width of a rail car.

Thanks in advance for anyones valued input.

Crabber1

 

[jkasperows]

trailer

crabber1,
I just purchased a Gulfstream. I measered it for you. the outside measures 8' 4" outside of tire to outside of tire. my trailer is an Performance aluminum I beam float on. it is four wheel disk brakes rated at 8,000 lbs. I just towed this boat 800 miles from Florida to Virginia and loved it. no sway, push or jurking. although the gas mileage Suc&ed. The boat itself is abut 3,900 lbs. add gear, fuel, and whatever else and it adds up. maybe 5,000 lbs. I would not feel good unless the trailer was rated for at least 6,000 lbs. My motor is on a bracket so that was not an issue for me. but all of my other boats I used a transom saver bracket for long hauls. just make sure you tell the shipping co. that the boat has a 9' 3" beam. this will make a difference. also, if you have a hardtop, my boat is 12' 6" from the ground to the top of the antenna mount sitting on the trailer. you put this whole package on a tractor trailer and it will be over the normal 13' 6" clearance of some bridges and stuff.

Just my O2

Joe

 

[jkasperows]

P.S.

Crabber1,
if you get a reputable company to transport this boat (with insurance) for $1.50 per mile. Do it! everyone I contacted wanted at least $2,500 - $4,200 for an 800 mile trip.

 

[crabber1]

Thanks Joe. This is exactly the info I was looking for. I will keep you posted as things develop. Crabber1

 

[Dean265]

Have you talked to Karl at Jacobsens Marine in Seattle (Grady Dealer)? He may have a few for sale and save you some serious shipping charges.

 

[wilson]

you did say "towing" right? thats a long haul on a trailer! flat bed the boat and let a mack pull it to you. i've been down the trailer road before...stay away from bunks. they warp or split and you need lots of tide to get off or on at the ramp. luckly i sold my two year old i-beam aluminum triple axle bunk for what i paid for it, thanks to the metals market. and got a new 10,000 lb. loadrite tandum( galvanized) with 86 yellow rollers, and torsion axles. it can hold the boat fully loaded with fuel and ice and anything you can think of. yes it was expensive but at the ramp gravity launches it and winching up on those hard rollers isn't that bad. get the biggest trailer that your boat will still fit on and you won't regret it.

 

[magicalbill]

Wilson is correct on the "size" of the trailer. I have a 9900LB Cap. tandem made by Integrity Trailers(Nunica, Michigan,) and it's necessary.

I disagree on the roller issue. I have a bunk trailer, and have figured out the "sweet spot" to load it on every time. I DO have to sink it deeper into the water to float it off.(You can't "push" a Gulfstream off a bunk trailer with the weight of the hull still resting on the bunks.)
So, in that regard you'd need deeper water to launch into as Wilson says.

At the end of the day, I would not have my Gulfstream transported by truck. If this is a one-time jaunt, you could "borrow" or rent a trailer and fit it to the hull. That's what I did when I first bought mine. I borrowed Integrity's yard,all-purpose trailer and ran it from Twin Cities Marine in Wisconsin around thru Chicago to Nunica, where they made my trailer.
Worked like a charm.