Glen-L.com

I've been pondering this question for sometime now and I've yet to come up with a definative answer. The question is:

"How is it that someone that has enough talent and determination to build a boat, then goes shopping for a trailer that was never made for his boat and he ends up getting a trailer that really is not quite right?"

I gotta tell you folks that, after building the boat itself, building the trailer for it is absolutely stupid simple. But maybe it's the thought of metal fabrication as opposed to wood fabrication. Or the thought of welding the material instead of glueing, screwing or nailing it. I think a lot of people must be really intimidated about it all.

I built the trailer for my Zip. It was easy with a capital E. I started on a Thursday afternoon and by Friday evening, I was painting it. I had even taken the time to take off the mil scale with a wire cup mounted on my angle grinder. I used the following tools but some of these can be substituted:

A 220v Lincoln MIG welder. I admit that this is a really fancy rig and I can do some really beautifully attractive and strong welds with it. But a 110v wire core welder from the Home Depot will do every bit as good a job for this project.

I have a 14" Makita chop saw but a metal cutting disc in a circular saw will work just as well.

When you use a chop saw to cut metal, you need to deburr the cut pieces on a bench grinder.

I used Sharpie pens and soapstones for marking. Soapstones are available at any welding supply store.

Any good angle grinder will work well for precleaning metal to be welded.

Basically, the rest of the tools are the same as what a wood worker would use...i.e. levels, chalk lines (I didn't need a chalkline) jack stands, tape measure, etc.

For the next trailer that I build, I'm going to do a photo album showing each step and then people can see just how easy they are to build. But still, I am very curious to know what the hangup is for so many people and why they don't tackle this phase of the project themselves.

_________________
Isn't it amazing!! The person that never has the fortitude to pursue his own dreams, will be the first to try and discourage you from pursuing yours.

I boat in salt water and needed a galvanized or aluminum trailer.

I've owned painted before,but they are a hassle in salt water

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

The first trailer I 'rushed' to purchase was also a dud. That old learning curve.

I wound up not fabricating my own trailer because I bought a donor boat that I used for the windshield and trailer, not to mention a '62 Merc 700 Inline 6 cylinder 70 HP in good running condition. Fact is that I wanted a 'retro' trailer for my 'retro' Zip.

Kudus for biting the bullet and building you own. I will have the old trailer that I have refurbished customized to fit the Zip to a tee.

_________________
This is my first, last and only boat build.

http://www.gdzipbuild.blogspot.com

Dud?
I've never had a trailer that didn't rust out.
I've had the Short tongued trailers that defied backing up!
Those break-in-the-middle jobs, and a long tongued trailer which I liked the best.
However, I don't think you can keep them from rusting so I never tried. Just put that chemical on the rust, and go with what you got. The trailer is the disposable part anyway.

I am either really and truely loosing it or I am probably too dumb to think about building a trailer on my own. I have no idea the point here. I must conclude that the problem must be in my water.

It's the water,I think I had some when I was up there......that's why i normally stick to beer!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

That was bottled water that you drank while visiting, even though you complained about it being some weak beer.

Dave; I wholeheartedly agree with you. I figure I can build the double axle trailer with 4 wheel hyd. brakes and Goodyear radials for my Titan (custom fit of course) for just under $1700. For an extra $350 I can have it galvanised. I figure on saving at least $2500.
I've been poking around the marinas and also have the plans from Glen-l so pretty much have it designed. Just have to get the hull over top to fit up the bunks.
Doug

For my Zip's trailer, I made the bunks adjustable. The adjustable bunk design idea was Paul Kane's and he had done the same thing for the trailer for his Hot Rod. He showed it to me and the very first Gathering. I studied his bunks and thought: "Yup, I can do that too." Using Paul's idea allows the bunks to fit the boat absolutely perfectly.

Going to the Gatherings simply cannot be undersold. There are so many ideas floating around there and it would take a person SOOOO much more time to get all those ideas absorbed from the forum. The forum is GREAT. But when you can see it, feel it, discuss it right then and there, WOW, it makes all the difference in the world.

Anywho, I don't have any photos of my adjustable bunks right at the moment. My trailer is in storage and I'll snap some photos of it in the next day or 2. In the meantime, Paul Kane might chime in on this and show you some photos of his adjustable bunks.

_________________
Isn't it amazing!! The person that never has the fortitude to pursue his own dreams, will be the first to try and discourage you from pursuing yours.

Dave -- I pulled a few pics from the 2009 Gathering Photo Album. A lot of great memories !

Photo courtesy of Bill Shaw


Photo courtesy of John Brantuk


Photo Courtesy of Eddie McCusker


Photo Courtesy of Chris Atwood


Photo Courtesy of Chris Atwood


Photo Courtesy of Loretta Elliott

Wait a minute ... This isn't Dave's boat !! I'm waiting for a ride in your ZIP ...

Click here to see our Glen-L 2100 trailer build.

___________________
Paul Kane Chelsea, PQ

Building the Glen-L Hot Rod : http://www.boats.chelseacoachworks.com

That final photo is me before I've had my morning coffee. LOL

YAY! That's my trailer under that unfinished Zip. I'd lost my photos of it because of a virus I got from the internet. But I think you can see the adjustable bunks.

_________________
Isn't it amazing!! The person that never has the fortitude to pursue his own dreams, will be the first to try and discourage you from pursuing yours.

To answer your question as to why... I never learned to weld.