I have bought 2 trailers over the last couple of years from De Graaff. I researched what was available in the UK and they were IMHO by far the best, both in design and quality of materials used. They are competitive but certainly not the cheapest. As an example, on the trailer for Skylar (Mersea) the brake rod is anodised threaded bar which has rusted badly whereas De Graaff use stainless bar.
The joy of De Graaff is that it is all modular and held together with U-bolts. The draw bar can be extended/reduced in length. I also had to move the axle on the Shrimper trailer to get the nose weight right. I go for 50 kg to allow for extra kit to increase slightly nut never over 80 kg. (photos attached)
There are pros and cons with single/double axle trailers. I believe that you can get axles which will take up to 2t. Personally, with a 26' boat, I would go for double just to have the confidence that if one tyre/bearing has an issue, the trailer will continue happily on the other axle.
Next question is bunks or rollers. I was always against bunks but after trying both, I think they are better for a 'flat bottomed' boat like the 26S. The normal 4x2 timber on the bunk is flexible enough to bend under load and give better support than rollers. It is practically very difficult to get wobble rollers to all touch exactly and the result is that only a couple of rollers actually take the load. If you then use ratchet straps and apply high force (which one always does), there is a risk that the hull can crack under the loading, especially impact loads when hitting potholes etc. When I sold the Ebihen, the guy strapped her down very tightly and drove to Cornwall - he then rang to say that the hull was slightly cracked at the roller positions. To the best of my knowledge this was not the case before he bought her. My current boats both have a keel so my trailers have keel rollers full length and then wobble rollers at the sides which I purposely keep about 10 mm away for the hull to ensure that most of the vertical load is on the keel rollers. The 26S does not have a keel (to the best of my knowledge anyway) and I would then go for bunks.
The trailer on the Shrimper I bought was about 17 years old and in very bad condition. I sold it for £800.
Having had both and IMHO I don't agree with Chris though I hesitate only slightly to argue with an engineer. Whether a load is spread on bunks or rollers makes no difference if the supported area is the same. A bed of nails would work just as well if there are enough. If neither you nor the supplier can adjust the rollers to fit nor ensure there are sufficient and suitably aligned with the structural integrity of the boat then stick with what the boat builder advised, you can still crack a hull on bunks if you over tighten a thing very difficult to judge other than by seeing deformation. Not many bunks are made so well that they match the curvature of the boat
The S isn't as flat bottomed as you think. The de Graaf people will know what they are doing with rollers. See pic of Mrs MacGregor above - roller trailer. V good but a bit noisy.
I accept fully that there are many ways to do this, although I have no experience with supports comprising nails.
My point was that unless you go for the Dutch stainless trailers with many rollers all the way down the trailer (about £10k), there are normally only rollers on the cross members i.e. not many. I would suggest that the contact area from 4 bunks (covered with carpet or similar) where the timber has deflected is far greater than a few circular rollers which each have a very small contact area.
I have never found a supplier who was prepared to set up the rollers with the boat on the trailer and it is a difficult job (for me at least) getting them in the correct position while lying under the boat. This then only works when the boat is in exactly the right position fore/aft which it sometimes is not.
I was only trying to offer my own experiences and had absolutely no wish to upset the Commodore!!!! Will I still be welcome at Big Mac??
Perhaps I'm over cautious but I use 3 x 5 ton straps to secure the boat and wouldn't contemplate anything less. One leads back from around the rear posts of the pulpit, one leads back from the forward slope of the cabin just behind the forward hatch and one comes forward from behind the cabin hatch. I attach the straps at a near 45° angle so they provide a 10 ton forward resistance where the main risk is the amount of force necessary vertically does not need to be that great and too much compression could damage the hull. I'd be very concerned that in a forward collision your near vertical strap on the bow and the winch strap may well not hold the bow in the v of the winch post and the rear strap will not hold her back. The strap you have on the bow looks like a 1000kg strap though I can't really tell, in a forward collision I believe the momentum forces contained in the boat will far exceed that load.
It's worth asking yourself ,Is it the whoetrailer that's knackered or just the axles. If the latter then probably could be sorted for £2000 .
I have bought 2 trailers over the last couple of years from De Graaff. I researched what was available in the UK and they were IMHO by far the best, both in design and quality of materials used. They are competitive but certainly not the cheapest. As an example, on the trailer for Skylar (Mersea) the brake rod is anodised threaded bar which has rusted badly whereas De Graaff use stainless bar.
The joy of De Graaff is that it is all modular and held together with U-bolts. The draw bar can be extended/reduced in length. I also had to move the axle on the Shrimper trailer to get the nose weight right. I go for 50 kg to allow for extra kit to increase slightly nut never over 80 kg. (photos attached)
There are pros and cons with single/double axle trailers. I believe that you can get axles which will take up to 2t. Personally, with a 26' boat, I would go for double just to have the confidence that if one tyre/bearing has an issue, the trailer will continue happily on the other axle.
Next question is bunks or rollers. I was always against bunks but after trying both, I think they are better for a 'flat bottomed' boat like the 26S. The normal 4x2 timber on the bunk is flexible enough to bend under load and give better support than rollers. It is practically very difficult to get wobble rollers to all touch exactly and the result is that only a couple of rollers actually take the load. If you then use ratchet straps and apply high force (which one always does), there is a risk that the hull can crack under the loading, especially impact loads when hitting potholes etc. When I sold the Ebihen, the guy strapped her down very tightly and drove to Cornwall - he then rang to say that the hull was slightly cracked at the roller positions. To the best of my knowledge this was not the case before he bought her. My current boats both have a keel so my trailers have keel rollers full length and then wobble rollers at the sides which I purposely keep about 10 mm away for the hull to ensure that most of the vertical load is on the keel rollers. The 26S does not have a keel (to the best of my knowledge anyway) and I would then go for bunks.
The trailer on the Shrimper I bought was about 17 years old and in very bad condition. I sold it for £800.
Chris
IMG_2122_0
IMG_2123_0
I have gone for it and ordered a new De Graaf trailer. 2 ton with carrying weight of 1.5 ton, hopefully all will be good.
Having had both and IMHO I don't agree with Chris though I hesitate only slightly to argue with an engineer. Whether a load is spread on bunks or rollers makes no difference if the supported area is the same. A bed of nails would work just as well if there are enough. If neither you nor the supplier can adjust the rollers to fit nor ensure there are sufficient and suitably aligned with the structural integrity of the boat then stick with what the boat builder advised, you can still crack a hull on bunks if you over tighten a thing very difficult to judge other than by seeing deformation. Not many bunks are made so well that they match the curvature of the boat
Yah boo Chris!
The S isn't as flat bottomed as you think. The de Graaf people will know what they are doing with rollers. See pic of Mrs MacGregor above - roller trailer. V good but a bit noisy.
Quentin Sands, past owner
1991 26C Mrs MacGregor
1993 Mac19, Margarita
Jonathan
I accept fully that there are many ways to do this, although I have no experience with supports comprising nails.
My point was that unless you go for the Dutch stainless trailers with many rollers all the way down the trailer (about £10k), there are normally only rollers on the cross members i.e. not many. I would suggest that the contact area from 4 bunks (covered with carpet or similar) where the timber has deflected is far greater than a few circular rollers which each have a very small contact area.
I have never found a supplier who was prepared to set up the rollers with the boat on the trailer and it is a difficult job (for me at least) getting them in the correct position while lying under the boat. This then only works when the boat is in exactly the right position fore/aft which it sometimes is not.
I was only trying to offer my own experiences and had absolutely no wish to upset the Commodore!!!! Will I still be welcome at Big Mac??
He he definitely not he he.
The rocking rollers on a roller coaster really follow the contours of the boat very well fixed rollers would be a nightmare
And you aren't so old you can't get under the trailer though there could be other reasons. 🤔
I picked up my new De Graaff trailer yesterday and recovered boat, all went well.
IMG_3771
Looks great
Perhaps I'm over cautious but I use 3 x 5 ton straps to secure the boat and wouldn't contemplate anything less. One leads back from around the rear posts of the pulpit, one leads back from the forward slope of the cabin just behind the forward hatch and one comes forward from behind the cabin hatch. I attach the straps at a near 45° angle so they provide a 10 ton forward resistance where the main risk is the amount of force necessary vertically does not need to be that great and too much compression could damage the hull. I'd be very concerned that in a forward collision your near vertical strap on the bow and the winch strap may well not hold the bow in the v of the winch post and the rear strap will not hold her back. The strap you have on the bow looks like a 1000kg strap though I can't really tell, in a forward collision I believe the momentum forces contained in the boat will far exceed that load.
Jonathan
I think I may have seen you heading along the A3 the other evening (unless there was another 26c on the move). Trailer (and boat) look great!
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