Rivergoer
Escalante-Class Member
There was some interest and a few questions in another thread about our houseboat trailer. Figured I’d post a few pics here to show how we rigged a 36’ Tandem Double Gooseneck trailer for hauling Yachtzee. The boat weighs in at approx 15,000 lbs, the trailer is about 7,000 lbs and rated to haul 24,000 lbs (including trailer weight).
Some fabrication was required to carry the 12’ beam. So, 1/4” steel extension plates covered with Trex decking were added as “outriggers”. The outriggers were fitted with 2x3 steel channel to utilize existing stake pockets on the trailer. This mod extended trailer width from 8.5 feet to about 11 feet.
Distance between the pontoons is about 6 feet so 3x3 steel angle iron uprights were added and fitted with 4x6 lumber runners. This feature serves to ‘guide’ the boat onto and secure it laterally on the trailer. The bow is secured to hard rubber loading dock blocks mounted on the gooseneck using a pair of 10,000 lb ratchet straps.
One of the previous thread comments was the scarcity of these trailers. In 2015, we searched Craigslist for 6 months to finally locate this trailer in Mustang, Oklahoma. A cold winter road trip from AZ to OK and we had our used “Hot Shot“ trailer for $5,000. Surely the price has gone up since then.
Another concern expressed was the height of the pontoons on the trailer and how deep it would need to be to launch. This trailer is a low-profile, pierced-beam model meaning the outer beams running the length are ’pierced’ (or notched) at the axles to allow lower bed height and tire clearance.
Due to the somewhat shallower angle at the new Stateline (Gustaveson) Ramp, we were a little apprehensive about launching/retrieving. However, everything went off/on without a hitch. Gotta hand it to NPS…job well done on the new ramp! Hoping they can find a similar solution up North…even better, maybe Mother Nature will help out so we won’t need it
Anyway, any further questions that might help your project (or just pure curiosity) fire away.
Some fabrication was required to carry the 12’ beam. So, 1/4” steel extension plates covered with Trex decking were added as “outriggers”. The outriggers were fitted with 2x3 steel channel to utilize existing stake pockets on the trailer. This mod extended trailer width from 8.5 feet to about 11 feet.
Distance between the pontoons is about 6 feet so 3x3 steel angle iron uprights were added and fitted with 4x6 lumber runners. This feature serves to ‘guide’ the boat onto and secure it laterally on the trailer. The bow is secured to hard rubber loading dock blocks mounted on the gooseneck using a pair of 10,000 lb ratchet straps.
One of the previous thread comments was the scarcity of these trailers. In 2015, we searched Craigslist for 6 months to finally locate this trailer in Mustang, Oklahoma. A cold winter road trip from AZ to OK and we had our used “Hot Shot“ trailer for $5,000. Surely the price has gone up since then.
Another concern expressed was the height of the pontoons on the trailer and how deep it would need to be to launch. This trailer is a low-profile, pierced-beam model meaning the outer beams running the length are ’pierced’ (or notched) at the axles to allow lower bed height and tire clearance.
Due to the somewhat shallower angle at the new Stateline (Gustaveson) Ramp, we were a little apprehensive about launching/retrieving. However, everything went off/on without a hitch. Gotta hand it to NPS…job well done on the new ramp! Hoping they can find a similar solution up North…even better, maybe Mother Nature will help out so we won’t need it
Anyway, any further questions that might help your project (or just pure curiosity) fire away.
