Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

You know the drill..

Moderators: Redneck_Randy, badmoonrising, lakerunner

Post Reply
Message
Author
GoFastr
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 6:17 pm

Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#1 Post by GoFastr » Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:50 pm

Mine is hanging on the lift and i'd really like to get it out to do some much needed maintenance/upkeep on the toons that can't really do on the lift.

There's no real availability for used pontoon trailers in my area on the southern Chesapeake Bay and I don't really want to buy one new for my old 21' Sun Tracker PB, so I've been trying to think out of the box about converting an old galvanized standard boat trailer (not yet purchased) to pull mine in/out of the water to do maintenance on. Gotta ramp next to my house so it doesn't have to be able to travel really unless I needed to take it to the shop for some welding or other work I'm not setup to do.

Anybody do this before or know where to find pics of some homemade conversions?

I understand one of the problems would be tire size and trailer width of a standard trailer besides mounting hardware?
1999 Sun Tracker w/40hp Force
2005 Sunsation 32' Dominator w/Twin 496HO's

spurhunter
Posts: 798
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:20 pm
Location: Cleveland, TN
Contact:

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#2 Post by spurhunter » Fri Jun 21, 2013 4:34 pm

Honestly, mine looks like a regular boat trailer with five 2" square tube braces run right on top of it. I know mine isn't a custom, but the principle is the same.
I found these pics:
Attachments
IMG_2436.jpg
IMG_2436.jpg (302.17 KiB) Viewed 5433 times
427018_2643371925399_1288622906_32064611_801944512_n.jpg
427018_2643371925399_1288622906_32064611_801944512_n.jpg (125.1 KiB) Viewed 5435 times
Custom 89 24' Procraft Funchaser Tri-toon
1985 Johnson 175 gas guzzler
2007 2500HD Duramax Z71

User avatar
mippel
Posts: 29
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 11:50 am
Location: Twin Cities, MN

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#3 Post by mippel » Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:02 pm

GoFastr wrote:Mine is hanging on the lift and i'd really like to get it out to do some much needed maintenance/upkeep on the toons that can't really do on the lift.

There's no real availability for used pontoon trailers in my area on the southern Chesapeake Bay and I don't really want to buy one new for my old 21' Sun Tracker PB, so I've been trying to think out of the box about converting an old galvanized standard boat trailer (not yet purchased) to pull mine in/out of the water to do maintenance on. Gotta ramp next to my house so it doesn't have to be able to travel really unless I needed to take it to the shop for some welding or other work I'm not setup to do.

Anybody do this before or know where to find pics of some homemade conversions?

I understand one of the problems would be tire size and trailer width of a standard trailer besides mounting hardware?
Can you rent one from a marine far a hour or two to get done what you want?
Thanks, Mike
2000 Weeres Suntanner 20 | Mercury 50 2S | Shoreland'r Bunk

Bamaman
Posts: 3679
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 1:44 pm
Location: NW Alabama--Tennessee River

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#4 Post by Bamaman » Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:04 pm

Trailer conversion is certainly possible, but the new trailer might be a little high off the ground.

If you're needing to do some repairs, see if there's a local dealer selling pontoons that will rent a trailer to you.

All of our local dealers keep a used pontoon trailer around because relatively few pontoon buyers ever buy a trailer. Most pontoons are kept in boathouses out of the water.
'12 Bennington 24' SSLX Yamaha 150

GoFastr
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2012 6:17 pm

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#5 Post by GoFastr » Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:36 pm

Hmm interesting pics on the trailer configuration. Are those cross bars welded on or bolted? Are you using normal or regular trailer tires, or did you down size them? Guess I would need to figure out the winch setup as well.

Yeah the only dealer nearby without a cross state drive who might have is the Bass Pro shop. I'll call them I guess and see what if anything is possible with them. But long term I'd like the flexibility of my own platform to cut down on the logistics and time constraints of getting a loaner back.
1999 Sun Tracker w/40hp Force
2005 Sunsation 32' Dominator w/Twin 496HO's

User avatar
MH Hawker
Posts: 1434
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2011 4:13 pm
Location: West Virginia

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#6 Post by MH Hawker » Sat Jun 22, 2013 12:09 am

To me I wont own any sort of a boat with out a trailer, but I do my own work and its just easier to bring it home to do stuff, mine is on a wet slip.
If it aint broke your not having enough fun

James & Deb

1988 Riviera Cruiser 15 HP Mariner
05 Silverado Z 71 V8 5.3

User avatar
jimrs
Posts: 1662
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:05 am
Location: Elm Grove, La

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#7 Post by jimrs » Sat Jun 22, 2013 8:20 am

MH Hawker wrote:To me I wont own any sort of a boat with out a trailer, but I do my own work and its just easier to bring it home to do stuff, mine is on a wet slip.

I'm of the same mind if you own a boat you need a trailer unless the boat is to big to trailer. I never understood people buying a boat and forgetting the trailer.

I had a neighbor that bought a 24ft toon and no trailer the first time they lowered the lake his boat was sitting on the bottom stuck in mud. After two years the interior was shot the boat was not worth scrap to anyone else.
2001 22' Tracker Regency (sold)
2001 Mercury 90 HP (sold)
Elm Grove, La
Lake Bistineau

crspang
Posts: 115
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:08 pm
Location: Lexington, SC

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#8 Post by crspang » Sun Jun 23, 2013 5:38 am

I converted this POS to fit my boat. I don't have any final pictures, but all in all it turned out well. It was more work than I had originally thought it would be.
Attachments
image.jpg
image.jpg (481.13 KiB) Viewed 5247 times
image.jpg
image.jpg (646.5 KiB) Viewed 5247 times
image.jpg
image.jpg (602.51 KiB) Viewed 5246 times
image.jpg
image.jpg (550.48 KiB) Viewed 5246 times

spurhunter
Posts: 798
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:20 pm
Location: Cleveland, TN
Contact:

Re: Anyone ever convert boat trailer to a toon trailer?

#9 Post by spurhunter » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:16 am

Mine are welded one, I suspect you could also bolt them on as well. Again, mine is not customer, it was built for a toon from inception, they used 12" wheels for it.
Custom 89 24' Procraft Funchaser Tri-toon
1985 Johnson 175 gas guzzler
2007 2500HD Duramax Z71

Post Reply