Triton center of balance for trailer

James384 · Post by **James384** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:42 pm

A question for Tim and the group. I've just bought a flatbed 14,000 lb GVW equipment hauler trailer to modify for hauling my Triton and other slightly larger boats. It's been some 25 years since I've done this and don't recall the center of balance on the Triton.

I saw some info on the MIR page about calculating the point from the Triton drawing and the result I got was center of balance about 8' aft of the forward end of the waterline. I must have miscalculated because this seems way too far forward.

Can someone tell me the approximate location of center of balance, preferably in relation to a point on deck such as 1 foot forward or aft of center of boat or so many inches forward of the aft end of the cabin trunk. If someone has their Triton on a trailer maybe they could drop a plumb line from deck to the midpoint of the dual axles and tell me how far forward of the aft cabin trunk that is, assuming your 10% tongue weight is reasonably correct.

This issue probably was addressed before somewhere but a brief search didn't find it. Thanks.

James
#384 Atom

Post by **Tim** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 1:09 pm

On this trailer, the center of the center axle (3-axle trailer) is roughly even with the aft end of the aftermost port in the saloon. Tongue weight in this setup seems about where it should be.

The center (roughly) of the external ballast keel on this boat is in line with the forward axle, and is where all the weight is bearing in this case.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:29 pm

Nice ports Tim, did you do those recently?...

:-)

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:37 pm

Amazing how much those "ports" change the look of the boat.

R.

Post by **Tim** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:24 am

bcooke wrote:Nice ports Tim, did you do those recently?...

:-)

Wiseguy.

(That picture is a year old, BTW)

James384 · Post by **James384** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:00 pm

Tim,

That's a serious looking trailer. I guess you have plans for more big boat
moving. The photo was useful and I have a fair idea now of the Triton center of balance.

The yard I haul at here has no scales so not sure yet how I'll work out the tongue weight.

I plan on welding angle brackets to the outside bed frame and bolting adjustable hull supports to them with screw jack pads at the top. Everything can be adjusted for different boats and unbolted and the trailer used to haul a car or equipment on the flat bed. I chose drop axles, no dovetail, and 6-foot ramps that slide out of racks under the bed. Remains to be seen how much trouble with vehicle frame clearance there will be with no dove tail. I'll get back to you with more details once I get this rig set up in case someone else needs some trailer ideas.

James
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Post by **Tim** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:12 pm

James,

That's roughly how my trailer is set up. It is a 35' car hauler, and the boat supports are all removable, just as you indicate yours will be. I didn't build this one; it came to me as you see it.

If you'd like any detail photos of any parts of this trailer, just let me know. I'd like to see yours come together too, so please post a follow up as you go, if you can.