Lots of questions about trailer hubs while on the road
#21
Good luck on the road. Please bring a good quality digital camera to document the exciting journey you are going to undertake.
I have a 3 year old triple axle aluminum trailer that I have towed up to 600 miles in a weekend. It has 6 new tires, new springs, new bearings and I would still go over that trailer with a magnifying glass before embarking on a 950 mile ride. As far as putting money in the trailer, keep in mind it is a tool to get your boat around. Anything related to that boat will cost you money but it will always cost more when it is an emergency.
I have a 3 year old triple axle aluminum trailer that I have towed up to 600 miles in a weekend. It has 6 new tires, new springs, new bearings and I would still go over that trailer with a magnifying glass before embarking on a 950 mile ride. As far as putting money in the trailer, keep in mind it is a tool to get your boat around. Anything related to that boat will cost you money but it will always cost more when it is an emergency.
#22
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If you are just going down to check it out first, buy a plane ticket and fly down. It will be a lot cheaper than driving and if you decide you don't want it you will save a ton of money.
Another thing I just noticed looking at this picture again, is that the tires on the trailer aren't even the same size, at least not in this picture. And it looks like the fender has suffered from a blow-out or two already.
http://kijiji.ebayimg.com/i23/06/k/0...?set_id=1C4000
I don't know if you have your heart set on this boat or what, but I would think you can find something a lot closer, especially in the MD area than Florida. Any more pics of the boat?
Another thing I just noticed looking at this picture again, is that the tires on the trailer aren't even the same size, at least not in this picture. And it looks like the fender has suffered from a blow-out or two already.
http://kijiji.ebayimg.com/i23/06/k/0...?set_id=1C4000
I don't know if you have your heart set on this boat or what, but I would think you can find something a lot closer, especially in the MD area than Florida. Any more pics of the boat?
Last edited by c_deezy; 08-12-2008 at 03:20 PM.
#23
If you are just going down to check it out first, buy a plane ticket and fly down. It will be a lot cheaper than driving and if you decide you don't want it you will save a ton of money.
Another thing I just noticed looking at this picture again, is that the tires on the trailer aren't even the same size, at least not in this picture. And it looks like the fender has suffered from a blow-out or two already.
http://kijiji.ebayimg.com/i23/06/k/0...?set_id=1C4000
I don't know if you have your heart set on this boat or what, but I would think you can find something a lot closer, especially in the MD area than Florida. Any more pics of the boat?
Another thing I just noticed looking at this picture again, is that the tires on the trailer aren't even the same size, at least not in this picture. And it looks like the fender has suffered from a blow-out or two already.
http://kijiji.ebayimg.com/i23/06/k/0...?set_id=1C4000
I don't know if you have your heart set on this boat or what, but I would think you can find something a lot closer, especially in the MD area than Florida. Any more pics of the boat?
I apologize, I never noticed that link with the picture of the boat/trailer. YOU WOULD BE INSANE TO DRIVE DOWN TO DRAG THAT BACK WITHOUT HAVING THE TRAILER SERVICED FIRST ALONG WITH 4 NEW TIRES IN ADDITION TO A PAIR OF SPARES. THAT IS A 50-50 TRAILER AS IN NO MORE THAN 50MPH OR 50 MILES TOTAL TRAVEL.
#24
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There's ton's of members here on OSO from Florida. Perhaps you can post a thread in GBD and have someone take a look. OR better yet contact Ed Cozzi to survey the boat. After seeing that pic definetly DO NOT pull that trailer 950 miles without having it serviced and new tires. Its not the getting stuck on the side of the road part its the causing an accident part I'd be worried about.
Last edited by cig1988; 08-13-2008 at 05:41 AM.
#25
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I had already checked about flying. Flying to this boat would only save half the time of driving when you factor in connections and puddle jumpers, and it would cost about $300 more than driving, not including the taxi ride or rental car.
Besides, I'm thinking about stopping on the way down and playing a golf course I've always wanted to play.
I think the tire size must be an optical illusion caused by the wheel chock. I can't imagine any trailer not having matching wheels.
But I'm also willing to walk away if in person I determine there are any conditions that would make the final cost unreasonable. There are none closer than 300 miles away. And the cheapest Progressions I've seen are $14,000 more than this boat.
Last edited by MDSmitty; 08-13-2008 at 04:19 PM.
#26
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I have a friend that brought his 26' Checkmate from the lakes in NY State to here in Long Island Sound, after a couple of months of running around things started busting left and right. He went out and bought a PowerPlay the next season. Maybe I missed where you do your boating but my point is if it's in the Chesapeake you'd do better with some other boats. Checkmate is a great lake boat, but in the day to day chop of the bigger waters I've seen their limits being stretched first hand. I've been on both and the Progression is a more stout boat without question.
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Cool man, sounds like you've done your research and know what you want. I only wish I would have known about OSO before I bought my boat a couple years ago, it would have expanded my search 10 fold...
Now that is NO optical illusion, you can look all the way around that rim and see that rear tire is way smaller than the front one. There is also some wierd photoshopping going on at the bottom of the pic as the driveway doesn't line up and you can see a line in the grass. There are alot of people that do a lot of dumb sh1t to boats and trailers, especially older ones.
I like Checkmates, always have and grew up about 10 miles from the factory. But my brother has also spent about 2 years replacing all the rotted wood in an old Checkmate (I gave up on the boat years ago), make sure you look things over good on it, especially the floor and bulkheads. Not to say other manufacturers didn't have poor build quality, my boat will be getting stripped and re-rigged this winter for sure.
You may also want to check out the Checkmate forum, www.checkmate-boats.com
I like Checkmates, always have and grew up about 10 miles from the factory. But my brother has also spent about 2 years replacing all the rotted wood in an old Checkmate (I gave up on the boat years ago), make sure you look things over good on it, especially the floor and bulkheads. Not to say other manufacturers didn't have poor build quality, my boat will be getting stripped and re-rigged this winter for sure.
You may also want to check out the Checkmate forum, www.checkmate-boats.com
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You may also want to check out the Checkmate forum, www.checkmate-boats.com
I've read a lot of restoration articles and enough accounts of surveyors not finding structural damage over the last few months, and just finished the book Runabout Restoration just to make sure I wanted to take a chance on an old boat. For something I'm going to use 20-30 days per year I just can't justify spending the $$$ on a newer boat. Restoration is cheap ... $$$-wise.
I'm not looking for a project, but I'm fairly handy with tools, so if I screw up and stumble into one it wouldn't be the end of the world. And I have a ton of vacation time that I need to take or lose anyway.
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There are quite a few mid-20's Checkmates running around in front of my house that seem to do OK in the weekend mixing bowl. Certainly much better than the 13' Checkmate I drove a few times when I was a teenager.
PowerPlay's and Progressions are great boats, but big bucks. And like I mentioned in a previous post, even though I can afford it, for the number of times I'll use it I just can't justify it.