Tandem or Triple?
 

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new Loadmaster steel trailer for my Sonic 31SS. I'm leaning toward doing a dual 6,000lb axle trailer instead of a triple axle as I do find myself in tight situations where a tandem would be easier to maneuver. Is there any reason why a tandem trailer would be a bad idea?

on that size of boat I dont think you need the triple. That just means 6 tires to worry about and it also not going to manuever as well as tandem. I would guess your boat weighs around 8lbs youll be fine with tandem

I was told by trailer mfg. - when asking the same question-if you dont need it its a waste because when manuvering tight turns it just drags the third tire,eventually wears out.

The boat is about 8500lbs with fuel and gear. I know I'll be fine in terms of weight. But, why do new boats mostly come on triple axle trailers? There really isn't a cost difference.

Dual Axle is fine and make sure they are Dexter axles- the best.

Wannabe

I've thought this through a lot. The only advantage to a triple that I can think of is possibly being able to remove a tire and chain up one axle if you have a mechanical issue that you can't fix on the side of the interstate. Tandam would probably be my choice if I was buying a new trailer today.

The triple would possibly distribute the weight better keeping the hull straighter, 6 wheels braking in a panic situation might be nice with an 8500lb boat.

Not trying to steer you either but I have had two incidents in my life of consequence.

Once pulling my dad's boat home from connecticut. About 2am a just outside of Richmond a couple drunk college kids pulled up beside us yelling and pointing. We were running about 70 and I blew it off as drunks, but we pulled over "just in case" - one tire was completely shredded. We never even knew it!

The other we were pullling a bunch of logging mats on my father's trailer (about 12-14k lbs). Some guy in a lexus SC coupe pulls up and says "you're missing a wheel". I figured that yuppie was an idiot but we pulled over "just in case". One rim was completely missing and had torn off the lugs in the process. We never even knew it!

I like triples.....

I have a double because of all of the above cited reasons....plus the fact that 90% of my towing is local with round trips of 50 miles or less. If I towed long distances...say 300 miles each way regularly, I would go triple for the piece of mind and the extra axle security...no other reason to go triple.

I agree with Eric on the triple comments. I've completely lost a wheel on my last triple axle trailer; and had no idea until I was backing into the driveway. When the same thing happened to me on a tandem, I felt/knew it immediately. When I lost the one of the triple, it was a rear axle. When I lost the one on the tandem, it was a front axle, and immediately I had more tongue weight. The front end of my truck lifted, and I had lost some steering control/response.

That said, I've seen 35SS Sonics (33.5' boat) and 33' ATs on tandem axle trailers with 8 lug axles. Now, both of these instances were Myco aluminum trailers. No one builds a trailer as straight as Myco, period. Manning is right behind them. We also put a 33' AT on a tandem Manning as well for a customer.

2 Questions before you pull the trigger:

Do you plan to own the boat forever?
Do you ever plan on a road trip to Florida or salt?

If the answer to the first one is no, buy an aluminum trailer. You immediately multiply your resale market buyer with an Aluminum trailer.

If the answer to the second one is yes, buy an aluminum trailer; for obvious reasons.

Steel trailers are nominally stronger than welded aluminum C-channel trailers; especially for boats under 50'. There have many threads on this topic.