INVESTIGATOR 563

After building my trailer frame,, can understand why manufactured ones cost what they do. Allot of work, material and know how goes into them.

I need to make a correction. I was told by the registration inspector that if I fitted light truck tyres, then he would rate the trailer to two ton. I had the tyres fitted this morning, didn't check the load rating till I got them home only to find that they are rated to 850 kg each. I was shocked so rang back to Bob Jane only to find out that with 14 inch wheels, you can not but a tyre that rates to 1 ton and to get 1 ton rating, I would need to use 16 inch wheels. I am not going to do that..
I fitted the axle to the trailer using the 50 x 50 across the top of the springs as I Described but the trailer height is too high. Once I have fitted the boat to the trailer and adjusted the axle position to give correct tow ball download ( 10 % of total weight) I Will need to remove the 50 x 50 and mount the spring hangers and slippers directly to the frame to lower the frame by that 50 mm. I will probably even fit lowering blocks to lower the frame another 40 or 50 mm. . I tried out the tip function of the trailer and it is absolutely brilliant so road height won't be that much of a big deal for me, so I Just need to make sure that the top of the boat when it's on the trailer clears the shed door height opening. A lot of stuffing around.
Thanks David for your kind remarks and as you say, I can very much understand why these trailers could cost so much to produce, especially If you have to count your time into the equation, the cost would then be quite severe.

Regards Peter T

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the clarification on the tyres. I checked load charts and couldn't see any that were rated at a tonne. I thought you must have got onto some super ones. 1.7 tonne is still a pretty good axle rating. My 13's limit my gross trailer weight to 1.3 tonne.

David, Oh David. NO mate which part of that don't you understand, the " N " or the " O " ha ha. My shed is 17 metres by 9.5 metres and my block is just 19 metres wide, so no mate Ha Ha.

Regards Peter T

Thinking about weight and load rating etc, I have a question.
I have read that an investigator displaces 750 kg.
I have googled " does yacht displacement equal the boats weight ? "
The answer I got was YES. So, my question is this.
What does an investigator weigh ?
I have read that they weigh around 1.2 Ton ????

Thanks, Regards Peter T

Hi Peter,

Good question. I have read that all up weight of Investigator and trailer is 1200kg. Hope that is right. My trailer is rated at 1.3 tonne and has been like it for forty years I assume.

Yes, it's interesting, I think that I will take the bare trailer to the weigh bridge first, then add the bare boat and do it again. I was thinking that the bare boat without mast etc might weigh 750kg, you may very well be correct David, but the mast, boom sails and rigging would not weigh the difference between 750 and 1.2, I wouldn't think. Also, I would not think that the outboard would be included in either of these numbers? Don't know. What I do know is that the solid 45 x 45 axle and the 65 x 65 x 5mm draw bar are both very heavy. I can just lift one end of the axle with drums, brakes, springs and that 1 metre piece of 50 x 50 x 4 mm all attached, but no way can I lift the whole thing. I can lift the draw bar but it's heavy. I can also lift either end of the main frame . It will be interesting to see what the whole trailer actually weighs. I am still yet to fit the mud guards, but need to adjust the tow ball download before doing that.

Regards Peter T

Thanks David. I hope you are right mate. Will know all about it soon I hope and As you say, everyone will also want to know

Cheers, Peter T

I googled the following
“ does a yacht displacement equal it’s total weight”
First answer I got was
“ If you lower a boat into the water, some of the water moves out of the way to adjust for the boat. If you could weigh that displaced water, you would find it equals the weight of the boat. That weight is the boat's displacement.“
But after that there were many documents stating lots of different things. The truth of what I learned is that it’s very confusing.
I now have no idea whatsoever
Regards Peter T

I will make a few calls this arvo or tomorrow and see if there is a weighbridge around my town. Must be one somewhere.

Assuming so, I will trundle down and weigh the trailer with the boat on and let you know.