# Trailer Modification



## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

I have a 2012 Float on trailer for an Ankona native 17. The trailer is about 22 feet long and I was trying to shorten it down. Does anyone know if the side rails can be rebent so that they come into the together Underneath the winch stand. I’ve seen trailers like this but I don’t know if it had to be ordered that way originally. Trying to go from the first picture to the second And put a swing away tongue. If it’s in the garage cocked now but I would like to reduce the footprint.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

The I beams will have to be completely removed, stripped and taken to a shop with a bender. If there are any holes where the new bends will be it’s a likely weak spot and could end up eventually cracking along the hole(s) like perforated paper tears easily. You might be better off buying new i-beams and having them bent then mounting everything back exactly where it was from the rear forward. If you are planning on doing this yourself I’d measure and lay out a schematic on paper so you know where all the parts mount back on the fresh beams. A good trailer fab shop can look at it, take a few measurements and determine where to go from there.


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> The I beams will have to be completely removed, stripped and taken to a shop with a bender. If there are any holes where the new bends will be it’s a likely weak spot and could end up eventually cracking along the hole(s) like perforated paper tears easily. You might be better off buying new i-beams and having them bent then mounting everything back exactly where it was from the rear forward. If you are planning on doing this yourself I’d measure and lay out a schematic on paper so you know where all the parts mount back on the fresh beams. A good trailer fab shop can look at it, take a few measurements and determine where to go from there.


Thanks. I would not have a way to bend it. I can crunch the math (trig) and the design but I would need it bent. I’ll look at spots. There should not be any holes as the rear band would just be bent further and there’s nothing attached where the band would come in underneath the winch post. Thank you for the starting point though.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

by the time you're finished.... you might be better off with a different trailer... I've never liked float on style trailers since - as you've noted -the design mandates a much longer trailer....

It's not hard by the way to set up concrete blocks underneath a hull and pull the trailer out from under the hull... Similarly if you get the trailer you want, bringing it home and winching it up under a hull on blocks isn't hard at all...

We took three feet off the tongue of the EZ Loader trailer my hull sits on to shorten it - but it's not a "float on" style of trailer at all (mine is an all roller trailer - a bit old fashioned but works very well...)... Along with that it's a simple matter to get your hitch bar (the part that goes into the receiver in a bit longer length to compensate for shortening a trailer tongue... As a guy that tows a skiff more than 20,000 miles a year (year in and year out...) I was forced to learn a few tricks about setting up and using one... It was either that or become some trailer shop's best customer over the years...


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> by the time you're finished.... you might be better off with a different trailer... I've never liked float on style trailers since - as you've noted -the design mandates a much longer trailer....
> 
> It's not hard by the way to set up concrete blocks underneath a hull and pull the trailer out from under the hull... Similarly if you get the trailer you want, bringing it home and winching it up under a hull on blocks isn't hard at all...
> 
> We took three feet off the tongue of the EZ Loader trailer my hull sits on to shorten it - but it's not a "float on" style of trailer at all (mine is an all roller trailer - a bit old fashioned but works very well...)... Along with that it's a simple matter to get your hitch bar (the part that goes into the receiver in a bit longer length to compensate for shortening a trailer tongue... As a guy that tows a skiff more than 20,000 miles a year (year in and year out...) I was forced to learn a few tricks about setting up and using one... It was either that or become some trailer shop's best customer over the years...


Yeah. Thanks. I had those concerns as well. Depending on the timeline I could put the boat in the water. If I knew how long it would take for the job to be done but I’m sure with most things like this I would be looking at several days to a week before I got don. I don’t wanna leave the boat in the water that long. I was thinking I may be better off to sell the trailer and buy a different one.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

That was my point - and you can leave your hull on the trailer until it's sold - then simply snatch it out from under for the new owner. Of course you'd want to identify the make/model of the new trailer in advance then make the buy after your older trailer is sold... 

A trailer outfit could do it all for you - but it's a simple matter to do the swap yourself. Where the shop has a definite advantage is that they're used to properly setting up a new trailer and have the means to pick up your hull to allow them to do everything efficiently... much more efficiently than I can on my own at home...


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

What about just moving the winch forward? You may need a different mount for the winch, or an adapter plate, but I'm sure a trailer shop could make something work for you.

Depending on how much the boat moves, you might also have to adjust the bunks, and possibly the axle to keep the tongue weight correct, but you wouldn't have to modify the frame of the trailer.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

One other thought about that Ankona... you might want to contact Mel directly about it... Most boat builders have more than one make or model trailer they can recommend. He might be able to tell you exactly what you need to replace that float on...


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

bryson said:


> What about just moving the winch forward? You may need a different mount for the winch, or an adapter plate, but I'm sure a trailer shop could make something work for you.
> 
> Depending on how much the boat moves, you might also have to adjust the bunks, and possibly the axle to keep the tongue weight correct, but you wouldn't have to modify the frame of the trailer.


That was my original thought but the bend is so far back that it would impact the position of the axle. The axle is only about 18” from the bend. I couldn’t keep the weight ratio right.


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> One other thought about that Ankona... you might want to contact Mel directly about it... Most boat builders have more than one make or model trailer they can recommend. He might be able to tell you exactly what you need to replace that float on...


I was going to contact them and see. It would be so great if I could just trade trailers.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

I'd do it myself.
First I'd determine where the I-beams and center Box? need to be cut.
Then remove the winch and spare.
Install (weld) two pieces of plate, top/bottom of I-beams and box before cutting so nothing will be able to move and make life difficult. Length of plate would probably be a couple inches longer than the foot of the winch mount.

The thickness of the plate and the wall thickness of the box would be determined by how strong it needs to be. The box/hitch would now be unsupported by the side beams.


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

mro said:


> I'd do it myself.
> First I'd determine where the I-beams and center Box? need to be cut.
> Then remove the winch and spare.
> Install (weld) two pieces of plate, top/bottom of I-beams and box before cutting so nothing will be able to move and make life difficult. Length of plate would probably be a couple inches longer than the foot of the winch mount.
> ...


I don’t have the ability to bend the I beams. Or weld. I understand it all in principle and “know” what needs to be done. I just don’t have the skills to complete the cuts and metal work


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Then it's a numbers game.
Cost to mod your trailer by a shop verses replacing it...

The trailer that came with the boat I just bought a little while ago will get a "fold away" if I decide to put it in the garage, plus it's in need of some mods. I'm pretty sure early next year I'll make it a "drop axle" as currently it's way high and in a week or two I'll be welding a brace center back so I can use a transom savor. It's my first all roller trailer.


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

mro said:


> Then it's a numbers game.
> Cost to mod your trailer by a shop verses replacing it...
> 
> The trailer that came with the boat I just bought a little while ago will get a "fold away" if I decide to put it in the garage, plus it's in need of some mods. I'm pretty sure early next year I'll make it a "drop axle" as currently it's way high and in a week or two I'll be welding a brace center back so I can use a transom savor. It's my first all roller trailer.


I wish I had those skills. Save me some $$$$ good luck with that project. I’m sure it’ll turnout


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Saving money is good, but I actually enjoy working on my own stuff.


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## Kevin Booker (May 25, 2016)

I do as much as I can too. Float-On just helped me decide because for them to redo the trailer is a minimum of $1200. I could get a new one for the way I want it for $1800. So anyone want to buy/trade trailers?


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