Sub $1K kit trailers...

tod osier

tod osier

Well-known member
Gold Sponsor
I need a trailer for our raft which is a bit of an odd shape (long and skinny 5' x 16'). There are dedicated raft trailers and they are pricey (and the wrong shape too wide and short) and there are custom raft trailers and they are pricier... This is just for local use and I won't be asking much of it (300 pounds max loaded). I need a trailer where I can add a bed on it to support the raft (needs a 5x12' supported area).

I'm looking at the kit trailers and wondering if I've found them all. The one I'm looking at most seriously is the Stirling 5x8 (Tractor supply and Lowes), which would work with some minor work like the addition of a frame/bed for the raft. There is the Ultra Tow at Northern tool and of course the Harbor freight options that I've also found. The Stirling is galvanized and is rated for highway speeds and an extension tongue can be purchased that would get me what I need for length.

Am I missing anything out there?

Typical raft trailer:
1722272256994.png

Stirling 5x8:
1722263826394.png

Raft in action:
1722258452224.png

Tasty brown:
1722272351079.png
 
Last edited:
I have a single place snowmobile trailer...5x8 bed, I built sides to use as a utility trailer and added tie downs, can pop front and back gates off, hang long lumber, siding, even picked up a crate of 14' metal roofing last summer. Bought it used for less than $500 and more than got my money out of it. Thought of building my sides up into a boat rack but never really had the need.

Two complaints:
  • I believe due to the tilting bead, it is so close to balanced empty that the hitch bounces up against the ball going down the road making a chattering noise. I tightened it up as much as I can and still get it coupled, a little annoying, but when I load it I go a little front heavy.
  • For my uses, the "eight foot" bed is not a hair over, so with my gates on both ends if I put plywood in it is stupid tight. I usually leave the tailgate at home if I know I am grabbing sheet goods and just cross some ratchet straps across.

I looked at a lot of store trailers 15ish years ago, they were either cheap or expensive, didn't really like either extreme. For a 12' raft, could hang 2' of rounded end over the tongue, and the other 2' of the back I would think would be perfectly serviceable.
 
How about getting a boat trailer for a 14-16'' boat and put a platform on top of the bunks? You could customize the width and length of the platform.
 
Go to a large trailer shop. You can customize the length of the tongue. I have been lucky and have purchased good uses ones. Look on face book market place.
 
Carl said:
How about getting a boat trailer for a 14-16'' boat and put a platform on top of the bunks? You could customize the width and length of the platform.
Click to expand...

Have you looked at the price of new boat trailers?!?! I could for sure buy one and do the mods you suggest if price isn't an object, but the "A" frame and long tongue would be counter to what I need as a starting place. Not really interested in the buying used and the hassle associated if that makes sense.
 
Chuck J said:
I have a single place snowmobile trailer...5x8 bed, I built sides to use as a utility trailer and added tie downs, can pop front and back gates off, hang long lumber, siding, even picked up a crate of 14' metal roofing last summer. Bought it used for less than $500 and more than got my money out of it. Thought of building my sides up into a boat rack but never really had the need.

Two complaints:
  • I believe due to the tilting bead, it is so close to balanced empty that the hitch bounces up against the ball going down the road making a chattering noise. I tightened it up as much as I can and still get it coupled, a little annoying, but when I load it I go a little front heavy.
  • For my uses, the "eight foot" bed is not a hair over, so with my gates on both ends if I put plywood in it is stupid tight. I usually leave the tailgate at home if I know I am grabbing sheet goods and just cross some ratchet straps across.

I looked at a lot of store trailers 15ish years ago, they were either cheap or expensive, didn't really like either extreme. For a 12' raft, could hang 2' of rounded end over the tongue, and the other 2' of the back I would think would be perfectly serviceable.
Click to expand...

I will for sure have a dedicated utility trailer in addition, I'm looking for dedicated use for this one, but I may alternate snow machine-raft winter-summer, but that would be the extent of it and I think I'd be set with one trailer set up for both raft and snow machine if I went that way. I'm not sure about a snow machine because I'm not sure about the access of the lakes I'd like to fish. Some winters, I gather the machine is needed, but some winters there isn't the snow, there are also desert lakes that I'd expect you never need a machine for. That is a wait and see on that.
 
Capt Rich Geminski said:
Go to a large trailer shop. You can customize the length of the tongue. I have been lucky and have purchased good uses ones. Look on face book market place.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to avoid a trailer shop and the associated bs for this purchase. Not crazy about a used trailer.
 
So you want someone to say "go for it Tod, those cheap kits are a great value and you will not be disappointed"?

I know you are fussy enough that I am not falling for that.
 
Yep, I've looked at new trailer prices, they sure aint as cheap as they used to be!
With how salty the water is down here even in the bays, I will be lucky if I get 4 more years out of my old trailer. Not looking forward to having to buy a new one.
 
Nothing is the price it used to be. Is it just me or is there a new Allstate commercial in the making? Far as I'm concerned boat trailers are proof that Satan does exist. HHEEeeeeHHHHHeeeeeeHHHHHHeeeeee.
 
I know this trailer is not under a grand, but i found a few close with a quick search. Not sure what the delivery fee is. I have found in the past that those “cheap” utility trailers don’t hold up well.

CE Smith Multi-Sport 48810 Trailer | Wholesale Marine

Transport your boat with ease using the CE Smith Multi-Sport Universal Galvanized Trailer. Order yours at Wholesale Marine.
www.wholesalemarine.com www.wholesalemarine.com
 
Last edited:
That seems to be the going price for small galvanized trailers these days.
In 1999 I bought a brand new on for $450!
 
Tod

I got curious and looked. I could find no trailer with a 5x12 deck for under a grand. 4x8 no problem, but bigger than that the price jumps well over a grand. The only means I know to get a 5x12 trailer under a grand is to buy used and you said you didn't want to fool with that. I think you are SOL in your quest with those requirements. I also hope you prove me wrong.

You mentioned adding your own deck. If you are willing to do some work after the purchase, why not buy a used 6x12 (5x12 is an oddball size but I'm sure they exist) utility and cut the rails off? That would get you the 12' flat deck you are after without having to buy materials and build your own deck. The downside is now you have to keep an eye on FB MP and scan though hundreds of pictures of abused and neglected trailers that people are asking too much in addition to items that aren't even trailers because MP forces you to. I get why you don't want used...

I look forward to seeing your solution.
 
Eric Patterson said:
Tod

I got curious and looked. I could find no trailer with a 5x12 deck for under a grand. 4x8 no problem, but bigger than that the price jumps well over a grand. The only means I know to get a 5x12 trailer under a grand is to buy used and you said you didn't want to fool with that. I think you are SOL in your quest with those requirements. I also hope you prove me wrong.

You mentioned adding your own deck. If you are willing to do some work after the purchase, why not buy a used 6x12 (5x12 is an oddball size but I'm sure they exist) utility and cut the rails off? That would get you the 12' flat deck you are after without having to buy materials and build your own deck. The downside is now you have to keep an eye on FB MP and scan though hundreds of pictures of abused and neglected trailers that people are asking too much in addition to items that aren't even trailers because MP forces you to. I get why you don't want used...

I look forward to seeing your solution.
Click to expand...

I have 5x8 easy from from places for that price. If I can't do better (which is what I was asking about) I'll go with that. I'm planning on extending the deck to 5x12 (2' forward and 2' back, more or less to get proper balance). The raft is 300 pounds wet with all gear, so I'm not asking much of a trailer. The springs will be stiffer than I'd like, I'd think about leaving one out of the stack.

I don't want to go wider because the ramps aren't improved for the most part and there are a couple put ins/take outs that are just holes in the brush and steep drops into the river. I'm just not at the point in life to rebuild a trailer being between CT and WY, I have too many projects that need custom attention and a trailer for a raft isn't one of them, especially a rebuild. I could bang out a deck in a day or two for one of the kits.
 
Last edited:
Chuck J said:
So you want someone to say "go for it Tod, those cheap kits are a great value and you will not be disappointed"?

I know you are fussy enough that I am not falling for that.
Click to expand...

You need to work on your reading comprehension. The one and only thing I inquired about was "Am I missing anything out there?" the answer appears to be - no. I'm not shocked, but often around here someone has another niche hobby that overlaps and can provide additional thoughtful suggestions. Before posting, I considered that I'd get several suggestions to buy a used trailer and thought it worth the risk and that I'd find some new info.
 
T Entwistle said:
I know this trailer is not under a grand, but i found a few close with a quick search. Not sure what the delivery fee is. I have found in the past that those “cheap” utility trailers don’t hold up well.

CE Smith Multi-Sport 48810 Trailer | Wholesale Marine

Transport your boat with ease using the CE Smith Multi-Sport Universal Galvanized Trailer. Order yours at Wholesale Marine.
www.wholesalemarine.com www.wholesalemarine.com
Click to expand...

Thanks, I found those but forgot to put it on my list (my bad). The OAL of the trailer is less than the raft itself, so I felt like that would be more trouble than a flat bed.
 
Last edited:
If you want to drive to Montana, check out Steer In Trailers in Three Rivers, they may have something you want new or used.
 
I see. I was trying to figure out a way to avoid buying decking materials but it sounds like the width is more critical than I realized. For the weight you are hauling the cheapy lightweight trailers should fill the void. Some 2x4s turned on edge attached to the frame and three sheets 1/2" treated ply should do the trick. Don't forget to check turning clearances when you make the deck. Some tongues are probably too short to add 2' of deck in front of the existing deck and still be able to maneuver in reverse. I jackknifed a utility trailer last hunting season and the damages were substantial.
 
Eric Patterson said:
I see. I was trying to figure out a way to avoid buying decking materials but it sounds like the width is more critical than I realized. For the weight you are hauling the cheapy lightweight trailers should fill the void. Some 2x4s turned on edge attached to the frame and three sheets 1/2" treated ply should do the trick. Don't forget to check turning clearances when you make the deck. Some tongues are probably too short to add 2' of deck in front of the existing deck and still be able to maneuver in reverse. I jackknifed a utility trailer last hunting season and the damages were substantial.
Click to expand...

That design you spell out is pretty much as I was planning.

Most trips with the raft will be literally a couple miles on pavement, a benefit of having a blue ribbon trout stream run by the house. I want to have everything on trailers in WY so there isn't so much shuffling of stuff around. It takes an hour to blow the raft up at the beginning of the trip on the side of the river and 45 minutes to tear it down at the end. Saving the mental and physical investment off both ends of the trip will be nice.

I've jackknifed our current utility trailer, myself. Our utility trailer in CT has drawn blood on multiple trucks (me once and also when I've loaned it out - the short tongue and overall short length gets you being super responsive).

This trailer I'm looking at most closely has a tongue extension kit that you can buy, so that would get a little breathing room. I'd even use a receiver extension if I felt like I needed it just to keep everything easy and compact when off the truck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top