The frame of the new trailer starts to take shape
Scavenging parts from the old trailer
Dodger checks out the basic frame
Hoisting the boat onto the new trailer
The boat aboard the new trailer
The Nissan with boat in tow
Admittedly it looks funny, especially from the rear. But the new trailer came out pretty nearly as conceived: The tongue weight with the boat loaded dials right in at 170 pounds, and the springs have a good two inches of travel before they bottom out.
One big drawback is that the boat sits awfully high to clear the rudder. Could be a problem while launching, especially on a ramp with a shallow angle -- that's a long way to back into the water before the boat floats free!
I hadn't considering towing it with the Nissan, but it does just fine on the road. I don't think I'd be very comfortable with it on a boat ramp though: I'd rather have the option of throwing the Dodge into 4-low and powering out with a V-8... .
Now all I need to do is paint the trailer, and of course restore the boat itself... .
