Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

When I purchased my Harris toon, I did not need a trailer as the boat is kept on a lift in my boathouse. I now find it desirable to store my toon on a trailer for flexibility.

Is it better to go back to the outfit that I bought the boat from to get the correct trailer, or is there a better source in anyone's experience.

Thanks

Simplicity is the dealer you got the boat from. however you may find a used/ barely used one way cheaper than new. I would explore all avenues before paying new prices if its not necessary !

Used trailers are easily refurbished. I turned my old one into like new for $900.00. Bearings and tires are the key.

I've found used pontoon boat trailers very rare, even on Craigslist and EBayMotors.com. And those setup for a tritoon are even rarer.

See what your dealer can do for you on a trailer. You might get on Boattrader.com and see what's available. Also, you could phone shop to the other dealers closeby can sell one for. The big online pontoon trailer seller can only deliver in SW MO and No. IN.

My Bennington is also kept in a boathouse all year, and it came without brakes. I just haul it locally on flat land, and I'm not putting mega miles on the interstates. I also have a diesel 3/4 ton with strong brakes. Most people need surge brakes on a pontoon trailer if they're using it every week or have a marginal tow vehicle.

We've enjoyed going around to some other lakes that we would have missed on my last pontoon (without a trailer.) My old pontoon also would have been maintained better had i had a trailer to work off of, too.

Here' a couple new ones that came up in your area but I'm sorry to say the used one looked scary....

EZ Loader Trailer for Tri-toon pontoon.

24' pontoon trailer - $2045

Ok. A trailer question... What do you want in regard to flexibility? I can only guess you would like to be mobile. How far are you going to the launch? No matter get brakes even if they are not required by your state. Surge kind at a minimum. You may sell this thing and the purchaser may not have their truck electric brake ready. If you are only getting to a few launch points and are close to home (comfort level) and a problem happens then single axle should be fine with a 9" rim. Someone can tell me if this configuration is still even doable or offered.

I personally don't like single axle when traveling. The only exception was with my first pop-up camper. It was short (8') and if it did lose a tire/bearing it was manageable in most emergency situations. Still I would stop and put my fingers on the hub and it was hot. Imagine what happens when you have an aerodynamic brick on the highway and a tire blows out or the hub explodes. I have had the former happen twice and the latter happen once on a singe axle trailer. I am here to say we survived but f-ck it.

Don't sweat the dealer. They may have a markup or may pass on the volume discount to you, but it doesn't hurt to ask either way. I am not far from where most toons and trailers are made in northern Indiana. Look up manufactures there and get some prices (most websites offer that) and compare what you can get in Texas. As insane as it sounds I know of folks coming from mid Nebraska to purchase cargo trailers because it was cheaper to spend the costs in gas than the markup dealers had there. Most likely not the case with a toon trailer but something around Missouri may make it worth it from Texas.

Discovery wrote:Ok. A trailer question... What do you want in regard to flexibility? I can only guess you would like to be mobile. How far are you going to the launch? No matter get brakes even if they are not required by your state. Surge kind at a minimum. You may sell this thing and the purchaser may not have their truck electric brake ready. If you are only getting to a few launch points and are close to home (comfort level) and a problem happens then single axle should be fine with a 9" rim. Someone can tell me if this configuration is still even doable or offered.

I personally don't like single axle when traveling. The only exception was with my first pop-up camper. It was short (8') and if it did lose a tire/bearing it was manageable in most emergency situations. Still I would stop and put my fingers on the hub and it was hot. Imagine what happens when you have an aerodynamic brick on the highway and a tire blows out or the hub explodes. I have had the former happen twice and the latter happen once on a singe axle trailer. I am here to say we survived but f-ck it.

Don't sweat the dealer. They may have a markup or may pass on the volume discount to you, but it doesn't hurt to ask either way. I am not far from where most toons and trailers are made in northern Indiana. Look up manufactures there and get some prices (most websites offer that) and compare what you can get in Texas. As insane as it sounds I know of folks coming from mid Nebraska to purchase cargo trailers because it was cheaper to spend the costs in gas than the markup dealers had there. Most likely not the case with a toon trailer but something around Missouri may make it worth it from Texas.

As for flexibility, I will likely use the boat on my home lake, but there are several great lakes within 100 miles. My lake level has been too low to launch from my boathouse for almost 2 years, and I'm tired of seeing my toon just sit there. I'll probably find a storage shed somewhere close to house the boat. I'm definitely looking for a tandem trailer with brakes.