Help with a drift boat trailer

[Combat Chuck]

6 months ago I got a little drift boat that came on a 4x8 tilt bed utility trailer. Ive done some work rewiring, adding a winch and moving the spare tire. As you can see the deck is rotting. Im wanting ideas about its replacement and Id like to still be able to use it as a utility trailer. So is there some way I can help to 'glide' the boat up the deck but still have the grip to walk down it in the rain at the takeout? At this point all I can think of is some paint to help protect the wood and not create a slick surface. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

What if you added the tradition roller across the back and just painted or sealed the wood to stop the rot. Then maybe if it would't get in the way of the utility part even but a second roller somewhere neer the axle or a bit farther back. Or just paint/seal the wood and fully submerge the trailer for launch and wostly submerge the trail for retreival. the pull the boat mostly on the trailer and use the wench to get pull it up the rest of the way. I don't know if these ideas help but i also dont have a drift boat so i just submerge my trailer for launch and motor back on the trailer when done.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Ive talked about adding a roller at some point, just need to find all the pieces to do it. The set-up now isn't bad, I just figured with access to this site I might as well search some ideas. I typically launch/retrieve by backing the tires into the water (with the water still below the axle) then walking out on the deck to push off/hook up the boat, then unpin the tilt bed and winch the boat up. Its actually an extremely easy way to do it... and I dont get wet, dont need a dock or multiple people to do it

 

[Hawk]

You could probably tack some strips of indoor/outdoor carpet to the deck so you don't slip,

if you want to, Bro.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Well here is my solution, thanks for the brainstorming guys. I have the deck covered with outdoor carpet and 1"X2" furring strips to allow the boat to slide. Just about done with this project.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Nice looks good!

 

[stream2.5]

hope you sealed the wood, the carpet will hold water against the backer. personally i would have used sheet aluminum diamond plate...

 

[Combat Chuck]

Its sealed and the trailer gets stored in the garage... im not too worried.

 

[fourgotten]

the pull the boat mostly on the trailer and use the wench to get pull it up the rest of the way.

I dunno about you, but MY wench would be quite cross if I expected her to do most of the work getting a boat onto a trailer.

 

[Combat Chuck]

See my thread titled 'Need a winch for my boat' for a similar discussion lol ... got watch your words around here...

 

[fourgotten]

See my thread titled 'Need a winch for my boat' for a similar discussion lol ... got watch your words around here...

Had you initially titled that "Looking for a boat wench" and later edited it?

 

[Combat Chuck]

Haha no. I spelled it right but I guess the wording was just too funny! It gave me a good laugh.