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Posts: 24
| Gettting closer to a new boat. For a 16' - 17', 1100# boat, are trailer brakes a good idea?
Thanks,
Ted |
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Posts: 184
Location: Rockford Il 61108 | Trailer brakes are alaways a good idea, but, For that weight you dont need them. I know some states have certain laws. Anything over 2500pds you will want them. I pull a 18 fter Stratos without them and never have a problem. I am also towing with a heavy van. This makes a difference. You might want to check your state laws. I hope this helps |
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Posts: 24
| Thank you Sir. I should have added: Pulling is F150 with tow package.
Ted |
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Posts: 184
Location: Rockford Il 61108 | You will be okay then. But just remember that your stopping distance will be longer in emergency situations. Have fun withyour new boat!! |
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Posts: 561
Location: Monee, Illinois | What kind of boat did you get? |
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Posts: 24
| Pat:
No decision yet, leaning toward a Lund Classic 16SS. I did look at the specs on Don's 1750, decided it was a little more than I needed. Also, looked at Crestliners here, specifically a FH 1750. I liked the boat. However, I have a preference for E-TEC and was told that I couldn't get an Evinrude on a Crestliner by the sales rep because Merc owned Crestliner. Yep, I know that was an incorrect statement, but it took that dealer and boat out of the running.
Ted |
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Posts: 226
Location: W. PA. | Ted, I don't think that was an incorrect statement on the dealers part. I don't know a whole lot about it, but what I hear is that Genmar, who owns merc, bought up a few boat mfgs. including crestliner and lund. They will now only outfit these boats with merc engines so you will have to pay a lot more to get any other engine. Look at the alumacraft boats also, real nice rigs, and you can get any motor you want. As for your original question about the brakes, I personally won't own another trailer without them. They aren't that expensive and they saved my behind on my way home from my maiden voyage with my new boat. A deer jumped in front of me and I will guarantee you with the 16 footer I had previously w/o brakes I would have never even come close to stopping. I actually think I stopped quicker with the trailer brakes than I would have pulling nothing. I have a F150 (rear drums) also and the rear end is so light it doesn't stop well on it's own, it almost put me through the windshield with the trailer brakes.
Scott |
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Posts: 24
| Scott:
Many thanks for the brake info. On the Crestliner situation, the 05 catalog shows Merc, Evinrude, etc, I gave the Dealer the benefit of the doubt when we were there. Then I called Crestliner Corporate and talked to Sales. Their answer, the statement is incorrect, you can get E-TEC if the dealer handles Evinrude. This Dealer does. It could have been a lack of product knowledge at the local level, but the gentleman checked with someone else there. Result? Well, there is a great selection of good boats out there, all costing a fair amount of money. For me, a hitch in the selection process can, and did, exclude further consideration.
Thanks again.
Ted |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | You may not need brakes with that size boat but you may regret it for the small price difference some day when its wet and cold and you go sliding through an intersection with a stale green light and that boat pushing you. That happend to me in a friend's rig and it spooked me out. Adding breaks after the trailer is manufactured is much more expensive. If they offer disc brakes over drums, all the better IMHO |
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| Hiya,
Jerkin - you got the right companies, just in the wrong relationships :D Genmar does NOT own Merc, Brunswick does. Genmar sold Lund and Crestliner to Brunswick, so Merc, Lund and C-liner are now owned by the same company.
To the origional question, just my HO, but trailer brakes are NEVER a bad idea. The cheapest insurance policy you can buy when it comes to trailering, and if they help you stop fast enough to stay out of an accident, they paid for themselves many many times over...
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Posts: 10
Location: Minnesota | Trailer Brakes?
Definelty get them if you have a chance. I pull a 17foot 681 (fibergalss) boat without brakes with a 2000 Chevy Tahoe and you really have to plan ahead if you are going to stop. Im not sure the weight of thee boat but it sure is a pain to stop once it start rolling.
I really wish my trailer had them.
I pulled a friends ranger 620T (a barge of a boat) with the Tahoe and the difference is night and day. His boat is twics as heavy but ten times easier to stop with the trailer brakes.
Get them if you can afford them.
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Posts: 226
Location: W. PA. | notgenmar, thanks for straightening me out, I knew it was something like that! What about those manufacturers prerigging only for mercs, have you heard that? I saw it on one of the walleye boards. Those guys were saying if you want a lund or crestliner with anything but a merc to get it now because they will only be prerigging for merc engines and you will pay big bucks for anything else. I think it was like a 5% fee for the boat unrigged plus you had to pay the dealer to rig it for your engine. These guys were talking a couple thousand bucks extra!
Scott |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | Get the Trailer Brakes.....do not, I repeat do not expect your tow vehicle to stop your boat and trailer in an emergency situation without trailer brakes. They have saved my butt many times. Oh yeah, remember that you will save a bunch of wear and tear on your tow vehichles brakes when you have a good set of trailer brakes.
ps: looks like I will be in the boat biz soon and will let you know about the Crestliner Merc deal. Ask Worrall, I bet he knows for sure what the poop is. |
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Posts: 561
Location: Monee, Illinois | Yes I agree Trailer brakes |
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