What Pontoon Trailer is Right for You?

Regular Duty Single Axle Pontoon Trailers

 

Our regular duty, single axle trailers are perfect for 14ft-22ft pontoons. These pontoon trailers are built with 4" x 2", 11 gauge steel tube frames and 3"x 2", 14 gauge cross braces to support up to 2,570lbs.  These pontoon trailers come standard with a 14" wide step ladder with a handrail and winch, double wheel folding tongue jack, metal fenders, LED lights with protective steel tail light housing, four leaf springs, a custom self-grounding wire harness, and 13" radial tires.

 

 *You may notice certain pontoon trailer lengths are available in both options, such as both single axle and tandem axle. When determining which one is best for you, there are a few questions you should consider.

1.) Are you going to be traveling with your pontoon? If so, how often and how far? If the answer is yes, pretty often, or a fair distance, a tandem axle would be your safest bet. Furthermore, when traveling you will also want to look into your brake options. Adding brakes to your pontoon trailer will insure you have a much smoother and safer journey. Please also check your states brake laws, as the law sometimes differs between states. 

2.) What size motor is on your pontoon?- When your pontoon has a bigger motor, it adds a lot of extra weight to your pontoon. Tandem axle trailers can hold more weight that a single axle pontoon trailer. Be sure to look into the holding capacity of the trailer when making your decision. When calculating how much your motor weighs, typically it would be approximately 4 pounds per HP. However, you should always check with the manufacturer to be safe. 

Regular Duty Tandem Axle Pontoon Trailers

 

Our regular duty tandem axle trailers are our most popular trailers! These are perfect for 20ft to 26ft pontoons. These pontoon trailers are built with 4"x 2" 11 gauge steel tube frame and 3"x 2" 14 gauge cross braces to support up to 4,000lbs. These trailers come standard with a 14" wide step ladder with a handrail and winch, double wheel folding tongue jack, contour metal fenders, LED lights with protective steel tail light housing, four leaf springs, a custom self-grounding wire harness, and 13" radial tires.

 

Some pontoon trailers are even available in both regular duty tandem axle and heavy duty tandem axle. When determining which one is best for you, there are a few questions you should consider.

 

1.) Are you going to be traveling with your pontoon? If so, how often and how far?- If the answer is yes, pretty often, or a fair distance a heavy duty might be your best option. Pontoons that are between 24ft and 26ft in size are pretty large boats, and if you choose a heavy duty trailer they come standard with not only a thicker frame but also brakes on both axles. If you don't think your pontoon is as heavy and doesn't require brakes on both axles, you may be able to get a tandem axle with brakes on just on axle. Remember, a regular duty can hold up to 4,050lbs and a heavy duty can hold up to 5,800lbs.

2.) What size motor is on your pontoon?- When your pontoon has a bigger motor, it adds a lot of extra weight to your pontoon. Be sure to look into the holding capacity of the trailer when making your decision.

3.) Is your pontoon a bi-toon or a tri-toon?- Again your going to want to look into the holding capacity of your trailer, as a third toon can really effect the weight of your trailer.

Heavy Duty Tandem Axle Pontoon Trailers

Our heavy duty tandem axle trailers are perfect for those of you who not only have a larger, heavier boat, but also for those of you who plan on traveling with your boat. These pontoon trailers are built with 5"x 2" 11 gauge steel tube frames and 3"x 2" 14 gauge cross braces to support up to 5,800lbs. Our heavy duty trailers come standard with brakes on both axles, 14" wide step ladder with a handrail and winch, double wheel folding tongue jack, metal fenders, LED lights with protective steel tail light housing, four leaf springs, a custom self-grounding wire harness, and 14" radial tires.

 

Super Duty Triple Axle Pontoon Trailers

 Our super duty triple axle trailers are perfect for 28ft-34ft pontoons or house boats. These trailers are built with 5"x 2"11 gauge steel tube frames and 3"x 2" 14 gauge cross braces to support up to 8,500lbs! Our super duty trailers come standard with brakes on two axles, 14" wide step ladder with a handrail and winch, double wheel folding tongue jack, metal fenders, LED lights with protective steel tail light housing, four leaf springs, a custom self-grounding wire harness, and 14" radial tires.

  

If you have a 28ft boat your options are a heavy duty tandem axle pontoon trailer or a super duty triple axle pontoon trailer.

1.) Are you going to be traveling with your pontoon? If so, how often and how far?- A 28ft long boat is going to be pretty heavy, so if you're traveling more than just to put your boat in and out of storage, you may want to opt for the super duty triple axle, which is standard with brakes on two axles and can hold up to 8,500lbs. If you're just traveling short distances, or hardly traveling at all, heavy duty tandem axle would be the way to go.

2.) What size motor is on your pontoon?- When your pontoon has a bigger motor, it adds a lot of extra weight to your pontoon. Be sure to look into the holding capacity of the trailer when making your decision.

3.) Is your pontoon a bi-toon or a tri-toon?-  Going back to holding capacity of the trailer, if your boat is 28ft long and has a tri-toon on it, you will definitely want a super duty triple axle pontoon trailer.

What Trailer Accessories are right for you?

 

Load Guides

When loading your pontoon onto your bunk style trailer, load guides are a great way to insure your pontoon goes on straight and stays on. Especially in windy conditions or strong river currents, load guides make loading or launching easier and safer.

 

Spare Tire

When traveling, spare tires give you the peace of mind knowing that if something does go wrong, you're covered. Our spare tires come with a U-bolt which secures to the front of our trailer for storage. Available in 13" for regular duty trailers and 14" for heavy and super duty trailers.

 

Tri-Tube Kit

Essential for any boat with a tri-toon, this tri-tube kit supports your center toon and comes with a winch stand that can hold a heavier load. Please let us know either the shape and length of your middle toon or the year, make, and model of your boat as some boats have a longer middle tube and require a different type of tri-tube kit.

 

Plastic Wrapped Bunks

Plastic wrapped bunks are perfect if you will be repeatedly loading and launching your boat in and out of the water. Plastic wrapped bunks vs. carpeted bunks have a longer life because it is made of high impact plastic and it's much stronger than carpet. For cost effective price, you'll certainly want to upgrade. Price varies with trailer size.

 

Dress-Up Kit

Make your trailer stand out with aluminum plated diamond tread on all the steps & fenders! Not only does this addition make your trailer look pretty, but it reduces scratching and scuffing on these high traffic areas.

 

Galvanization

A must have for salt water applications. This keeps your pontoon trailer from rusting due to the saltwater. Different from other manufacturers who use galvanneal steel, we take the time and effort to dip your entire trailer into a vat of hot galvanizing solution to coat the pontoon trailer and bake it on. This dramatically reduces rusting and corrosion.

 

Disc Brakes

In most states, it is the law that any trailer with a 3,000lb load or heavier (this includes the trailer, the boat, motor type/size, and anything in or on the boat) is required to have brakes on at least one axle. Purchasing your trailer with brakes is always a great idea, not just because of brake laws, but because when you're towing such a heavy load brakes on your trailer make traveling easier and safer. When it comes down to the decision of whether you should get brakes on one axle, or brakes on two axles this will depend on a variety of things. How big is your boat? What kind of motor is on your boat? Is your boat a bi-toon or a tri-toon? How far and how often will you be traveling? When you're traveling and you're hauling a few thousand pounds behind you, if not equipped with brakes the haul can push or pull against you even if your vehicle is braking. A good way to look at it is your car/trucks brakes will help stop your car/truck, and your trailer's brakes will help stop your trailer. Of course, if you have any questions at all please give us a call at 574.204.2345 and we will be happy to assist you. Some people use their pontoon trailer specifically for storing their boat or may have a mini pontoon and may decide they do not need brakes at all. This is solely your decision and most of our trailers can be purchased without brakes.

 

10 ft Wide Extension Kit

This kit is necessary for those of you who have a pontoon, that unlike most pontoons which are 8ft or 8ft 6in wide, have a 10ft wide pontoon. These are extension pieces that are added to the frame during manufacturing that allows us to adjust the bunks accordingly to accommodate your wider pontoon. This 10ft wide kit can only be purchased with your new trailer and cannot be added on later.

Stern Extension

This stern extension is for pontoons with longer transoms. Stern extensions help support the engine pod and fuel tank. They are needed because when traveling the engine and fuel weighs so much that the bouncing and vibration loosens the engine pod. Some pontoons that may need this are certain models of Bennington, Avalon, and Manitou.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers!

 

Q: What is the advantage of disc brakes over drum brakes?

A: Disc brakes dissipate heat more effectively, which in turn helps prevent brake fading and lengthens the life span of your brakes. Disc brakes also operate better in wet environments such as in the rain or going through puddles, because they don't have the same risk of holding water as drum brakes do.

 

Q: What is a leaf spring, and what do they do?

A: A leaf spring is a form of spring that is used for the suspension in vehicles. Sometimes referred to as semi-elliptical springs or cart springs, a leaf spring is an arc-shape, slender piece of steel that is stacked with the same material in smaller sizes and bolted together creating a reinforced bow-like item. It is then attached to the rear axle and the chassis providing support to any additional weight that is added to a vehicle, preventing the axle from buckling in and snapping from the pressure of an extreme amount of weight that it was not originally designed to carry. The overall purpose of a leaf spring is to provide support for a vehicle. It also provides for a smoother ride absorbing any bumps or potholes in the road. Leaf springs are also used to locate the axle and control the height at which the vehicle rides and helps keep the tires aligned on the road.

 

Q: What is the difference between galvanized steel and galvannealed steel?

A: Galvannealed and galvanized steel are zinc coated at the steel mills and are designed for rust and corrosion resistance. Both steels are passed through a hot dip coating process for rust prevention. Galvannealed Steel - zinc-iron alloy-coated by the hot-dip process followed by heating the steel to induce diffusion alloying between the molten zinc coating and the steel. The resulting finish is a dull matte surface. Galvanized Steel - zinc-coated by the hot-dip process, resulting in a full spangled finish. Both are extremely affective, but we use and prefer Galvanized steel.

 

Q: Which is better, 14 gauge steel or 11 gauge steel?

A: 11 gauge steel is thicker than 14 gauge steel, so it is capable of supporting a heavier load. 11 gauge is approximately 1/8th of an inch whereas 14 gauge is only about 5/64ths of an inch.

Number of Gauge	Approximate thickness by Inch	Approximate thickness by Millimeters
10 Gauge	9/64	3.572
11 Gauge	1/8	3.175
12 Gauge	7/64	2.778
13 Gauge	3/32	2.381
14 Gauge	5/64	1.984

 

 

Q: What is the benefits of radial tires vs bias ply tires?

A: Radial tires are constructed with perpendicular polyester plies and crisscrossing steel belts underneath the tread. This gives the driver a smoother ride as it will absorb the shock of bumps in the road and extend the life of the tire. Radial tires also allow the trailer to transfer more power to the ground because of the wider tread which reduces fuel consumption. A bias ply tire construction consists of internally crisscrossing nylon cord plies, which makes the tire more prone to over heating.

Finding the Correct Trailer Size for Your Pontoon Boat

Two things you need to know about your pontoon boat when selecting a trailer: 

2. Approximate weight of your pontoon boat & motor.

If you own a pontoon boat, you know how difficult it can get moving it back and forth to the lake. Pontoon trailers, however, come in many different types and sizes. Just like anything else, the quality varies from trailer to trailer. We will help you learn what to look for in a quality pontoon trailer and make your next trip to the lake safe and trouble-free. 

The first thing you want to do is find the the right length. The easiest way to find the length is to measure the length of the pontoon tube. 

Next, you will need to determine the weight of your boat.  This will help in determining how many axles you will need. The number of axles on a pontoon trailer will indicate how much weight it can handle. 

For Example, A single-axle trailer carries small 14-foot to 20-foot boats that weigh up to 2,250lbs. Dual-axle trailers carry mid-range 20-foot to 28-foot boats that weigh 2,250 to 4,800lbs. Triple-axle trailers carry large 28-foot to 34-foot boats that weigh 4,800 to 6,000lbs. Some manufacturers will install a capacity plate near the steering console that will tell you the weight of the pontoon boat.  Please remember that this generally does not include the weight of the motor.  Another rule of thumb is typically your pontoon boat will weigh about 100 pounds per foot (this will include boat, seats and motor but not the trailer.)

1. Scissor or up/down pontoon trailers fit between the pontoon tubes for moving. This style of trailer is the least hassle for quickly getting the boat to and from the water. The pontoon boat rests on the trailer by sitting on the boats flooring crossbeams. This style of pontoon boat trailer can retrieve and launch in the shallowest of water. It is easier and quicker to position a pontoon boat over this style trailer, as the placement over the trailer isn't as exact. This makes things faster and makes loading less of a hassle. The disadvantage of the scissor type pontoon trailer is stability on the highway. The pontoons hang outside of the wheels on the trailer so the entire unit is made less stable. It is possible to get the boat to rocking as you travel down the highway. This is probably not the type of rocking you had in mind when you purchased the boat. This is definitely important to consider if you're going to be traveling for any distance to enjoy your pontoon boat. The more weight to the boat and the more of an overhang there is, the larger this problem might become.

2. The bunk style or float-on pontoon trailers fit directly under the pontoons. The pontoons sit directly on and are supported by the trailer. The pontoons sit over the wheels for a calmer ride. Also available are tandem wheels for additional stability. There is a lot less motion when towing a pontoon boat with this type of trailer. This is the type usually preferred by those that want to haul their pontoon boats for long distances. This is also the trailer of choice for anyone who may have a nervous spouse who has to be present while towing. These bunk style trailers are a little more difficult to unload or load. The pontoon boat has to be lined up more exactly over the pontoon bunks to load onto the trailer. There are guides you can add that help with maneuvering the boat onto the trailer. The boat also will have to be launched in deeper water as the entire trailer is under the boat. These trailers are somewhat wider so that they occupy more space when being stored without the pontoon boat. 

There are some other things to think about when deciding on purchasing a pontoon boat trailer. Some trailers now come with braking systems that can be beneficial and offer you peace of mind. The wiring should operate all of the lights necessary to make the trailer highway legal wherever you take it. Make certain that all of the lights needed to make your trailer road legal are connected. Planning ahead for these eventualities may improve your entire pontoon boat purchasing experience.

Other considerations: Single, Double or Triple axle, Painted frame, Galvanized frame (for salt water launching), tires (long or short distance trailering).