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Keel roller trailers available North of FL-Belive it or not
It took a lot of searching but I found, purchased and took ownership last weekend of a new keel roller trailer for my 1979 22' Revenge from a relatively local dealer. It is a customized Loadmaster 2426 and I bought it from S&S Marine in Norfolk. Talk to Gary. I also worked with Jeff from Loadmaster when I initiated conversation with that company. If you are interested in buying something similar, he can get you hooked up with a local dealer. It only took a couple weeks for the trailer to be constructed and shipped to Norfolk. Both Gary and Jeff were great to work with.
It has 8 rollers but after I make a modification it will have 10. All back to back. It also has two 2x4 bunks for balance. After tweaking the bunk placement, the old boat rolls on and off the trailer with ease and not a lot of water depth. It sits about 3-4" lower than it did on my EZ-Loader Wobble Roller Trailer.
Here are the specs:
Aluminum I beam construction
Tandem Axle (Torsion)
4 wheel disk surge brakes with electric reverse disengage
8 12" Stoltz rollers with stainless pins
Stainless hardware
2 bunks: 2" x 4" X 7.5' --I wish they were a little shorter but with the spacing of the cross members that would be tough.
Guide posts
14" tires
It came with a "device" that included two PVC pipes, a single keel roller, and a Mylar pad. I'm not sure what they call it but I did not ask for it. Essentially it is a "bow catcher" and bow support. The bow of the boat rests on the mylar pad and does not touch the associated keel roller. I'm sure it works great with some boats but not mine so it will soon to be replaced by 2 more keel rollers. It's not bad but I'm going to put that one roller to use.
After reviewing your personal page VA Whaler, I am extremely impressed with your progress. You are a great example of a person who has taken a derelict old Whaler to a new boat, using all the components that you have found and then turning your vessel into something truly great.
Congratulations on your new trailer. It compliments your restoration work on this boat. I know you put a LOT of thought in your work, and the trailer you have chosen appears to be the real icing on the cake! All Whaler owners and future Whaler restoration candidates could learn a lot from just viewing your personal page here, in my opinion.
I sincerely hope I someday have the honor of meeting you and fishing with you, in either of our Whalers. You are welcome at any time on either of mine, and I am sure I could learn a lot from you, regarding the restoration of Whalers. I am certain that a man of your Whaler expertise and considerable thoughtfulness would also be a great asset on fishing techniques as well!
The trailer you have chosen, after considerable thought and research, is a gem, in my opinion, and I am sure it will be a pleasure to use in your continued Whaler adventures!
Thanks for the reply, Silentpardner. Your message really makes me feel good about what I have done with this old boat but there is no way I could have made the progress I have made without the help of the members here. There is so much useful information and support from Whaler owners who have been there, done that and gone back for seconds, I never felt like I was alone in my project. In addition, the boat was ignored for several years but it still had strong bones. The only real setback (or delay in the works) was a transom drain that would not dry out. Everything else was pretty solid and its first cleaning in several years increased its value x2. :) You can't beat those old Whalers. They are definitely tough as nails.
There is still a long way to go with my project so you will still see me asking more than a few questions.
Thanks again for your support and anytime you are near Smith Mt. Lake next year, let me know and we'll go freshwater striper fishing. With a little good luck, I hope to have her rigged up and ready to go by around June or so.
That's a very nice trailer, well set up for a Whaler, and the first keel roller aluminum I beam trailer I have ever seen. I assume it was a special order. Would you mind telling us what it cost, complete as shown on your Personal Page?
