SN Trailer

[Ajskier]

Good Afternoon All,

 

I have been searching for a decent used trailer to replace the one that came with my boat. The current one is really starting to show it's age and the bunk plates are starting to rust out, plus my current trailer does not have a swing away tongue, which I would really like, so the boat fits in the garage better.

 

There is a used 2007 Nautique trailer for sale on ski it again and I was wondering if it would fit my boat. I have a model year 2001 196 SN. I know the 2007 SN's were wider than my boat, but do you think the trailer would fit properly under my boat? The trailer that is for sale is within a couple hours of me, but would like to know if it would fit before I make an offer and go see it. Any information is greatly appreciated.

[swc5150]

All TSC hulls from '97-'09 will fit on the same trailer. There's no difference in actual width of the hull.

[Ajskier]

@swc5150, thank you very much for that information. I always thought the beam on the hulls after the bubble butt were wider. I was just out at our site and a friend was there with his 04 and it just seems like a wider boat and was always under the impression that it was. The fact that they are the same width and the trailer should fit my boat is awesome, really didn't want to plunk 4-5 grand to get a new one. Thanks again for responding.

[dbutcher]

Watch out for different angles on the hull bottom. If memory serves me, there was a change in the hull in 2002 that required a different slant (angle) on the trailer bunks. A 2001 SN would probably fit on a 2007 trailer, but would it be supported properly?

[bigskieridaho]

@Ajskier that trailer is nice and a great deal. If the bunks aren’t at the correct angle then just change it. @Jody_Seal I am sure would know if there was a difference also.

[jhughes]

Buy the trailer immediately. It'll fit perfectly. It's a steal and you almost NEVER see them come up used. A new Ram-Lin is going to cost you north of 4500.00, you'll have to buy through a dealer since they don't sell direct, and then you'll have to ship it from Orlando. I had one built for my '00 and it was a huge production.

[Orlando76]

A new Ramlin does not exist. They have closed their boat trailer department.

[Skirvind]

If your leaning to a new trailer look at https://www.ryantrailers.com/ . Greg builds a great trailer and was the supplier in the NW for years so he likely has the templates for your boat.

[Ajskier]

Well I missed out on the trailer that I originally posted about. However, I found a trailer that was for a Ski Nautique 200 that is for sale. I was wondering if that would fit an 01 SN? Thanks for the help.

[oldjeep]

If you are planning on keeping the boat, I'd just bite the bullet and buy a new one. Phoenix if you want something cheap, boatmate if you want something nice.

[Orlando76]

@Ajskier what part of the country are you in? I inspected the perfect solid but fixer upper trailer for you about 3 weeks ago that the party inquiring about it passed on. Not sure what happened to the said trailer. Possibly somebody at Swiss grabbed it. Since your post in August I stand corrected, Ramlin is still very much in the boat trailer business. They just closed the doors with CC direct. I ended up going to them had them rebuild my trailer top to bottom, new metal, had this and that added and the bill was equal to what the materials would’ve cost me.

[Orlando76]

And is that 200 in trailer in FL? If so, if it’s the same person I think it is he also has a brand new 2007 trailer. I think the 200 trailer won’t fit well and I bet even with swing away tongue it might still be bigger than you think.

[Ajskier]

Thank you guys for your responses. @oldjeep I do plan on keeping the boat for a very long time, but the drive to my lake is so short that I have a hard time justifying a brand new trailer to the CEO.

 

@Orlando76, I am in Ohio, but was going to be driving down to FL in March to visit some friends and was going to have an empty hitch, so I thought it might work out. Yes I am referencing the 200 trailer that is on SIA from FL. I e-mailed the seller to see if it would fit my boat and he did not mention having another trailer for sale.

[oldjeep]

That 2016 trailer on SIA is $3600? You can buy a brand new single axle nothing special trailer for that kind of money. Just keep in mind that no matter how unused those trailers are in FL, plan on buying some new tires before towing them home if they have been sitting outside.

[Orlando76]

@oldjeep I’d challenge that $3600 figure for a new trailer, at least in FL. In October I was trailer shop hard and the cheapest price I got was a Boatmate ($4800) And believe me there was a reason it was the cheapest. And that was with me going to TN to pick it up. Other prices were pushing $6700.

[oldjeep]

Check out Phoenix or Loadrite. Last Phoenix I priced out was $3300 from the local dealer (single axle dd ski boat trailer) - maybe 2 years ago

[Jmoski]

@Orlando76 - FYI I paid $3500 In 2011 for a new trailer for my 2006 196. Single axle, swing tongue, disk brakes, diamond plate steps. Granted this was custom performance trailers in NY, so that doesn’t help you.

 

The 200 is a bigger and heavier boat than the 196, most 200’s are on a double axle or a single with a 5000# axle, the axle on my trailer is rated at 3500#, so that will make the 200 trailer more $$.

[WIRiverRat]

Find a local fab shop near you to build a trailer. Just last spring I had a tri-axle trailer made for a 36ft cruiser with electric brakes that was custom fit to the boat. Entire thing only cost $5700. This was built by a local guy who builds airboats and has a fab shop.

[Orlando76]

The 3500 is a big argument me and the trailer peeps had. 3500# is just too small for a 196.

2650lb for a 196

160 lbs for gas

Say 300lb for gear

Easy 1000+lb for trailer

Heaven forbide if it rains

Then add the bounce of going down hill on the expansion joints of a bridge.

 

I see the 3500 done a lot so it get the job done. But a 1/4” Manila rope will pull us with a broomstick handle And garden gloves too. When CC built their trailer in house they switched to the 5000 in 85/86 and Ramlin continued that in ‘93 till 2018. Cost for the 5000 vs 3500 is minimal. Location can impact trailer cost rather well and so will the economy. Metal fluctuates almost as much as gas.

[Orlando76]

Putting the 3500vs5000 and whatever the costs might be aside. I’m afraid the bunks on the 200 might be too parallel for too long. Look at the SIA ad and then look at the thread and problem Chris experienced here:

http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35107&title=ramlin-vin-anyone#451482

 

Chris’ oops trailer bunk layout sure resembles the 200.

[Jmoski]

@Orlando76 - I agree it’s tight on the weight for the 196 trailer, and I would never advocate putting a 196 on a 200 trailer due to bunk layout differences. I only ever want a trailer designed for my specific make and model. my trailer weighs in at 700# actually.

 

That said the published max weight limit on an axle or trailer is the “working” limit, not the max/ultimate strength of the unit. On top of that, components like this are designed with a factor of safety, what value did they use for my trailer, don’t know for sure but I bet it’s atleast 1.5.

 

That's awesome that we can still get Ramlin trailers, I had one under my 2001 SN and loved it, it was built like a tank.

 

Finally, that must be a typo on you weight inventory, you meant you have 300lbs of “Beer” (not gear) in the boat? ;-)

[Ajskier]

Thank you all for your feed back. @oldjeep, I have priced out many trailers, some built by well know trailer manufactures, including phoenix and some local trailer manufactures and all of them were north 4600. I didn't think the 200 trailer would work, but it was a shot in the dark. I will keep looking, thank you all of your insight.