Hauling a Bertram 20

[buzzk]

I'm looking at a Bertram 20 Bahia Mar with a questionable trailer. Could a rollback wrecker haul the boat and trailer? What would be the best way to get the boat from up north down to NC? What is the going rate for hauling something like this? Thanks Buzz

[In Memory Walter K]

I would think you could just trail it down to NC. Have the bearings checked and have a spare tire.

[John F.]

Like Walter said. They're a pretty easy boat to trailer. My B20, which I'm pretty sure is waterlogged under the deck, weighs 3600 lbs including the single axle galvanized trailer it sits on. I bought my B20 on LI, and towed it to MD. I had the trailer checked out by a place on LI before picking the boat up (and I got hosed on the bill). If you're going to keep the Bahia for awhile, it may be worth looking into getting a nice, new or newer trailer with no issues. Breaking on the side of the road with a boat on a trailer far from home sucks--been there.

As I remember, I looked into renting a car trailer and putting the whole thing on that--UHaul's weren't long enough.

That'd be an expensive flatbed tow, if it'd fit. My Dad had his Edgewater towed by a hauler from MD to LI, NY--about 300 miles. Cost was $1200 as I remember, and although it was towed on the trailer that came with the boat, the hauler really prefers to use his own trailers. He was very professional, and I can get his name/# if you want to go that route.

[PeterPalmieri]

Buzz,

If the plan going forward is to have a trailer for the boat, I'd take the money you'd pay a transporter and either repair the trailer or use that money towards a new one and bring it home yourself. You can get a new I beam trailer for under 3k and transport is going to run you well over a grand. I trailered my 20' boat from Beaufort up to Long Island when I bought it having no prior experience and it wasn't a big deal...

Pete

[SteveM]

I agree with Peter.

[Keith Poe]

I like the aluminum trailers just picked up a new 18000# for 6300.00 and bought a new aluminum one for my 24' for 2300.00 few years back.
The smaller trailer weighed about 900# less than the old wall strong trailer.

[Tommy]

Ditto the previous posts; put the money into bringing the existing trailer up to highway standards, or buy a new or used trailer. I trailered a B-20 from Baton Rouge to NC with no problems. You will probably use it many more times, that's one of the advantages of having a trailerable boat.

[Keith Poe]

I pulled this rig from Tampa bay Florida to Torrance California with out any problems.

[Peter]

Your problem is that you don't know if you want the boat until you look at her. Then you have the trailer issue if you want the boat.

The solution is that a B-20 trailer just isn't a big deal. You can source a brand new trailer locally pretty easily if you decide to take the boat. Bring a trailer plate from home. Someone will have one in stock ready to go within 100 miles.

Seller might whine, but he will co-operate. No reasonable seller expects you to take a bad trailer on a long road trip. He'll be happy to sell under reasonable terms.

Peter