New trailer questions

[onefishtwofish]

I have a trip to Boca Grande set up for the last week of July. I will be the inshore guide and my BIL will be the offshore guide for some of my wife's family from Texas. I'll chase Snook and Tarpon while he chases the offshore fish.

My Ranger trailer has a relatively new axle, but it is a galvanized trailer and 16 years old. A Ranger Cayman 184 sits on it. The trailer has seen better days. Not in terrible shape, but I am ready for a new trailer. My boat guy sells and sets up Nextrail aluminum trailers and he has one on the lot I looked at. It is a nice set up. I researched the details: torsion axles, SS bolts throughout, posi-lube hubs, mounted LED lights (submersible but mounted on the arms with PVC covers), cypress bunks. He will set it all up for my boat when I have it in at the end of the month for a few weeks (I will be out of commission for about 3-4 weeks - wife having second knee replacement).

It has larger tires and the boat will set up a little higher than mine currently does, so I am a little worried about the 8" or so of height difference in those low tide launches. He said he can set it as low as possible for me.

Anyone have or know someone with a Nextrail? It has good reviews I found online.

Also, there is a 17-19 foot model and a 19-21 model. My boat is 19. Those two models have the same weight rating (5000) which will be more than enough. Will the 17-19 be easier to offload at low tide (less to slide off the bunks) or the longer model be easier? Or will it make no difference if the same height?

Anyone have any cons on torsion axles?

I like the thought of buying from someone that I trust and he is 5 miles from my house, so that is a major bonus for me.

[bbb]

My previous boat had a trailer with torsion axles that lasted 11 years of being dunked in salt water before I sold it.

My current trailer is an '03 with torsion axles.

[silverking]

I bought the smaller range trailer for my Action Craft (Rolls) and it was too short. Swapped it out for the 19+ I would go longer to fully support the hull with the bunks. Don't believe off-loading will be an issue with the longer length if it sets as low as possible.

I've used bunk slicks in the past but on the Micro they did leave some abrasion on the bottom so I didn't add them on the latest trailer. Saw a tip on MicroSkiff.com and started using Gulf Wax on the bunk carpets. It's a canning paraffin wax you can buy at Ace Hardware. Brick like a pound of butter, but individual plates inside. Rub the wax several times on the bunk carpet after launching and the boat will slide right off. Make sure you're over water before you give it a shove.

[onefishtwofish]

Good point silver. I used silicone spray on the carpet one time. It slid off a little early and I needed some glass repair. Could have been worse.

Thanks for the thoughts. more are welcome.

[silverking]

I ordered some Liquid Rollers spray and was going to use it until I learned the ingredients were not only toxic to fish but humans as well. Returned it and went with the environmentally friendly wax.

[JIm Smith]

auto spray wax works great, and it is cheap at your local auto parts or wally world