Jason and Justin – appreciate the feedback. These are the kind of educated responses I was fishing for.
Jason – Do you know off hand if a 5k option is suitable for this particular trailer to get the clearance of the “V” bow? I cannot say for certain but a lot of the other trailers I’ve looked at in this class have the straight axle and not the V bend. Without putting a tape on them, they look similar.
Justin – I agree with everything you have stated. It does suck, wish I would have went the tandem route to begin with, but wasn’t sure this storage was ever going to happen. I went with the known and am pissed about it now.
I haven’t heard of many people adding an axle and most suggest upgrading to new…which I get. However, mine is so close to new the loss I will take does not come close to offsetting the cost, which is why I am searching for another option. The company I am looking at builds custom trailers and stated that they would be able to do this correctly and warranty their work, thus the entertainment of the existing upgrade.
The boat that I want will be an additional $40k at the moment, and you are correct. With the additional increase in rates/pricing I will not be pursing that in the near future.
I am not concerned about getting resale out of the trailer, but more concerned about peace of mind on a 1500 mile trip. I have taken steps to be prepared for breakdowns. Floor jack, spare leaf springs, whole hub assemblies etc…I carry enough crap to rebuild the whole suspension if needed after these headaches.