trailer PVC pipes.....I don't get it

I bought 2 x 12 foot black ABS pipe. It is quite flexible and I was told the grey stuff is 3 times as much and had thick walls. I was thinking the grey stuff was not very flexible and $120 seems like a lot of money.


My question:
I see people mounting the ABS or PVC to a length of wood and there for making it unflexible.
Isn't the point of using PVC so it matches the curve of the bottom of the boat?

So it is is flexible I am wonder what people are doing to keep the ends fixed to the trailer if the pipe is to be bent under normal circumstances and bent a little more when under the weight of the kayak??????

thanks.

Hi,
Don't know where the $120 comes from, but a 10 foot length of the standard white 3 inch Schedule 40 PVC costs about $14 each at lowes or Home Depot. Many guys ( including me) have modified boat trailers to carry pro anglers by using this or the grey colored 3 inch PVC. The grey is used in electrical applications and the white for water. The PVC (white or grey) doesn't bend and is a perfect mount for a PA 12 or 14. You space the PVC based on the distance between the scupper holes on th PA.
You use a length of "Unistrut" to mount the PVC too.... No wood and no worry about flexing.
in my case, I built and modified a harbor freight boat trailer based on a YouTube video by "venture tube" who built and modified a harbor freight trailer.
This subject has been covered "further down the page" ( Trailer question) and this Hobie forum is just great for any questions or problems you have that you either don't or can't call your dealer about. But in the case of this question you have about the PVC, I strongly recommend you watch this YouTube video.....
http://youtu.be/8gOONSVjTEU
I hope this helps welcome to the forum!

_________________
Cheers,
Bob, NINCO1

"A wet bird never flies at night"

Hi Ninco1,

That guys youtube videos, have watched them.....that guy is good.

I asked a plumbing guy about the grey PVC (I read it was UV resistant) and he told me it was about triple the price and that only a few places carry it. $40 x 3 = $120.

I could have been clearer, I had a 2 part question. The first part was basically, I did not think that people wanted the PVC to be stiff, it is supposed to flex:

Isn't the point to have as much as the bottom of the boat in contact with the supports?

Forresto -
I was concerned about encouraging the flex also. I ended up using 2 telescoping white PVC tubes on each side, I think a 2-1/2 inside a 3". My idea was that this would permit the tubes to grow longer as downward weight forces caused the tubes to bend around the lateral contours of the hull. Yes, this happens, but to a much smaller degree than I anticipated. So my "flexible" tube system ended up being relatively over-engineered. If I were doing this again, I would just use a single 3" tube on each side. Fastening them at one point each fore-and-aft will still permit enough lateral bend to adjust to the hull shape.
Good luck.

I'm not an engineer, but the support that the 3" PVC gives to my PA12 on the harbor freight trailer, seems to be perfect. Using the Unistrut brackets as shown/positioned in the video makes for a solid mounting. The weight and stresses of the boat are spread out over the PVC "riding" in the "tunnels" of the hull, which I think is the strongest part of the hull.
When I said "it doesn't bend", I meant it doesn't bow.... Naturally there's a bare minimal amount of "give" or flex when the PA is sliding on and off, but unless you're using test equipment, you won't notice it. The white PVC is all you need.
Launching and recovery of the boat is so easy... Just push it and it slides off, and I have a length of para cord tied to the front carry handle and simply pull it and slide it up and on the PVC. ( if you use this method, be sure to sand/round-off/profile the rear edge of the PVC so it doesn't scratch the hull when you recover the boat.
There's lots of ways of transporting a PA, but this method can be used to modify many types of trailers to safely and securely carry a PA. If you're contemplating a carry method, you won't go wrong with this one.

_________________
Cheers,
Bob, NINCO1

"A wet bird never flies at night"

Forresto,
You can't go wrong with the YouTube videos from VentureTube or the TomKirkman1 video attached below.

I built my first trailer on VentureTube's design on top of my 5 X 8 utility trailer. I then found a full sized boat trailer for $100 and redid it into a double kayak trailer for an additional $400. It would have been a lot less but it needed new wheels and tires. It works perfectly. Easy on and off for my PA and my wife's Outback and I can store them right on the trailer.

I would be happy to send you photos of both trailers if you feel they would help, but I think the two gentlemen listed above will provide all the answers you will need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPd5n83 ... XLbSYfv1GA

_________________
2014 Pro Angler 12'
2014 Outback

I will go with the small flex, thanks Jim_MI.

I will attach the pipes via slotted holes and allow the ends to rock in to allow a bit of flex.
Off course if the pipe snaps it will all fall onto the trailer.

Not sure if you've already fixed your trailer but here is a video on how we did it. Hope it helps. You need 3" schedule 40 PVC, it fits perfectly and give a lot of support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEc5_pf9VIA