Trailer Modification for 2003 Dorsey

[jjackkrash]

I just purchased a 2003 SN 206 (to be picked up Thursday). Unfortunately, it has a single axle Dorsey without a swing-away or removable tongue. My garage is 21'7" deep. The boat needs to fit or I will be in the dog house with the CFO. (The boat was too nice to pass up for this reason alone--I was willing to go into the dog house--I just don't want to). Anyone had any luck modyifying a Dorsey trailer so that it will fit in the garage? Are there any kits? Could a local welding shop do it? My dealer is telling me I can send it back to Dorsey and have them install a removable tongue for $1200 and have the boat sit for a few more weeks (no thanks).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Jack

[Watty]

RE: Trailer Modification for 2003 Dorsey

I looked into this issue as well when I was searching for boats. I ended up buying one with a swing away tongue. I did find a few local trailer places that would cut the tongue off and make it a removeable trailer. The cost was less then the $1200 but it wasn't cheap. I would call around to local trailer shops and welders and see what they would quote you to get this done. Local is always better when time is a factor.

[AuMDLST]

RE: Trailer Modification for 2003 Dorsey

there is a thread about an owner that modified his trailer to aswin away - I believe it is under this topic

[inboardsonly]

swingaway kits are available, from either TieDown engineering, or from Fulton, I believe.

It does involve cutting the tongue, and then installing the hinge, but I dont think there's any welding.

IO

[MikeC]

http://www.fultonperformance.com/Cou...04-12-2007.pdf

page 7 & 8

[MikeC]

oops, forgot the other one

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...atchallpartial

[Watty]

Those fultons kits look pretty easy to setup and cheap so I would just get one of those. I did not find those in my search.

[jjackkrash]

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

Jack

[east tx skier]

This thread is older than dirt, but I'm going to revive it to post a picture. I just had my 98 Dorsey modded for a removable tongue. I went the "sleeve"/slide out route because I needed as much room as possible to get my boat into a 20' deep garage. Had my local CC dealer's owner do the welding and it turned out great. It has been painted since this picture. This is based on the way Dorsey used to do it from the factory. Function over form to be sure, but it works great. Had to really scrounge for pictures of old Dorsey trailers with removable tongues. I can provide more pictures on request.

[beach]

Could you post the pics of the dorsey removable/swing tongues? I have an 03 dorsey tandem, and I'd like to have the option to put it in a garage. I just couldn't see how it could be done since side and center rails meet so far ahead of the bow.

[Brichter14]

These are from my 2003 dorsey tandem

[east tx skier]

Could you post the pics of the dorsey removable/swing tongues? I have an 03 dorsey tandem, and I'd like to have the option to put it in a garage. I just couldn't see how it could be done since side and center rails meet so far ahead of the bow.

These are the apparent factory versions I was able to find before I had this project done. Mine is basically the same. I'll post some more pictures of mine at some point.

[beach]

These are from my 2003 dorsey tandem

The side rails and the center rail of my trailer meet up about a foot farther forward. I wonder if your boat(and crash pads) sits farther forward on the trailer(along with the axles) or if dorsey made a different frame for trailers with a swing tongue, with side rails that angle in more.

These are the apparent factory versions I was able to find before I had this project done. Mine is basically the same. I'll post some more pictures of mine at some point.

These trailers have front crash pads in similar locations as mine. But they're direct drives. Also, it's weird that the blue and red 196 looks to be an 04+(sorry, don't know Ski nautique years that well) and has a removable tongue whereas Brichter's 03 has a swing tongue.

Thanks for the photos! I wish Dorsey was still around so I could ask how they would add a swing/removable tongue.

[beach]

I searched a bit more.






It looks like my trailer could be converted to a removable tongue. These are 03-05 210s with tandem Dorsey's. It looks like they have the same bunk, bow stop, frame rail, and axle location as my trailer.

[east tx skier]

The side rails and the center rail of my trailer meet up about a foot farther forward. I wonder if your boat(and crash pads) sits farther forward on the trailer(along with the axles) or if dorsey made a different frame for trailers with a swing tongue, with side rails that angle in more.
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These trailers have front crash pads in similar locations as mine. But they're direct drives. Also, it's weird that the blue and red 196 looks to be an 04+(sorry, don't know Ski nautique years that well) and has a removable tongue whereas Brichter's 03 has a swing tongue.

Thanks for the photos! I wish Dorsey was still around so I could ask how they would add a swing/removable tongue.

Dorsey set up the trailers differently as ordered. My dealership took one look at my trailer and said, "That's a Buxton Trailer." Apparently, my crash pad posts are closer together than other Dorsey trailers, which is how Buxton ordered them.

I'm sure Dorsey put swing tongues or removable tongues depending on the preference of the person or dealership ordering the trailer. In my case, I opted for a removable tongue because, in my situation, every inch mattered.

This is mine before the modification.