Single versus tandem axles

Another post was asking about single verses tandem axle trailers, and everyone was saying go for the tandem because of safety. A couple points I'd like to make, and ask for input about.

Towing my friends double axle trailer verses my single axle, his seems to track a lot better on the freeway. Like mine always feels like it's weaving a teeny bit. Is this an effect of the extra set of wheels (or could it just be that he's got a different boat, truck, etc...)?

One possibly (depending on your situation) huge advantage of a single axle trailer is that it's much easier to move by hand. I park my boat on the stret and there isn't always much room, so I'll often sort of parallel park my boat: back up at a steep angle, so the wheel is agasint the curb but the tongue is way out in the street, then unhitch the trailer, and pivot it in by hand. This is really, really easy for me to do. I can park my boat in a space basically the size of the boat, and do it quickly. On the other hand, my friend's boat/trailer is a bith, even for the two or three of us to move by hand (to fit in his garage you've got to get it just right). We can move it in a straight line easily, but to turn it in place is really, really tough. So if you need to park your boat in tight places this is definitely something to think about (or is there some secret to swinging a tandem axle trailer by hand)?

You are right. A single is going to be much easier to move around and manipulate. Depending on the boat, I would be REAL leery about putting a good size boat (anything more than a light fishing-type boat) on a single axle trailer. Safety, in my mind, is much more important to me than convenience/easy to manipulate. I have had friends that have had a blow out on a single axle trailer. Two of the three ended up in a jacknife type situation, one involved 5 vehicles.

As far as moving a tandem by hand, I don't know of any secrets. I have not had to do it. Maybe one of the powered trailer dollies would work. I know they have a bunch of torque.

Good luck.

Single axle trailers can be very effective, we had one for over 20 years to carry our 2500lb Ski Nautiques, now we run a tandem (for the last 10 years). The single is better for maneuverability in all low speed situations, the tandems always track better at higher speeds. When we towed on the single with a loaded boat the tires got pretty hot, like you couldn't keep you hand on the tire hot, the tandem tires run cool. I did have one blow out with the single axle trailer while going about 50mph on a mountain road. I was able to stop without incident or damage to anything but the tire.

Now I keep my boat on a lift and only trailer it a couple times per year, if looks were not a factor I would use a heavy duty single axle trailer. Since looks are a factor I run a tandem. Keep resale in mind, it's also very hard to sell boats on a single. In the past 10 years most of the promo boat guys have switched from single axle trailers to tandems, boats are also bigger so this makes sense.

The tandem makes more sense for the majority of the people, you will just need to start parallel parking using your truck to push the boat where it needs to go, that's what I had to do.

That being said I have an 86 nauti....Think it needs a tandem or single? Thanks Jeff

My 84 was on a single...

Need = single (provided you are not carrying 1000lbs of lead)

Want = ?

when i was looking at used boats, i would not even consider a trailer with a single axle.

tandem always!!!!!!even on my 19'..see profile