Pontoon boat trailer length is often misunderstood, and it’s kind of easy to understand why. After all, if you have a 24-foot pontoon, you would assume that you’re going to need a 24-foot trailer. It’s logical, but it’s not always the case.
Most of the time, your pontoon boat trailer will need to be at about 3 to 4 feet longer than your actual boat. In real life examples, how long a pontoon boat trailer would be as in the following examples below:
Pontoon Boat Trailer Lengths
- 18-foot pontoon boat requires at least a 21-foot-long trailer
- 21-foot pontoon boat requires at least a 24-foot-long trailer
- 24-foot pontoon boat requires at least a 27-foot-long trailer
The reason you need this extra little bit of length is due to your turning and swing radius. If you are in a tight space and attempting to swing your trailer around, it’s going to be essential to have a few extra feet in length.
Imagine the scenario: The front of your 21-foot pontoon tube could end up hitting the rear of your towing vehicle if turning tightly using a 21-foot-long trailer. You can see what I mean in the photo below where you can see that additional length in action.
You need a longer trailer than your pontoon boat to help with turning spaces.
If you aren’t sure how long your pontoon trailer is, then you should get an indication by the model name. That’s because trailer manufacturers tend to name them in order to classify the size of boat they are designed to carry.
For example, some trailer model names such as PT-20/13, WFB-120/10, PTB-2023-10, KDP-1820-27, PT-1925 are classic naming conventions. Whilst not immediately obvious, the partial numbers in the above model names indicate trailer lengths ranging from 20 to 25 feet. The other number used refer to tire sizes and weight capacities.
Handy Hint: Want to know how much a pontoon boat weighs? Read this guide to find out.
Adjust the Length of Your Trailer
Something else to be aware is that there are pontoon trailer manufacturers who build trailers where you can adjust the length of boat that can be carried. This is done by a winch stand which can be slid backwards and forwards to give you an extra 2 feet or so in length.
It’s important that you always use a trailer that is the right length for your pontoon boat. They are designed to only carry what they can support, with carpeted bunks that are a little shorter than your actual boat’s pontoons.
The reason the supporting bunks on the trailer aren’t as long as the pontoon boat’s tubes is because the tubes angle up at the nose cone. You can’t support the tubes at that angle, hence the bunks on the trailer are shorter.
Handy Hint: Need help understanding what weight of boat trailer you need? Check out this trailer weight calculator and chart.
When transporting your boat on the trailer, it’s critically important to make sure it’s set properly. Because pontoon boats are heavier at the rear, your tubes should never extend out any further than a foot past the trailer length.
If you do, it could cause an imbalance and be very dangerous when transporting and towing your boat.
The last word…
I have recently put together a chart for boat trailer weights. Go read that if you need help in calculating how big or small your next boat trailer should be.
