How come you can't buy a folding trailerable pontoon barge?

Myark: there is no need for you to be insulting when I ask a technical question. Seems like you don't want to answer questions that don't make your trailer barge look good. Hurricane force winds are equivalent to common highway speeds, so how slow do you have to drive? Also, the aerodynamic forces are different from a camper trailer that is wider than tall, like your barge is. Have you actually tested them on cross winds, and if so, up to what speed?

 

I do not know for the specific item spoken here, but in Europe, you can have thins like http://www.ets02.knott.de/index/1315332356320/1315332356320.html for trailers.

You can also have things like antilock brakes, electronic stability program for trailers from a swiss manufacturer. But also need specific installation on the towing car, similar to truck systems.

Also, high ends cars like SUV and 4 wheelers (at leat some german ones) do have a specific ESP with a special mode for trailering. (Handled thru the 13 pin ISO plug for the trailer). The car electronic can detect and correct trailer movement, acting on car brakes and steering.

 

Myark folding barges have been tested for over 20 years.

If you do not mind do not ask me anything again.

 

OK, I take it that the answers to those questions would be unflattering.

 

Weight distribution on this is even from top to bottom; no heavy chassis, engine, etc. down low.

 

Its wider to catch more wind.
Myarks cut through the wind.

 

What would worry me would be a strong gust hitting it at a bad angle to the side.

 

That's my point exactly, but Myark doesn't want to address that question. It is a narrow base with a high center of gravity.

 

I towed this proto type Myark at over 80mph on a windy day.
No problems as I said it cuts through the wind like a quided misile.
A caravan would get the wobbles and crash.

 

Caravans, or pop-up campers as they are called here, get towed at highway speeds without wobbling or crashing. What was the wind speed and was it coming from the side? How about turbulence?

 

I wonder what angle the force is from a passing semi.
There are a bunch of reports of semi trailers being blown over by the wind but none blown over by other trailers passing -- wind from storms must be more force sideways than passing.

 

yea yea yea

 

Semi-trailers are 8'6" wide and 13'6" tall. That is a ratio of aprox. 1.6:1, to give you a comparison. However, they are much heavier than the barges. Also, they are hooked to a fifth wheel which stabilizes the tow, so it is a bit hard to compare directly.

 

Obviously you would expect the direction of the "wash" from the truck would be largely in the direction of its travel. These folded pontoons seem to be sitting on a fairly narrow track, which would not help any. It should not be too hard to work out the tolerance to cross-winds, the side area is known, the pressure of wind per sq metre at a given speed should not be hard to source, apply a measured force to the geometric centre of the side of it and note when it starts to tip. I'd be getting worried at 30 knots direct sidewind.

 

I have many more folding self trailered barge designs to come if you read of some on this blog http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/bo...olding-trailerable-pontoon-barge-44620-2.html

Other wise you are looking at a twenty year old proto types ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ that worked fine and yes I have improved them beyound imagination.