Gator Boat Trailer walking plank?

[Buccaneer]

The Gator trailer is back together for the most part.
It had a broken up cedar board on it for a walking plank
when I got it. At least one original brochure shows a
plank, but not in close enough detail to see how
it was mounted. My old plank was held on with one
bolt in the tab that’s welded on the pipe in the center
of the trailer. I believe the rear of my cedar board
was just resting on the bracket that the arrow points to.

Q. Anyone have photos of how the board originally mounted?

The bracket (that the arrow points to) does not appear to
be a plank mount.
Q Anyone know what it’s for?
I’ve seen it in other old Gator trailers, doing nothings as mine.

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Prepare to be boarded!

[eviltwin]

That is going to be one sharp looking trailer.

[gdcarpenter]

Can’t help with the plank, but she looks great.

Looks like she’s a tilt trailer, I believe they used a chain, one end with a fixed attachment at the hole, the other end of the chain slid into the slot on the other side after wrapping below the tongue, to lock it down. Unhook the chain from the slot, rehook giving it some slack, to limit tilt.

[beerman57]

Don’t know about original, but a piece of angle, SS or aluminum would work.

[Buccaneer]

GD, the tilt safety chain bracket is seen in the top photo, where
the tongue and main frame meet. Don’ have the chain bolted
on it yet, but will tomorrow.

Prepare to be boarded!

[gdcarpenter]

Hi, found this ad, grainy but does look like a plank on the port side.

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[Buccaneer]

GD, Thanks for the photo. I’ll have to decide if it’s even a good idea
to put a walking plank on the trailer. I can see myself falling off
about half way back to the truck!

Prepare to be boarded!

[dave-bernard]

If you do put anti skid surface on it.

[david-bartlett]

My dad had a 1960 Glaspar with a Gator trailer. I can remember "walking the plank" launching and retrieving the boat. I remember it had some carpet or something on it to make it less slippery.

[boxcar]

I am in the process of a 1959 Gator restoration as we speak. There is a fitting that bridges between the bracket you show and the walking plank and then 2 clips that bolt between the other 2 plank brackets. I’ll post pics of it tomorrow.

[Author]

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