What shape fairing for trailer?

[heynow9991]

This is my setup for vacation for transporting my Jon boat. I built the boat specifically to fit on top of the trailer, then we put our bikes and luggage in the trailer. I tow it behind my model 3 Tesla and once we are able to travel again we will take it from Toronto to Florida for vacation. Being an electric vehicle, towing takes a huge hit on range so every bit helps.

The area I want to improve is the flat front part of the trailer. I was thinking just a round fairing below the boat kind of like this trailer

https://www.bre2.net/aerovault.info/the-aerovault/

Any suggestions?

[freebeard]

On the right you see two options for that area. A fairing could be curved or V-shaped. Vortex traps act against crosswinds.

The wake from the Model 3 is dissipating against the flat sides but then that box fender adds frontal area. Even this would be an improvement:

[M_a_t_t]

Do you mean the round nose? Or something else?



Remember that the solution is going to be based on the tow vehicle's wake. It looks like it is pretty well set up currently in regards to the top. I would start by filling in the gap between the 2 as best you can. Maybe just keep it simple and build a box on the front of the trailer that matches the projection of the boat. If it doesn't mess with your turning or anything that is. Don't forget the trailer has a wake as well, so you can gain some by working on the rear of the trailer too.

[freebeard]

Maybe what you are looking for is a prow



A low-polygon solution with a triangular base and rectangular top in 4 or 5 triangles. Else two quads and a triangle.

[Hersbird]

I say turn that boat around (make it literally a boat tail) and don't worry about the front part of the trailer because it's in the wake of the car. If anything shorten the tongue and put some fairings on the wheels.

[freebeard]

Moon disks.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by heynow9991

This is my setup for vacation for transporting my Jon boat. I built the boat specifically to fit on top of the trailer, then we put our bikes and luggage in the trailer. I tow it behind my model 3 Tesla and once we are able to travel again we will take it from Toronto to Florida for vacation. Being an electric vehicle, towing takes a huge hit on range so every bit helps.

The area I want to improve is the flat front part of the trailer. I was thinking just a round fairing below the boat kind of like this trailer

https://www.bre2.net/aerovault.info/the-aerovault/

Any suggestions?

If you can find John Gilkison's You-Tube videos, he's done one on Tesla's pulling trailers and has phantom images of fairings developed by NASA, at Edward's Air Force Base in the 1970s, for a variety of trailer combinations.

[freebeard]

If you can find John Gilkison's You-Tube videos, it's hard to know which one aerohead is talking about. Maybe Electric or Gas Trailer Towing?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by freebeard

If you can find John Gilkison's You-Tube videos, it's hard to know which one aerohead is talking about. Maybe Electric or Gas Trailer Towing?

Thanks 'beard. The one I'm thinking of was published later, after TFLcars.com did their Tesla-towing propaganda piece from Colorado.

[freebeard]

I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader.