Phil,

I like you sliding lid concept. I have something similar nearly completed on my new Tornado trailer box design, but I cheated and went with commercially available standard drawer sliders. The max length I could get has about 24" of throw, so this limited my sliding lid the that much opening. The front side of the box also is hinged to swing down, making a good place to insert long items. The box is ~12'x38"x11"...made entirely of 1"x12"x12' pine board...polyester resin & polyurethane coated...some glass used in strategic locations for reinforcing.

The box also has a large hinged lid ~6'long about 3' back from the sliding section. This is to allow easy loading of boat beams etc when I travel with the boat dismantled. The box will also be used to support the overturned hulls by bolting some 2x4 beams across the non-moving parts of the top.

Yes, it is a heavy design (probably around 80-100 lbs), but this also is a tilt trailer and having extra weight down low is comforting.


Mike.