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Trailer Support


Don Silsbe

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3 rollers:  bow, center, stern.  the purpose of the bunks is to keep the boat upright and level, and are angled to sit flat on the bilge panels.  

I have an extended tongue on my trailer which helps retrieve and launch without having to get the car wet as well.  Very helpful when working alone.  Vertical posts also help center the boat on the trailer when retrieving.  

 

Hope that helps.  

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I agree with David. The keel rollers should take most of the weight. Note that the aft roller will be a long way from the transom by the time you adjust the boat for correct tongue weight. I like to use brackets for my bunk boards that hold them in a vertical position rather than flat. Then I cut the boards to fit the curvature of the hull. The vertical P.V.C. posts are GREAT!!! They really make loading a breeze. You can even mount your lights and licence tag on them for better visibility and to keep the lights out of the salt water. Well, I know that you're a fresh water man, but even that can get into your lights and cause problems sometimes. I like to mount a spare tire on the trailer too. Remind me to show you a really cool trailer jack for boat trailers for when you get a flat or your bearings burn out (Oh, I know that would NEVER happen---you keep your bearings well greased all of the time, right?)

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David,

I agree with the rollers & bunk advice.  A few additional ideas you might consider. I ran a 2x12 plank down the length of the trailer and centered it between the rollers and one bunk (opposite side of the centerboard) - I can walk out onto the plank when retrieving without getting wet.  I made a nice soft resting spot for the centerboard and transport and store it with the tension off the up-haul.  I also sleeved the aft end of the trailer with a plastic pipe on both sides of the roller so that the boat hits the plastic pipe with the bow if I miss the roller. 

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All of the boat's weight should be supported by the rollers and use as many as you can fit, because the contact patch is very small with a roller. The bunks should just prevent the boat from flopping over when on the trailer. They just need to kiss the bottom. On a boat that light, move the axle aft, to get as much tongue weight as possible. A light boat will bounce all over the the place and the hitch takes a beating, so get a much weight as possible on the hitch. Trust me, it'll tow a lot better if the hitch stays "engaged" (because of the weight) rather than popping up and down on each bump.

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  • 5 months later...

I have a new question on the subject of trailer set-up.  How does everyone support their masts for trailering?  Do you simply use the forward and after mast steps?  If so, do you find that this gives enough rear support for the masts?  I'd  appreciate some photos, if you can find one or two of your set-up.

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If the fwd. and aft supports are to close, you can use the "old fashioned" method of an extension on your winch stand. Or another "old fashioned" scissors support at the aft end of the cocpit. (Also known as a "finger pincher".) I think that just using the mast steps will be fine. You be da enganeer...figer itout. :rolleyes:

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The mainmast step is way forward, so I think I'm good there.  It is the aft support that has me wondering.  OH!  I just found a photo of Alan's CS17 on its trailer.  Is this what y'all are doing? See what I mean about the after (lower) section of the mast?  Is this the usual means of support?

post-3770-0-46233400-1455512961_thumb.jpg

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I did something like this for a temporary support, Bob.  Maybe the final solution is to support it mainly from the two mast steps, but to also have a stabilizer at the transom.  That could be something like you show, and maybe stabilized by indexing off the top gudgeon.  Are there other ways?  Am I worrying about nothing?  

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Unless you're going off road or something, the mast(s) can be held with considerable cantilever (at either or both ends). They'll "pump" a bit if you hit some deep dips or bumps in the road, but nothing to really test them, again unless you're going like nuts of a really rough surface. I always try to hold the mast so the more flexible top is dangling, with the base well captured in a some sort of stand. If you can get a purchase where the lower 2/3's of the stick is in or between stands, the top will dance a little, but ride nice. The best setup I've seen was a sloop with a midship mounted chock on the side deck. At the transom was a similar chock and the bow had an arm mounted chock. The mast and boom rode in the aft two chocks, with the masthead in the bow chock. All at deck level along the port side. It was simple, supported the mast very well and left the boat free to move around in during setup, without having to climb over a centerline chock setup. There's about as many different ways to skin this kitty, as their are freckles on my redheaded exwife.

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