So about the MacGregor bump....

[Sumner]

I don't think the steepness of the ramp has any bearing on how far back your boat settles.Since adding a second axle,with four tires my aluminum M trailer now floats like a raft, so regardless of ramp angle my trailer is always at surface level and stays hugging the hull while loading.And it still ends up 4 inches back from the bow block just like it did when trailer wheels were in contact with ramp.

If the whole trailer is floating and the back bunk and front bunk are both in contact with the bottom of the boat then I don't see why it won't stay there when out of the water. If only the front bunk is touching then when it comes out it is on the front bunk and as it rotates about that bunk down onto the back bunk the bow rotates back away from the V.

For most of us that have sinking trailers when you pull the boat to the V in the water take a marker and mark where the V is on the bow. Then once in the parking lot and after the 'bump' see where that mark is now. It won't be at the V,

Sum

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[Phyrexii]

Ok, here it is - an adjustable V stop (that you don't need wrenches to use ). Basically, bolts on your trailer. It has 3" of travel (more can easily be designed into it, but the cost will go up). Loosen the top handles, crank it back, load the boat, crank it forward nice and tight, and tighten the top handles. Done. Initial guesstimates are it will cost around $150 to make - with all materials, machining, and parts.

Sum, I know it may be a bit of overkill, but I did it more as a design and programming exercise, and I will likely use it as a 'free sample' of my work for my web page (www.grajprogramming.com) (*shameless plug*). I will probably even have it made

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Man! I'll still take my $15 can (lasted 5 years and still half full) and ten seconds on the crank over anything I've hear/seen so far.

BTW, I have a safety chain that is done up/undone when the boat reaches the water - no YouTube for me...

I do have one mod to pass on. I will have to dig up pictures but my winch was well blow the bow eye. The strap went up at a 45 degree angle and was the biggest contributor to the boat being too far back. Instead of repositioning the winch, I used a bolt "guide" to position the strap at the same height as the eye. Made a huge difference.

To keep the boat on the bunks, I have a single cargo strap at the rear of the trailer that goes up and over the boat. Never had anything move - but I have had a winch strap break. That's why I have the snap on safety chain.

Chris

 

[Chris & Lenore]

CNC sample? How about a sliding gooseneck? A guy at a local club (machinist) made a bunch and had no problem selling them. I was too late and didn't manage to aget one before he decided to quit.

Chris

 

[Phyrexii]

CNC sample? How about a sliding gooseneck? A guy at a local club (machinist) made a bunch and had no problem selling them. I was too late and didn't manage to aget one before he decided to quit.

Chris

A little off topic, but...

There are so many on the market that I don't think I could make one competitively (I do not have my own shop, so I would have to farm out the work). I'm sure there must be some available for the Mac at a reasonable cost.

 

[Sumner]

.... I know it may be a bit of overkill, but I did it more as a design and programming exercise, and I will likely use it as a 'free sample' of my work for my web page (www.grajprogramming.com) (*shameless plug*). I will probably even have it made

Will I guess I have no room to talk about 'over-kill', so go for it. It looks nice, but wouldn't work for us with the ladder being in the way,

Sum

P.S. Chris my mod was less than $15 .

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[THECUSCUS]

Looks like the two lockdown handles would interfere with each other if you tried to turn them?

 

[Phyrexii]

The handles are repositionable - you lift up, and they disengage the bolt. This isn't a big deal because there is a flathead slot on the top, so for initial setting, you just turn the screw with a driver. Because all you are doing is clamping and unclamping, a half turn should be more than enough. There are other clamping methods that could be used, such as quick release cam bolts (similar to what is used on most bicycle wheels), but they are more expensive. Those handles are only $8 each.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

416 Ss?

galvanized?

or just steel...

 

[Phyrexii]

I'd be making it out of aluminum, with all galvanized hardware. The part that actually holds the V stop (the front part) would be plain old painted steel (I can't weld aluminum, and I've never welded stainless). The reason for aluminum is ease of machining, more than corrosion resistance. If I were serious about this thing (apart from a design exercise), I would probably get the aluminum anodized.

If you were to make it out of SS, the cost of materials would jump from $70 to about $300, and the machining time would easily quadruple, adding another $200 - $300 to the overall cost.

The only benefit of this design over Sumner's is that this has a positive means of tightening the V to the bow (the screw forces the V into the bow of the boat). Sum's design is really the best, and all you would have to do to make it wrenchless is to purchase those cam bolts from McMaster Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/#control-handles/=kw7xjt) about $14 each for Aluminum handles with steel bolts, $56 for all ss. Or, you could use the repositionable handles (http://www.mcmaster.com/#control-handles/=kw7yrb)

 

[Doc_holiday]

I like that idea but one thing comes to mind. For those of us who still have a single axle, this does not resolve the weight distribution (low tongue weight). I think the lower v is still ideal. I just know when I loaded, the bow's rub rail was just only at the v. All these other mods are still great, but secondary to lowering the v I think. What say you?

 

[Sumner]

.. For those of us who still have a single axle, this does not resolve the weight distribution (low tongue weight). ..

Move the axle back if there is room still behind the rear spring hanger. This is not a big job and a welding shop, if you or a friend doesn't have a welder, should be able to do this in an hour or less and the new hangers would only cost a couple bucks a piece.

Weld on new hangers further back. Move the axle/springs back to them and cut the old ones off,

Sum

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[Dogleg]

I like to turn around and do the bump headed down the ramp. Ive also tightened down the winch and drove a little while and the vibes from the road has moved the boat up and the winch is loose, repeat and usually buy the time you get to the highway your are tight.

 

[walt]

I’m going a little off memory... but here is a data point on tongue weight for a 1990 26S.

I tow with the outboard in place (9.8 four stroke) and have two golf cart batteries as far forward under the V berth as I could get them and a spare tire mounted up front on the trailer. Several anchors and chain are stored in the Laz along with a bunch of light stuff. Boom is inside the boat as well as all the light stuff like life jackets, light food supplies etc. Any heavy stuff goes in the back of the truck, I buy boat gas when I get there.

If I get the boat up against the trailer V block factory position where it is supposed to be, I get about 160 - 175 pounds of tongue weight on the trailer and this tows fairly well and is about as economical as it gets for a 26 foot sailboat (important to me).

I haven’t moved the single axle and I don’t believe the PO did either and don’t plan to as what I have works fine. However, in the past, one time I filled up nearly 20 gallons of gas ( a few individual containers - somewhere around 160 pounds) about 150 miles before the end of the drive and placed it all in the cockpit seat area near the Laz and it made the boat less stable but this was mostly fixed by moving the gas up near the companionway.

When I see the boat again (Havasu in two weeks), I’m going to modify the trailer again per some advice on this thread (thanks everyone!). One picture shows my neighbors shorlander trailer chain connection and I’m going to add something like this as shown by the yellow in the second picture.

 

[Phyrexii]

I like to turn around and do the bump headed down the ramp. Ive also tightened down the winch and drove a little while and the vibes from the road has moved the boat up and the winch is loose, repeat and usually buy the time you get to the highway your are tight.

I suspect that may be what this fellow was doing

 

[Dogleg]

OMG! that's me!...... No really I don't get that close to the water, and it depends on how crowded the ramp is. If the boat is 3 or 4" from the V if I make the wench tight the boat will work up to the V just driving. I may have to tighten it a couple of times But it works for me. Maybe it's just my boat I don't know.

 

[finding41]

I have to look at what I'm doing again. What I do is pull it a bit out and crank it up again. seems to work. But this has me thinking. My truck is standard so I bet (know) there is a bit of backward movement then a jerk forward when I go to pull out. Both times.
Maybe that is why mine is tight to the V.
I'll have to pay more attention this spring.

 

[dlandersson]

I do this also.

I bought a can of "liquid rollers". If the boat is not far enough forward, I can push it into place with one hand. Best solution ever!
Just don't unhook the bow eye before backing down the ramp when launching - the boat will slide off before it reaches the water.

Chris

 

[TortugasRoyal]

Put toothpaste liberally on the trailers boards carpet before backing the trailer into the water. Makes a nice slippery lubricant that will not easily dissolve immediately but will eventually dissolve in may days. Minimizes any bump necessary if at all. I did not originate this idea. Credit goes to Ed Gabriel former owner of Gabriel's Angle a Mac 26x.

 

[Dogleg]

What about KY Jelly?