170 Trailor Sailors Beware...

[Calvin Smith]

Just got back from our first sailing specific minivacation. It was great, but somewhere on the way back the pin holding the mast and boon support at the stern worked its way out of the bottom hole and mast and the boon tilted left causing the spreader to dig a nasty gouge in the seat. This happened after we stopped for gas so I suppose this possibly could have had human assistance but probably not. Be warned, this could happen to you with perhaps more serious consequences. Bungy everything that could possibly move.

 

[Bud Higginbotham]

Don't need to lose pin...

Had a similar experience when I picked up my used 170 from the dealer. The gudgeon pin stayed in place, but the mast twisted to the left anyway. Fortunately, I caught the problem at the first trailer check about 2 miles down the road and wrapped an old T-shirt around the spreader end with duct tape. Now I bungee and wrap everything when trailering. Incidentally, it is possible to accidentally spread the stainless steel rudder mounting plates the gudgeon pin passes through. This can result in the possible loss of rudder use in the middle of a sail, or the mast and boom support while trailering . All you have to do is leave your rudder down while briefly moored in what appeared to be sufficiently deep water while a large boat roars by. The resulting wake grounds the rudder, pushing the top plate upwards. Later on, when you least expect it, the gudgeon pin slips out of the hole in the lower plate. The plates can be bent back into position, but I can't imagine this is good for them. The better answer is to put no load the plates.

 

[Dave Condon]

retainig pin

The pin you mention is supplied with a retainign pin to hold the mast pole carrier in place. Did the dealer supply this with the pin and if they did why was it not in place?Crazy Dave

 

[Calvin Smith]

The pin was in place

The retaining pin was in place. If you look at the way the thing sets up, it does not appear possible that what happened happened- but it did. When the trailor assembly is attached there is a gap of about an inch or so between the pin and the hole. This gap is the problem. In any case a well placed bungie will prevent this from ever happening again.

 

[Ed Smith]

I Had A Similar Problem

The pin that attaches the Rudder Assembly and the Aft mast bracket to the Rudder Bracket has two holes about an inch apart for the retaining pin. You have to use the top one for the Mast Bracket and The lower one for the Rudder Assembly otherwise the Pin will slip and allow the Mast Bracket to come lose on the bottom. Careful, and make sure you have the two holes for retaining pin.

 

[Don Corcoran]

Hit bottom; pop goes the rudder

I hit bottom and the rudder forced the uper bracket up higher, the pin popped out of the bottom hole only and cocked bending the upper retaining plate. Cause: operator error. Solution: pay more attention to water depth at the launch site!!