centering on trailer

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Jun 21, 2004
37
Oday 25 Sodus Bay, NY
Just wondering if there is an easy way to figure out where an Oday 25 should be centered on a single axle trailer...fore and aft. In other words, if I could figure out where the center of weight is fore and aft I would have a better idea of how load it to get close to the right tongue weight. I am guessing that the mast step is the center of weight distribution when it comes out of the mold...just guessing....right? wrong?

thanks for any help you can give a dumb dutchman.
 
Mar 28, 2007
637
Oday 23 Anna Maria Isl.
I can not answer your question but wonder if you have ever used this trailer before? If so I will butt out. But if you have not, you should be very careful if going any distance. Unless it is an extremely heavy duty single axle trailer, your boat may overwhelm it- and make the trailer overwhelm your vehicle. If it does not have good brakes, the entire package might shove your vehicle through a sudden red light. This is especially prone to happen on wet pavement- just after the start of rain- before the oil is removed from road. Also if the boat is too heavy for the trailer, the trailer frame may flex and allow trailer to "self steer" and the " tail will try and wag the dog". I am not trying to be Mr. Downer. Maybe someone else can post about good results with a single axle trailer for a 25. But I would want dual axle if for no other reason than to keep it under control if I had a blowout. Just be cautious until you have it sorted out. Good luck.
 
Oct 11, 2008
69
Oday 23 Lake Monticello
I agree. I looked at getting a trailer for my 23 last summer (never pulled the trigger on the purchase), but from what I was told by various/multiple sailboat trailer guys was that 2-axle for my 23 would be the best best.

I would think that would be the smartest, safest route for your 25.

Until I decide that spending more on a trailer than the boat is worth is a good idea...my 23 is sitting in a medium sized lake in the middle of SC. The only sailboat on the lake and often seen as a weird oddity on the water.

Kevin
 
Jun 21, 2004
37
Oday 25 Sodus Bay, NY
Not a long distance situation

Hauled the boat out yesterday. It is a new to me trailer. From what I could see the trailer is probably a little under sized for the job. Probably not going to be much more than a yard trailer for storage and about a mile of road travel at slow as you go speed with a heavy tow vehicle. I had a travel lift put her on. They were kind of pressed for time, so we ended up with a lot more tongue weight than I think we should have. The main reason I got the trailer was to be able to haul out and launch without the crane. Had to do something because my old trailer was bout done...did 30 years of work, so it didn't owe me much. Just wondering if there was an easy way to get the balance bout right.

Tx
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
Just wondering if there is an easy way to figure out where an Oday 25 should be centered on a single axle trailer...fore and aft. In other words, if I could figure out where the center of weight is fore and aft I would have a better idea of how load it to get close to the right tongue weight. I am guessing that the mast step is the center of weight distribution when it comes out of the mold...just guessing....right? wrong?

thanks for any help you can give a dumb dutchman.
Uncle Bill,
I have to agree with these fellows. O'Day built the O'Day 240 back in the 1980s when I bought my O'Day 222. The 240 being a 24' boat with a wing keel was very similar in size to your 25. The Load-Rite Trailer company built single axle roller trailers for these OD 240s, which was very similar to what my boat had for a trailer, but rated for the weight of that boat. With that said though, I personally believe that these trailers should have been tandem trailers even for my OD 222. So as long as you're aware of this and you're willing to take a chance at using this trailer for your boat, I'll give you some suggestions that will help you get the right tongue weight which should be between 5 and 10% of the boat's weight fully loaded. The center of the keel over the axle of the trailer may possibly be the balance point of your boat, but you need weight on the tongue. So I suggest that you weigh the tongue with a scale. The trailer needs to be disconnected from the tow vehicle, and level when you weigh the tongue. If you have too much weight on the tongue right now, you'll need to back the trailer down the ramp and let the boat float back a few inches. Then weigh her again. Once you attain the proper tongue weight, just move the winch stand back so that the roller is against the bow. Just remember that too much weight aft of that axle can cause that boat and trailer to go up when it's not hooked to the towing vehicle. Always shore up under the stern of the boat so that doesn't happen. So you need to know what the full weight of the boat is and figure out what the tongue weight should be. Then it's a matter of moving the boat forward or aft on the level trailer with the scale under it. The yard crane can make it much simpler, or you can back it down the ramp and do it that way.
Joe
 
Jun 21, 2004
37
Oday 25 Sodus Bay, NY
Joe,

Thanks for the input. I fully understand about the flipping on her backside thingy...been there done that. Don't want to do it again. Just wanted to get a rule of thumb thing, if there is one, to get close so the adjusting might be quicker and easier. If you know of any tandem trailers available, would really like to know about it. This is a production trailer which I hesitate to mention, is built for a 3000 lb max. Needed something in a hurry to do the job. It is in great shape. I would put it right up there in the mint class. Really don't want to hurt it. Was built for a Kels 25. Must have been a lighter boat. Would really like to find a tandem that will handle the load safely, but just can't seem to find one that is reasonable for the limited use I will be giving it. If ya know where to get one somewhere near upstate NY please whistle. Willing to swap...whatever. Gotta go now...need to jack the frame up to get the weight off the leaf springs. Thanks again.

Cheap Dutchman Buckshot
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
Joe,

Thanks for the input. I fully understand about the flipping on her backside thingy...been there done that. Don't want to do it again. Just wanted to get a rule of thumb thing, if there is one, to get close so the adjusting might be quicker and easier. If you know of any tandem trailers available, would really like to know about it. This is a production trailer which I hesitate to mention, is built for a 3000 lb max. Needed something in a hurry to do the job. It is in great shape. I would put it right up there in the mint class. Really don't want to hurt it. Was built for a Kels 25. Must have been a lighter boat. Would really like to find a tandem that will handle the load safely, but just can't seem to find one that is reasonable for the limited use I will be giving it. If ya know where to get one somewhere near upstate NY please whistle. Willing to swap...whatever. Gotta go now...need to jack the frame up to get the weight off the leaf springs. Thanks again.

Cheap Dutchman Buckshot
Bill,
That's probably a great trailer, but it's very under rated for an O'Day 25. The Load-Rite trailer that came with my boat was rated at 3100 lbs and my boat is 2200 lbs. The Long Mfg tandem Aluminum flat bunk trailer that I have now is rated at 4600 lbs and will take a 23' boat.
http://www.longtrailer.com/
The trailer wasn't made for a sailboat, but I was able to buy 24" adjustable extension brackets for the bunks to accommodate the keel/centerboard hull of my boat. Their extension brackets for their trailers are the best that I've ever seen. I mounted two sandwiched pressure treated planks to the trailer's galvy cross members for the keel, by using two power company cross arm lightning arrestor brackets. The bracket consists of two galvy carriage bolts, a front plate, and a back plate with slotted holes. All you need is the bolts and the back plates. The electric companies sometimes throw these brackets away if they're not going to mount their hardware to cross arms, which is what they are intended for. I didn't want to drill holes through the cross members, so I drilled holes through the planks on each side of a cross member, counter sunk the holes so the keel won't hit the carriage bolt heads, and installed the plate under the cross member over the protruding bolts with the nuts and washers. I added Never Seize to the bolts.
The best thing to do is talk to a trailer dealer. He has all the specs on the O'Day 25. He can tell you which trailer will work for your boat. Even if you don't buy the trailer off him, you'll have a general idea of what to look for. Even if you find a trailer that will work for your boat, you could probably buy the 24'' extension brackets off a Long dealer and they would probably fit most trailers. Good luck Bill.
Joe
 

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Jun 21, 2004
37
Oday 25 Sodus Bay, NY
Joe,

Absolutely nice rig. What do you haul it with? I did essentially the same thing for the keel rest except I ran 5 more 4x4 wooden cross members from side to side under the plank which is a 3x10 plank to each side of the trailer frame. Guess I am going to have to keep looking for a nest for the ole girl.
 
Dec 8, 2006
1,085
Oday 26 Starr, SC
Uncle Bill of Sodus Light

Joe,

Absolutely nice rig. What do you haul it with? I did essentially the same thing for the keel rest except I ran 5 more 4x4 wooden cross members from side to side under the plank which is a 3x10 plank to each side of the trailer frame. Guess I am going to have to keep looking for a nest for the ole girl.
Bill:

You said your trailer was rated for 3,000 pounds. The displacement of a 25 is close to 5,000 without motor, accesssories, etc. The frame and axle on a 3,000 # trailer is made for that load.

You need a frame and axle(s) for 5,000 minimum and 6,000 average. The reason why trailers of this catagory have dual axles is that the heaviest rated single axle trailers routinely made are at 5,000. And if you have seen them you can understand the difference between a 3,000# and a 5,000# axle. A 5,000# axle is about 6 inches diameter. Is your axle that big?

Then how much load will the actual tires safely handle? Typical boat trailer 6 ply tires are about 1,600#. Where do you get tires rated at 2,500? Yes, I am sure that they exist as special equiipment tires. But you just do not find them on boat trailers. And the costs much be rich. So go out and read the specs on the tire. What is load rating?

So, trying to go on the cheap, puts you "unsafe at any speed". As a comparison check out trailers made by:

http://www.triadtrailers.com/

Their website says Connecticut, but their plant is really in Raliegh, North Carolina. Call and talk to Mr. Orro. (He is president of company and will talk to you.)

They make Galvanized sailboat trailers. They use steel and not aluminum because steel is stronger and unlike Aluminum on sailboat trailers will not bend. Unfortunately, their trailers are expensive. On the otherside they are safe and very well made.

I would suggest that the trailer you are now using is made for 3,000# safe use. Anything over is unsafe. If you move the boat or launch or retrieve it a gust of wind could make the trailer into a pretzel. But then in your area you have lots of road salt for pretzels.

Ed K
26
 
Jun 21, 2004
37
Oday 25 Sodus Bay, NY
Re: Uncle Bill of Sodus Light

Ed K,

I hear ya and believe ya...will try to rectify the situation ASAP. Thanks for the help.
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
Joe,

Absolutely nice rig. What do you haul it with? I did essentially the same thing for the keel rest except I ran 5 more 4x4 wooden cross members from side to side under the plank which is a 3x10 plank to each side of the trailer frame. Guess I am going to have to keep looking for a nest for the ole girl.
Bill,
I'm hauling it with a 2001 GMC Sierra Pickup, two wheel drive V8 4.8 Liter engine with a towing package. It has a long bed with a cap, in which I keep my 9'2" Keowii Aqua-Terra kayak in the bed, kitty cornered. I use the kayak to get out to the sailboat and bring it to the club dock. I was able to pull this boat with a Delta 88 Olds, years ago.
One of our newest club members picked up an O'Day 25 for cheap money and also bought an EZ-Loader tandem trailer for it. He bought four boat stand poppets and rigged them to the trailer using 4X4s and bars welded to the trailer. He then was able to raise his boat in his yard with the aid of hydraulic jacks, sailboat stands, wood blocks for shoring, and a long metal eye beam under the bow, and roll the trailer under the boat. It worked for him, but I'd prefer using bunks and strong extension brackets. Some guys might worry about extension brackets slipping down from all that weight shifting if the trailer hits a pot hole, or leans to one side as it follows the towing vehicle around a curve. One good way to insure against this is to secure pieces of 2X4"s against the extension brackets, cut to fit between the top of the frame and the under side of the bunk. Those bunks will never slip down with that set up. Good luck Bill.
Smooth Sailing!
Joe
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
Joe,

Does your buddy with the ODay trailer launch/haul or use a lift?
He has an older truck similar to mine that he hauled it with. I think it may have had four wheel drive but he didn't need it for our ramp. He also raised the mast on his 25 over the bow all by himself. He placed a mast crutch in the bed of his pickup truck to hold the mast while he pinned the tabernacle. He just pulled his boat out of the water last week and brought it home. He bought a powerboat and is selling the O'Day 25. One of our other members has a friend who is interested in buying his boat. The inside of the cabin needs work, the transom I think, has issues, but the basic hull is in very good condition. He's asking about $4000.
Joe
 
Jan 24, 2005
4,881
Oday 222 Dighton, Ma.
does the 4000 include the trailer?
I'm pretty sure that it does. He had set that trailer up for that boat himself. The O'Day has the centerboard pendant line in the cockpit, and an anchor locker in the bow. The outboard looked pretty good too. I think that the inside of the cabin had gotten water damaged. The pen boards need replacing and the vinyl gunwales are broken in places. It will be a nice fixer upper for someone.
 
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