Depth of Fin - Bottom of Bulb 40.5

[MetricMountie]

Just wondering if anyone would know the height/depth of the small fin on the bottom of the bulb keel on a 1995 - 40.5.
I'm setting up the keel step on my trailer prior to storage and need the height of this fin to finish the step so that the boats weight sits on the bulb and not the small stub of the keel.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Why don't you call Hunter and see if they can pull up the engineering drawings?

 

[MetricMountie]

I guess I was taking the easy way out and avoiding the call to Hunter, but it will probably come down to that Rich. BTW all the photos you sent me on the reefing question worked well, no issues and reefing is quick.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Glad to hear. I checked all of my photos and although I had pictures of the bottom of the keel, I didn't have any measurements.

 

[MetricMountie]

Called Hunter this afternoon Rich, had to leave a message and no return call yet. I've looked at a picture I have of the keel as well and I'm guessing the height from a 1/2" depth at the front of the bulb to a maximum of 6" depth at the rear of the bulb. Your educated guess?

 

[Rich Stidger]

The small fin on the bottom of my keel does not extend to the front of the bulb, but stops about 1/3 of the way from the aft end. It also doesn't extend to the aft-most part of the wings on the bulb. My guess is that the highest part of the fin at it's aft-most end is about 4". But if you are trying to get the keel step correct, you really need the actual dimension and not just a close guess.

 

[MetricMountie]

I looked at my pictures again today and did an enlargement of the best one I had showing the fin, I like you have made the highest point to be approximately 4". As you've indicated the fin does not extend all the way to the front of the bulb nor to the aft most portion, so I've decided on a compromise on the keel step, I went to a local lumber yard today and they custom cut me a piece of dimentional hemlock that I've screwed down to the step in three places with wood lag screws. The pieces are 3" wide and 5" high, with a separation of approximately 4". The bulb will sit down on these pieces fore & aft with the fin in the middle. I've also installed two outrigger stabilizers jacks to the rear frame of the trailer to take some of the weight off the suspension and tires and to compensate for any uneven ground in the boat yard. I'll post a couple of photos tomorrow of the trailer and the modifications.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I would be interested in your pictures.

 

[DRhoads]

I would like to see those pictures too. 40' boat on a personal trailer?

 

[MetricMountie]

This is the trailer that I use to store the boat on, it was used to transport my previous boat as well a 1992, 35.5 Legend. The trailer is equipped with electric brakes on all 6 wheels and the double walled construction is very capable of the carrying the weight of the 40.5. It has to travel approximately 3/4 of a mile from the wharf where we take out and launch the boats to the yard where we store. A friend with a 3500 Series GMC pulls the boat that distance with no problems. On a longer move I used a local towing company with a 5 ton tow truck. I just added the rear outriggers to the trailer for a bit more stability in the yard over the winter/spring. Each jack is rated at 8000 lbs and I'll only be cranking them down to where they begin to take a bit of the boat/trailer weight. BTW I tow the trailer back and forth from the yard with a 2012 Honda pilot with ease due to the light tongue weight and tri-axles/electric brakes. Here's a pix of the 35.5 on the trailer, which now has a longer tongue and modified cross members to accommodate the 40.5.

 

[MetricMountie]

In these photos I had the stabilizers cranked up to service all six wheels at once with repacked bearings and greasing the suspension fittings.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I am impressed! Very nice.

 

[MetricMountie]

Thanks Rich, I wish I didn't need the trailer but our season is short and we have no travel lift so the trailer is a must when we crane in/out. When I kept the 35.5 in Maine, the trailer was nice there as well since I didn't have as wide a foot print in the yard as boats placed by the travel lift and supported on boat stands. My wife retires next July and hopefully we'll be headed south with My Corona for the winter months and won't need the trailer although it would probably work well in a crowded yard there as well.

 

[Downtown Dan]

Your trailer is awesome.

 

[Terry Cox]

FWIW, when our 35,000 pound boat is hauled and placed on the hard for bottom painting, the bulb, including the small fin (two inches wide by three inches at the highest aft part) at the bottom aft part of the bulb keel, rests on wood blocks. That part is molded with the rest of the lead bulb keel and the weight of the boat should cause no harm or distress/distortion. What is amazing to me is to see how much the hull flexes when the boat is resting on the keel.

 

[Karl13265]

Downtown Dan, if you ever want the trailer measurements just send me a personal message and the next time I'm down at the boat I'll get them for you.