Getting farther along on the wiring

[toddco]

Since the weather doesn't want to cooperate for goose hunting, I've been running the electrical throughout the boat. I burned up all of the WM gift cards. Battery disconnect, fused switch panel,and master fuse.
I saw a post for someone looking for a rotary switch. This got me thinking, that my wife would have no idea as to how to set the navigation or anchor lights. I wired a rotary switch for motor navigation, sailing, anchor, and also the exterior deck lights.
My new Tohatsu arrived so, I needed to run the battery leads for it too. I'm still lacking a stern light, another interior light and some 12V outlets, but I need to borrow some more wire from work.

 

[Joe11688]

Since the weather doesn't want to cooperate for goose hunting, I've been running the electrical throughout the boat. I burned up all of the WM gift cards. Battery disconnect, fused switch panel,and master fuse.
I saw a post for someone looking for a rotary switch. This got me thinking, that my wife would have no idea as to how to set the navigation or anchor lights. I wired a rotary switch for motor navigation, sailing, anchor, and also the exterior deck lights.
My new Tohatsu arrived so, I needed to run the battery leads for it too. I'm still lacking a stern light, another interior light and some 12V outlets, but I need to borrow some more wire from work.

I was just talking to a few guys who came back from duck hunting on the river in their boat. Although it was a beautiful day on the river in the 50s, they only got two ducks. To them, a good productive day duck hunting is usually a day of inclement weather. It was a good day for me. I took my dog with me in the kayak across the river for a campfire lunch and a day of beach combing.
You're getting an early jump on getting your boat ready. At the rate you're going, you'll have everything done before spring. A lot of people say that boats can be a pain, but I've always found that they can be fun to work on with the exception of bottom painting. Have fun!
Joe

 

[toddco]

I have just as much fun getting ducks to decoy, than shooting. Our duck season went out before Xmas and we did pretty well. Southern Illinois has been historically a mecca for geese, but this year they might not migrate down until after season.
I will need a new paint job, but I won't be leaving it moored anywhere, so I think I'm going to use top paint. I also need to replace the drop keel line, thats the part I'm not looking forward too.

 

[Joe11688]

Your best bet is to take it off the trailer. It can be dangerous but with the right equipment and know how, it's possible. The boat needs to be lightened up first though. Whatever can be taken off should be, like the battery, fuel tank, engine, and etc.
I use four sailboat stands, one powerboat stand, many wood blocks, and a hydraulic jack with wheels on it.
I picked up two car stands in a yard sale several weeks ago and I plan on modifying them to be used for removing my boat from the trailer.
It's a tough task trying to take a keel/centerboard sloop off a flat bunk trailer. The way I do it is very time consuming.
Years ago when I had my boat on the roller trailer that came with the boat, it was so easy to get thay boat off it and on to stands. It was even easier and faster getting the trailer back under it. I could get that trailer back under it in just 20 minutes.

With my Long tandem flat bund trailer it takes a good part of the day to get it off or put it back on. Like I mentioned previously though, it can be dangerous.
I've learned a few simple tricks for getting the trailer's keel board lined up with the keel after the trailer is back under the boat by using the jack's wheels to slide the trailer over an inch or two. By placing the jack on a plank under the trailer's axle and using a block&tackle to move the trailer sideways to get it to line up with the keel, the boat can be lowered on the trailer exactly as straight as when it was originally raised off it.
When I had my roller trailer I used to place four of my sailboat stands on the stern of the boat, two on each side close together and rope off my boat's stern to a tree in the yard with a set of blocks in between to tweak it if I had to. Then I'd use my truck to pull the trailer out from under the boat, ever so slowly.
When the keel got pass the back of the trailer, I'd shore up under it with wood blocks, and pull the trailer completely out from under the boat.
To get the trailer back under it, I'd line the trailer up with the bow and winch the trailer under the hull without the truck. I'd place a plank under my tongue jack roller to make it easy for the trailer's tongue jack to roll and not dig into the dirt. I still use a plank under the tongue jack on the Long tandem flat bunk trailer.

With this trailer, I use my hydraulic jack and my straight powerboat stand to raise the bow of my boat and move the trailer ahead a little at a time by using a set of blocks attached to my truck. We're talking about 12" to 15" at a time between the trailer's cross members, and then move the stand to get another bite and gain more ground each time until the trailer is out from under the boat.
The ideal scenario is to be able to support the bow of the boat with something like a gantry or an eye beam which could allow the trailer to be completely moved right out from under the boat.
I know of a guy in my area who built a long wooden beam using 2"x6" planks, lags, and Gorilla Glue to get his trailer out from under his 73 O'Day 23.

Talk about beams. This old guy down the road gave away to narrow long metal eye beams to one of his friends. Man, I'd have given him $20 for one of them. I'd use it to suspend the bow of my boat. What a time/work saver that would be, for me.

Another guy used a gantry that he built to hold the bow of his MacGregor. That one can be Googled.
I tell you these things Todd to stimulate your brain a little but as far as attempting it goes, only you can make the call. Some guys don't feel comfortable doing stuff like this and it is completely understandable because it can be dangerous.
I was a power company lineman for many years and we were constantly dealing with heavy equipment and weighted objects. I also have a son who used to do rigging and he had to deal with heavier weights than I did.
Right now my boat is on stands and if anything ever happened to me and my boy needed to get it back on the trailer, I'm certain that he could do it with no problem even though he's never done it or helped me do it.
Hey if I croak they can do whatever they want with the boat. I won't need it and let's face it, ya can't take it with you.

 

[toddco]

Joe,
Thanks for the good advice. My family and I install conveyor equipment in coal mines and power plants ( www.kvsco.com ). I've got access to a small gantry and lots of nylon straps. If worse comes to it, my brother is a heavy equipment operator.

I adjusted the trailer bunks by blocking the stern and cranking the trailer jack stand. I was putting alot of weight on the bow eye, but I tried never to get more than 2" of air between any one trailer bunk post. I'll probably take it over to the shop and use the hoist.

As for not taking it with you, didn't the Vikings bury their king's in his long boat?

 

[Joe11688]

Joe,
Thanks for the good advice. My family and I install conveyor equipment in coal mines and power plants ( www.kvsco.com ). I've got access to a small gantry and lots of nylon straps. If worse comes to it, my brother is a heavy equipment operator.

I adjusted the trailer bunks by blocking the stern and cranking the trailer jack stand. I was putting alot of weight on the bow eye, but I tried never to get more than 2" of air between any one trailer bunk post. I'll probably take it over to the shop and use the hoist.

As for not taking it with you, didn't the Vikings bury their king's in his long boat?

Hey you're all set then Todd. That's great! I never put too much of the boat's weight on the bow unless I can support it closer to the front of the keel.
One of the guys in my club uses his farm's backhoe to support the bow of his O'Day 25 with a Nylon sling. He shores up under the stern with wood blocks and uses his sailboat stands to keep it from tipping over. He has a small pit under the keel so that he can let the centerboard down.

Yes that's true about the Vikings. They put the stiff on board the boat and loaded it with brush. As the boat sailed off by itself, they shot a flaming arrow into the brush.
I don't think my wife would go for that. She'd probably go for having me cooked to a crisp over the "barbie" with my final remains put in a baggy to be cast into the lake next to the house.