help building trailer for 25 oday

[kurtk]

I need to get swing keel dimensions and any other suggestions. Need to move 38 miles on good road. I have a wellcraft 23.5 tilt trailer that I want to modify. Need some good pictures of set-ups and any advise. Thanks.

I will post some pictures of my old trailer later.

 

[trainmanjess]

hello all

I recently modified a boat trailer .... it was a lot of work.... the boat trailer I bought was designed for a 30 ft cabin cruiser.... now it hold my 1967 Kittiwake 23ft sailboat.... my boat has a full keel under it..... the keel is 2ft-10in tall....

the 1st -3 pictures are after I modified the trailer

the 4th picture is how it looked when I bought it

the 5th picture is the original trailer and boat when I bought them

it was a lot of work to modify it to hold my boat.... but I do like it a lot better than the original trailer my boat was sitting on.... I prefer a tandem axle trailer.... the original trailer was a single axle.... every bump I hit, the trailer would rock forward and back... and at about 58 mph, the trailer would weave sideways a little... this doesn't happen with the tandem axle trailer....

sincerely
Jess

 

[kurtk]

nice job Jess

I have a tandem sitting out there that I bought from U-STORE lot (abandoned with boat). Needs a cradle added in center to support the keel area...

hello all

I recently modified a boat trailer .... it was a lot of work.... the boat trailer I bought was designed for a 30 ft cabin cruiser.... now it hold my 1967 Kittiwake 23ft sailboat.... my boat has a full keel under it..... the keel is 2ft-10in tall....

the 1st -3 pictures are after I modified the trailer

the 4th picture is how it looked when I bought it

the 5th picture is the original trailer and boat when I bought them

it was a lot of work to modify it to hold my boat.... but I do like it a lot better than the original trailer my boat was sitting on.... I prefer a tandem axle trailer.... the original trailer was a single axle.... every bump I hit, the trailer would rock forward and back... and at about 58 mph, the trailer would weave sideways a little... this doesn't happen with the tandem axle trailer....

sincerely
Jess

 

[trainmanjess]

hello all

I laid a 2x8 cypress board up the middle for the keel to sit on, then built the side boards as guides when the boat is being loaded or unloaded.... then built the upright beds/bunk boards to hold it in the balanced upright position on the trailer... the uprights are adjustable up or down to accommodate different boats, or maintenance on the hull while on the trailer....

you can do the same for your boat.... your just need to find out how far down your keel hangs under your boat... I use to have a Mac25 swing keel..... when the boat sat on the trailer, the keel was about 1in off the center board... once parked on the trailer, I would lower the swing keel to rest on the board and take some stress off the winch keel cable and lighten the load on the uprights... if you make the center board the length of the trailer it also gives you someplace to walk if you need to stand on the trailer when loading or unloading the boat....

any welding done on the trailer that directly holds the weight of the boat, should not be welded with a continues feed welder... use a stick welder for deeper penetration of the weld and more holding power....


sincerely
Jess

 

[rs8684]

Jess, I have been wanting to attach keel guides to my trailer for a long time. However, I have NO IDEA how to attach the boards to the trailer. What are the attachments that were used on your trailer?

 

[kurtk]

Trailer Status (keel board needed)

Here is a picture of trailer I am starting with. Will put a keel board and add some support to it. After calling a trailer expert he said converting a welcraft 23.5' trailer to a sailboat trailer will most likely have too much tongue weight. I think he is right.

 

[Sunbird22358]

First thing to consider is whether that trailer is heavy enough to take the close to 4000# load of an O'DAY 25 K/CB model. I assume you have already checked that.
If you center the keel fore and aft over the 2 axles you should be OK on tongue weight to start. The winch post may need to be moved aft to accomodate this. Once boat is on trailer you can check tongue weight and if needed adjust position of boat fore and aft to get tongue weight in the 5-7% of total trailer/boat/gear weight. With a 25 you will most likely need a crane or travel-lift to move the boat easily for adjustments, but for slight adjustments maybe a couple of well-placed jacks and LOTs of eyes watching to avoid problems.

 

[trainmanjess]

hello

I got 1 1/2 inch angle iron and cut it 16 inches long.... then welded it into place standing on end... on each side I needed 3 upright supports.... one at the front of the keel, one in the middle, and one at the rear of the trailer.... then I added another set on each side out away from the keel area.... this kind of made a Y to use as guides to get the boat to go onto the keel rest up on the trailer.... I have a full keel boat so I needed a lot of support and long length on the trailer....

if you study the pictures I encluded, you will notice where I placed them... I placed them high enough that when the trailer was in the water, the keel would not rise above the guides.... and I used double boards with a spacer to seperate the boards... this gives a cushion affect when the boat is being maneuvered into place....

hope this helps....

sincerely
Jess

 

[kurtk]

See pictures

Thanks for help

My boat is on trailer resting 100% on keel.

I need to support boat better and need to know the best locations to put support. I am thinking... Cradle the front and run some front to back boards along keel and then some side support for tipping.

Where is the boats strongest points for support (other than keel)?

Any suggestions or pictures.

 

[kurtk]

more about my new trailer

PS What do you think a trailer like this is worth when it's set-up for oday 25 (runner boards and stuff)? What's it worth with the boat on it (more or less). I think the trailer is worth more than the boat...

 

[kurtk]

What air pressure do you put in your tires?

 

[Brian S]

What air pressure do you put in your tires?

As much as your tire says it can take. Otherwise it will will be soft and can heat up, potentially blowing out.

 

[kurtk]

Some come-alongs and new wench and another truck pulled it up on trailer OK and then some ropes kept it upright to get it over to dry storage. I need to add more supports. Any ideas? I don't plan to trailer very far but would like to be able to relaunch easily. Problem loading on trailer was getting far enough back at launch without sinking my truck. Both exhausts were under water.

 

[kurtk]

Swing keel support points??????

JESS<

Are you saying the keel does not touch after loading. If so, How and where did the weight rest on bottom of boat?

hello all

I laid a 2x8 cypress board up the middle for the keel to sit on, then built the side boards as guides when the boat is being loaded or unloaded.... then built the upright beds/bunk boards to hold it in the balanced upright position on the trailer... the uprights are adjustable up or down to accommodate different boats, or maintenance on the hull while on the trailer....

you can do the same for your boat.... your just need to find out how far down your keel hangs under your boat... I use to have a Mac25 swing keel..... when the boat sat on the trailer, the keel was about 1in off the center board... once parked on the trailer, I would lower the swing keel to rest on the board and take some stress


sincerely
Jess

 

[trainmanjess]

hello

the keel sits on the keel board down the center of the trailer.... it is the guide boards that the keel doesn't touch when lined up the middle of the trailer....

the bunk boards are set up on adjustable uprights.... I used 1 1/2 inch square tubing and cut them 1/2 the height needed for the bunk boards... then welded them into place ... then I cut 1 1/4 inch tubing, the 1 1/2 the length of the riser tubing, and attached angle iron to the top.... the boards then attached to the angle iron and I used a jack to push the tubing up to form the board to the hull... then I drilled a hole and put a bolt through it to hold the bunk system in place... I then added a second bolt 1/3 of the way down to riser, for safety...

sincerely
Jess