Thanks for the feedback Dave. I found this picture of some keel guides and I think this is what Watercolors had in mind for guides. I like this idea a lot. What do you think?
Is a tilt trailer worth using
- Thread starter davidmhull
- Start date
[quote=Crazy Dave Condon;1168589
4. I would add a roller on the front brace going across the trailer right in front of that winch stand so the bow area of the hull will not hit that portion of the trailer.
KERMIT, POST A PHOTO OF YOURS SO EVERYONE WILL SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.
This is a bad picture but all I can find right now. The roller is there just to keep the bow from slamming against the trailer when loading. The boat does not rest on the roller at all once loaded. Hope this helps.
4. I would add a roller on the front brace going across the trailer right in front of that winch stand so the bow area of the hull will not hit that portion of the trailer.
KERMIT, POST A PHOTO OF YOURS SO EVERYONE WILL SEE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.
This is a bad picture but all I can find right now. The roller is there just to keep the bow from slamming against the trailer when loading. The boat does not rest on the roller at all once loaded. Hope this helps.
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Here is a picture of my Compac 23 on the trailer with the keel guides.
The majority of the weight rests on the keel. The keel has rollers that run the length of the keel for it to sit on. I then have the boards to keep the boat in place. This is the factory design.
I float the boat on and off of the trailer. I have not tried winching on or off. I plan my launches around the tide for questionable ramps.
Dave is right about the guides in the back of the trailer. I wish I had some. I would also put a large mark on those guides to show the appropriate water level for the rear of the trailer to be to launch and retrieve the boat. This way you could see it when you back the trailer in the water without the boat on it!
My tongue on my trailer is extendable. This is very helpful and the longer you can make it extend the better for getting the boat into the water.
The majority of the weight rests on the keel. The keel has rollers that run the length of the keel for it to sit on. I then have the boards to keep the boat in place. This is the factory design.
I float the boat on and off of the trailer. I have not tried winching on or off. I plan my launches around the tide for questionable ramps.
Dave is right about the guides in the back of the trailer. I wish I had some. I would also put a large mark on those guides to show the appropriate water level for the rear of the trailer to be to launch and retrieve the boat. This way you could see it when you back the trailer in the water without the boat on it!
My tongue on my trailer is extendable. This is very helpful and the longer you can make it extend the better for getting the boat into the water.
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Ah....One other cool idea that I took.
I have a 8 foot dingy that I carry. It rides here well and it is legal!
I have a 8 foot dingy that I carry. It rides here well and it is legal!
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keel guides are fine but you have to be careful that the bottom of the keel is not on top of one when putting boat on the trailer. Some have extra guides from the rear of that board in the photo Dave you pointed out going upward to the back of the trailer as a guide but guide ons on the rear of the trailer is the way to go.
I always thought it was pointless feature that I would never use, and I hate the noise it makes while trailering. Three summers ago we took our Compac 16 up to Ontario for 8 days, beach launched without issue, and we were enjoying a fun week of sailing at my wife's families lake cottage when we noticed the lake level was dropping... By the time we realized what was happening the lake had dropped at least 4 to 5 inches and while trying to retrieve the boat I had water over the running boards of my truck! We could not get the boat onto the trailer. In a moment of panic, listening to my exhaust gurgle, I waded in and pulled the tilt release pin. After tilting the trailer the boat was easily winched up and onto the trailer! A tongue extension wouldn't have helped me because of how shallow the shoreline drops off where the boat launch/beach is, as it was my truck was now way out into the lake. Thankfully there were no video/photos captured of the incident and I was able to drive back out without issue. I hope to never have to use the tilt feature again, but it was a life saver! It was impressive how easily it recovered the boat, having seen it in action, and I probably didn't need to be in the lake as far as I was. Lesson learned!
Well Smier like I said I am going to keep the feature on there and hope I never need it. Thanks for the reply.
I just wanted to thank all of you for help in getting my boat up in the air and my trailer rebuilt. I had the trailer sandblasted and galvanized. I replaced all the hardware with stainless steel so I think it will last a good while. I took the advice given here and added some guide boards to the trailer to help in getting the keel positioned properly. I think it turned out well and I'm getting ready to launch next week. Thanks again for all your help.
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Looks nice. I recommend you add to the keel guide boards aft of the trailer in a V shape, to guide the keel into your slot, and thus prevent the keel riding up on the trailer OUTSIDE the guide boards.
Perhaps you would shorten the boards a bit, or maybe extend a bracket aft from the bunk board supports. Also, keep in mind the V needs to be pretty high to catch the keel while floating at the ramp.
Perhaps you would shorten the boards a bit, or maybe extend a bracket aft from the bunk board supports. Also, keep in mind the V needs to be pretty high to catch the keel while floating at the ramp.
I was thinking about that Brian but just wasn't sure until I try it and see what I need. You can see in the attached "before" picture that there were carpeted bumpers just aft of the roller. The trailer is sort of V shaped back there. I did not put them back on but perhaps I should. Maybe make them 6" or 8" tall or something. What do you think?
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keel guides
The trailer must be submerged in the water deep enough to almost float the hull onto the trailer in it’s final resting position. The bumpers you are showing at the rear of the trailer were put there because someone is trying to load this boat onto the trailer out of the water, which is WRONG. The guides for the keel to come in contact with, when loading the boat, must be very high above the trailer so the keel floating above the trailer will not float above them.
See attached photo of proper keel guides and how high they are when the rigging is pulled from the water. They are not supports but guides to position the hull perfectlly on the trailer.
The trailer must be submerged in the water deep enough to almost float the hull onto the trailer in it’s final resting position. The bumpers you are showing at the rear of the trailer were put there because someone is trying to load this boat onto the trailer out of the water, which is WRONG. The guides for the keel to come in contact with, when loading the boat, must be very high above the trailer so the keel floating above the trailer will not float above them.
See attached photo of proper keel guides and how high they are when the rigging is pulled from the water. They are not supports but guides to position the hull perfectlly on the trailer.
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Hi watercolors, I blew up the picture of the keel guides so they are easier to see. I completely agree with you and there was nothing there before to guide the boat down on the trailer. I honestly don't see how the PO loaded this and a few others mentioned that as well. The new keel guides are just a few inches shy of the main hull and I think they are going to work much better. I probably will not replace those two little bumpers on the trailer at the rear unless I find they are helpful somehow. I would hope the boat would be WAY above that point. Thanks.
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David, I see those two angled frame members on the trailer, with blocks of wood, at the lower part of the picture.
If you replaced them, and made them much taller, then they would provide you a much wider target to aim the bow and keel at when floating on the trailer.
If you have a boat ramp in particular that you use most of the time (I have the same ramp at my lake,) you could go out there with a level and tape measure, and find the average angle of the ramp. Then, you could go back to your trailer, as hooked up to the tow vehicle, and get an idea of how deep the end of the trailer is when you've got it submerged to the right point. That would probably be with water covering most of the elevated bunk boards, maybe deeper depending on your boat and trailer. So, given the draft of the boat with CB up, you could know about how high to make the "cattle chute" guides in to the keel guides. You might also have to give a generous overlap if you regularly retrieve the boat in rougher conditions. No sense in having a wave come in and jump the keel out of the cattle chute.
Here is a picture from a trailer for a Precision 18 or 21:
Here's an idea that may or may not be robust enough for you :
Some people use and like "goal post" guides. I personally don't think they are too useful for sailboats, because our boats tend to have the greatest beam about 1/2 of the length of the boat, whereas a powerboat, especially a john boat, achieves reasonable width far further forward on the boat.
I hope this makes sense, and helps a bit!
If you replaced them, and made them much taller, then they would provide you a much wider target to aim the bow and keel at when floating on the trailer.
If you have a boat ramp in particular that you use most of the time (I have the same ramp at my lake,) you could go out there with a level and tape measure, and find the average angle of the ramp. Then, you could go back to your trailer, as hooked up to the tow vehicle, and get an idea of how deep the end of the trailer is when you've got it submerged to the right point. That would probably be with water covering most of the elevated bunk boards, maybe deeper depending on your boat and trailer. So, given the draft of the boat with CB up, you could know about how high to make the "cattle chute" guides in to the keel guides. You might also have to give a generous overlap if you regularly retrieve the boat in rougher conditions. No sense in having a wave come in and jump the keel out of the cattle chute.
Here is a picture from a trailer for a Precision 18 or 21:
Here's an idea that may or may not be robust enough for you :
Some people use and like "goal post" guides. I personally don't think they are too useful for sailboats, because our boats tend to have the greatest beam about 1/2 of the length of the boat, whereas a powerboat, especially a john boat, achieves reasonable width far further forward on the boat.
I hope this makes sense, and helps a bit!