keel on trailor

[john24079]

Refabed my keel and put a new rubber on trailor. Closest match i could find at west marine. Upon lowering the boat down keel hits baot and supports it.catalina suggests putting shim (2=6) on bunk boards.Any sugestions. Shims would give me about 1 1/2" gap between keel and trailor.If i cut down rubber keel will west on metal of trailor.Update being done on Cat 22 1976

 

[Bayard Gross]

Shims good idea

I would take Catalina’s advice and place some shims onto the bunk boards.The weight of the vessel should not rest on the swing keel. Such will place a very serious stress onto those four 5/16' bolts that support the keel and whose weldments are only encased in epoxy.The shims, which actually may be just some square pieces of possibly 2 X 4, should be placed between the trailer frame supports and the bunk board. In this fashion the bunk board and vessel can be raised while still maintaining the flexibility of the bunk boards.However, I personally do not see much wrong with the keel resting against the metal of the trailer. Perhaps a couple of layers of duck tape could be placed onto the trailer or even some thin indoor /outdoor carpet or even the materiel used to cover the bunk boards.

 

[Aldo18609]

Other thickness shims

John: You could use thinner wood shims if you don't want the boat so high above the rubber "V". My keel has about 1/4 to 1/2 inch between the top of the keel and the groove in the bottom of the hull, when the keel is resting on the "V". I would just use thinner shims if I had the same concerns that you do. I certainly would have some clearance. How are you lifting your boat up while you are doing this type of work on your trailer?Where do you sail your boat? It looks like you live west of Pittsburgh. Aldo

 

[sailhappy1]

shims

I found a piece of a tire along the side of the road and used a hacksaw to cut a square of it for the keel to rest on. This was on a MacGregor trailer, maybe it will work for you.