Hi, I'm a former reader new member. I have a question about my Javelin... I want to paint the bottom with antifouling paint, so I'd like to remove the centerboard and then lift it onto the ground and roll it over. Does anyone know if one person can do this? I.e., how heavy is the boat without the centerboard?
Lifting a Javelin off a trailer
- Thread starter Pipa
- Start date
Yes, it's doable. I have a 15' Boston Whaler Harpoon 4.6, and a breaking trailer. I stepped the mast, pushed the boat off the trailer onto the grass, moved the trailer alongside the boat, then used the halyards to careen the boat and tied them to the trailer in order to remove the CB and replace its control lines. Then winched it back on the trailer. I think the winching on was the sketchiest part.
Your Javelin lists a foot shorter, but maybe 50 pounds heavier than my Harpoon.
Your Javelin lists a foot shorter, but maybe 50 pounds heavier than my Harpoon.
Jevelin weighs about 350# for the 1962-70 models and 425# for hte 1971 and later models. Subtract the 49# centerboard, means between 301# and 376# assuming no retained water in hte boat.
My advice would be to carefully pull boat off trailer as Brian S described. You may need/want to tie the stern of the boat to a tree or other fixed point and carefully pull the trailer out using your vehicle (place some padding on ground where bow will land to reduce chance of damage, and only do this on grass of other SOFT surface.) I have seen pictures of another DS II owner taking his boat off the trailer and rolling her over exactly as Brian S shows, if it works for a Day Sailer..... a Javelin should be OK.
It can be done, the previous owner of my DS II used to take hte boat off the trailer and roll her over on her side against a (shudder!) cement wall to paint the bottom. I don't take the boat fully off the trailer to paint, I only move her off enough to lower the CB partway (about every 3-4 years I remove hte CB completely in the Fall to sand and paint completely.) I did roll my Widgeon over to paint the bottom, but being only 12'4" long and about 250# it was not too hard for my Dad and I to manage. We used old boat cushions under the boat to guard against scratching as we rolled the boat. My neighbor used to roll his DS II (now mine) off the trailer on grass.
I have added a scan of an old Small Boat Journal article showing the basics of how I move my boat partway off the trailer. Also some pics of how this looks. I use the tongue jack on the trailer to do most of the jacking up.
My advice would be to carefully pull boat off trailer as Brian S described. You may need/want to tie the stern of the boat to a tree or other fixed point and carefully pull the trailer out using your vehicle (place some padding on ground where bow will land to reduce chance of damage, and only do this on grass of other SOFT surface.) I have seen pictures of another DS II owner taking his boat off the trailer and rolling her over exactly as Brian S shows, if it works for a Day Sailer..... a Javelin should be OK.
It can be done, the previous owner of my DS II used to take hte boat off the trailer and roll her over on her side against a (shudder!) cement wall to paint the bottom. I don't take the boat fully off the trailer to paint, I only move her off enough to lower the CB partway (about every 3-4 years I remove hte CB completely in the Fall to sand and paint completely.) I did roll my Widgeon over to paint the bottom, but being only 12'4" long and about 250# it was not too hard for my Dad and I to manage. We used old boat cushions under the boat to guard against scratching as we rolled the boat. My neighbor used to roll his DS II (now mine) off the trailer on grass.
I have added a scan of an old Small Boat Journal article showing the basics of how I move my boat partway off the trailer. Also some pics of how this looks. I use the tongue jack on the trailer to do most of the jacking up.
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I did replace a centerboard once, but I was able to do it with the boat on the trailer. I do bottom paint our current boat (over 3600lbs) , and I do that on the trailer, and don't worry about where the bunkboards cover the bottom. It seems that the anti-fouling paint does scratch off if pressure is applied. It seems that painting the bottom and then rolling it around on the painted surface to turn it upright could scratch up that newly painted bottom.
We once sailed in a 17' Siren. For several years, I used that boat trailer to carry firewood logs home and then cut the wood into pieces at home. To get the boat off the trailer, I made several wooden pieces to hold the boat in the air and allow me to move the trailer out from under it.
I lowered the front pivot wheel to it's lowest position, then measured the distance under the stern of the boat to the ground. I then made a well built, padded wooden platform that would just slide under the stern of the boat. Then I jacked the front pivot wheel to it's highest position, now the stern was supported on the rear platform.
I then picked a spot about 2/3 of the distance from the stern to bow, and measured a distance from the boat to the ground where I could install a jack pad. I made two solid jack pads, one for each side, such that they would not slide outward or tip over. I would slide these into position, and then attach a flat brace on the ground between them, for additional support so then would not move outward. The jack stands had to be placed wider than the trailer. Then I would lower the front pivot wheel until the boat was fully supported on the rear and side jack stands. Then I would carefully pull the trailer out from under the boat.
I wanted to use the trailer, but it did leave a boat fully suspended boat in the air where it could be easily sanded and painted. I would only do this with a small boat if I was going to work under it.
This could be modified to be simpler and still work if you have a solid hoisting point for the front of the boat. Follow the first several steps, but do it under the hoisting point. Then with the brace under the stern, and while the boat is jacked up in the front, tie a strong rope, come-along, or chain from the hoisting point to the front eyebolt. Now when you lower the front wheel, the boat would be supported by the stern brace, and the front rope/chain. This should allow you to move the trailer around enough so you can eventually sand and paint all of the bottom, without special side supports, or completely removing the trailer. I would probably add a small, movable safety platform under the front of the boat.
Just thought of another method, again using the stern support. Have the boat supported off of the trailer on that stern support. Then (presuming you have one), use a hydraulic car jack with a special v-shaped, padded wood brace under the front of the boat and lift it up. You should be able to move the trailer back and forth enough to reach all the area you need to sand and paint. Then when you remove the front and rear bracing and the boat is back on the trailer, you can paint those spots blocked by those supports.
If you are not handy, or don't understand safe and strong supports, it would be better not to try these methods. You don't want the boat to move or roll over while you are under it.
I just happen to enjoy these kinds of challenging projects. My skin is not thin, if anyone finds flaws in my thinking, they do me a favor by pointing it out.
I also owned a Javelin and still have the glossy brochure. length=14'; beam=5'8"; draft=6" to 3'10"; sail area 125sq ft; base weight=475lbs.
We once sailed in a 17' Siren. For several years, I used that boat trailer to carry firewood logs home and then cut the wood into pieces at home. To get the boat off the trailer, I made several wooden pieces to hold the boat in the air and allow me to move the trailer out from under it.
I lowered the front pivot wheel to it's lowest position, then measured the distance under the stern of the boat to the ground. I then made a well built, padded wooden platform that would just slide under the stern of the boat. Then I jacked the front pivot wheel to it's highest position, now the stern was supported on the rear platform.
I then picked a spot about 2/3 of the distance from the stern to bow, and measured a distance from the boat to the ground where I could install a jack pad. I made two solid jack pads, one for each side, such that they would not slide outward or tip over. I would slide these into position, and then attach a flat brace on the ground between them, for additional support so then would not move outward. The jack stands had to be placed wider than the trailer. Then I would lower the front pivot wheel until the boat was fully supported on the rear and side jack stands. Then I would carefully pull the trailer out from under the boat.
I wanted to use the trailer, but it did leave a boat fully suspended boat in the air where it could be easily sanded and painted. I would only do this with a small boat if I was going to work under it.
This could be modified to be simpler and still work if you have a solid hoisting point for the front of the boat. Follow the first several steps, but do it under the hoisting point. Then with the brace under the stern, and while the boat is jacked up in the front, tie a strong rope, come-along, or chain from the hoisting point to the front eyebolt. Now when you lower the front wheel, the boat would be supported by the stern brace, and the front rope/chain. This should allow you to move the trailer around enough so you can eventually sand and paint all of the bottom, without special side supports, or completely removing the trailer. I would probably add a small, movable safety platform under the front of the boat.
Just thought of another method, again using the stern support. Have the boat supported off of the trailer on that stern support. Then (presuming you have one), use a hydraulic car jack with a special v-shaped, padded wood brace under the front of the boat and lift it up. You should be able to move the trailer back and forth enough to reach all the area you need to sand and paint. Then when you remove the front and rear bracing and the boat is back on the trailer, you can paint those spots blocked by those supports.
If you are not handy, or don't understand safe and strong supports, it would be better not to try these methods. You don't want the boat to move or roll over while you are under it.
I just happen to enjoy these kinds of challenging projects. My skin is not thin, if anyone finds flaws in my thinking, they do me a favor by pointing it out.
I also owned a Javelin and still have the glossy brochure. length=14'; beam=5'8"; draft=6" to 3'10"; sail area 125sq ft; base weight=475lbs.
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I have a question then. If I have access to a lift for my Javelin, where would you hook up a harness or, would you lift it by traps under the hull and where are the best locations to place the straps? I had a water ballast Hunter 235 and had to place lift straps on certain locations so she wasn't damaged. This is why I'm asking.