ODay Trailer needs work

[jake]

My trailer needs work, and is most likely not safe to drive.
The boat is on the trailer, 22 foot fixed keel.
Any suggestions that I could get the boat off the trailer somehow, so I can fix the trailer? I have all the trailer parts I need to make repairs.

 

[JoshGray]

Archives

Jake,

If you search the archived posts here you can find numerous suggestions for doing this task. Most techniques involve heavy structural timbers (6x6 should be fine) cut to fit the hull's curve for support (one set near the bow and one near the stern should be fine). You can lower the telescoping leg on the trailer (or use an auxiliary jack) as low as it will go to tilt the stern up, then place the stern supports, jack the bow back up so the stern supports are engaged, place the bow supports then lower the boat onto them, place supports under the keel (aft of the roller obviously) then pull the trailer out. You might have to remove the bunks on the trailer so that it will clear.

Of course, the easiest thing to do would be to put the boat in the water and then work on it... but doesn't sound like that's an option. The second easiest thing would be to acquire some jack stands which can support the sides of the hull while the weight of the boat rest on the keel. Good luck and be careful, no one needs to tell you how dangerous this is.

 

[Buck]

Your not sure

Jake it sounds like your not sure of the condition of the trailer? First thing i would have a mechanic inspect it. It may be safe enought to get your boat to the launch site. if not, i would think about having a crane lift it off the trailer and set it on five rented stands. I have found that short cutting can cost a lot of money and possibly a life.That boat is heavy, let the guy with the equipment do the job, be safe.

 

[BaySailerBill]

Here's what I used...

when I had to take my 23 off the trailer I built a jacking beam that worked like a charm and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg. Check out the attached picture. If your interested in building one you can email me and I will forward the plans and the specifics to building one. If you go to my link below you can see more pictures of my 23 on the stands.

Good luck on your project and happy sailing,
BILL

 

[Joe]

Taking a boat off the trailer

Jake,
I first started taking my old 19' wooden Thompson cabin cruiser off it's roller trailer back in 1974. I'd raise the 80HP engine off it first with block & tackle, and store it on a stand in my garage. Through the many years I had been doing this, I had some idea of what was needed to make the task safe and easy when I first started removing my new 1986 O'Day 222 from it's roller trailer. As Buck points out, it is very dangerous. I no longer have a roller trailer and the job is a little slower and involves a hydraulic jack, 6X6"X 4' wood blocks, plus 4 tilted SB-3 Brownell's boat stands and one straight powerboat stand. I'm not going say that a guy who works in an office should not even think about doing something like this, because I've worked in an office myself, but I also did line-work for a power company for 32 years. So rigging, and lifting heavy weights with machinery are nothing new to me. With that said;-- unless you know someone who has some knowledge of doing this who can help you, you would be better off having the boatyard take it off and the trailer and put it on stands until you get your trailer back into shape.
Joe