pics of trailer setups

Apr 1, 2010
398
Cal 33 and Sea Pearl 21 . Crystal River, FL
so I am working on converting a tandem axle alum powerboat trailer into a trailer for Serenity. a picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to coming up with ideas, so I am hoping to see pictures of other converted trailers. specifically I am looking for ideas on how to elevate the bunks high enough for the keel to clear. my initial idea is to just use 4x4s (the boat has two 4x12 bunks right now, so I could remove those and put 4x4s in the same brackets) up to a bracket that will hold a 2x6 that the boat will rest on.
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country


I converted our single axle Mac trailer to a twin axle and added surge brakes. Also built new side bunks that makes her super easy to get the boat on and off with. Lengthed the trailer and added a third bunk also (different bunks than what you need) and also other mods.

Pictures and info is here....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/FL-fall-2010/5-Fl -pt-1-2010.jpg

Good luck

Sum

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Dec 1, 2013
76
Hunter 81 H22 and 86 Legend 37 H22 Lake Superior, Legend 37 headed for the Caribbean
Why not just copy a Magic Tilt? This is one of the better photos I got of the boat sitting on it. There's really nothing different from a powerboat trailer other than the fact that the pipes that hold the bunks are longer and there's a 2 x 8 under the keel.

That roller in the front does absolutely nothing except make it hard to load the boat because it never lines up with the thing. I'm going to take it off and put a set of bunks there too.

 
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello all

I have a powerboat tandem axle trailer I bought that hauled a 25ft cabin cruiser on it... the trailer came with wobble wheels for loading and unloading the boat.... I adjusted them higher to hold my Mac25 and they worked great... as I do not have the Mac25 anymore (decommissioned), I am going to adjust the trailer to fit my new boat....

my new boat is a full keel 1967 Kittiwake 23... she sits considerably higher than the Mac25 did... i will be removing the wobble wheels and installing bunk boards... the marina installed new docks last summer, and some of the material from the old docks was piled up in the back of the trailer storage lot... I got permission and scrounged through it, and found square tubing... I found several pieces measuring 2 1/4in square.... I will cut these into 2 ft sections and weld to the trailer frame... I also found some pieces much longer that measure 2in, these I will slide inside the others and bold into place.... these will make the bunks adjustable... I will attach 2x6 for the bunks and keel rest.... on either side of the keel rest, I will use elevated 2x4 to create runner guides to keep the keel inline and on the keel rest when loading...

the old trailer with the Kittiwake sailboat on it is good, but needs a total rework.... new brakes, new bunk boards, sand blasted, painted, and more.... too much to be done, besides it is a single axle trailer.... I like the idea of having the tandem axle trailer under my boat when hauling...

sincerely
Jess
 

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Dec 23, 2008
771
Catalina 22 Central Penna.
Some pointers

As I look at these trailer photos with the boats on them and being around trailersailors for over 20 years I will throw in a couple points.

"trainmanjess" look at the photo submitted by "KristinKaye", his keel guides are high like another set of bunks. Your photo with the guides clear down at the bottom of the keel will not help position the hull much until the last couple inches of loading, because the guides will be below the floating hull with the trailer sitting on the angled launch ramp.

The bow roller can be of great help if it's position correctly for your boat, this help goes back to the trailer on the angled launch ramp and the boat hull floating above the trailer. The winch must be used to finish sliding the hull up the bunks, the roller helps lift the bow up to reduce the friction caused by the front of the bunks, thus lessening the winching load on the hull and especially the bow eye With this roller on my trailer, I can physically pull my hull up to about 6 to 12 inches from its final resting place before using the winch.
 
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello

on the old single axle trailer the wooden guides are elevated about 20in up on angle iron posts... I plan to do this with my new trailer I am outfitting... I also plan to use 2x6 as the guides with 2x4 spacers behind for support... look closely at the pictures of the boat on the trailer and you will see the keel guides are elevated 20in up .....

I plan to duplicate what is on the single axle trailer to hold the boat, for the new trailer...

sincerely
Jess
 
Feb 11, 2012
271
C&C Mega 30 Long Point, Lake Erie
so I am working on converting a tandem axle alum powerboat trailer into a trailer for Serenity. a picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to coming up with ideas, so I am hoping to see pictures of other converted trailers. specifically I am looking for ideas on how to elevate the bunks high enough for the keel to clear. my initial idea is to just use 4x4s (the boat has two 4x12 bunks right now, so I could remove those and put 4x4s in the same brackets) up to a bracket that will hold a 2x6 that the boat will rest on.
Have several pics of a semi custom built trailer in my album link:

http://s658.photobucket.com/user/F26_Express/library/?sort=6&page=1
 
Dec 1, 2013
76
Hunter 81 H22 and 86 Legend 37 H22 Lake Superior, Legend 37 headed for the Caribbean
The bow roller can be of great help if it's position correctly for your boat, this help goes back to the trailer on the angled launch ramp and the boat hull floating above the trailer.
The only thing I'd like to caution for somebody doing a design is that the bow roller on our trailer is too narrow. If the boat is partially sitting on the bunks during retrieval it invariably does not line up with that narrow 4" roller, and all it takes is to be 3" off to one side and it turns into a bear because of the friction of the weight of the hull already on the rear bunks. If the trailer is just a tiny bit deeper in the water then it floats on and can can be positioned with no problem at all. So that roller is not really much help with a 3,000 lb boat, in my opinion.

My plan this winter is to remove that roller and replace with a set of "vee" bunks on each side of the bow near the bottom of the hull. Pulling a 3,000 lb boat with the winch up onto the bunks is too hard on the bow eye anyway, and the "vee" bunks will provide much more positive positioning of the boat, assisting the keel guide bunks in getting it centered on the trailer.

In lieu of "vee" bunks, you could use two flat rollers positioned in a "vee" on each side of the hull there too. I prefer using bunks whenever possible because you have much more contact area on the hull with a bunk vs a roller. These trailers do flex a little when trailering so I've always felt that the small contact patch of a roller beating on one small spot on the hull is best reserved only for lightweight aluminum boats where it doesn't cause any damage to the hull.
 

203

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Nov 5, 2013
73
Hunter 22 1983 Lake Norman
I just finished modifying a Karavan trailer for my Hunter 22. The trailer picture is at http://www.karavantrailers.com/KCBunkTrailers.cfm Found the trailer on Craigslist last month.

I will try to get more pix of my trailer when I go over to the lake next week.

But I wanted to share the way I set my trailer up, understanding that my centerboard would not support the weight of the boat ( or any part of that weight IMO ) so I had to make sure I had clearances.

I used 1/2 threaded rod as extensions for the u-bolts holding on the bunks. I used the original ubolts, some threaded couplings and the threaded rod to extend my u-bolt length for my spacers. The spacers were made from 1 foot long pieces of 2X4 ( shims ) 4X4 and 4X6 treated lumber from my scrap pile. I used a skill saw to cut notches for the bolts, as my trailer has 3" wide frame members, and the block material was 3.5" wide.

I used the drawings on line to create a hull outline for my boat, scaling them like in engineering school 40 years ago. Now it can be done with software but I didn't have what I needed at the time. That with an outline drawing of the trailer from Karavan gave me a good starting point.

I ended up with a single 4X6 on the front bunks, raising them 5.5" total. I put a 4X6 and two 4X4's on the rear bunks. The line drawings said my ballast would be centered slightly behind the front bunks. 'Sea trials' indicated my rear blocks needed to be only one 4X4 and right now a 2X4, and the boat slides on the trailer flawlessly. I have about two inches of clearance from the centerboard to the front axle.

I post this because it was a simple task to take a pile of wood scraps, build up a tinkertoy system that allowed me to adjust the lift with only an open end wrench and a socket (deep well is nice). I spent a total of $30 and about 4 hours on the modification, and now I know what size 'blocks' to make from thick wall steel tubing to make a permanent solution.

Oh, and I spent about two weeks worrying over the drawings ( which were garbage by an engineer's standards (c: ) hoping I didn't destroy the centerboard because I missed a measurment.

When we put the boat on the trailer first time, I slid it on to where I thought it should go, listening carefully for a collision between the CB and the trailer axle/frame. Then hopped on board and let down the CB. It lowered a bit and went 'thunk'. Ahh I'm high enough. Then we pulled the boat out a bit, and tested again. And again repeat till boat out of water.

Found I was high on the back end, the boat sat nose down by about 2 inches, thus the removal of one 4x4 block and the insertion of a 2X4 block, giving me a 1.5 inch boost.

The 1/2 inch threaded rod extensions are plenty tough for this application, and I am sure that someday I'll replace the wood blocks with custom galvanized steel tubing, all welded together to fit. Sure I will.
 
Dec 1, 2013
76
Hunter 81 H22 and 86 Legend 37 H22 Lake Superior, Legend 37 headed for the Caribbean
I have about two inches of clearance from the centerboard to the front axle.
I hope you put some sort of bunk under the centerboard in case the cam cleat lets the lift rope go when you're trailering. If the centerboard drops down on the axle due to the rope letting go it wouldn't be good.
 

SeaTR

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Jan 24, 2009
407
Hunter 22 Groton
203,

What ?? ...no pictures during construction / adjusting ??
:-}
 
Jun 3, 2004
89
Oday 26 Lake Keowee,SC
more pictures......if you need more info email me kdssail@hotmail.com.. I use ruff cut 2x6 yellow pine and they support the boat fine. I would not go to a 4x4 since it will have less bent to accommodate the belly of the boat and the width I feel would be too harrow to spread the weight out. The next time I load the boat I will put in a middle support on each 2x6 to the frame. This is done best if loaded so I can get correct measurements. I added a 20' tongue extension for shallow ramps; be sure both hitch head receivers the the same size ball. good luck, I hope this helps.
 

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203

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Nov 5, 2013
73
Hunter 22 1983 Lake Norman
I hope you put some sort of bunk under the centerboard in case the cam cleat lets the lift rope go when you're trailering. If the centerboard drops down on the axle due to the rope letting go it wouldn't be good.
Yes, this is coming. Actually plan on having a strap around the CB / hull from the toe rail in each side to hold it up in the highest stowed position when I actually 'trailer' the boat.

Right now, and for the foreseeable future, the boat/trailer sits 100 yards from the ramp, and the tow is pretty uneventful (c: ..

I love the Karavan trailer, because it ( as well as many others ) is totally adjustable. I can move anything on it but the frame cross braces.. and I intend to move the wheel carriage forward about 10 inches ( for starters ) to redistribute the load on the axles.. the front axle obviously has more weight than the rear based on how far the springs are deflected one to the other. I also want to put new springs / hardware on it, along with a new rear axle (the front is already new ) as my trailer lived in salt water prior to my acquisition.. but I wanted first to determine is was going to be satisfactory for the job.

It has certainly pleased me so far, and I'll put a 2X8 between the two frame members as soon as I get the axles a bit more in line.
 

203

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Nov 5, 2013
73
Hunter 22 1983 Lake Norman
203,

What ?? ...no pictures during construction / adjusting ??
:-}
Nah, I had such good pictures from you that I really didn't need to take any (c:

All y'all'd seen was me with a 3/4 wrench in my hand (c:
 
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Trailer Mod

I took an old powerboat trailer and raised the roller assemblies on 4X4 steel posts. It worked quite well but as you can see, salt water and untreated steel don't play well together. The replacements that I fabricated last year are 4X4X1/4" aluminum tube welded to a 4X6X1/4 channel. The channel slides over the 3X3 steel frame and bolts across the bottom. As belt and suspenders, all parts are welded and bolted together. I also made a keel support (I have a long, shallow draft keel) out of steel angle and rubber rollers. The whole thing works quite well. I can launch and retrieve in about 3' of water with no tongue extension.
 

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Apr 1, 2010
398
Cal 33 and Sea Pearl 21 . Crystal River, FL
thanks everybody, the pictures and advice really help! I was looking at the trailer better today and the axles and supports dip pretty good in the middle, I don't think I will have to raise the bunks very much so I might not have to be as innovative as I though lol. that's good news!!

dscribner- salt water is part of the reason for this post! if I intended to just sail lakes I could easily weld up some brackets but I don't have the means to weld alum. and I am trying to keep it as low cost as possible.
 
Jun 16, 2010
3
hunter 27 cheribini green cove springs
ez loader conversion all roller

Here is my trailer its all bolt on swing arm style,but you could ditch the rollers and go for bunks and keep the pivot assys,check any onlineld patent site and look under the header"modular sailboat trailer:.hope it helps,also check my sig,got construction pics there.tony