sailboat trailer for a 25' Hunter, 1978

[longjohn]

All Sailors:

I'm looking to trailer my 25' Hunter...I have a generic tandem axle trailer, 18' long from front cradle to the back end of trailer.....looking to modify it for the sailboat.
Any suggetions/comments are welcome.

John

 

[DAVA390]

First question,axles to the rear or in the middle of the frame. If old power boat trailer could be difficult conversion.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

second question, how about a photo or two of the trailer. Also which hunter 25 as there were a couple and type of keel? A photo of the hull with keel would be fine too

 

[longjohn]

Dave, thank you for your help. I have the boat out of the water doing a bottom job. I'm attaching two pictures of the bottom. To prevent damage to the keel, the keel can easily be removed if there is 32" of clearance from the bottom of the keel to the ground. With the boat out of the water I have the chance to make a template of the bottom at this time. The boat has a lead keel, I'm guessing it at 2000+lbs. From the bottom of the keel to just below the water line, it's around 42" high. At that point, the boat is about 70" wide. I'm guessing I can retro fit a trailer with two V shaped bunks, one behind and one forward of the keel. The other trailer specs I'm guessing at as well. I want it to sit solid on the trailer, as one goal is to take the boat to various places up and down the Atlantic coast from the Florida Keys to the Mid Atlantic that are too far to sail/motor from where I live.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

First I was not a dealer at the time the original 25 was built. So I am not sure what or how to go so here we go. Keels offer ballast and generally were made of cast iron as lead did not come out till years later in keels. The deep fin keel I believe was cast iron. Does your keel/centerboard pivot on a pin? Take a magnet to it and see if it attaches.

Recently I stated and it was affirmed that the swing centerboard was not a keel as the ballast was in the hull of the boat itself on the old style 22 before my time and that was a centerboard only. I am thinking this is the same here with your 25 but not sure. So does a magnet adhere or not to the centerboard or keel? Does it pivot and if it is cast iron, do not remove when trailering. I still would not remove that as it will create extra work. Also a photo of the trailer or two would help as well.

 

[longjohn]

Hi Dave...the keel is solid lead, no doubt..it's attached with 4 or 5 bolts to the bottom of the boat. Haven't bought a trailer yet, still determining if retrofitting a power boat trailer is the way to go versus building a new one. The three things I'm noticing about a sailboat trailer versus a power boat trailer is:
-weight distribution for a sailboat is more towards the center of the boat, so the trailer wheels will have to be locate more to the center of the trailer versus further back
-the boat supports/runners are higher
-the mast for the crank is higher
-the tongue needs to be longer to allow the trailer to extend further into the water to get it low enough to float the boat onto the supports

Thank you for your interest.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

First photos please. Then I will be glad to comment as we need to talk. There are many things to discuss what to be concerned about but better if we know the specific trailer