This thread should be blocked for further comment, it is over 3 years old except for reply number #20 which points towards itself as an answer to the question asked in this thread so it is a loop on itself.
Trailer Sailing a 25' Full Keel
- Thread starter Persistence
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I would vote to keep it open. This is a subject of continuing interest to me. I am buying a boat with a tongue extension on the trailer and just a primitive bunk arrangement. I find the European approach interesting: they tend to go for just rollers, with a swivelling multiroller at a tipping point near the rear of the trailer. Here are 2 Swedish videos showing an extreme version, a boater who does not want to get his wheelbearings wet! But the trailer impresses me. Try pausing the videos to get a good look. It all goes very smoothly, by someone who has done it for years. He must have a good winch, to pull up a boat that weighs about 4500 lbs when fully kitted out and tanked up.
I am thinking of building up a trailer for our Seaward 25 on this principle, and don't think I'll need the tongue extension doing it this way, if I drop the trailer down the ramp far enough to immerse the wheels. This trailer should also work for a full, not for a fin however, keel.
I am thinking of building up a trailer for our Seaward 25 on this principle, and don't think I'll need the tongue extension doing it this way, if I drop the trailer down the ramp far enough to immerse the wheels. This trailer should also work for a full, not for a fin however, keel.
I probably would not do that with a Seaward 25. The point load on those aft rollers has got to be very high. They needed someone in the water at the large rollers videoing the hull deflection. Another method I've seen in Europe to keep the wheels out of the water used a cradle that rolled off the back of the trailer that had 10" rollers on it. The way they load big garbage dumpsters. The keel was about 2" off the concrete. You could design it where the aft rollers were adjustable to ramp angle and put the cradle/boat in level with the water. I looked at a lot of ideas, including the one in the video, before I built my pivoting keel tray/bow stop trailer. Still have to get the wheels wet but I would still check bearings on any trailer anyway.
The Seaward is said to have a robust hull structure, but indeed the videos I linked above do show an extreme approach and considerable stress on the hull. I would be thinking of a trailer sitting a foot deeper, maybe two feet. With my O'Day on bunks I have my truck rear wheels touching the water and the trailer fully immersed. This makes recovery easy but often a little wet for yours truly. Well, always a little wet. The O'Day has a flat bottom and so rollers would be an easy modification. The problem with the Seaward is the shallow, short, fixed keel with fins at the rear. Tipping rollers would have to be, as you suggest, high enough to clear this. Expensive parts, but available, and since the boat ramp is the most stressful part of sailing, for me at least, the expense would be worthwhile for a system that worked simply and well.
OK... I found Surfix, thanks. Looks like a smooth teflon/UHMW plastic. I have various materials of that type here so shall have a go, probably first for the keel bunk. Also thinking of getting a Sherpa Grunter winch.
Thanks for the tip. I might not need rollers after all.
Thanks for the tip. I might not need rollers after all.
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I faced the fact long ago that it is virtually impossible for me to launch or retrieve a boat without getting wet. I now go prepared for that with a change of clothes as part of the “kit”
This winch has some nice features. I particularly like that fact that it has a strap vs wire rope and a wireless remote that lets you stand back from the danger zone and get a good perspective. NOTE always have a backup plan if the electric winch fails
The videos of the powerboat trailer give me the shakes!!
If that cable snapped or the deadeye pulled out etc the people standing around would be in BIG trouble. I don’t want to be overly dramatic but I have seen first hand what can happen and it’s NOT pretty.
I’m guessing that you will be launching at different ramps in varying conditions so if you admit to that part of trailering stressful you are smart to design something that makes it less so.
Getting the trailer far enough into the water so that some of the boat is lighter through it’s flotation has a lot of benefit. Placing guides in strategic areas so that the boat lines up where you want it also help a lot. Many trailers use guide posts at the rear to aid with this. Nothing preventing anyone to place another set further ahead to keep things lines up.
Good luck with your new vessel