Trailer setup for 222

[anchorclanker]

My 222 didnt come with a trailer, but I am going to get one soon and will have to customize it to fit. I am curious if anyone has any dimensions, such as keel width, or the approx height and width of your bunks. The boats 34 miles away, so I was thinking the closer I could get it at home, the less I will need to fuss with it at the ramp. The ramp can get a bit busy and I sure dont want to be holding anyone up. It would also be interested to know the approx center of gravity, I assume its near the mast but know all to well what assumptions can cause. Also, as I will need to unstep the mast and secure it, I would very grateful of any dimensions of your mast cradles.

Im looking for a tandem, but will settle for a heavy single axle if its in good enough condition. The boat hasnt left the water in over 8 years, I think its time for some real maintenance.

 

[Joe11688]

I could give you some measurements but you would have to have a trailer like mine in order for them to do you much good because all trailers are built different. Some trailers have curved cross members and some have straight cross members. You're going to need some 24" extension brackets to hold your bunks up high enough for the keel to sit squarely on the keel board in the center of the trailer's cross members.

Are you planning on using a trailer a couple of times a years and leaving the boat on a mooring or slip or are you planning of trailering when you want to sail?
The original trailer that came with my 1986 O'Day 222 was a Load-Rite single axle roller trailer with 15" wheels and this trailer was great for trailer sailing. You could launch this boat as easy as any powerboat at most ramps. I did this for eight years. The hulls on these O'Days are strong, thick, and hard. They can take a complete roller trailer. With that said though, if you're planning on leaving the boat in the water and using the trailer about twice a year, pick up a good tandem bunk trailer that's good for 4600 lbs and will take a 23' boat.
In the mean time, you could have a boat hauler pick up the boat and bring it down to your house and put it on stands. Then you could work on it in your yard and take your time and decide on the trailer.

Just to give you an idea of the height, those two back extension bracket in the first picture are 4' apart and measure 20.5" from the top of the A frame to to top of the cloth bunks on each side of the boat.
The next two brackets which are the middle brackets on both sides of the boat are 18.5" high because of the belly of the hull and the front ones are 21.5" high.
Looking at the second picture: I have another two bunk set up to support the bow. The brackets are set at 19.5" and and exactly 20 respectfully going toward the bow.
I'm using two sandwiched pressure treated planks in the center of the cross members to support the keel.
Actually, the heights I gave your are taken from keel sitting on these two sandwiched planks which are 2x 10''s.

 

[anchorclanker]

Thanks Trinkka, that gives me a lot to go on. I dont think ill be paying to have it hauled though. Im a long ways from the lake, which would be very $$$$$, and I can buy a trailer for a $100 or so and set it up to carry the boat, which will only add to its value and saleability.

 

[Joe11688]

Click on the name "Trinkka" and go to "Albums". I just got through uploading some pics and info to a new album entitled, "Setting up the trailer for this boat." There are also some other albums that I recently uploaded that have a lot of valuable info pertaining to the O'Day 222 that you may want to check out.
Good Luck!
Joe

 

[anchorclanker]

Just picked up an old 18 foot (heavy) inboard on a decent clean (no rust) trailer last Wednesday. Boat was abandoned, so I got it very cheap. I sold the boat for parts yesterday (fast turnaround, thanks craigslist) for just a little less than I paid for the whole works, so its almost a free trailer. After I got it home I put two new trailer tires under it, and will replace the bearings this week too. Its a single axle but is rated at 3500 so ill be okay. Now the mod/fun begins. I see the axle has backing plate mounts for brakes, so that will be in the works too (ill use electrics).

The nice thing is the axle has a drop V, which even with full spring compression will clear the dropped V cross members. This will allow the boat to sit much closer to the road, lower CG, lower to get under the boat at the ramp, its a win win. I'll post a pic later, but I feel very blessed to have found this trailer (compared to a lot of junkers ive seen for as much or more, or ones I couldnt afford) and im pretty excited to finally be able to get our boat home.

 

[anchorclanker]

Click on the name "Trinkka" and go to "Albums". I just got through uploading some pics and info to a new album entitled, "Setting up the trailer for this boat." There are also some other albums that I recently uploaded that have a lot of valuable info pertaining to the O'Day 222 that you may want to check out.
Good Luck!
Joe

Thanks Joe

Thats going to be a big help in the next week or so as I set my trailer up.

One concern. The trailer has wide rollers on each of the three cross members for the keel. I am thinking to remove them and put down a carpeted plank/bunk. By my estimation, the boat would only rest on the center roller. Thoughts?

 

[Joe11688]

I wouldn't' carpet the plank. The keel would dig right into it and tear it. Just use two sandwiched planks like I did and pick up two of those brackets at the electric light plant. All you need off these brackets is the back plates and carriage bolts, nuts and washers. These brackets are used for mounting cutouts, lightning arrestors, and URD termination kits (Pot Heads.) on cross arms.
I used a 3/4" or 1'' high speed bit to countersink the carriage bolt heads into the top plank so that the keel wouldn't hit them. There is on long jagged slot on each of these plates which provides plenty of room for error on bolt spacing.

 

[anchorclanker]

I wouldn't' carpet the plank. The keel would dig right into it and tear it.

Makes sense.

So, I just read the Dana 24 thread, did you buy your 222 new in 86? That's a long time to own the same boat. Guess it says something about its design.

 

[Joe11688]

Makes sense.

So, I just read the Dana 24 thread, did you buy your 222 new in 86? That's a long time to own the same boat. Guess it says something about its design.

Yes I did. After I bought the boat I asked the dealer if the company could install a full stern rail and leave the winches and tracks off the cabin for me to put on the combings later, and they complied with my request. Although the dealer had a large inventory of 192s, 222s and 240s in stock he was willing to do this for me. The owners of the dealership were twin brothers named Rod and Don Gauch in Shrewsbury Ma., and they were the best people I had ever dealt with. These guys sold Catalina and O'Day and they had five warehouses spread out in different locations along with their main building.

I had a chance to take two tours of the Fall River Ma. O'Day factory back then and I saw my boat being built. These people were great to talk to. I had so many questions and they answered them.

 

[anchorclanker]

Thats really cool, Joe.

You have a lot of interesting mods youve made too, many of which can be a big help to those who are interested.

 

[Joe11688]

My favorite mod is probably the easiest one that anybody could do which involves cutting the top half of the rear Starboard bulkhead to gain more space inside the combing for storage of a boat hook and whisker pole.

When I visited the O'Day plant back in 1986, I met the Associate Director. Her name was Leslie Lindeman and she put a newsletter called the "O'Day Owners Association" which included all owners of O'Day sailboats from 12' to 40'. It was a free newsletter which included tales of adventure, race results, photos, tuning and maintenance tips plus announcements of new products. It was published quarterly and they welcomed new ideas and suggestions. They conducted rendezvous and casual racing activities.

The first mod that I did to my boat came out of that newsletter. A guy wrote in and offered a solution to that plywood cover over the Sani Pottie in the V birth section. He didn't like having that cover against his back whenever he was sitting on the head, so he cut the cover to about the thickness of the mattress and added a pair of hinges to it so that the cover could lie flat on the V birth when it was open.

To me, the next best thing to sailing and hanging out on my boat is doing the mods. All you need to do is think of what you can do to your boat to make it more user friendly and pleasurable, then come up with a plan that will make it happen.

My favorite America hero once said, "Be sure you're right, then go ahead." --Davy Crockett.

 

[Mich222]

Hi AnchorClancker:
I started with a speedboat single axle trailer that could accomodate weight of Oday 222 and gear; I used the original speedboat bunks but had longer c-channel posts made. Also had a taller front trailer post manufactured so that winch and front strap to bow eye would be in alignment. First I built a keel rest. Then, had marina hoist my Oday 222 on the new keel rest and confirmed correct tongue weight, set the side bunks and front post.

 

[anchorclanker]

That's really funny Terri. I just found those same exact pictures posted online last night on soem other website, haha. But thank you. Its always great when others are willing to help other people. I think yours are the only actual pics like that (with measurements) anyone could find anywhere, certainly the only ones I could find.