Trailer Setup

[mikep22]

After lurking in the forums for a year or so, I finally found a boat to buy and join the ranks of the O'day owners. I now have a new to me 1973 O'Day 22. I am hoping to take it out on the Chesapeake Bay in the springtime.

The boat is sitting on a trailer supported by rollers, but the keel is not actually sitting on the trailer. Would it make sense to cut the supports for the rollers down to get the keel on the trailer? I am thinking that would make for more stable towing, easier launch/retrieval, and less stress on the hull at the rollers.

This forum has had a wealth of sailboat knowledge and that helped me decide that this was the right boat for me.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Apex]

Add support under the keel area would work as well.

Those that trailer would be btter suited to reply with the correct support for this model.

 

[Brian S]

Looks like there is a fair amount of space under the keel. I'm guessing if there's more than about 4" of space under the keel - more than you can stack 2 2x8 planks, you might consider lowering the side roller supports. The reason is, if you had to stack up 3 or 4 planks, then that boat is riding pretty high. Putting 1 2x8 with sides built up so that the keel has a "cattle chute" to direct it onto the trailer straight is very convenient. Having 2 stacked 2x8's probably gives you more structural support for the weight of the boat sitting on the keel. But going higher than that probably implies that you could get the boat to sit lower, with a lower center of gravity, which makes trailering feel more secure. But if you're just using the trailer twice a year to launch and retrieve, and you don't routinely trailer long distances, then maybe just stack boards to git 'er done…

Brian

 

[Hydro Therapy]

It does look like she sits high on the trailer. If you can launch it at that hight than I would raise the keel support.

I attached a pic of my 22 on the trailer. I think mine sits lower, but in your case it would probably be easier to raise the keel support.

 

[OdayDave]

Looks like the roller supports can shift down so that the keel rests on the keel support. Obviously you have to support the boat before doing this. You may need to relocate your spare tire but that's easy. Alternatively, raise up the keel support. The downside as noted above is that you will have to go further down the launch ramp to float it off. One final point - I have always used trailer guides to get it on the trailer easier when retrieving. It makes life a lot easier when pulling the boat. See the link below for a picture of the 222 on the trailer.

http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=2157&pictureid=13842


Dave
s/v Lagniappe
O'Day 25

 

[mikep22]

I got a better picture of the underside. The PO had some custom metal supports made for the trailer, but I have to wonder why they are at the height they are and not a bit lower. It looks like I could cut them down a few inches and put a new bolt hole in for the rollers. I like the idea of building up a keel guide as it appears that the boat is a bit off side right now as well as having the keel about 8 inches higher than need be.

 

[Indysailor]

I'm really surprised the hull doesn't flex where the rollers are located, since you have all the weight on them. You can cut those roller stands to height, replace them with adjustable or lower ones, or you can raise the keel bed. I chose the last option on mine, but it has welded, fixed bunk brackets. And it's an old home made trailer that only goes a quarter mile twice a year, more of a cradle on wheels. If you are planning on trailering for any distance at all, it seems to me that getting the boat lower would be a good idea. Then build a little chute to guide the keel in.

 

[Technodad]

Here is my set up, I hope you can get something from it.

The weight of the whole boat sits on the heavy lead keel within the bottom "U" channel. I adjust the pads so that they are pressing up on the hull enough to stabilize the boat side to side, I can actually forcefully rotate them by hand when adjusted properly.

A good thing about this setup is I can just tie one side of the boat to the trailer then lower the pads on the other side for painting the whole side free of obstruction, I then repeat for the other side doing one side at a time.

When I first got the boat, the pads were adjusted to take a lot of the weight and the bottom was actually bulged up at two pads, fortunately the bottom popped back out and I do have to re-fiberglass some inside tabs as a result.

You cannot expect the thin FG hull to take the weight of the whole boat and heavy keel. If the keel is un-supported imagine what happens when you hit a deep bump on the road, the hull must really flex up.

Boats are made strong around the Keel / bottom area's and are designed to take the weight.

This is what works for me and my trailer, I hope you can get something useful from this to help you....

 

[AWalker]

Install keel rollers at the crossmembers, then cut the uprights down to lower the boat onto the rollers.

 

[HarryP33]

I have a '74 O'Day 22 on a roller trailer very similar to mikep22 (original post). The only difference: my hull does not sit nearly as high, and my rollers are a bit more forward on the hull than where yours are. My keel sits just a couple of inches above the axle... the boat is directly and only supported by the rollers on the bottom of the hull, and the keel hangs freely and is not supported directly by the trailer. Contrary to what others have suggested, I have no issues with my hull deforming, cracking or any other issue. The early model-year 22's hull is bullet-proof, way more thicker than newer designs... and even those 22's from the late seventies. I have owned this boat and trailer for a little over 20 years, trailer-sailed it extensively for the first ten, and now only trailer it twice a year and store the boat for winter lay-up.

My two-cents: if it trailers OK with the higher center-of-gravity, I wouldn't change a thing. If you want to add keel guides to more easily center it onto the trailer, that's a good idea. I always said I would do that, but quite frankly, I never had that much trouble centering it up "manually" without them... and what little time I have to mess around with the boat, I'd rather vest my time elsewhere... including going sailing.

 

[Brian M H23]

Simply replace the rollers with carpeted bunks and I have a feeling everything will be fine??

 

[James19955]

Mike lots of interesting responses but let me add my 2 cents worth.
I have a trailer for my O'Day 23. The keel sits on an inverted steel "U' channel. There are ajustable pads at the stern which are raised "tightened" after the boat loaded on the trailer. There are two board which help support the keel and stop it from rocking.
This is a great set-up but has one major problem .... I cannot get into the swing keel when the boat is out of the water. So if you add a keel plate make sure that it has a slot or is open so that the swing keel can be operated so you can clean it. I sail in Narragansett Bay in New England and the salt water does a number on the steel. I see you will sail the Chesapeake so make sure you give the trailer and the wheel hubs a good shower after each launch and retrieval. I will try to post some pictures later but the boat/trailer are not nearby so I'll see whats on the camera which shows the features I mentioned above.
Finally good luck and welcome to this site - I've received lots of great advice here.

james

 

[Meriachee]

Dropping the height of the boat makes it easier to launch too. While not precisely the same, my C270 trailer had a 4x4 post under the keel when I got it. By dropping the supports, repositioning the cross-members, and dropping them, almost 11 inches, and adding 4" drop axles, I got the boat 18 inches lower on the trailer, overall. Yes it was lots of work, but the extra clearance overhead and less hassle at the launch ramp is well worth the effort.

The keel guides will ensure that the boat sits where you want it almost every time. Much less stress, even if you only use it twice a year.