Trailering your boat
A couple of comments. First, you probably are looking at having to have a boatyard or marina use a boat lift with straps to lift the boat out of the water and place it into the trailer, as opposed to being able to back the trailer into the water and float it on. That is what I have to do with my Capri 22 with the fixed keel. I figure that it runs about $100 a shot to have them either step the mast or unstep it, and to then have them lift the boat in or out. Second, I am assuming that the trailer is one that goes with your boat in that it has been used each year in the past with it. If so the pads should be adjusted correctly height wise. If not, then you will need to adjust them with the boat still in the lift. The keel should NOT be weight bearing!! The pads should bear the weight with the keel sitting nicely in its little slot on the bottom of the trailer. Third, a few minor bits of advice from the "been there - done that" school of learning . . . a) if your trailer is at all like mine, be very very careful about the center of gravity fore and aft when it is on the trailer. One person's weight slightly too far back can make the entire boat and trailer tip back with the bow going up into the air, Its a real sickening sound when you slowly move forward after it happens and it tips back down with a major "thud", you get out and go looking for the crack in the hull. Having done it I was lucky and didn't hurt the hull. I will this winter either buy or build an extra jack stand to place under the stern to prevent that from happening again. b) If you plan on putting a tarp or some other waterproof wrapping over the boat to protect against snow or rain, etc., disconnect the lifelines. If you leave them rigidly attached, you can end up with good pools of water trapped between the cabin and the lifelines that will then stress the stanchions all winter. You can end up with the deck having some stress cracks from the weight of all that water. Fourth - if you plan on actually towing the boat somewhere, measure the actual height so you know your clearance for bridges, etc. Also, make sure that you use a tow vehicle that is large enough to safely tow the boat. I am reluctant to tow my Capri 22 with a Cherokee. I might be tempted to rent a good sized and heavy UHaul truck to tow it with. The size and weight of a 22 with it sitting as high as it does, creates to my mind some risks associated with where the center of gravity is when towing so that you could have some weird handling issues. Hence a truck that clearly out weighs the boat and trailer. Also make sure you strap the boat down to the trailer. Good luck
