Trailer repairs

[Lloyd Franks]

I need to do some work on my trailer. Is there a thread in the archives on removing the boat from the trailer w/o putting it in the water? Thanks.

[Roger]

Here is how to take your boat off the trailer and careening it without hurting it... or yourself.

http://groups.msn.com/RogerConrad/shoeb ... PhotoID=96

and some pictures of the process on a different boat...

http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopi ... =careening

If you are just working on the trailer, you won't have to careen your boat. It is best to do the unloading on the grass with a tree or fence post to hook the back of the boat to, but if you must use your driveway, put an old tarp, or some boatfenders, old life jackets, old blankets, ... some kind of padding down under the transom and center of the boat to prevent scratches.

I couldn't believe how easy this was to do, even single handed.

good luck

[Lloyd Franks]

Thanks...Looks fairly straightforward. Of course, that leads to the next question. How do you get the boat back on the trailer? Seems like the bow would have to be lifted to start the reverse of the process. Is that easily done? Thanks again for all the help.

[Roger]

Because you don't have to worry about the boat going over center and banging down on the transom (like when you are unloading it), loading it back up is easier.

By hand, back your trailer up so that the bow is centered between the rollers or bunks. If you have bunks wet them down with the garden hose to make them slippery, wet down the hull as well. Attach your winch to the boweye and as you hold the trailer tongue up above your head, crank in the winch line until the trailer is wedged under the bow of the boat. Continue to crank in up, moving the trailer tongue to one side or the other to keep the boat coming up the center of the trailer. Your transom should still be anchored to a fence post or tree, so it is actually the trailer that is rolling backwards under the boat. At some point, the tongue will become very easy to push down, do so at this point, to make sure that it dosen't come down hard. You can now release your lines to the transom, or just crank up the winch until the boat is sitting in the bow chock as the trailer continues to roll back. If the transom is still a bit off center at this stage, crawl underneath on all fours and brace your shoulder up against the center of the hull, and umph it into place.

If you have room and your mast is up, while your boat is off the trailer, try careening it, tying down the top of the mast, and extend and examine your cb. You will have to do this at some time during your ownership of this boat, and doing it now will give you the confidence to do it later when it inevidebly becomes necessary, like for bottom painting or cb repair.

[Lloyd Franks]

Thanks again Roger...As I begin the process over the next few weeks, I will keep the board posted.