Association Forum - Project: Keel Guide for Trailer

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Project: Keel Guide for Trailer

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/26/2010 : 10:25:52

Hi all,

In the next few weeks I'm hoping to start and finish a project I've been thinking about for a few years. I'd like to modify my Trailrite trailer by adding a keel guide.

My boat is a wing keel, converted from a swing keel a handful of years ago, and without guides of some sort it is incredibly frustrating getting the boat centered onto the trailer when I pull the boat out of the water.

For the last four years I had "goal posts" attached to the aft end of my trailer to guide the boat itself onto a centered position over the trailer, but that's problematic because the boat is so wide that instead of contacting the rub rail (thereby causing no damage), the posts make contact with the gelcoat beneath the rub rail and a bit of gel coat comes off everytime I launch and retrieve the boat.

So anyway, I've taken the goal posts off, and am going to draw up plans for adding a couple 2x10, or 2xsomethings, to act as a shute/guide so when I motor up to the ramp with my trailer submerged that the new keel guide funnels me into proper position over the trailer.

Has anyone done a similar modification? Do you have any tips or insights?

Thanks all!!

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2010 : 11:32:37

The "goal post" guide bars should be positioned, if possible, at the widest part of the boat. On our C-22 trailer, that means just behind the wheels. For the C-25 trailer with tandem axles, you might want to add a second pair, just in front of the wheels. From what I've read by others on this forum, a keel guide causes problems with the wings catching on the guides if the water depth is not just right.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4316 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2010 : 17:38:59

I've always wondered what would happen to the keel/wings if you were trying to launch or retrieve at a ramp that was exposed and had rough water. Seems like the up and down motion could put some pretty hefty forces on the keel/wings when they lifted up and hit against the bottom of the keel guides.

Worse yet, what would happen if the boat started swinging to one side with the keel in the guides. Twisting the keel off would put a dent in your sailing season really quick!

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2010 : 20:38:12

If the keel guides are wood, then the keel would probably break them.

Edited by - on

cat25
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2010 : 03:25:26

I have vertical pvc with steel guides near the rear of the trailer. They are installed a distance of 8 feet apart. They are at a slight angle the top being in more than the bottom. They seem to work well the hull sides are not touched. My boat is 1990 wing keel#6022.

Edited by - on

Inspiration
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
17 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2010 : 06:52:05

hey Ben I have a trail rite and the PO added guides to the bottom of the trailer where the wing comes in to help guide the boat on ( supposedly) I haven't tried to launch from the trailer yet I've always used a sling. I've never put pics on here but I can try if you would like. The boat sits in my shop.

Ted

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2010 : 08:23:28

Hmm...well shoot, I hadn't anticipated a difficulty in the wing keel catching on the guides I was planning to build. That is something which could certainly create a big problem though. Heck, i wish I hadn't taken the goal posts of already.

Maybe I'll re-mount the goal posts forward of the tandem axles where they can catch the boat and hold it centered over the trailer. That way it won't have to be at the widest part of the boat, and hopefully will not damage the gelcoat but would instead make contact only with the rub rail as intended.

Just brainstorming here.

Thanks all for your advise!

Edited by - on

Unsinkable2
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
273 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2010 : 08:52:10

Could you wrap the goal posts with a foam sleeve? (Like pipe insulation)?

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2402 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2010 : 13:16:59

I removed my keel guides from my wing trailer when I saw the chink missing from where it had hit the metal part of the guide. Also I use a crane and could not get the boat off with guides in place. I had a keel stop on my merit 25 which merely stopped the keel in the forward position and did not center it until it was against the stop. It was essentially a metal vee with sides not much larger than hands; carpeted of course. You can just see it here.

Edited by - pastmember on 08/31/2010 13:17:48

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4316 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2010 : 17:18:00

Here's another approach. The pictures below are courtesy of Julian with C25 #5855

The width between the upright boards is approx 28-1/2" - 29".

Edited by - on

fineg
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2010 : 00:02:58

I have guides similar to the ones in the large set of pictures from GaryB. I don't have any pictures to share at the moment. They were installed by the PO, or perhaps came w/ the trailer. The are a bit different in that the "V" shape at the aft end angles up somewhat given that the aft end of the trailer sits lowest in the water and you still want to catch the keel. I've had no trouble w/ these. If the nose of the boat is centered on the winch, the rest of the boat always sits nicely centered on the trailer without me trying anything special. The nice thing about the keel guides is that they will force the boat to be centered on the trailer even if there are some wind and waves, whereas the goal posts have to be flexible and bend, and you have to use them just as a reference to manually center the boat - or so it would seem.

Edited by - fineg on 09/01/2010 00:03:31

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2010 : 04:48:36

Fineg, the images that GaryB posted are along the lines of what I was planning to do. Do you use a ramp to retrieve your boat then? Someone else here mentioned they have keel guides but launch and retrieve with a crane. Sadly, my lake does not have a crane. the warning of catching the keel on the keel guides now has me seriously re-thinking the wisdom of the guides.

also, it looks like the images of the trailer that GaryB posted don't have follers. mine does. I could see how the boards like in GaryB's post would actually assist as "guides", whereas my rollers may or may not.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2010 : 08:26:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fineg
 . . . "V" shape at the aft end angles up somewhat given that the aft end of the trailer sits lowest in the water and you still want to catch the keel . . . If the nose of the boat is centered on the winch, the rest of the boat always sits nicely centered . . . The nice thing about the keel guides is that they will force the boat to be centered on the trailer . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Great description Greg - if you can share pix of your setup it would greatly appreciated. We're already anticipating several tries this fall to center our wing keel.

Edited by - on

mga
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
38 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2010 : 18:24:23

Ben, did you have the trailer modified from swing keel to wing keel, or the PO? I am trying to find out what is required for the mod, since I am buying a wing keel Cat-25, but so far only have a swing keel roller trailer available to pick it up. Any advice or pics would be appreciated, either here or on my thread (started just a few days ago on this forum), or mandlaim1@sbcglobal.net.

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2010 : 13:40:56

Hi Mike,

The only modification that was necessary for my trailer to accommodate the new wing keel was a narrow wedge-shaped wooden block bolted to the "tray" that the swing keel used to rest on. Fortunately for me, the rollers on my trailer were already set high enough so only that wooden block was necessary. When I was planning for the wing keel conversion, I figured I'd have to adusted them up a little but, but didn't have to.

Edited by - on

fineg
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2010 : 17:56:19

Sorry for delay in replying to the question. I do launch from a ramp. Have never tried lifting from a crane. From what I recall, it would work without the wing getting caught in the guide. Haven't been out to the boat yet to take pics. Maybe this weekend. Wanted to go last weekend, but at 103 degrees, didn't feel like baking while I sailed. As soon as I go, I'll post pics.

Edited by - on

mga
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
38 Posts

Response Posted - 07/31/2012 : 08:21:58

Thanks to all who responded to this string -- just a (late) update: I avoided problems by using the crane the first season, but came up with an idea after reading your suggestions -- I used lengths of 2x6, attached vertically to the bunk supports on the starboard side only, built them out to touch the keel wing when the boat is properly centered, and covered them with carpet. Now when I load the boat, I just use mooring lines to keep it slightly toward starboard while it settles onto the trailer. It was cheap (first prototype was wood scraps at the marina and some duck tape), and it avoids any problems wedging or pinching when the boat moves around while coming into position. Thanks again for the always ready support.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.