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My Trailer Project

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NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/10/2011 : 09:40:23

Here's what I've been up to while waiting for my rudder.

I bought this Shoreline galvanized, 3"x5" frame, tandem axle, roller bunker trailer for $1100.

I did some upgrades like replace the lights with an LED kit. Then bought all new stainless hardware to replace the rusting nuts/bolts/washers/cotter pins. I'm still having a hard time finding stainless u-bolts in the size I need. I don't think I ever will.

Of course I need to raise the rollers, so I came up with a system to do so. Whatcha think?

I had a coworker get me (4) 1'x3"dia. pieces of galv. conduit.
Had 8 rings fabricated for caps.
Purchased 4 swivel adjustable screwpads.
Purchased (8) 3"x8" u-bolts.
Fabricated 4 backing brackets.

The conduit will be bolted to the trailer frame vie u-bolts and backing plate, and act as a support and slide for the adjustable screwpads which raise the rollers to a desired height.
The conduit/mounts can slide front/back along the trailer frame, along with the screwpads, giving the trailer full adjustability for any size boat. I'm guessing up to 32'. The axle can also move if needed.

I still need to build the support platform. That will be constructed of 3x3 and 2x2 angle iron and hold 2x10's inbetween. I calculated that the platform should be able to hold over 5klbs all by itself.

Here's the design:

So, I'm hoping that in the end the trailer will be able to get my boat out of the lake occasionally, and be used by others. I'm also hoping that I would not have invested over $1500 in the trailer.

1989 C-25 TR/WK #5894
Miss Behavin'
Sittin' in LCYC on Canyon Lake, Texas

Edited by - NautiC25 on 05/10/2011 09:45:37

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 : 19:05:33

That's a very good price for that trailer. Looks like you have a nice plan for modifying it.

Where did you get the screwjacks?

I'd like to see pictures after it's completed.

Edited by - on

NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2011 : 19:29:59

I got the screwjacks from Amazon. They were a set of 4 with swivel heads for $120 shipped. They also had the non-swivel heads for I think $100 shipped.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 03:23:48

Very good deal. I have an Easyloader which I have modified. Increasing the size of the bolts was the first task then added plates to areas that had only one bolt. I still wonder if anyone has had a failure of a bolt breaking. A speed bump did break a 25 trailer u bolt at our lake. The size increase was just the next one up, a 5/8" for a 1/2, 3/4" for a 5/8".

The trips to the NW on very bad roads gave me the concern to upgrade. The jaring of the tires of the trailer with the tires getting air made me rethink the trailer life. The bi-annual trip of over 800 miles from home is another concern.

I added small plates, top and bottom where the tongue meets the frame. There was only one bolts at this point which is hard to check. I added a second support across the frame picking up the tongue for added strength.

A storage trailer which doesn't need the added upgrades should have the keel support. My trailer has 64 rollers which have never dented the hull for the 6 months of on the trailer. Looks like you have a very good trailer with adjustments to protect the boat.

Edited by - on

NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 05:28:10

It would be nice if I could use the rollers as the main support, but I don't trust the screwjacks enough for that kind of lateral weight. I'm hoping that the boat will sit solely on the keel platform, then the rollers/screwjacks only have to deal with minimal lateral movement.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 06:19:05

With a fin or wing keel, isn't there something like a 60/40 split on the weight distribution, where the keel support is supposed to handle 60% of the weight distribution?

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NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 06:28:49

I'm fairly certain that the fin and wings are supposed to handle 90% of the weight.

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 06:42:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NautiC25
 I'm fairly certain that the fin and wings are supposed to handle 90% of the weight.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">FWIW, Trail-Rite was the only trailer manufacturer to receive trailer specs from Catalina. A wing is to have 60% of the weight resting on the keel, 40% on the bunks or roller trains.

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NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 12:59:24

Why would the wing be different than the fin for weight distribution on bunks? From what I read here, i've mostly seen a 90/10 ratio. But, there's way too much confusion going on with the exact number and I have yet to see any kind of proof, just heresay.

Here is Stinkpotter with a 90/10 ratio reference:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23075&SearchTerms=trailer,weight

Here is Pastmember with 90/10 and Gary with 60/40:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18647&whichpage=2&SearchTerms=trailer,weight

Here is OJ with 70/10:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22183&SearchTerms=trailer,weight

I could probably go on....but who do I trust?

Edited by - NautiC25 on 05/11/2011 13:01:51

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 17:23:27

Seems that most of the references are 90/10. I just pulled the 60/40 from memory, not sure where I read it. With our swing keel boat and fin keel trailer, I lower the keel down so it is resting totally on the keel pad. Not sure how much total boat weight that transfers from the boat pads, but I'm assuming it is less than the full 1500 lbs in the keel, so that would put more than half of the total weight on the trailer's six boat pads. didn't notice any oil canning when I had it out for bottom painting. However, I didn't leave the marina with it either. Should I be concerned if I do need to haul it somewhere?

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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4304 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 17:58:57

I called Catalina a year or so ago and they said 60/40. I also called Trailrite and they said about the same.

My question is when you're first setting up your trailer, how do measure how much weight each part (keel pad, bunks/rollers) of the trailer is carrying?

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 19:31:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 

My question is when you're first setting up your trailer, how do measure how much weight each part (keel pad, bunks/rollers) of the trailer is carrying?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thats easy, you buy a pack of gummy worms adn put one on each bunk and one under the keel. Measure their relative thicknesses after compression from teh load, adn you can tell how much weight each gummy worm carried relative to the other gummi worms.

Then you eat the rest of the pack.

Edited by - on

GaryB
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Response Posted - 05/11/2011 : 19:53:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 

My question is when you're first setting up your trailer, how do measure how much weight each part (keel pad, bunks/rollers) of the trailer is carrying?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thats easy, you buy a pack of gummy worms adn put one on each bunk and one under the keel. Measure their relative thicknesses after compression from teh load, adn you can tell how much weight each gummy worm carried relative to the other gummi worms.

Then you eat the rest of the pack.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Good idea! That would make the boat stick to the trailer better too!

Edited by - GaryB on 05/11/2011 19:54:59

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