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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Boat fell

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/11/2011 : 10:16:54

I was hauled out yesterday. The yard guys parked the boat in its winter resting place, lowered the wheel on the tongue, chocked the tires and left. A little while later, I was on board cleaning things up and the trailer fell off the little wheel in the front and dropped on the tongue. Apparently the detent pin wasn't adequately set. Probably dropped about 12"-18". When I got off the boat, changed my drawers

, I inspected the tongue and trailer and all appeared OK. I didn't see any cracked welds, crushed tubing, etc. The coupling mechanism on the extenstion (which is where the trailer hit the ground) looked OK and opened and closed as normal. I just chalked it up to $&!^ happens and when about closing up the boat for winter.

Frankly, it didn't occur to me until last night when I explained all this to the Admiral that there could be damage to the boat. Or at least, I started worrying about that possibility. What should I look for? Should I be calling the insurance company now? The boat was sitting on the keel over the axles and obviously, that didn't drop. The only area that dropped was the bow resting in the "V" at the front of the trailer and on the forward pads. Can I assume that the bow and hull in those areas can take such a load?

John Russell
1999 C250 SR/WK #410
Bay Village, Ohio
Sailing Lake Erie
Don't Postpone Joy!

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 10:32:11

No Problem. Thick hull. Laid up well.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 10:59:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John Russell
 . . . "V" at the front of the trailer and on the forward pads . . .
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Rubber or carpeted "V" and carpeted forward pads - I bet the hull takes more pounding in rough waters.

Does the boat have a bow eye? Any signs of stress there?

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 11:12:40

You're right about the waves, OJ but they displace the force over a wider area. I guess my real concern is under the 12" square pads the the hull sits on. I doubt the bow eye hit anything since the bow is snug against the rubber "V". (Does that thing have a name?) But, I didn't look there and the boat's an hour away. I'll look Sunday when I go to cover her for the winter.

Ray, looking at all those lams is re-assuring.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 12:09:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John Russell
 . . . but they displace the force over a wider area . . . the rubber "V". (Does that thing have a name?) . . .
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Excellent point John . . . V-block?

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 12:10:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John Russell
 ...I doubt the bow eye hit anything since the bow is snug against the rubber "V". (Does that thing have a name?)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Yup--it's called "the V-shaped thing the bow presses against".

Is your bow eye in contact with it? That would seem strange, but if so, just look for spider-cracks around the eye. Otherwise, the semi-vertical bow shouldn't be bothered by that "thing." Talk about a heavy layup--the bow typically has overlapping laminations from both sides of the hull. After all, it's built for newbies hitting docks.

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 13:49:58

It's called a "bow stop"

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 16:32:16

You might call your agent incase something comes up in the future. I would inspect internally an externally in the pad area, but wouldn't be to worried.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 17:00:22

John, glad you weren't hurt and hoping there's no damage to your boat. I think I'd call my insurance agent just so they're aware of the possible damage. While checking for obvious damage around where the v-thingy is, you should also look for remote damage that may have occurred. Since it was a shearing impact, there may be damage up around the deck joint or further back on the hull where you wouldn't expect.

I always called the thing up front the "snubber", but all the rest are just as good. Ours is a double on a see-saw type of pivot. I'll be damned if I can ever get the bow all the way snugged up to it. I used to try a good "high speed" stop to slide the boat forward, but it never worked, so I gave up.

We always put SL up on a cinder block so it's weight isn't sitting on the rolling jack.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2011 : 17:33:03

The V-thingy prevents the eye from hitting the trailer support. I'll give Progressive a call tomorrow. I usually put some dunnage under the tongue and don't rely on the wheel but, that was a task I hadn't gotten to yet. I needed to scavenge the blocks from around the yard. They're there now.

Edited by - John Russell on 10/11/2011 17:34:28

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/12/2011 : 05:42:26

Adjustable Jack stands...

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Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 10/12/2011 : 06:42:15

I am not a big fan of the wheel type that swings up. I really couldn't see moving the trailer around with that front wheel on a C25. I put this one on my trailer and it can handle the load and there is no chance of it kicking out.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 10/12/2011 : 07:15:47

We use the same jack as Chris. Also mounted is a wheel which carries he weight of the trailer when strap-launching. I like this setup a lot although there are times when I wish I had the jack with the little wheel so I could give the trailer a shove when lining up to the hitch ball. When the trailer is in place we support the tongue with cinder blocks and raise the jack.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/12/2011 : 07:48:06

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