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For those who've done swing to wing

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/21/2004 : 10:58:47

Hi All,

For those of you who have done the swing to wing conversion, I have a question. My conversion will hopefully be finished within the next month. The guy doing the conversion is also going to modify the trailer. My question is how far did you have to raise the rollers on your trailer? My guy said he measured the trailer and the new keel and thinks he has to raise the rollers 9 inches. That seems like a lot to me. He also said he doesn't think there is enough shaft down in the sleeves to accommodate a 9 inch raise, so he's planning on having his welder increase the shaft lenght. It also seems to me that with the boat 9 inches higher, it could make trailering it a little more unconfortable with the center of gravity so much higher.

Any thoughts?

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

Edited by - Ben on 01/22/2004 10:10:42

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2004 : 11:34:53

Hi Ben,

I've done the sWING thing but don't trailer. However, it seems to me that since there's a difference of two inches between the retracted swing's keel and the wing that a nine inch increase in the rollers/bunks of the trailer is going to have the wing seven inches off the trailer's keel perch. Am I missing something?

Val on the hard DAGNABIT

Edited by - on

pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2004 : 17:20:32

Hey Ben,

That sounds really high to me.....puff puff

Like Val said, there is only a 2" difference in the draft.

The bottom of my 89's keel was rounded and the boat liked to sit a little bow down. That was how it wanted to rest otherwise it would have gotten the "Catalina Smile".

If your new keel is the same way make sure he loads it right.

When I moved my 27, we put the boats keel on the keel bunk of the trailer and let the boat settle as it wanted to. Then we raised the bunks up to the hull with the boat supported by a travel lift.

I believe that was a good way to adjust the trailer. It rode just fine.

Good winds and go Bucks,

Paul

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2004 : 23:55:08

When I bought my WK Mk. IV back in September, I used my existing trailer to haul it home from Virginia. The trailer was built for my old boat, a Mk. I swinger. When we set the new boat on the trailer, we had to raise the front roller assemblies 3", but the rear roller assemblies did not require any change. Hope this helps. Remember though that every manufacturers' trailer is different, as you can see by walking around a dry storage boat yard. Your trailer may require somewhat different adjustments to accomadate the wing keel, but the most you should have to raise the rollers or bunks is three or four inches, and you will likely have to raise the front more than the back.

Edited by - on

cch
Navigator

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202 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2004 : 00:53:27

Hi Ben,

I recently converted from swing to wing. I was frustrated tryng to get the trailer set up right but I only needed to trailer a few miles to get the boat back in the water. Our boat is kept in the slip all year and we have it hauled to do bottom jobs. The trailer has become less important to us than it used to be.

Prior to moving from Colorado to Florida we pulled the boat on the trailer each fall where it stayed through the winter. The swing keel worked well because when the boat was pulled up on the trailer the keel was about 2" above the keel pad, with all the weight resting on the rollers. Before moving the boat I would lower the keel to sit on the pad which adjusted the weight easily. When launching I would raise the keel and the boat would roll off the trailer easily.

Prior to putting the boat back on the trailer with the new wing keel (a lift was used) I raised the bunks 3". Perhaps you can tell by the photos that this was easy due to adjustment holes on the frame. After raising the bunks 3" the bottom of the new keel was about 3" from contacting the keel pad. Again I was lucky because it was not difficult to raise the keel pad. I used a floor jack and lifted the keel (and I suppose the boat a little bit)then raised the pad, until I felt the keel pad was taking some of the weight while perhaps 2/3 of the weight was still on the rollers. The boat seemed to ride on the trailer okay until it was time to launch. Once the boat was lowered into the water it would not come off the trailer. I tried to back down the ramp and slam on the brakes which was not a good idea and didn't work anyway. I pulled the boat back up the ramp, lowered the keel pad some and tried again. If it had not been for the help of a strong young man fishing off the ramp who helped me push the boat off the trailer, I am not sure if I would have managed it. Perhaps if I had a tongue extension I could have let the trailer further out into the water allowing the boat to float more. Most of the ramps in our area end abrubtly and it is not possible to go out very far with the trailer.

To sum up, I feel your bunks should only need to be raised 2"-3" at most, and perhaps Larry's suggestion of raising the front only would help aleviate the problems I had getting the boat off the trailer. I would welcome any ideas, suggestions or photos anyone has with how the wing keel should rest on the pad, and how much of the total weight should rest on the pad and how much on the rollers.

Ben I believe you will really enjoy the new keel once you are back in the water. I hope this helps. I would be more than happy to help with pictures or input if I can, please post on the forum or feel free to eMail me.

Edited by - cch on 01/22/2004 00:55:17

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 01/22/2004 : 07:22:40

Thanks Chris, Larry, Paul and Val. I'll print this out and send it to my guy. Hopefully it will help.

Edited by - on

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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.