Attaching boat on trailer

There is no silly question, but the one never asked ... So, here goes:

What suggestions do you have to attach my Chester Yawl onto its trailer; I purposely did not put a bow eye during the build. I do have scupperred inwales to which (theoretically, at least) I could pass a strap through, but I would rather not, in order to preserve the varnish. I have used a strap passing through the oarlocks. I am hesitant to tighten the straps too much and bend the boat, but obviously I do not wish to lose it, either.

Below is a picture of my work around, but I am open to suggestions and would like to find a less time consuming solution that will work and be safe.

Also, should I put something soft between the bow and bow roller, or should it even rest against it, at all?

Thank you in advance for your ideas.

Ok, I cannot seem to post the picture, so here is the link:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1mubsCgWltnHPfheV4m5Ehw5c86NRwTgI

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B81mbFEcmsHoakgtY0xFWXJ4aHM

 

 

 


8 replies:

« Previous Post       List of Posts       Next Post »

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

I loop long straps around the axel frame then up over boat. For bow the strap wraps around frame just aft of roller to keep it from sliding forward and loosening. My biggest concern is keeping straps away from chafe points. Lost a few straps that way. Have seen no damage to varnish from straps.
But - it is much easier for me. I don’t have a museum quality boat.

 

   

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

Thanks for your input Silver Salt! Sounds like basically more or less the same technique I have been using (slightly different strap location). I am getting some chafing of the varnish around the rubrails and the rags I used were slipping. I will just have to find a way to secure them to the straps so that they stay in place.

Thank you for the kind words.

 

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

   I am still inn the process of building my Chester Yawl but I intend on using a strap across the the boat and I will also use an eye in the bow. While I purchased a ubolt type eye from CLC, I felt that the two leg style was too heavy and too short to pass through the epoxy inside the bow, at least on my boat. I purchased a single bolt eye with a longer bolt at Hamilton Marine. If interested, I can get you more details, but I understand from above that this may not be of any interest.

Best of luck with your build!

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

   I prevent rubbing and chafing with foam pipe insulation wrapped over the gunwhales. A low cost substitute is "pool noodles" . They are cheap and plentiful in dollar stores in the warmer months. 

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

���Foam pipe insulation can also protect your kayaks, boats and SUPs on sawhorses, roof racks and canoe/kayak storage racks.

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

Great idea about pipe noodles, although my initial try with them was not the most succesful. They stayed in place while parked, but soon wiggled their way down the strap and off the rails causing the straps to go loose by the thickness of the now missing noodle (despite the straps being as taught as comfortable while parked).

Thank you all. Brett B, good call on putting the bow eye in while you are building it. I did not do it for aesthetic reasons, thinking the scuppered inwales would help if needed. While this is true, I sure would welcome that bow eye, now.

Two people can lift the boat and put it in the water, although from a dock, it is akward to try and lift the hull and lower it onto the water without touching the seawall or dock.

Single handed, the above proposition is a recipe for disaster. Sure, beach rollers and the like are an option, but it makes the launch prep and time longer than what I am willing to do.

Trailer launch is akward from a boat ramp without getting wet while retrieving it, in the abscence of the bow eye. Sure I can lash a bridle and line through the bow scuppered inwales to lower the boat in, but it is a matter of time before chafing negates the value of this option. Especially, trying to retrieve the boat and pulling the boat up the bunks until on the bow roller. Easy to do by hand, but involves etting wet. A fun option in the summer, but not fun with 39F.

Which brings my next topic of fenders (in a different post).

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

For my skerry, I use a combination of pool noodles with a hollow inside (which I think may be the same thing as the pipe insulators, just in fun colors.)  I cut a slit in the side so they can slip over the gunnels.  On their own, they will wiggle off, so I put the canvas cover over them, and then I strap that down to the trailer with the black straps sold on this site.  I bought two orders of straps, two in the front, to hold down to the trailer and also kind-of around the front to keep from sliding forward; and two in the back to hold it down and also around the back end to keep it sliding back.  The loose ends of the black straps, I tuck in and wedge between the noodle and the canvas cover.

I've towed it 400+ miles like this, no problems.  Whenever I take a bathroom break I check that the straps aren't flying looks.  Works great.

RE: Attaching boat on trailer

Thanks, Erik. Very helpful. That is sort of what I did in the night road side picture I posted, except the pool noodle under the canvas should be a good addition I will try. Straps over canvas onto hull chafes the finish, but it sounds that noodles inbetween alleviate that.

I used bow and amidship straps through the oarlocks (I have the cover with cutouts for the sliding row seat and even without the seat, those cutouts help nicely. Will likely add two diagonal straps for the bow and stern as you suggested.

Cheers,

Eric

« Previous Post     List of Posts     Next Post »


Please login or register to post a reply.