16-foot Hull Trailer Set-up

[Cwilson375]

I just picked up [a Boston Whalet 16-foot hull] that was flipped upside down on a trailer. I pulled the hull off the trailer. Now I am trying to figure out how to set the trailer up for the boat. I have never done this before, but I am fairly good at turning a wrench. At this point I am not sure what the best way to approach this is and would appreciate any guidance.

[ConB]

You need a combination of hardware to get fore and aft bunks mounted to the frame of the trailer. Some trial and error with set up. If you added a couple keel rollers like on the front of the trailer to the two cross members that would be a plus but not mandatory with good bunks.

https://www.shorelandr.com/pages/t_specs.aspx?type=boat&productID=376

The link is to what a good bunk trailer looks like.

Con

[jimh]

Read all the articles listed here:

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/trailering/

Read the owner's manual. If you do not have the owner's manual, you can read a copy of the owner's manual I have created in HTML. See

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... trailering

[Cwilson375]

I have read that information.

I have three keel rollers to install on the trailer and I have brackets to install bunks. I'm trying to figure out what the best method is to figure out where the rollers and bunks need to be.

I'm guessing that I will need to get a few guys to help pick the boat up onto the trailer and adjust from there. I was hoping g that maybe there were an easier way to figure out where everything needs to be without having to pick the hull up numerous times since it's a bit heavy and I don't want to keep bugging friends to help move it.

[jimh]

Were I in your situation, I would proceed like this:

--measure the width between the trailer fenders;

--if the boat will fit between the fenders; then:

----install the keel rollers on the trailer cross-members at the lowest possible elevation possible;

----move trailer to boat;

----raise bow of boat with some temporary supports to get bow closer to height of aft keel roller on trailer;

----tilt the trailer so aft keel roller is as low to ground as possible;

----using the winch strap and some additional manpower, pull boat onto trailer, keeping keel centered on keel rollers; note that the boat does not have to move much, as the trailer will be pulled toward and will roll under the boat more than the boat will be pulled over the trailer;

----trailer tongue should be lowered as boat comes onto trailer;

----eventually boat is on trailer, all keel rollers are in contact with keel;

----add bunks for lateral support;

--if the boat does not fit between fenders:

----check clearance of hull chine-line at fender;

----calculated minimum height of keel rollers necessary to raise chine-line to clear fenders;

----install rollers and bunks as described above, pre-setting keel roller height as calculated.

Once the boat is on the trailer, make any minor adjustments necessary. Go to a local ramp during a weekday when there is little traffic at the ramp. Launch boat off trailer. Make any adjustments. Load boat on trailer. Check fit of rollers and bunks. Repeat as necessary.

The alignment of the keel rollers on the trailer should be completely level and even. Stretch a string between the front and back keel rollers, and check the alignment of all keel rollers. The rollers should be perfectly level so the keel will bear weight on all of them equally. This is already described in the articles I referred you to.

Adjust the position of the winch stand and winch bow stop as described in the articles I referred you to.

[Cwilson375]

Ahh ok. I didn't know if it would be safe to do that with the keel rollers only. That will make life much easier thank you

[OldKenT]

While you have the boat off the trailer, check the condition of the cross-members, axle, springs, hubs, through-bolts, u-bolts, lights, wiring, winch, strap, and safety chains, and replace anything that shows rust or looks like it will have a short life span. Pull the hubs and check the condition of the bearings. Replace or repack as needed. Setting your trailer up on blocks so that you can do all of this safely is much easier without the boat on it. Also, conform your trailer lights and reflectors to the requirements of the codes in your state.
Jim's reference materials on trailer setup are spot on, so just read and follow those once you have the trailer in like new condition.

[jimh]

In the process of getting the hull onto the trailer for the first time, do not overstress the hull. It really is not designed for completely dry loading onto a trailer. Normally the hull will get a lot of support from the water through buoyant forces. When you are loading the hull for the first time, try to provide support for it as it loads onto the trailer. Avoid trying the exert a lot of leverage onto the hull with the winch.

From the look of the hull--which is hard to see in either of your photographs--it appears to be a pre-smirk hull. That implies is was made prior to c.1976, and it is, at least, a 40-year-old hull. Don't break it in half as you load in on the trailer with too much force and the keel trying to pivot a lot of the boat weight on a short fulcrum.

[Cwilson375]

The hull is a 1986. [The stresses that might occur during loading on the trailer with the boat on dry land are] what I was worried about.

I think I'm going to get the trailer as close [to the boat] as possible; get the bow [stem and] keel on the first roller; hook-up [the bow eye] to the winch; I will pick up the stern of the boat and push, while someone else cranks the winch.