[Rhodes22-list] placing the boat on trailer

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Graham,

There should be a means to adjust the vertical position of each of the posts that support the bunks on your trailer.  As the boat is moved fore and aft, the shape of the bunks must be adjusted at each support post to conform to the new position and shape of the hull. In your case, it sounds like the front most post needs to be lowered and the rear most post needs to be raised at the very least.  You are correct, assuming the trailer is on level ground and there isn’t a lot of weight in the stern, when the trailer bow winch is released, the bow should not spring back from the bracket.

If you are uncomfortable attempting these adjustments, I suggest you take the boat on its trailer to a reputable boat dealer.  They will have technicians that will position the boat on the trailer for proper tongue weight and then adjust the bunks to fit the hull.  They will charge you for this service; but, at least you will be assured the trailer is properly adjusted to fit your boat.  It will be money well spent.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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From: Graham Stewart<mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca>
Sent: Saturday, December 7, 2019 11:44 AM
To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] placing the boat on trailer

Roger says that placing the boat in the correct location "is an adjustment you do once". I can adjust the bow bracket into what would seem to be the correct position but have had a devil of a time actually placing the boat that far forward. While the boat is still in the water I can draw the bow into the bracket but as the boat is drawn out of the water and the stern lowers onto the bunk there is enormous pressure exerted onto the hull at the forward end of the bunks and as soon as the winch is released the bow springs up and away from the bracket.

When I stripped the bottom of paint I found a mass of hairline cracks and permanent depressions on either side of the hull where the front posts of the bunks are located. That didn't seem right to me and now that it has been repaired I am reluctant to risk damaging the hull again.

I only tow my boat a few miles to the ramp and back going a low speed so I don't worry about getting the boat forward but if I were to take it on a longer trip at highway speeds I would be much more concerned to get the boat properly balanced on the trailer.

Others have mentioned the same problem and I am wondering if those who have solved this problem might give advice on how they balance the boat on the trailer.

Thanks,

Graham Stewart
Agile 1976 Rhodes 22
Kingston Ontario



-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of ROGER PIHLAJA
Sent: Saturday, December 7, 2019 12:06 AM
To: Dana LeTendre; The Rhodes 22 Email List
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Trailering with outboard

Dana,

How many outboards on power boats do you see being trailered down the road?  How many do you see with the outboard removed and secured inside the hull?  The Rhodes 22 transom is built like a tank.  Having the rudder and motor mounted won’t hurt anything.  As long as the weight of the motor and rudder don’t affect the trailer tongue weight too much and cause instability on the highway, removing them for trailering is waste of time and energy.  Getting the tongue weight correct is simply a matter of moving the boat fore and aft on the bunks until at least 10% of the total weight is on the tongue.  It’s an adjustment you do once and it’s done.  While it doesn’t hurt anything to remove the rudder and motor, there is plenty involved with rigging and unrigging the boat without messing around with the rudder and motor too.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium