Typhoon trailer loading

Discussions about Cape Dory, Intrepid and Robinhood sailboats and how we use them. Got questions? Have answers? Provide them here.

Moderator: bobdugan

Post Reply
TY375
Posts: 19
Joined: Jan 30th, '08, 13:32
Location: Typhoon
Sturgeon Bay, WI

Typhoon trailer loading

Post by TY375 »

I just pulled my boat out for the season and, whenever I do that, I'm reminded of a problem I have getting it to sit correctly on the trailer.

I have a float on/off 2-wheel trailer with tongue extension. The problem is that the boat sits level in the water while the trailer sits on an angle below it. I use a line around the stemhead as an attachment point for the trailer winch and the winch strap goes over a roller raised above the height of the stemhead. That lets me pull the boat into the bow rest on the trailer with a slight upward pull on the stemhead but, clearly, not enough to actually lift the bow of the boat and hold it where it should be as it settles onto the trailer. As I pull it out, the boat makes contact first with the fronts of the bunks. As it settles onto the trailer, it tends to settle farther back on the bunks than I think it ought, with the result that the keel is not in contact (or full contact) with the keel support. I can probably fiddle with the screw supports of the bunks to try to realign the boat with the trailer but just wondered how the rest of you TY trailer types do it.

Thanks.

John
Oswego John
Posts: 3535
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 20:42
Location: '66 Typhoon "Grace", Hull # 42, Schooner "Ontario", CD 85D Hull #1

Hull Sits Awkward on Trailer

Post by Oswego John »

Hi John,

You can make the hull sit properly on your trailer if you have guides on the frame to direct the keel and maintain it in the proper position.

My trailers have wooden guides that act like a funnel. They run parallel with the keel, one on either side. They average 54" long, 8" high above the keel support and are pproximately 12" wide.

They are wider at the aft end of the trailer and taper closed to 12" where the keel starts to rise.

As you winch the hull onto the trailer, the guides keep the hull centered between them. The preset height of the poppets (or bunks) prevent the hull from leaning to one side or the other.

If you use one straight plank to support the keel, the keel won't be able to nose downward as you haul in with the trailer winch.

Good luck,
O J
Tod M
Posts: 90
Joined: Jul 27th, '07, 07:12

Post by Tod M »

I added keel guides to my (non-ty) trailer:

[img]http://www.htmills.com/images/BBd01-trailerrear.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.htmills.com/images/BBd01a-Tr ... Guides.jpg[/img]

Help immensely.
User avatar
bhartley
Posts: 449
Joined: Aug 23rd, '05, 09:26
Location: Sea Sprite #527 "Ariel"
CD25D #184 "Pyxis"

CDSOA Member #785

Ballerina keel

Post by bhartley »

John,

I know exactly what you are talking about as we have had the same problem with our SS23 on occasion. The boat looks like she is trying to stand on the leading edge of the keel.

The key to avoiding the issue is burying the trailer deeper (or finding a steeper ramp). The leading edge of the keel needs to be able to pop UP and forward when you start pulling out. If it has already bound up on the keel board, it will simply rock back (and away from the bow roller). Simply backing down enough so that the bow meets the roller won't do it.

Once the boat is half way on the trailer (and wrong), it is hard to convince yourself to back off and put the trailer in deeper, but it does the trick every time. We actually took a photo of the boat on the ramp in the right position and bring it with us to check. It has saved a lot of spousal "discussion".

Hope it works for you.
David Hest
Posts: 26
Joined: Oct 3rd, '05, 13:11
Location: '79 Typhoon Daysailer, "Miss Ty," Hull #21

Ballerina keel, indeed

Post by David Hest »

I have experienced the same difficulty as you with my Ty Daysailor, and have reached the same conclusion as B Hartley. The key appears to be having the trailer deep enough that the bow meets the chock/bow rest while the boat is still completely floating.

My marina, which pulls my boat when I don't have a pickup available, uses a panic stop to skid the boat forward if the boat ends up too far back on the trailer because lake levels are low. After pulling the boat/trailer to level ground, they drive forward, then stop rapidly. This skids the boat forward the necessary 2-3 inches. Not sure how safe this would be for a novice to do, or whether this would work with a larger boat. But the marina seems to be able to control the skid so that the boat doesn't overshoot, which could damage the bow rest, or worse.
novotny
Posts: 55
Joined: Apr 2nd, '05, 07:01
Location: 1977 Typhoon #1453 and 1966 Pearson Electra #330 "Imagination" in Buffalo, NY

Post by novotny »

I have solved this problem by mounting my winch about 4" higher then my bow when the boat is sitting on the trailer. The result is that instead of the boat being just pulled onto the trailer it is actually lifted and pulled towards the winch. The action of lifting the bow up while winching lets you get the bow really close to the winch and it wont back off when pulling the trailer out. This assumes that your whole winch system is strong enough to support this.
Post Reply