Trailer Question for a 1954 Super Express 28 '

[Midnight Frolics]

Hi,
This is my first time in Boat Buzz.
I am a new member and know very little about wooden boats, except that I have always loved them.
My question is about a trailer for my 1954 28' Super Express.
I just bought the boat and it has been kept in fresh water all the time. I am having a Trailer made for it.

I'm thinking as I write this that I should have asked you all first before laying down my deposit for the trailer. Oh well.
The trailer manufacturer will be making the trailer to fit my Super Express.
I want to make sure that it is supported in all of the correct places, as I will be storing it every year for 8 months out of the water.
Can you give me any information on how to find out where it needs to have the “Bunk” placement, (I think that is the name) for when I have it out of the water and in storage?
Any help or reading suggestions would be wonderful. The more information the better.
Respectfully,

John Griffin
Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

[email protected]

[57 chris]

Hi John,
Welcome. The man you want to talk to is Jim Staib (Dr. Rot),he has all kinds of books containing information including dimensions of shipping cradles which are the best support you can give your wooden boat. Taking cradle information to your trailer builder is the best way to get the proper fit and support in the correct places.

Craig

[Wood Commander]

Jim definately has some very good knowledge to share and good trailer information. But shipping cradles are very different than what you want in a trailer. Mainly, you will want to have strong support under the engine stringers. Especially in the engine and fuel tank areas.

And never rollers for a wooden boat!

[drrot]

John,
If your boat is single engine have them put bunks under the engine stringers. 11" each way from the keel. add another set as close to the chine as you can get. Make sure to miss the water pickup and any other fittings on the bottom.
If it is twin engine you have to measure where the engine stringers are. Support all four.
I always add a set of guide bars on the rear to help keep the boat straight while loading.

[runabout36]

Had this trailer built for a 1956 CC 25' Express. My criteria was I wanted the boat supported by bunks, sitting between the fenders and as low in the trailer as possible. Balanced to give the right amount of tongue weight. Tandem axle with disc brakes on both axles, Goodyear Marathon Radial tires, custom fit to the boat with welded supports, adjustable bunks seem to do just what the name implies....adjust after towing down the road. I tow the boat with a V8 Toyota 4 Runner thats rated at 7000lbs. Boat and trailer weigh I'm guessing 5200 to 5500lbs. The trailer was built by Phoenix Trailers in Michigan. I was pleased with the results.

Tom Frye

[Midnight Frolics]

Jeepers, you guys are wonderful. The pictures help too. I had to look up 'Chine", because I was unfamiliar with the word.
My 28' Super Express is a single engine. When I met with the trailer manufacturer (a salty dog that has been building trailers since the fifties, so I figured he would know a little about trailers) he said he was going to support it under the stringers and the Chine (that's where I heard that word before).
He also suggested, "Full Guides". I think that means a raised carpeted board alone the sides of the trailer, helpful in loading the boat onto the trailer?
What might be some of the drawbacks? Will they be in the way, say for cleaning or painting?
Since it will be only loaded on the trailer once a season in the fall, and there is a dock on either side of our launch ramp, I'm wondering if it is needed or if it might help keep the boat from getting any scrapes from loading and unloading? Do you have any thoughts on "Full Guides", and how long the supports under the chines should be?
You guys are great!

John

[drrot]

Personally I prefer pipe guides like the trailer above. If needed they can be extended with PVC pipe.

[57 chris]

I like pipe guides too, I set mine up so that when i pull the trailer up out of the water the boat is centered perfectly, these guides make it so that I can literally load my boat alone.

Craig

[drrot]

They are also a must have if you launch in a river where the current fights you.

[JohnKadimik]

Make sure those guide posts are removable so you don"t look like your towing a goalpost down the road

[Dick Baner]

I constructed the side guides using square steel tubing (1or 1 1/4 inch). They each slide into the next size larger square tubing which I have clamped to the trailer frame horizontally. I have a 45degree brace at the corner for strength. I have mounting pin holes at two locations. One for the wider beam width of the boat when loading and the other for the narrower width when loaded as I tow with the "goal posts" in place. The square tube upright is surrounded by loose PVC pipe held up by a crossbolt.
I am curious about the tall bow setup on the blue trailer which I have seen for other antique boats. Can someone explain the benefit of pulling the boat on with a high winch to the lifting ring versus a lower winch pulling on a ring in the cutwater area?
thanks. dick baner

[drrot]

Dick,
Best advantage is you don't have to put a bow eye in the cutwater. Also better to lift up on the lift ring insted of straight forward

[joezel]

I have the same question regarding the bow support. I currently have a new Loadmaster trailer for a 51 29' enclosed Chris. The bow area is to wide for the "goalpost" to be effective in centering the transom on the trailer. The guides are made of 2"x 2" 1/4" wall material, thinking about some sort of spring and hinge mount to allow the bow through and still center the transom.

[runabout36]

Dick, Jim is correct that it is better to pull "up" on the lifting ring rather than forward, that is the way it was designed. On the other hand you should never be "winching" the boat onto the trailer. The trailer should be submerged at the ramp and the boat floated up to the bow stop. Once at the bow stop the winch is mainly used to "snug" it to the bow stop. You have to be careful to not have it to tight, because as the boat comes out of the water it tends to migrate back until it grabs the trailer. This puts some strain on that lifting eye especially if the winch is horizontal with the lifting eye. The higher angle you can have that winch stand the better, so that you can apply more "up" force rather than "side" force. The cruiser on the blue trailer has no lifting eye only a deck cleat that I have reinforced with white oak in the subdeck beneath the cleat. The winch will be used to hold the boat until it grabs the trailer on retrieval. That winch stand on the blue trailer is adjustable up and down.

Tom Frye

[SJHanson]

Tom Frye's post is spot on. The long bow stop padded boards are a great help when you retrieve your boat on launches of different angles. A steep angle launch will place the bow of your boat near the bottm of the bow stop. As you pull up the launch the bow will rise and be in the proper position for towing when your boat is completely on the bunks. Do watch the tension on the lifting ring or cleat as you pull up the launch. I have had to release some tension on steep launches in the past. Good luck - SteveH

[runabout36]

Joezel, the best method I have seen using "guide" posts is presented in Don Danenberg's second book Vol II page 168. The trailer has removable guides that come off the trailer at roughly a 45 degree angle,and there padded to protect the boat. They hit the boat at the chine on both sides of the boat. As the boat comes down onto the trailer these guides direct the boat exactly where it has to be on the trailer. They then are removed and clipped to the trailer for road travel. They can be used for launch and retrieval. Also with this method you can launch and retrieve the boat with one person. My problem with traditional guide posts is when launching at a deep ramp they can scrap down the sides of the boat. The really don't do any guiding at all. Any trailer could be retrofit with this angled style of guide post.

Tom Frye

[runabout36]

Here's a picture of the guides for those who don't have the book.

Tom Frye

[joezel]

Thank you so much Mr. Frye. Are these guides carpeted? This change along with something other than the small bow roller above my winch strap might minimize the frendly discussions with my wife at the ramp. I do not want to hijack this thread, but the boats, trailers, and issues are so similar.

[Chad Durren]

Guide posts are great for launching crews of 2 or less. As Tom mentioned, removable, vertical guides do little guiding but act as a "goal post" for the driver. Just point the bow towards the carpeted stop and split the goals. On shallow ramps, the driver can grab the posts and center the boat. The bunks below the water will guide the boat to center if positioned correctly. Watch it on deep ramps, or when it's windy, the boat can drift into the posts.

Just make sure your posts are padded, carpeted, etc. I use pipe insulation, and rubber pads on the top of the posts (tennis balls work too).

Everybody has a different launch/retrieval technique. Use what works best, and safest for your boat.

...if you have a grumpy, deaf, old father (AKA "trailer-man") like I do, you can shout obscenities at one another until it's perfect.

[Ken Miller]

I bought these and they work great:


http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... rchID=4006

Ken Miller.