Trailer plans

[Peter T]

Hi all, am in desperate need of a new trailer for Spindrift. Does anyone have any plans or drawings of same that would help?
Thank you
Peter T

[Peter T]

Hi David, if you saw the trailer, you would understand. It is non halve rinsed and completely rusted out, has no brakes. It is well beyond repair. I am quite handy with a welder, have spoken to the local gal reinsert today, so if I can't find plans from someone, I will be able to build one similar to what I have got but with some strength. They are way too expensive to buy.
Mine has a stepped axle which leaves the overall height of the boat on the trailer somewhat less than my shed opening of 2.4 metres so I was able to back in I the shed while it was still connected to the car. One question I have is, my existing trailer has the back roller quite a distance back from the back most part of the keel. Not sure that it needs to be as it would restrict the amount of tilt., will be interesting trying to check out some of other members trailers if I can find photos on the forum.
Thanks for your reply and interest

Regards Peter T

[Ozzie]

Hi Peter. As my trailer is empty at the moment I’ll photograph it tomorrow if I get time.

My other suggestion is to check gumtree with a general search for boat trailers . If you use a reasonable sloped ramp a standard tilt trailer with multiple rollers could be adapted to the 563. Occasionally I post one in the for sale section if I come across one on gumtree. The boat will sit higher than the drop axle standard trailer but others have used them over the years.


Just did a quick search and nothing currently in Tasmania but as an example this one came up

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/liverpo ... 1253870948

Not close to you but they do show up from time to time . You could try a wanted ad on gumtree too. Never know what people have in the yard . You may need to modify it slightly but it will be cheaper than a full build or (shudder) ponying up for a new one.

Just a thought.

[Peter T]

Hi David, thanks for that. I will take quite a few photos of mine and bring them with me. Would love to visit you in any case . Checking out your trailer would be a great bonus. In a wheel or two, was planning to go to Lton to check out CHSmiths and Tamar marine for trailer parts. My phone number is 0407877414 , if you send me a message, I will give you a call
Cheers

[Ozzie]

Had to do a bit of grass cutting around my trailer before getting a few pics . Anyway as a comparison to David’s which is non tilt here’s a few pics of mine which I believe is the bog standard tilt type I’ve seen in a few other 563 pics.

Close up of tilt

[Peter T]

Hi Ozzie, thank you so much. Most helpful. I am thinking of making my new one with a removable cross arm so that I can move the boat back fat enough on the trailer to leave the centreboard opening fully exposed to be able to access the centreboard. Then be able to replace the cross member back to normal. It will take some working out I would think. I need to know for sure if the centreboard can be removed without it being fully in the down position. Thanks again for the photos
Regards Peter T

[Ozzie]

The extension to the draw bar is a great idea David . When you look at some of the dodgy ramps around keeping your vehicle well on the hard makes a lot of sense. We are finally getting decent facilities in lake Mac and Port S. but in years gone by they have been short, slippery and wheel spinning 2wd vehicles desperately trying to retrieve boats were a common site.

The removable crossmember is an idea I’ve also looked seriously at Peter. It’s a hassle moving the boat off my trailer to service the keel . A gap where the boat could stay safely in place would be so much easier. I’m thinking maybe of cutting out the centre support and then welding some heavy channel on the side then bolt that through. That way the weight would be on the channel not the bolt . To to remove just undo the bolts and slide the crossmember and roller with attached channel forward.

If you are building a new trailer have you considered having a double spine on that section of the trailer either side of the keel with a flat roller between them that could be slid out to drop the keel down.

[Peter T]

Hi Ozzie, thanks for your post. Yes I have thought of doing exactly as you say and I am sure a longitudinal spine on each side of the keel will be a real goer. As you say, then the rollers in the “under the centreboard” section can be removable bolt in sections maintaining the integrity of the trailer.
Davis (private eyes), thanks heaps David, has also been most helpful in all things Investigator and I will be visiting him next Wednesday. I have several photos as well ms my rusted out trailer to work from. Davis also put me on to a tow bar extension for sale in Hobart. I contacted the owner and he advises that this Dunbia device will add around 1300mm to the overall tow bar length. I reckon that a slightly better option is to built one slightly differently with it mounted to one side of the existing tow bar and have it folding with locking mechanism included . This add on bar would have its own trailer hitch fitted so all that would be required when launching is, release locking device, fold out the new device and lock it into place with same locking device and “Presto”, no wet tyres on your tow vehicle. This would also slow for trailer to be backed into deeper water so the boat just floats off and on. Another improvement would be a pair of those swiveling verticals rollers fitted to the back cross section of the trailer to guide the boat centrally on and off the trailer. As I build this trailer, will post photos.
The main question I have is, will the centreboard come out of the centreboard case in the horizontal position? In other words, does it need to be in the fully extended position to be removed. Sorry for the length of this post.
Regards Peter T

[Ozzie]

I think there would be ways around that David. My central rollers are simple cylinders in three sections each. Don’t know if that’s obvious in the photos. They are quite loose on the shaft. If you spaced them on the spine correctly you could probably just put a floor jack at the rear of the keel , one slight lift and slide out the spindle after removing one split pin. In theory. In my case I am constantly repositioning two floor jacks to take the weight while repositioning the rear of the boat on my stand . Fatiguing after a while.

Second possibility would be to have the bracket on a pivot with locking pin and with a tube welded to the side that would take a piece of water pipe about 300 to 400 long (depending on clearance of trailer). This would act a bit like a highfield lever. Pull the locking pin, insert your pipe, pivot your roller down , remove roller, drop keel, pour glass of red.

These are just fun musings . The best trailer I ever saw was an investigator for sale with a revolving cradle that allowed the boat to pivot 90 degrees to antifoul and service the keel. The dude was obviously a serious boilermaker or engineer and construction of the thing would be beyond the skill set of Joe Average but it was brilliant in concept and execution. I almost bought the boat to get the trailer . I’ll see if I can find the link.


Here’s a quick and rough draft up of my highfield lever roller drop using my photo edit . If I used my trailer more often I’m sure I’d tinker lots of these things but it robs you of sailing time

[Peter T]

My thought here is to have the roller mounted to a short straight section that bolts between the two spines. It could be made so that the spines have a flat section welded to the bottom of the spine with about an inch protruding into the keel cavity section on each side so that the straight cross piece with the roller fitted could rest on these flat sections and therefore maintain roller allignment and take the weight. Then bolts are only holding it in place. You would only need to jack up the keel slightly. To take the weight off the roller to remove and replace the roller section
Cheers
Peter T