Looking for help: Boat is too far back on trailer

[Jeremy Forst]

Hi Everyone,

The last time I pulled my 26X I broke a tooth on the trailer winch and had to tie the boat in place. It’s currently sitting 22 inches farther back on the trailer than it should be and the center of balance is behind the trailer wheels. It takes about 120 lbs of weight on the trailer tongue to bring it down enough to attach it to the hitch. I’ve since replaced the winch but haven’t repositioned the boat.

I’m apprehensive about towing it again with upward pressure on the trailer hitch. Any advice on how to reposition the boat?

Jeremy

[Rick & Sue]

Drop toungue as lo as possible. Build blocks under the stern as high as you can. Use Jack to lift front of trailer. I have used a bottle Jack on the trailer frame to raise toungue. Build blocks under keel at bow. Lower trailer tongue until boat is clear of bunks. You can now slide trailer back to proper position. Reverse blocking procedure and you are good to go. DEFINITELY DO NOT TRAILER WITH THE BOAT THAT FAR BACK.

[Derek Blaszak]

Hey Rick,
Looks like also a good method for getting some new bottom paint on my M.

I started down this road with this method last year but I stopped as I thought I might break my trailer or the bottom of the boat, as you are bearing a lot of weight on the bow.

What shape and size do you use for the blocking under the stern and bow, and what material do you use for the blocks?
How far back do you put the bottle jack, right where the Y starts?

Thanks

[Rick & Sue]

I used landscape ties in an X from the ground up to a couple stacks of 2×4 about 2 feet high on each side for the back. Used the trailer Jack to lower the bow and place the supports under the stern. I then used the Jack to raise the front of the trailer until the boat was off the axle and sterns trailer bunks. Then built a tower of 2×6 to place under the bow. When I lowered the Jack the boat was supported just above the trailer bunks and I was able to slide the trailer back a few inches.
If you want to bottom paint you should use the club’s Go Hoist and support stands. Look under the resources tab for club tools. Good luck.

[Derek Blaszak]

Thanks for that very helpful. I live in Summerland so so getting the hoist would involve about 16hrs of driving (to pickup and return it) so I’ll struggle to paint it on the trailer. I got most of it done last year on the trailer just the mid and rear supports where it’s lacking fresh paint. I’m on Okanagan lake so I don’t need it as much as on the coast but I am moored in the Summerland yacht club so it helps a lot with the algae growth over the summer. The old bottom coat was originally white and the new is black so it’s almost a cosmetic thing however in the next yr or two I plan on coming down to the coast and cruising with the club so I expect it to be valuable then.
Where did you place supports at the stern. Exactly right at the end? I started doing this last yr and when started lowering it I was worried I would crack the hull at the stern as if you are point loading all on that small section so I abandoned it. Same thing with the bow right under the keel before it starts to rise? See my pic below of a sketch. Have I got it right or do you have the 4x4s as an X on the ground and then build it up and spreading the load on a bigger area?

[Derek Blaszak]

Picture

• This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by Derek Blaszak.

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