posted August 02, 2004 11:42 AM               

$20-odd later, I have a new vane & for my ride back home yesterday, I removed the windex, as well as the telltales off the shrouds. It got me to wondering what else folks do to prepare for trailering.

I will also note that as I was wrapping up the rigging around the mast for my ride home, I saw my port spreader is in questionable shape. The aluminum tube is not completely straight. Where the spreader tube connects to the mast, it is no longer a closed hole (the bottom is ripped open) & the fitting on the mast itself is slightly cracked, as if the whole thing had been bent at some point. Do you folks detach the spreaders before trailering? Also, I'm wondering if a small clevis pin might be better than a large cotter pin for that connection? I think it might be a tad easier if I decide I want to detach them from the mast when the mast is down.

Thanks, as always, for your thoughts & suggestions.

posted August 02, 2004 03:06 PM               

Yes, I'm going to replace the dubious parts forthwith. I'm ordering a stern rail & lifeline package from C&L this week & will throw in the tubes, spreader base brackets & shroud turnbuckles (both are bent to one degree or another).

posted August 02, 2004 04:02 PM               

May I suggest that if you're getting the stern rail and lifelines, that you do the tiller tamer job at the same time, ie drilling and mounting fittings. I'm not certain what instructions CL will give you for mounting, but my advice re overdrilling holes and cleaning out some of the core and filling with epoxy ala West System, will ensure longevity in your installation. If you do all these jobs at once, it may save you on wasted epoxy.
OTOH, if you've never done this kind of work, then doing something small like the two cleats first, will be a good starter job.

My mast sits on the bow pulpit, and two wood risers that are cut to the shape of the mast. They have a horizontal piece at the bottom for standing support, like a small 'T'. You may be able to see them. One is just at the companionway step, and the other is at the transom, on an angle. The aft one fits nicely between the lazerette cover and the transom. The companionway wood riser supports the mast so it doesn't flex and bounce while on the road. I tie the mast down with rope, looped around the mast and fasten securely on the aft mooring cleats, and the jib sheet cam cleats. I wrap a bungee securely around the mast at the pulpit. It is very well supported and secure. It is not well supported if not tied down! My mast is always tied up when in the down position!
The boom, (tiller and rudder) are in the cabin.

Note: The pic doesn't show my latest improvements. I installed a new hitch coupler, safety chains, and big mud flaps to the trailer fenders . The aft quarters of the boat always got dirty from road spray when wet, and stones etc. Not any more!!

posted August 02, 2004 09:57 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Eric:

OTOH, if you've never done this kind of work, then doing something small like the two cleats first, will be a good starter job...

... The boom, (tiller and rudder) are in the cabin

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I may do the small job first. Epoxy I have to waste... Experience I need!

The boom in the cabin??? I tried to do that & it didn't fit. What's your trick? At this point I tie the boom to the mast.

I'm a little unclear on how the aft support can be angled & still bear weight. Do you have the T-"foot" wedged between the transom "wall" & lazarette cover?

posted August 02, 2004 11:44 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Shortstay:
[B]The boom in the cabin??? I tried to do that & it didn't fit. What's your trick? B]

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Open the forward hatch. Feed the boom into cabin from main door, letting the forward end of the boom poke out partially thru the forward hatch. Then feed the rear end of the boom under a cockpit seat in the cabin.

posted August 03, 2004 08:31 AM               

quote:

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Do you have the T-"foot" wedged between the transom "wall" & lazarette cover?

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posted August 03, 2004 08:38 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Eric:
I can't promise when, but I'll try and get a picture of it.

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Thanks, Eric. That would be terrific if you could, but don't go to any extraordinary effort to do so. I've got the idea & the other suggestions you've made have been very, very helpful.

posted September 04, 2004 12:44 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Eric:
My mast sits on the bow pulpit, and two wood risers that are cut to the shape of the mast. They have a horizontal piece at the bottom for standing support, like a small 'T'. You may be able to see them. One is just at the companionway step, and the other is at the transom, on an angle. The aft one fits nicely between the lazerette cover and the transom. The companionway wood riser supports the mast so it doesn't flex and bounce while on the road.

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Eric, I finally got around to completing my "road warrior" outfit. I am quite happy with the rig & wanted to tip my hat to you for getting me going on it.

I stole your aft bracket pretty much completely. The "T" is a piece of 2x6 PT & the vertical is 1x6 PT with a cutout to hold the mast & keep it from rolling on it's side, which was a real pain since it kept mangling the spreaders.

I didn't want to block the companionway so modified the mid-support part. I basically put the support over the aft part of the companionway hatch when opened fully. I used about 10" long pieces of 2x6 laid on edge, parallel to the c/l, for feet on either side of the companionway hatch & inside of the grabrail. I notched in a 2x4 cross beam, also on edge, to connect them. (I also used 2x2 supports on the aft/inside corner to help strengthen these joints.) Then I took another piece of 2x4 and notched the top of it so it just supports the bottom of the mast and attached it on the top edge of the crossbeam in the same crosswise direction on edge. I made this notch overly wide because it's not keeping the mast from rolling over & to give me some wiggle room if the aft support isn’t placed in exactly the same place every time.

Finally, I made a bracket to protect the bow pulpit, with a cutout to keep the mast from rolling. I used a 2x6 laid across, standing on edge & notched on the underside to fit over the pulpit rail in only one orientation. I placed it just ahead of most forward vertical support for the pulpit. I used 2x2 supports, attached to the 2x6 fore & aft along the main horizontal axis, to keep the bracket from rolling either forward or aft. Since the vertical support for the pulpit is slightly higher than the rail itself, I had to attach the aft 2x2 support slightly higher, to rest on the pulpit support, than on the forward side, which rests on the pulpit rail.

It’s all PT & I rounded off all edges & sloped every corner I could down at 45 degrees to minimize snags or rips to any covers I might use in the future (I’m not too worried about the cheap, throw-away blue tarps I’m using now!). I finished it all off by staining the pieces white. I think I want to pad it, but am concerned about trapping moisture, so left it off for now.

I know a picture or two would save the half-a-thousand words I just wrote, but I don't have a digital camera! I hope I can display my handiwork at some point in the not too distant future.

Best of all, I built the darn thing out of scrap pieces hanging around the shop... Truly, I'm a cheap Yankee!

Anyway, thanks again for getting me off square one on the project. Now I guess you've inspired (embarrassed?) me into doing some improvements to my trailer too! If I do, I plan to name the trailer LONGstay!

posted September 04, 2004 09:56 AM               

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Originally posted by Shortstay:
Best of all, I built the darn thing out of scrap pieces hanging around the shop...

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For those of you who found my use of "elucidation" problematic, today's "Word of the Day" will have you rolling your eyes.

I'm amending the quoted sentence as follows:

Best of all, I built the darn thing as a bricolage...