CP-19 Trailer Modifications

[Craig Weis]

The trailer use to look like this!! Trailer is 650 lbs. About 1/3 of the boat's weight. That's OK.

Boy did I get carried away. Out with it all. First...

The problem has always been that the vee block hits the dolphin cable between the bow sprit and the bow eye tang.
Here is a modification: Placing the rubber vee block below the bow eye and tang. Note black rubber bumper behind tang's pin.
Circlip is to be replaced with better one before the start of next season.


This set up was changed to remove those stiffening bars...

This change removes the bar and uses two bolts. The 10mm aluminum arms stop on nyloc nuts. A cleaner look.

Here is a look~see down the length of the hull. Note lack of unnecessary keel bunks.

A drop down pin and foot to prevent trailer's hitch from raising when the skipper goes astern while on the hard.

Additional hitch weight for towing by pulling trailer axle back as far as possible. I was shooting for the black line.

OK Now I'm happy about the 'black line. Moved her back enough.

Things in the way. I see Logan my collie dog resting in the shade. He dislikes sun.

The mast is off set for easy cabin entry. Boom end sits in rope locker with other end tied to portal dog down ring.

The dirt on the bulkhead is embarassing. GPS is front of my house. Note the temperature. Dock is under willow trees.

Mast off set. A roll of PVC tape holds every thing in place and pulls off nicely in the spring.

Mast is off set on 2 x 4's and 1/4" U-bolts hold the wood on the bow and stern pulpits.

Mast head detail.

If the skipper goes over the side the guests may need this information to get back home. I point it out just in case.

[Salty19]

Skip, for the bow V block, why didn't you just loosen the winch mount bolt and slide the winch and winch mount assembly down the pole? My trailer looks identical (Performance) and that's basically how it's setup.  BTW I like your "boardwalk".

But wait a minute.  I am recalling something VERY interesting...my dophin chainplate is NOT attached to the Bow eye like yours. Or at least that is what I recall, it's in storage but I'll be looking at it again tomorrow.  Instead the dolphin on my boat uses it's own chainplate bolted directly the leading edge of the hull.  The chainplate is loosely mounted on these two bolts. Then the bow eye is further down the leading edge of hull. Guess I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it. 

That's strange, our boats are only 15 hull numbers different.   Will email the PO to see if he changed that for some reason?
Or maybe I'm just imagining things...

[Salty19]

My mistake. I looked at the dolphin today...it's attached to the bow eye like yours.  My bad...

[adifferentdrummer]

Skip, nice pictures of some nice mods. Good job!

Milt

[Billy]

nicejob Skip!
I noticed you still have the rollers. Why not switch to a flat board? When I bought my boat the keel was just sitting on the 2nd roller with a broken pin. After a trip to Hutchins I noticed all their trailers have a flat board under the keel

I also noticed you removed the Keel guides. I have had one problem after another with my keel guides/bunks.

1. The bunks used to be 2x4s that were about 4" above the rollers/ flat 2X12. When I would retreave my boat, it had a tendency for the Keel to sit on these bunks, instead of going b/w them. I cannot tell this is happening until I pull the boat out and it starts to lean. The weight of the boat sheared the bolts right off and the guides dropped to my bottom board. Had to reattach guides

2. Same thing only this time the guides came off w/ no warning or sign. As I SLOWLY pulled the boat out of the watter it almost fell over because the keel was sitting on the guide not the bunk. There was another boat next to me at the ramp. This could have been a disaster. I had to swim under the boat and pull the guide out from under the keel and tie it to the frame (it was still bolted in 2 places further aft). Bad deal.

3 After that last SNAFU (potential new name for the boat or at least a nickname) I replaced the 2x4s w/ 2x8s. These sit on the bottom bunk and cannot shear off. Am I makeing sense? So anyways worked great for several times. Then I had to retrieve the boat in some heavy winds with a cross current at the ramp. The boat missed the guides and the back side of the bolt was sticking out (I counter sunk them into the guides but the nut is on the outside of the plate (Still makeing sense?) This left a terrible scratch on the side of my keel and now I am looking to find someone to repair this.

So long story short, DO you think I need the guides?
And why do you keep with the rollers instead of a board?

[Craig Weis]

Salty 19 asks, "Skip, for the bow V block, why didn't you just loosen the winch mount bolt and slide the winch and winch mount assembly down the pole?"
Look at the top bolt. That was where the vee block was. Now just a bolt and a spacer is there.
If I drop the assembly below the eye, then the strap is 'funny' and not a straight pull back to the drum.
Either the strap is above or below the eye. I saw trouble down the line. Above the eye is no better. This was a simple fix.

Billy. "We don't need no stinking keel bunks." LOL.
I also sheared my 2 x 4 keel bunks off getting the keel to line up between them. Now I placed two orange fiberglass driveway markers at an angle on my trailer and line the boat up with these while I winch in the boat to the vee block. These markers actually hold the floating boat centered up on the trailer. And then out of the water she comes. Easy as pie. Drop the stick and off we go.

Keel bunks just plain'O got in my way when I was down there painting and waxing my bottom paint. Yes two coats of wax right over the ablative paint. And no I don't rub off the wax. Why fish don't care.

I don't sit my boat on any board simply because that limits where I  can slide my 5000 lb floor jack under the keel with a short 10" 2x4 longwise under the keel and jack my boat clean off the hull bunks and trailer. Again for painting under the keel. The entire boat is balanced on the jack for a few hours while I paint. Under the hull bunks and all.

Also rollers make it easy to pull and roll the boat fwd on the trailer for more tongue weight. I also moved the axle astern for the same reason. To move the boat fwd you have to drop the front of the hull bunks to take the arch out of the wood. Then reposition the hull bunks after the boat is where you want it.. Don't put any of the boat's 2000 lb weight on the hull bunks. These are just for balance. Otherwise you could 'oil-can' the hull by too much weight pushing from outside in on the hull.

And occasionally I let the boat sit on two rollers and drop both hull bunks. Yes she will sit on her keel on the trailer. For poops and grins, I tie a line from each stern cleat to the trailer on each side. But the boat never leaned one way or the other.

Now I don't even use a 10" 2x4 to lift the boat as several years ago I cut myself a 6mm aluminum 'KEEL BOOT' from a template and glued that aluminium on to the fiberglass de-painted keel bottom. A little armour plate. I have been toying with the idea of running a ground strap down from the CP-19's aft standing rigging, down the transom along side of the rudder casting, and follow the keel to the back end of this plate and bolt the lugged end of the strap to a threaded aluminium fastener I could weld to the 'KEEL BOOT'. Naw. Too much work. But that would be a good grounding plate if the mast was ever kissed by lightening.

Now with the 'KEEL BOOT' I can roll over the rocks and not worry about gouging my fiberglass keel bottom. I used a whole bunch of Marine-Tex and a tube of Plexus. It's all the same, just 2 part epoxy-polyester goop. I mixed it all together, rolled it on with a 3" roller and slapped the darn thing up there and after alignment pounded in some wood wedges I made between the rollers and the aluminium plate. Three days later I sanded away he extra and didn't do too much clean-up afterward. No new paint.

If you have deep scratches on your keel, sand the scratch and fill with Marine-Tex. Even if you see the cement poured into the keel cavity by the factory. No big deal. Ain't nothing down there that is going to rot if it is a little wet.

skip.

[Craig Weis]

Once again in search of additional tongue weight I undid the U-bolts and moved the axle back some more. Put the axle on the far side of the verticals. Now we are cooking!!

skip.

[Salty19]

Thought this would be of interest.

I had the trailer weighed yesterday.  The standard Performance brand trailer for a CP19, standard in all aspects except has a spare tire mount bolted on (without spare tire-yet) weighs 660lbs.   All bunks, wiring, etc are intact. 

I'll get the whole rig weighed in July to see what tongue weight really should be...

[Glenn Basore]

I would have thought the trailer would have been at least 1,000 lbs......

I'm interested to know your total weight........

keep us posted.

I want to weigh my Eclipse some day, just haven't gotten around to it.

Glenn

[Salty19]

Will do, Glenn.  I too am interested to know what the Eclipse weighs!

The big truck stops like Pilot have scales but they charge you close to $10.   I suppose it's worth it to truly know the total weight, but the bonus is looks like the tongue weight was calculated too.

On the weight ticket, it shows 140lbs on the front winch wheel and 520lbs on the axle (steering axle and drive axle as shown on ticket-they measure in both places)

So a truck scale should tell you the tongue weight too if you disconnect the trailer, put a pre-cut 2x4 under the ball receiver, lower the manual winch and let the weight sit on 2x4.

Pretty cool

[cycle]

Please allow me to horn in on your timely (to me) trailer discussion.

It appears that the previous owner has disabled the 'Tilt' from my trailer, leaving me dragging aroung a 'Magic' only.

Is the tilt feature something any of you folks actually use when launching?  After reading the forums, it seems like most people find an extension more useful.

Also, Skip - your modification (removal of keel guides and addition of fiberglass guide poles), how well does that system work when launching in an area with fast currents?  (keep in mind that I'm likely the least experienced person at the ramp)
I really like your mod's for their simplicity and lack of garbage to gouge the keel.  How did you attach the guide poles?

Thus far I've spent more time on the trailer than the boat.

Trailer:
Removed rusty bunk bolts & replaced w/ stainless
Removed bent / broken keel guides
Replaced both tire/wheels
Replaced non working lights with new and improved! LED version
Repaired bent winch post (?) and welded same back together again w/new u bolt
Installed trailer jack

Unnamed craft:
Rebuilt bilge 'guzzler'
Power wash/sand/marine tex/paint bottom
Re-glass cracked cabin hatch

And Thanks! By the time honored method of lurking and reading all your posts, I've been able to figure out a fair amount without posting!

Jon

[Craig Weis]

If you don't like the way the boat sits on the trailer when you pull it out of the water, put her back in and pull it again. Pratice makes perfect.

skip.

Most people back the trailer too far into the water. Just need the hull to float above the hull bunks by about 2 to 3 inches. No more. The boat is winched onto the trailer and into the hull bunks. What more are you trying to do?

I don't believe the fiberglass driveway marker poles would be of much help in a fast currant. With no currant they work great. I launch at 5 different locations on the Bay of Green Bay and on Lake Michigan. All sheltered areas. No currant.

I sheared up two 2" x 2" squares of 4mm aluminum and drilled one bolt hole in the diamond cornor. The bought two u-bolts to sandwitch the poles to the squares. Last drilled a hole in the trailer and bolted on the squares. The poles were fitted after the boat was properly on the trailer. I just tilted the poles till they almost touch the hull.

skip.

[Salty19]

Cycle- Welcome to the forum and nice CP19!

Keep in mind our trailers are from different manufacturers. Skip and I have the "performance" brand trailer, as do most if not all of the late model CP19s.  You have the magic tilt, a trailer sold with CP19's for earlier built boats.  I don't know when the cutoff was.  Therefore the weights shown do not apply for you. 

It's common that the trailer is neglected and needs a lot of work to be safe hauling tha boat around.  You are wise to attend to these first. 

I cannot imagine removing the keel bunks.  Looks like a really good way to misalign the boat on the trailer with any wind, current, or human error.  All factors under consideration for me.

[brackish]

I like the keel guides too.  I retrieved yesterday and they were helpful.  The key, as Skip mentioned, is knowing how deep to put the trailer.  For my trailer and 23 that point seems to be at about 70%% of the bunks submerged.  At that point when you come up the keel is safely above the first roller but below the top of the guides.  I can "feel" the guides start to center the boat.  What you don't want is to be floating above the guides as you approach. 

Someone on this forum actually put deeper keel guides on so that you could go deeper with the trailer and not have to crank that last few feet.

I continue to be amazed at how easy this relatively large boat retrieves.  Maybe I just haven't hit any tough ramps yet.

[cycle]

Thanks for the information guys.  The Keel guides will be 'reformed' from their crushed state and reinstalled - might also add the fiberglass driveway markers as a visual aid.

Then, I guess it's off to practice ...

Jon