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Sunbeam
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Posts: 3990 City/Region: Out 'n' About
State or Province: Other
C-Dory Year: 2002
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Photos: Sunbeam
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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I had bought some of the white Fulton boat guides (50" tall), although they were not the rotating type. They had nice PVC cap type LED lights as optional top fittings (which is IIRC what anchorout has on top of his Pacific guides now). However, they wouldn't work (fit) with my trailer and the way the boat sits on it. Well, since I'd always admired the Pacific guides, and then I found myself in their parts department...... |
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capt. meares
Joined: 04 Jul 2013 Posts: 146 City/Region: Tillamook
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1988
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Vianey
Photos: Vianey
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Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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To add to this trailer rant, I had an odd experience with one of my trailer rollers. I have noticed for a while that I have been getting some pretty nasty scratches on the lower portion of my bow, always in the same spot. I discovered the problem to be a bad roller on my ez loader trailer. It was completely seized up. After some work I was able to remove the roller and inspect the cause of the problem. I could not believer the amount of salt caked into and underneath the plastic caliper sleeve, after removing the roller. The solid chunk of white mass was hard as a rock and took several minutes to remove with a hammer and scraper, getting all the way back down to metal. I know the problem is fixed for now, but I am more curious than anything as to what caused this phenomena??? It is like there was some kind of a strong salt magnet. Even stranger is none of the other rollers on the trailer have any symptoms of this whatsoever. Has anyone seen this before? What can I do to prevent this from happening again other than always dunking in fresh water after a day in the salt? |
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PaulNBriannaLynn
Joined: 26 Oct 2012 Posts: 757 City/Region: Fort White
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: TBD
Photos: Lorelei
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Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 8:30 am Post subject: |
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There have been a lot of improvements with boat trailers since my first boat and trailer, a 1972 Caulkins painted steel trailer. That thing would get hot and burn out trailer bearings while slinging grease all over everything and was almost impossible to get the boat on there straight.
Modern boat trailer bearings are a huge improvement. Our 2003 King trailer under our 22' had a spare wheel with bearing and hub ready to bolt on, should we have a failure. Luckily we never did, with 4 years of use, thousands of miles and 100s of saltwater launches.
The lights on the other hand were a real pain. I never did burn out a bulb though. I had many frustrating times where I would only have lights on one side, and it would be a loose ground, or Id need to jiggle the plug in truck. The problem was I'd get them working, and another 10 miles down the road at 70 mph, they'd stop working again without me knowing. This was really dangerous especially at night. I was nearly rear-ended trailering over Highway 2 near Leavenworth after dark.... and that would have been totally my fault, even though I'd just got them working properly again maybe 20 miles before.
I think the solution is a portable light bar, which you can unplug when launching and place in the cab of your pickup. It may seem "hillbilly" for such a nice boat, but its the way I'll be going in the future.
Only using sling launches, or just using the trailer twice a year to put it in for the season is a huge negative. I'm always a little bummed when we would have our boat moored for months at a time in the same spot. There's something about the freedom of having your boat on a trailer. You can go anywhere you want, and we really took advantage of that in Washington state. One weekend we'd be camping on Orcas island catching shrimp, the next weekend we'd be on the Skagit river plunking for pink salmon. You need a good trailer for that life. _________________ 2007 22 cruiser sold 10/2021
2009 Parker 23 sold 10/2017
2003 22 cruiser sold 3/2016 |
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chromer
Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 952 City/Region: Anacortes
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 19 Angler
Photos: Checkpoint II
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 1:27 am Post subject: |
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The politically correct term is "Hill William" _________________
Checkpoint II (SOLD 10/2020)
Alure Bertram 28 |
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Will-C
Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 2476 City/Region: Temple
State or Province: PA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Will-C
Photos: Will-C
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 8:57 am Post subject: |
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We got away from the plastic license plate brackets for the above reason. They are ok for minimal trailering. The license plate was still hanging from one side as someone in the pouring rain signaled me there was a problem with the trailer. I pulled over as did the good Samaritan. He wanted to know if I needed any tools this all in a driving rain! I saw the plate hanging by one half of the bracket and just cut the other tab off with a sharp knife. We rode home with the trailer plate in the truck. We carry a spare now as they are cheap. I doubt I will ever need it but someone else might.
D.D.
_________________ _________________ Chevrolet The Heart Beat Of America |
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Will-C
Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 2476 City/Region: Temple
State or Province: PA
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 23 Venture
Vessel Name: Will-C
Photos: Will-C
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 9:15 am Post subject: Trailer Rant! |
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We used 5/16 thick conveyor belting for the license plate for the license plate holder. We have conveyor belting under both rear lights as it reduces vibration hopefully preventing lights from vibration cracking by adding the cushion of the conveyor belting. But not under the light bar which is bolted to a cross member that does not vibrate too much I hope. Note gussets on tail light brackets which will crack right at the 90 degree bend without the gussets. 90 pound stranded fishing wire with crimped loops on and under the bolts for retention. The license plate is bolted to a 1/4 plastic backing plate fabricated out of some plastic to prevent cracking around the fasteners on the plate. Lots of miles and with no more failures yet.
D.D. |
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ssobol
Joined: 27 Oct 2012 Posts: 3374 City/Region: SW Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: SoBELLE
Photos: SoBelle
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2016 11:46 am Post subject: |
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thataway wrote: | ...License plate brackets--made of plastic so if you back over something it will bend, rather than break off, as solid platen. ... |
With my Al mounts I expect that if I back over any thing the license plate itself will deform as necessary (and can usually be bent back into reasonable shape without breaking). |
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