[Rhodes22-list] placing the boat on trailer

[Graham Stewart]

Roger says that placing the boat in the correct location "is an adjustment you do once". I can adjust the bow bracket into what would seem to be the correct position but have had a devil of a time actually placing the boat that far forward. While the boat is still in the water I can draw the bow into the bracket but as the boat is drawn out of the water and the stern lowers onto the bunk there is enormous pressure exerted onto the hull at the forward end of the bunks and as soon as the winch is released the bow springs up and away from the bracket. 
 
When I stripped the bottom of paint I found a mass of hairline cracks and permanent depressions on either side of the hull where the front posts of the bunks are located. That didn't seem right to me and now that it has been repaired I am reluctant to risk damaging the hull again.
 
I only tow my boat a few miles to the ramp and back going a low speed so I don't worry about getting the boat forward but if I were to take it on a longer trip at highway speeds I would be much more concerned to get the boat properly balanced on the trailer.
 
Others have mentioned the same problem and I am wondering if those who have solved this problem might give advice on how they balance the boat on the trailer.
 
Thanks,
 
Graham Stewart
Agile 1976 Rhodes 22
Kingston Ontario
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of ROGER PIHLAJA
Sent: Saturday, December 7, 2019 12:06 AM
To: Dana LeTendre; The Rhodes 22 Email List
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Trailering with outboard
 
Dana,
 
How many outboards on power boats do you see being trailered down the road?  How many do you see with the outboard removed and secured inside the hull?  The Rhodes 22 transom is built like a tank.  Having the rudder and motor mounted won’t hurt anything.  As long as the weight of the motor and rudder don’t affect the trailer tongue weight too much and cause instability on the highway, removing them for trailering is waste of time and energy.  Getting the tongue weight correct is simply a matter of moving the boat fore and aft on the bunks until at least 10% of the total weight is on the tongue.  It’s an adjustment you do once and it’s done.  While it doesn’t hurt anything to remove the rudder and motor, there is plenty involved with rigging and unrigging the boat without messing around with the rudder and motor too.
 
Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium