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 Post subject: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:42 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
After a season with the Hobie cradles I've decided that they don't work for me. So, I've undertaken the task of switching out to PVC bunks. Since I'm doing the work for that I figured I would build a removable bike rack system and a sail holder. I figured I would post the how to in case anyone is interested. Here is my parts list:

PVC bunks:
8 2"x10' PVC
2 1 5/8"x 1 5/8" x 10' unistrut (12 guage)
16 3/8"x1" bolts
12 3/8"x 2 1/2" bolts
16 3/8" spring channel nuts
12 3/8" lock washers
12 3/8" washers
4 3/8"x 3 5/8"x 5" square u bolts

PVC Sail Holder:
2 4"x10' PVC
1 4" PVC coupler
1 4" PVC end cap
1 6"-4" PVC reducer
1 6" PVC coupler
1 6"x2' PVC
1 6" PVC female end with threads
1 6" PVC screw in cap
3 1 5/8"x 1 5/8"x 6" unistrut (12 guage)
6 1/2" 90° 2 hole unistrut brackets
3 1/2"x2" adjustable clevis pins
3 9/16"x2" hitch pins
6-8' 1/16 braided galvanized wire
7 wire ferrules
1 wire stopper
1 can of PVC primer
1 Can of PVC cement

Bike Rack:
4 1 5/8"x 13/16" x 10' unistrut (14 guage)
4 3 hole unistrut "L" brackets
12 2 hole unistrut 90° brackets
20 1/2" spring channel nuts
20 1/2"x1" bolts
4 1/2"x2" adjustable clevis pins
4 9/16"x2" hitch pins
4-8' 1/16" braided galvanized wire
16 wire ferrules

I plan to post pictures of each piece during construction and the finished product. Please feel free to ask questions or tell me I'm crazy :D

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


Last edited by TI_Tom on Sun Apr 03, 2016 7:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 6:18 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 2:13 pm
Posts: 161
Location: San Antonio, TX
Sounds like it's going to be an awesome trailer! Gotta love the pvc bunks. I think they support the boat very well and they make it easy to slide the boat on and off the trailer. My bunks are mounted to 2x4 cross beams, but if I were to do it again, I'd use unistrutt, which looks like you're doing. That stuff is great - strong and versitile.

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-- Chad | 2014 TI


Last edited by chadbach on Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 7:46 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
1st installment will be the sail holder. This will be in two parts. Part 1 will be the assembly and Part 2 will be mounting it to the trailer.
Part 1:
  • Cut the 6"x2' PVC into a 15" length.
  • Prime and glue the female threaded end onto one end.
  • Prime and glue the 6" coupler onto the other end.
This makes the wider end that allows for the furling drum. It should look like so:
Image

Prime and glue the 6" to 4" reducer onto the end with the coupler:
Image
Image

Cut the 2 4"x10' PVC pieces into 8' 5" lengths. This puts the coupler evenly down the length of the holder. Join the two lengths of 4" PVC with the 4" coupler:
Image

Prime and glue one end into the 6" piece:
Image

Glue and end cap onto the other end of the 4" PVC:
Image

***Notes: The length of PVC seemed too much for the 4" coupler. It came apart on me. My plan will be to re-glue it when I mount it to the trailer. The coupler is one of the mount points anyways. Also, once it was all together I attempted to put the sail in. Without any vent holes it was hard to get the sail in and really hard to get the sail out. This will be alleviated when the mounting holes are drilled. I also plan on drilling some drain holes in the bottom.

Part 2 will come after I get the bunks installed on the trailer.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:20 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Here is an updated parts list. The engineering would be much simpler if I wasn't making the bike rack and sail holder easily removable with hitch pins.
TI_Tom wrote:
Here is my parts list:

PVC bunks:
8 2"x10' PVC
2 1 5/8"x 1 5/8" x 10' unistrut (12 guage)
16 3/8"x1" bolts
12 3/8"x 2 1/2" bolts
16 3/8" spring channel nuts
12 3/8" lock washers
12 3/8" washers
3 3/8"x 3 5/8"x 5" square u bolts (the small unistrut piece at the bow was swapped for a keel roller.)

PVC Sail Holder:
2 4"x10' PVC
1 4" PVC coupler
1 4" PVC end cap
1 6"-4" PVC reducer
1 6" PVC coupler
1 6"x2' PVC
1 6" PVC female end with threads
1 6" PVC screw in cap
3 1 5/8"x 1 5/8"x 6" unistrut (12 guage)
4 1/2" spring channel nuts
9 1/2" 90° 2 hole unistrut brackets (3 more were added to support the upright)
9 1/2" x 1" hex head bolts
3 1/2" washers
3 1/2" split washers
3 1/2" nuts
3 1/2"x2" adjustable clevis pins
3 9/16"x2" hitch pins
6-8' 1/16 braided galvanized wire
7 wire ferrules
1 wire stopper
1 can of PVC primer
1 Can of PVC cement

Bike Rack:
4 1 5/8"x 13/16" x 10' unistrut (14 guage)
4 3 hole unistrut "L" brackets
16 2 hole unistrut 90° brackets (4 more were added to support the uprights)
24 1/2" spring channel nuts
20 1/2"x1" bolts
4 1/2"x2" adjustable clevis pins
4 9/16"x2" hitch pins
4-8' 1/16" braided galvanized wire
16 wire ferrules

If you didn't want to make the sail holder and bike rack removable then you could switch out the 3 90 degree brackets on the bottom of each leg of the bike rack with 4 hole 90 degree brackets. Same goes for the sail holder. They would then be permanently bolted to the trailer.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:58 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Here is an update on the trailer. I finally got a weather window and time to work on it.
1st up was to strip the cradles and extra galvanized tubing off the trailer.
The 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" unistrut channel was cut into 3 4' 6" lengths. Making sure to keep a slot at about the midway point (2' 3")
They were then attached to the center bar of the trailer with the 3/8"x 3 5/8"x 5" square u bolts.
Here is what the trailer looks like with unistrut attached.
Image

Here is how the u-bolts hold the unistrut to the center bar.
Image
Image

The next step was to attach the main PVC bunks. I used Buckaroo's measurements from his post: http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=53232. A 3/8" hole was drilled all the way through the PVC and then a knock-out/step-down bit was used to widen the top hole to 7/8" to accommodate a 9/16" deep well socket.
Image

The PVC is then attached to the unistrut using 3/8" x 1" bolts and 3/8" spring channel nuts.
Image

Finished product:
Image

Next installment will detail how to accommodate the venturi drains as well as the PVC supports for the amas.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:01 am 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
Posts: 426
Location: Austin Texas
Tom you might find it useful to have a roller or something that acts similarly at the rear of your trailer to center and protect the narrower bow until the scupper grooves reach the bunks. There is an example in my previous posts about the trailer I built.
nice work !
Chris


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 8:33 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Thanks Chris!
I have one, it's just not installed yet. I'm also planning on using one up near the bow for extra support since I didn't take the PVC all the way to the bow.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:55 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Did some more work on the trailer this afternoon. I added the PVC bunks for the amas. They are attached to the unistrut the same way as the hull bunks.
Image
The measurements were taken from the hull bunk on the respective side.
inner bunk:
strut 1 - 13 5/8"
strut 2 - 13 1/4"
strut 3 - 12"
strut 4 - 11 3/8"
strut 5 - 11 1/2"

outer bunk:
strut 1 - 16 1/4"
strut 2 - 16 3/8"
strut 3 - 16 5/8"
strut 4 - 15"
strut 5 - 14 3/4"

They do a nice job of keeping the amas about 1" away from the main hull. Something that I wished the cradles did, as now I have some really good scratches/gouges on both the amas and the hull from them rubbing together.

Image

I did end up having to drop the fenders down in order for the PVC and the amas to clear. All it took was moving the brackets from on top of the cross bar to the outside of the crossbar.
Image

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:59 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Here is the finished product with the bunks.
Image
Image

Here you can see the gap that is now between the hull and amas. This should keep them from scratching anymore.
Image

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:21 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Sail holder part 2.

Here is how the legs are put together as well as how the 90degree angles are attached to the unistrut. this allows for easy installation and removal. I don't plan on using the sail holder unless I'm going a fair distance.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image


The 3 holes drilled in the side are 1/2" on one side and 1 3/8" on the opposite side. Here is the sail holder mounted.
Image
Image
Image

Admittedly the sail is a tight fit. If I were to do it over again I would have used either 5" (if I could have found it) or 6" the whole length. It works, I just can't put the sail in with the sail bag on. It does have enough room at the end to fold the sail bag up and set it inside.

Next installment will be the bike racks.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:46 am 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
Posts: 426
Location: Austin Texas
Nice work Tom !
I have been wrangling with where to put a 5" sail carrier on my trailer because I don't have room above the axle and I have a Thule box on the upper deck.
I think it's 5" PVC conduit I purchased and Northern Tool sells an inexpensive cast aluminum door and end cap set.
Does yours clear the back of your vehicle ok on a sharp turn ?

I put 303 or Armor All on my bunks to help preserve them in sunlight but it also makes them so slick I can push the boat to the bow stop with one hand once it's on the trailer.
Chris


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:54 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
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Location: Blacklick, Ohio
Thanks Chris!

Admittedly I haven't hooked up the trailer to see about clearance. The sail holder doesn't come any farther forward than the bow, so we shall see. If turning radius becomes an issue I might have a solution. Instead of mounting the holder directly to the three legs, I would instead mount a length of unistrut perpendicular to the legs with the "open" side facing out. Then mount the holder to the new length of unistrut. By loosening the 3 bolts it can then be slid fore and aft along the trailer. The sail holder is really only meant for long road trips anyways. We do an annual visit to Michigan and Ohio that is about 1600-2000 miles round trip. Once at our location the sail holder would be unpinned and set aside until the return trip.

I have a bottle of 303 that I will spray down the PVC with. I was able to slide the boat off the trailer by myself pretty easily, and now with the winch it's 100 times easier to load by myself.

_________________
2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

  • Trampolines
  • Hobie cover
  • Davis Spar Fly
  • Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
  • Spine Board Hakas


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 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:04 pm 
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:17 pm
Posts: 426
Location: Austin Texas
I may have to revisit the sail holder. It would be nice to just pop it in the tube and eliminate putting the cloth cover on and off of it.
- C


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 5:08 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3057
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
Of course this is just my opinion here, but just based on my own experience with my TI and my trailer, the choice of 2" dia PVC vs 1 1/8" dia pvc might cause the center of the hull to sag and bend inward. I used 1 1/4" dia pvc then shoved just regular wood broom handles into the pvc for added rigidity. With the smaller dia pvc the hull still settles, but the low points all settle onto the cross members, then doesn't deform anymore. With the larger pvc the hull just keeps deforming deepper and deeper as time marches on in my experience. Obviously you need enough cross members for the hull to rest on (I have 3 on mine plus a roller at the back, and flat support at the bow. Your cross supports look sufficient. My TI has been stored on my trailer in my garage for 3 yrs now with no ill effects. Obviously different people have vastly different observations of what is happening.
Just my own observations
FE


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 Post subject: Re: Trailer Upgrades
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 6:04 am 
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I have not noticed that to be a problem on mine with 1 1/2" pvc but I'll take a look. It's only a span of 11 1/2" OC with much of the hull on the other side of the pvc. I'll watch out for that, my boat is newer and stored indoors however so maybe it hasn't happened yet if it's going to.
Chris


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