Desparately need help with trailer setup

I need to adapt a trailer to a H16 I recently acquired. I have a trailer which will easily fit the Hobie but I'm not sure what I need to set it up. The trailer has a 3" square tube frame, and I need something that will go across it to support the boat. Now it's sitting on 2x6's which work but obviously not strong enough for trailering to the beach. So I'm looking for suggestions. Also, assuming the boat is sitting on 2 cross supports, what keeps it from moving forward or backward, even with tie-downs? Any trailer pics would be a BIG help, since there is nothing near me to go by. I'm trying to get this done this week in order to take it to the beach next week for it's maiden voyage.

Here is a link to the current setup:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i60/s ... cat021.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i60/s ... cat020.jpg

Ideally I'd like to be able to keep the bunks in place to do double duty for the Hobie and my skiff, but I will take them off if I have to.

Thanks!

My trailer has a fabricated 2" X 2" channel. you could use 2" X 2" X 3/16" tube with an eybolt drilled in the end outside the rollers for the hold down.

theres not much too them, here are some pictures.



how the hold downs work.





I wish you best of luck, happy sailing.

Hey Sailpwr,

If the final cross beams you install are attached well to your trailer and spaced approximately under each pylon, tie downs as shown in other's pictures attached around on each pylon to the cross beam should hold the boat in place pretty well. But you should also add a mast support to the trailer to hold the mast on. This could take the place of your normal pylon where your winch should be. If you do have a winch, you can also the line from it to your dolphin striker. Then, after putting your tie downs on, winch in until the whole rig is nice and tight.

I liked the trailer with the cross beams under the frame...in your case, that would allow the trailer to still double for your skiff without removing them.

Good luck!

I cringe every time I see tie-down straps lashed around the pylons and cross the hulls. The strap chafes against the hull, marring the finish. I know because I used to tie my boats down like that.

For many years now, I've used this tie-down system:


The key piece is a small length of line with an eye splice at each end (you can just tie a line around the sidebar and hook into that if you don't want to do the eye splices).

Nothing touches the hulls and the boat stays put. The front straps angle back and the rear straps angle forward. That keeps the boat from moving front to back.

I have to say, I like your system there Matt.

I have used the tie downs around the posts and just make sure I don't cinch the straps too tightly (which I have seen actually bend the deck surface). But, every now and then, I do have to buff out the suface from the straps.

Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for the replies and pics. Can someone tell me what the measurement is from end to end on the cross supports? MBounds, are your supports welded on? I can't see a u-bolt. I have no idea where I'm going to find a piece of 2" galvanized channel locally.

I never have figured out the purpose of the mast support on the front- is it just to support the mast during trailering? Why not just lash it to the crossbars on the boat? I mean you have to do that on the rear anyway, right? Seems like you could rig something to aid in stepping the mast, but then it's on the wrong end of the boat for that.

For the galvanized, do you have a "Metal by the Foot" in your area?

That mast support is for trailering and comes in handy when opening your trunk lid or rear hatch. Better to err towards a taller rather than shorter mast stand. Besides, you won't want ten feet of mast extending past the rear of your boat, if you don't install one.

_________________
Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

D'oh. Hadn't thought about that. I brought it home on a 18' flatbed, so that wasn't an issue. As far as a "Metal by the foot" I've never heard of it, so I doubt it.

now one issue to think of is the fact that the mast sits too far forward and if you drive a mobile home the mast will hit it so the mast needs to sit back a ways. behind the tounge a few feet. now if you do that you need to pick up the ass end of the mast so it dont drag the ground, thats where I need to work on.
Im not a yacht club guy guy, I have 37 big tattooes and the yacht club gals whould throw rocks at thier old men after looking at my huge unit.

////

8 feet



No - they have a square upside-down U shape: Π . They just sit on top of the box beam and are secured in place by a bolt. You can see the one on the left rear support.



Where do you live? You could order through McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com - catalog page 1495), but the frieght will be pricey because they're too long to ship via regular carriers.

Not to hijack. But I happen to have the little eyelits for the four corners tie down that MBounds has shown us. I have searched long, and hard, and have not been able to find any straps that fit in the holes.

You can just barely see the line in the picture.

The straps are on page 34 of the current Hobie Catalog.

They come with clips that you can put on the pylon bolts (14 / 16) or rivet to the deck lip (17 / 18). I don't like to use the clips (once kept me from getting back on the boat after a capsize - kept snagging my PFD).

With the little piece of line, you can use this system with any model Hobie.

On the 17, 18, Tiger and the 20, you go around the crossbeam with the line and either catch the beam bolt or some other piece of hardware.