Removing boat from trailer for service
"Stanley Barthfarkle" wrote in message
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Hi all,
I've done a Google search on the subject, but I still; haven't figured out
how to safely get my boat off of the trailer to service both the boat hull
and the trailer while on dry land. Nearest lake is 1.5 hrs away. (Want to
refinish the trailer and replace rollers, and need to refinish the boat
hull
under the rollers)
First question: What are you going to do to the hull that you can't do with
it on the trailer?
If you want unobstructed access to the entire bottom then you need to hang
it from the lifting eyes, assuming the boat has lifting eyes. This means a
very sturdy frame built over the trailer.
The other alternative is to set the boat on blocks. You have to decide how
high off the ground you want it and how few supports you can get away with.
I would expect at least two blocks at the transom and one under the keel
towards the forward 1/3 of the boat.
If you want to block the boat then the operation is simple but a bit
tedious. Take a floor jack and a block of wood (to pad between the jack and
the hull). Jack the boat up, set a block / jack stand under it, let it down
on the block. Jack up another spot and put a block under it. Keep going
until you have the boat lifted clear of the trailer. Now roll the trailer
forward as far as you can until a frame member of the trailer hits a block.
Now you either remove the blocks and set the boat back on the trailer long
enough to move the blocks to a new spot, or get a new set of blocks and
transfer.
You may have to repeat this process several times to get the trailer out.
You obviously want to do this on flat ground and be very careful not to drop
the boat, and especially to not be underneath the boat if it drops!
Rod
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