Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

Don White wrote:
"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am have my first trailered boat; before now my boats were small enough to
just store upside down on the dock for the winter.

Someone told me it I should put the back up on blocks to take the load off
the tires, so I have done that. How about the front. Must that be
propped up also, or is the crank thing okay?

The guy I bought it from lubed everything last April. The trailer has
only been in the water twice since then. Does it need any maintenance?

Thanks much

I jack up the boat trailer and put blocks at three points... frame near each
wheek (single axle) and near where the tongue joins the trailer body.
This relieves the springs and wheels plus the 'tongue jack' for our long 6
or 7 month layup.
If our boating season was longer and the layup shorter, I might just move
the trailer around on occasion. (if not burried under ice & snow)



That's all I really do...just move the trailer back or forward on its
wheels.

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

On Oct 23, 8:14 am, HK wrote:
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"Toller" wrote in message
...
- Did the previous owner tell you anything about the wheel bearings? Do
you see something like this in the centers of your wheels?
http://www.bearingbuddy.com/ Or, do you just see a metal cap?

There is a plastic cover over them. Is that adequate since it is exposed
to water so little?

Unless you're talking about the soft plastic cover that can cover Bearing
Buddies, I honestly don't know. Are you sure there's not a metal cover under
the plastic thing? Plastic seems like a weak option in a place that could
brush against a curb.

If the original owner didn't mention when he last repacked or replaced the
bearings, it's probably worthwhile to get it done so you've got a starting
point for a maintenance schedule.

- Before it's too cold to work outdoors without gloves, take a good look
at all wire junctions. Make sure all splices look clean, not corroded. If
they're made with electrical tape over soldered wire joints, that's
sloppy and they should be replaced with crimped connections covered with
heat shrink tubing.

Yeah, they are all covered with electrical tape that is falling off;
expect the connections are pretty bad underneath also. Wouldn't soldered
joints covered with shrink be okay? I did that for my invisible fence 15
years ago and they are still okay. But it is probably easier to crimp
them anyhow if that is better.

Solder + shrink tubing isn't too bad, as long as you check the joint for
sharp edges that might puncture the shrink tubing, and file or clip them.
Crimps are easier, but you should use a properly designed tool, and they not
so easy to find. The jaws on most tools don't shape the crimp correctly as
it squeezes them, because the jaws are almost flat, with slight curves
carved into them. That's useless. At this links below, check out the tool,
and click on the picture for a closer look at what the jaws should look
like:

http://www.panduit.com/search/produc...rimp+tool&N=50...

or:

http://tinyurl.com/3dmk8f

- Spare ti Got one? Is it secured to the trailer with a cable lock or
some other method?

That's funny actually. Before pulling the boat out I checked and found
the spare was flat. Fortunately it held pressure okay; but the bigger
problem was that it was locked on and I didn't have the key! When I put
the boat in I didn't have the key either, and the tire was probably flat
then also; good thing I didn't need it. Came off in 2 seconds with an
angle grinder.

What about propping the front up?!

Someone else chimed in on that last question.

I've never propped up any of my boat trailers so the tires are off the
ground. The trailer is designed so that the weight is borne by the the
suspension and tires, and I doubt whether the tires "know" whether they
have been sitting for two weeks or three months. I make sure the
bearings are properly packed before storage, and that the tires are
properly inflated, and that's it for the trailer.

Once the boat and engine are winterized and the batteries are removed, I
have the boat shrinkwrapped.

I do check on the boat every month. With the rig on its own wheels, if I
have to move it for some reason, it's no big deal to do so.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Neither have I. My boat and trailer sat in my driveway one year for 4
months. Now, when I hooked it up, and took it to the lake, I noticed
in the first few miles that the tires seemed to have a flat spot,
feeling like they were out of balance. It smoothed out almost
immediately.

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

DUH... how big of a boat?


"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am have my first trailered boat; before now my boats were small enough to
just store upside down on the dock for the winter.

Someone told me it I should put the back up on blocks to take the load off
the tires, so I have done that. How about the front. Must that be
propped up also, or is the crank thing okay?

The guy I bought it from lubed everything last April. The trailer has
only been in the water twice since then. Does it need any maintenance?

Thanks much

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:25:24 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:


Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20 yrs
old when I sold the boat and trailer.

He had it all correct!
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-112102.pdf
http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rvbrochure.pdf

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepage
http://pamandgene.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats

Contradictory to most of the "experts" here.... :-)

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:37:22 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

Only crimps & heat shrink
tubing are allowed in this universe, for boats & other toys that live
outdoors.

Absolutely true. This is the preferred type of butt connector:
http://tinyurl.com/3d49so


Oooh....those are even better than what I was thinking of.

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

Gene Kearns wrote:
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:25:24 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20 yrs
old when I sold the boat and trailer.

He had it all correct!
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-112102.pdf
http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rvbrochure.pdf


I would have been very surprised if he wasn't. ;).

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

JimH wrote:
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:25:24 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20 yrs
old when I sold the boat and trailer.
He had it all correct!
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-112102.pdf


What is "long term storage"?


http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rvbrochure.pdf


RV tires?




Undefined, I am sure. I store for about four months up here, maybe four
and a half, and move the trailer around. If I were ReggieReturdo,
though, I'd find some non-issue to make an issue of, and push it for all
it was worth. What else has he?

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

HK wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:25:24 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20 yrs
old when I sold the boat and trailer.
He had it all correct!
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-112102.pdf


What is "long term storage"?


http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rvbrochure.pdf


RV tires?



Undefined, I am sure. I store for about four months up here, maybe four
and a half, and move the trailer around. If I were ReggieReturdo,
though, I'd find some non-issue to make an issue of, and push it for all
it was worth. What else has he?

Harry,
Someone asked for recommendations, I told him what I did based upon my
father recommendations. If you review this thread, you will see you are
the one who tried to make an issue of it. Heck, I really don't care
what anyone else does with their boat or trailer. You seemed to be
insulted because my father and the trailer and tire mfg'ers didn't agree
with you. As I said, I never researched the subject, I just assumned
he knew what he was talking about. While he was not always correct
about all subjects, if he pertained to a mechanical issue, he was very
rarely wrong.

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:25:24 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20 yrs
old when I sold the boat and trailer.
He had it all correct!
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-112102.pdf


What is "long term storage"?


http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rvbrochure.pdf


RV tires?



Undefined, I am sure. I store for about four months up here, maybe
four and a half, and move the trailer around. If I were ReggieReturdo,
though, I'd find some non-issue to make an issue of, and push it for
all it was worth. What else has he?

Harry,
Someone asked for recommendations, I told him what I did based upon my
father recommendations.

You don't have to rationalize yourself to me, ReggieReturdo. Using your
imaginary boat this week? Next week? The week after?

Keeping a boat/trailer over the winter...
 

HK wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Gene Kearns" wrote in
message ...
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:25:24 -0400, Reginald P. Smithers III penned
the following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20
yrs
old when I sold the boat and trailer.
He had it all correct!
http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-112102.pdf


What is "long term storage"?


http://www.goodyear.com/rv/pdf/rvbrochure.pdf


RV tires?



Undefined, I am sure. I store for about four months up here, maybe
four and a half, and move the trailer around. If I were
ReggieReturdo, though, I'd find some non-issue to make an issue of,
and push it for all it was worth. What else has he?

Harry,
Someone asked for recommendations, I told him what I did based upon my
father recommendations.

You don't have to rationalize yourself to me, ReggieReturdo. Using your
imaginary boat this week? Next week? The week after?

Harry,
Nope, this weekend my marina asked me if they could pull my boat and
store it on the hard, so they could move a larger boat into my slip, due
to low water. Since I am a nice guy and understood their problem, I
told them sure, no problem. They then agreed to winterize the the
engine and fresh water system for free. It is amazing how good karma
begets good karma. On the plus side, I can change my outdrive boots
this winter without paying for a haul.

You seem to have an anger management issue. What seems to be the problem?