1973 Wellcraft Airslot 165 (16.5' long).
Bunk trailer with 4 center keel rollers. Boat weight is being carried on the keel rollers, as the bunks were rotten. Also, boat is just 1/4" above fenders. I jacked the boat up 1" above fenders to give clearance and take the weight off the keel rollers.
Questions:
1. Current setup is bunks on edge, so that boat is being carried on the 1.5" edge of a 2x4. I plan to move the bunks in a little closer to the center of the boat and turn so that that boat is being carried on the 3.5" width of the bunk. Take a look at picture and advise opinion on moving bunks in towards the center about 3-4" on both sides.
2. Current bunks were 6' long, as the boat has a step in the bottom of the hull and it cannot be any longer than that before it reaches the stepped area. It appeared to trailer ok this way. Do you agree? Do I need to add another set of bunks closer to the outside edge of the hull...again max length is about 6' from the transom forward.
3. Once I lower boat back onto new bunks the keel rollers will be about 1/2" from touching the keel. Should I move them up where they touch off lightly on the boat or just leave the 1/2" clearance gap?
4. The trailer is level and the boat is tilted back so that it probably has 1-2 inches drop from front to rear, so just slightly tilted back from level. This is how I bought it and I was just planning to reset it at the same slight rear tilt.
5. Their is a pretty big gap between the bow roller and the keel at the front of the boat (see pic). Again, should this roller be move up so that it slightly touches off on the keel or leave as-is with 3-4" gap?
6. I plan to remove cap and work on boat while on trailer. Adding temp bunk to outside edges as per photo below. Is this adequate to keep hull from flexing?
Here are a few pics with notes. Thank you.
Bunk trailer with 4 center keel rollers. Boat weight is being carried on the keel rollers, as the bunks were rotten. Also, boat is just 1/4" above fenders. I jacked the boat up 1" above fenders to give clearance and take the weight off the keel rollers.
Questions:
1. Current setup is bunks on edge, so that boat is being carried on the 1.5" edge of a 2x4. I plan to move the bunks in a little closer to the center of the boat and turn so that that boat is being carried on the 3.5" width of the bunk. Take a look at picture and advise opinion on moving bunks in towards the center about 3-4" on both sides.
2. Current bunks were 6' long, as the boat has a step in the bottom of the hull and it cannot be any longer than that before it reaches the stepped area. It appeared to trailer ok this way. Do you agree? Do I need to add another set of bunks closer to the outside edge of the hull...again max length is about 6' from the transom forward.
3. Once I lower boat back onto new bunks the keel rollers will be about 1/2" from touching the keel. Should I move them up where they touch off lightly on the boat or just leave the 1/2" clearance gap?
4. The trailer is level and the boat is tilted back so that it probably has 1-2 inches drop from front to rear, so just slightly tilted back from level. This is how I bought it and I was just planning to reset it at the same slight rear tilt.
5. Their is a pretty big gap between the bow roller and the keel at the front of the boat (see pic). Again, should this roller be move up so that it slightly touches off on the keel or leave as-is with 3-4" gap?
6. I plan to remove cap and work on boat while on trailer. Adding temp bunk to outside edges as per photo below. Is this adequate to keep hull from flexing?
Here are a few pics with notes. Thank you.
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