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Windrider
Trailering Modifications
(click on any of the small pictures
for a large one!)
From
my past experience with trailering boats, I knew well that if it isn't
really easy to trailer and launch, then it won't get used.
Then you just have a bunch of money sitting in the back yard.
So
I spend a lot of time making my trailering and boat ramp experience as
easy as possible. I also wanted an alternative to what I considered a
VERY expensive "custom" Windrider trailer.
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 When
I was buying the Windrider from the shop, I asked about a
trailer also. They wanted $750. dollars for a trailer that
was 4 years old, rusty, and was making permanent indentations
in the amas from the "V" shaped supports. This didn't
sound like a good idea for me.
I
went two blocks down the road and bought a brand new jetski
trailer with lights, bearing buddies, and bunks - that's more
like it!
Here
are a couple of views of my final overall trailer setup.
My bestest admiral made the mast/sailcover. The mast is supported
at 3 points with the lower portion (about 4-5ft) unsupported,
hanging over the rudder post.
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 The
first thing I needed to do was set the bunks up for the main
hull. The original brackets were too short (4in) to allow
the keel to easily get over the crossbar in the back.
I
found some 10in risers and replaced the original 4in ones
with those - easy job. I set them up so the hull was just
level and so that the keel JUST cleared the back cross beam.
I
knew that I'd be scraping up the keel on that
rear beam, so I added a roller to protect it as I was loading
and unloading. This also helps the loading process by allowing
the boat to both pivot and roll at that point.
I
think that the bunks are a better supporting system for the
hull than those "V" shaped things on the factory
trailer, except that there isn't much side-to-side support.
So a
good set of tie-downs is needed to keep the hull centered
and upright.
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Next
I went to work on the amas.
 I
preferred to have them upside down so that 1) the hatches
were protected from both sun and rain and 2) the flat(ish)
surface was better for having them sit still on the trailer
frame.
I
set them on the trailer that way, and then looked at them
to see what I could do to make them stay there.
Forward,
I threaded a long galvanized carriage bolt through a standard
flat rubber trailer roller. I drilled and bolted it to the
top edge of the trailer "C" frame.
This
would keep the forward ends from sliding outward.
At
the back, I bent some thin (1/4in, I think) threaded rod to
form a giant "U" bolt and then, before attaching
it to the trailer, put some heavy duty rubber fuel hose over
the threaded part. The connector tube then drops into this
ring and keeps the back end from moving around.
So,
now, as long as the amas are held DOWN, they
shouldn't move side-to-side or forward and back. Again, a
good tie-down mechanism is in order.
At
all of the contact points, I slit lengthwise, some HEAVY marine
rubber hose and slid it onto the "C" channel so
that there were no boat-to-metal contact points. It seemed
to grip the channel pretty good. We'll see how it holds up
in the sun, etc.
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Next
I needed was a way to support the mast. I used a treated piece
of 2x6 lumber and found some galvanized brackets at Lowes
that are used for assembling boat docks.
Some
carefully drilled holes, galvanized carriage bolts and a few
trailer "U" bolts and it was put all together.
 I
measured the diameter of the mast, and cut a semicircle in
the top of the 2x6.
I
glued and attached a strip of bunk carpet to that to protect
the mast.
 I
have a 1.5hp cruise N carry that I mounted to the front of
the board for trailering. I made a mount with some leftover
Starboard and a couple more galvanized brackets bolted together
in an "S" shape.
On
the back of the bolts holding the motor mount to the 2x6,
I used some leftover small brackets and a bolt to make a place
to tie off the bow and hold the mast down.
Lower
down, and in-line with the bow, I put a standard rubber trailer
stop for the nose of the boat to touch.
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Then
I needed a mid-support for the mast. This is made from PVC
pipe. The 2 inch pipe goes all the way down the center and
rests at the very bottom of the mast step, inside the boat.
The
connector (reducer) piece is made to join 2in pipe with 3in
pipe. The 3in part (kind of like a skirt) goes OVER the mast
tube to prevent water from coming in around the 2in support
piece. I had to grind out the lip inside the reducer so that
the 2in pipe could go all the way through to the bottom of
the boat.
On
top is a pipe cap. I used a threaded connector first, though,
so I could "adjust" the level of the support (I
wasn't THAT confident of my pipe-length measurements). On
top of the cap is a regular "V" shaped bow stop
to cradle the mast.
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 The
last job I had to get done right away was to make a cover
for the cockpit. I wanted something that would keep water
out, would lock, and would serve as the final suport point
for the mast. This is what I ended up with.
It's
not pretty, but it meets all of the above criteria.
I
got some 1/4in plastic bendy stuff from a local plastics shop
for the main cover. It is supposed to be UV stable.
It
had to be flexible, because my attaching and removal strategy
required a little bending of the cover to allow the wooden
"hooks" to clear the rim of the cockpit.
 I
wanted a single locking point to lock it on, so I made this
cross-beam thing and back piece to "hook" under
the cockpit rim and "twist" into place.
The
crosspiece on the bottom is mounted diagonal to allow just
the right amount of twist of the whole top, to turn it lengthwise
enough that it can be removed.
Then,
all the latch/lock had to do was basically keep the top from
rotating. (kind of hard to explain - maybe the pictures help)
I
put a stainless eyebolt with a big backing plate in front
of the latch to be able to lock it down. I made sure this
was at a point LOWER than the line that the mainsheet took
coming out of the cam cleat.
I
put the mast cradle on the top side of the cover. It adds
some stiffness to the otherwise thin, flexible plastic. Again,
bunk carpet.
The
black stuff around the edge is rubber garage door wheatherstripping.
I
have since taken it off - it just got in the way..
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| I
think I have a better system now, easier to launch and easier
on the boat! |
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