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SAILFISH SAILING |
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TRAILING
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TRAILERS AND THEIR USES |
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Some people use their trailer only for occasional storage of the
boat, and as a launching trolley to get the boat into the water. Having arranged the boat on its mooring,
the trailer is then put away until the end of the season. |
Almost any serviceable trailer will do - if not to be used
on the road. |
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Other owners use a trailer as a place to store the boat on hard standing between trips. The boat may or may not be towed home to stand free in a yard, or on private land. Its next use may mean a drive to any area to launch, leaving the trailer and car parked by arrangement. This is usually cheaper than a permanent mooring. TIP: Hosing
the trailer down after a dunking helps
bearings last a bit longer |
For this the trailer needs to be roadworthy –
particular attention to bearings - and it must be braked.
The trailer supplied with the boat in the 1970s is no longer
serviceable. Many types of trailer are
now available, some more suitable for the Sailfish than others. A two-wheeled trailer with a jockey wheel
at the bow usually comes with the boat but be aware of newer
regulations. . |
The Linear Glide Trailer
Quite a few members now own a Linear Glide trailer designed for the Sailfish 18. This trailer gives complete peace of mind when trailing. It does not require a stabilizer and its 13 inch wheels and wide wheelbase makes it very stable when towing (even at 70 mph).
It is galvanized inside and out, has auto-reverse brakes and its unique design means that there is no need to put it into the water (apart from about 2 inches of tyre) so it does not suffer from bearing collapse or seized brakes.
It has a tilting launching/recovery cradle at the back (not a break-back). The boat is launched by giving it a slight push and when the boat’s centre of gravity goes over the cradle’s centre, the cradle tilts and launches the boat but the bow rollers still hold the bows securely so that the boat does not drift off sideways. This gives time to wind the keel down slightly and start the outboard before releasing the cable hook – all without getting the trailer or your feet wet. Recovery is the reverse. The bows are held securely and centrally so that the boat is wound out straight on to the keel rollers.
When trailing, the boat should be supported under its
keel, which is the strongest part of the hull.
There are other trailers on the market which are not specifically
designed for the Sailfish 18 and which do not incorporate keel rollers, so the
boat is supported at its weakest points.
Not a good idea. --- Roy Birkby
Keeping the Trailer
in fit condition
Our journey home had left me
with wheel bearings that were very hot indeed.
Thus my first task was to replace the wheel bearings, brake shoes, and
the brake springs which were on the verge of breaking, through rust. Whilst about it, I decided to replace the old
Mini wheels (10”) with larger 14” wheels and tyres and together, this has cured
the overheating problem and she now tow’s very well indeed.
Trailing Abroad can
be Exciting
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Trailing your boat abroad is a good way to get it to exotic places in a short time, and a way to cross the intervening areas of land. It is one of the benefits of a trailer-sailing. Of course, it needs a good car, good trailer, and keen drivers! So if you have a hankering to see some other shore, think about trailing. You may have a holiday you will always remember. Taking your boat and trailer on a ferry is much like taking a caravan. If you feel you have enough driving experience to cope with the trailer and a powerful enough car, take down a map and plan it.
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All packed up - where are you off to now? |
Going to join the next
Sailfish rally |
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