I'm restoring a used Passagemaker and need to know how to setup the trailer for proper support.
I'm not new to this, but never had a boat with the bottom that's curved like a PM.
I will be using a small trailer, maybe a PWC trailer
I heard someone on here trailered one and damaged the hull because the trailer wasn't supporting properly.
Any help/ideas/pics will be appreciated.
Thanks Warren
What did you end up doing?
Many people seem to use cheapo multi-puropse trailers and whatever they can find to give the boat a comfy bed to lay on. I might do same if I can't get my take-apart into the back of my pick-up.
I'm planning to use a Harbor Freight folding trailer for my PMD take-apart, which we'll deck with HDPE or some such. We'll see how that works out. I'll need to put the whole shebang away in a middling storage unit once I finish moving out of our old place. No garage here at the senior living facility.
.....Michael
I haven't set one up yet, still restoring it.
Thinking keel rollers, 2 short bunks that swivel on bracketsat the rear trailer crossmember, and 2 swivel bunks at the front trailer crossmember. Then a high roller that will support near the bow area.
Also ,On light boats like this, I like to take the leafs out of the springs except for one so they have some "give" in them. Otherwise too stiff a spring rate make it just like no springs
I'll post pics when it's done
So how'd your trailer turn out? Two months after ordering I received mine from Northern Tool. I think it is long enough but the hull seems somewhat under supported.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nqSUR3T419Vc9Dpr7
Can anyone recommend or share pictures of their trailer configs? My Chaparral runabout I can make those straps as tight as I want, but with the PMD I am afraid too much tension could pull the littlle boat apart. Any advice to safely trailer this little guy are much appreciated.
Charlie,
I bought a small trailer the other day, but haven't finished restoring the boat yet.
I'm thinking of a long keel support like trailerable sailboats use, with small bunks at the forward crossmember and rear crossmemeber. The rear bunks would pivit somewhat for loading/unloading.
I may also use a cross cradle cut or laminated to fit the hull at the forward and rear trailer crossmembers along with the keel support.
I looked at your pics, and was thinking maybe take the long boards off and try attaching four smaller boards at those supports. (two front two rear) That would give four points of contact.
Another option would be to laminate long bunks of 1/4" plywood conforming to the hull shape front to rear. do one lam at a time and the hull weight should form them till the epoxy kicks.
Looks like a nice trailer, but you are right on the concern about the support in my opinion
Warren
I hauly mine around on a Harbor Freight trailer. I added two 2x4's to the deck to capture the skeg.
Finally got our Passagemaker Dinghy and trailer sorted out for a quick row Thursday to test the launching and recovery arrangements:
That's a Harbor Freight folding trailer from a kit, assembled by my son and grandson, with a deck from a 4'x8' piece 1/2" PVC, plus some Appalachian engineering by me to help get the boat on and off the trailer without tearing it up.
There was no need to dunk the trailer, either to launch or to recover, just as I had hoped. The only parts to get wet were the lower parts of the wheel rims and tires (not the hubs) and the license plate. The lights and back end of the trailer frame were all well clear of the water.
Went off easier than it came back on, but it wasn't difficult, really. Pulled it off the trailer from the dock with the dock lines, though I could have easily pushed it off if there hadn't still been some of the floats still in at the ramp. To recover, I carried a bow line to the front of the trailer with me, stood with feet above the waterline, and was able to pull her partway on from there. She has a lot of rocker, she does, and the nose came well over the back of the trailer with her belly still floating. Had to stand on the spare tire (mounted flat there near the tongue) to get a better angle and some elevation so I could get a hand on the bow transom grip to pull her all the way up, but it wasn't difficult. Feet remained dry. <;-)
Before we moved out of our old apartment with an attached bouthou...er...um...garage, I generally kept the dinghy disassembled (take apart version) so there'd still be room for a car. I'd move the care, assemble the boat on some indoor/outdoor carpet, and pull her up stern first into the back of my pickup truck. The pickup truck became surplus upon selling our Menger 19 catboat earlier this year, hence the need for alternative arrangements. We've moved to much -smaller quarters, and the boat and trailer now live in a nearby storage unit, which, more's the Lord's blessing, was large enough to accommodate our surplus stuff and still leave room for the boat on the unfolded trailer, so there won't often be any need for disassembly unless I need to make room for coming at other stuff over the winter.
Hoping all this facilitates a lot of opportunity to get her out next season....
.....Michael
I might ought have mentioned that two athwartships ratchet tie downs seem to be all that is needed to keep her firmly on the trailer. These are secured through the little holes in the brackets for side stakes on either side of the frame.
The line shown on the bow is just temporary to keep the boat from sliding off the trailer in launching and recovering. The two pool noodles along the sides are to keep her from scraping on the fenders or other hard places if she twists on the trailer during handling. I also padded the ends of the brackets for the casters (trailer can fold up and be tilted up to sit on casters like a roll away bed) with some old socks lashed over the protuding ends.
The old fender secured athwartships under the bow is to keep her from rocking forward and raising the skeg up off the trailer before I get things tied down. It also supports the bow some. The skeg and bottom skids rest on an industrial carpet runner down the middle, with a smaller floor mat wrapped over the back of the frame so she'll slide on and off without scraping, all hosed down with silicone spray for slickeriness. The floor mats are held in place by some Gorilla double-sticky stuff.
Gramps,
Thank you for the pics and explanation.
I put the second to last coat of varnish on the bow section today,
(Is there ever a last coat?) as well as gluing the neoprene bulkhead gasket.
Will probably do the last coat of varnish Tues as I want today's to set up more for last (oh boy) sanding. Wiil start reinstalling the hardware and rubrail later this week, then I'll address the trailer fitment.
I bought a jetski trailer, but it may be too short for the PM so I may swap it for the trailer under my 10.5' inflatable rib....too bad cause that is set up perfect for my inflatable
I think I'll just block the PM above the trailer and see what supports I need to devise to basicly bridge the gap between the boat and trailer
BTW, Those are just cover straps in the photos, I have proper gunnel straps to hold the boat down!
They will go to eyebolts at the cradle supports
The finish is incredible.
Would you mind sharing more close-ups of those custom lateral supports? I need to make some for my desperate needed trailer reconfiguration. It woujld also be great to see how you strap the hull to the trailer.
I'll take some tomorrow.
I used Jamestown Topside paint.
https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/product/product-detail/64351
Tried rolling and tipping, but brushed the last coat as I wasn't getting the finish that the You Tubers were!
Used a Corona Europa Bager hair style brush
http://coronabrushes.com/corona/index.cfm?event=showSeries&id=16