Trailer build for Gwenn Ha Gwer

[Anchorhandler]

Hi All

For those that are intrested, here are some pics of the trailer build for our Vipermax 6.5 'Gwenn Ha Gwer' ex 'Jigsaw'

Finally found the time to take it to the galvanizers Tuesday and got the frame back today.

I challenge those eagle eye Ribneters out there to spot the 'deliberate' mistake..

Simon

[BogMonster]

I see three:

1) you are towing it with a Pajero

2) the wheels in the last pic look a bit far forwards

but from my own experience

3) the keel rollers are all in the same vertical plane and the Vipermax hull is curved along its keel, no prizes for guessing how and when I found that one out, only 3 of the 8 on my trailer touch the hull

[Anchorhandler]

Hi BogMonster

I see three:
1) you are towing it with a Pajero

I was going to use our Disco, but due to the outside temperature being below 10degs and the relative humidity in the air being above 40%...it wouldnt start!

2) the wheels in the last pic look a bit far forwards

Its a new design of launching trolley!

but from my own experience

3) the keel rollers are all in the same vertical plane and the Vipermax hull is curved along its keel, no prizes for guessing how and when I found that one out, only 3 of the 8 on my trailer touch the hull

Ahh, now thats interesting... I measured our 6.5 before choosing the route of keel rollers and found a 2.75m long 'flat' section along the keel starting about 1.5m fwd of the transom. This horizontal portion of the keel runs parallel with the chines. Hmm, i will o and check again.

Did you opt for bunks on your new trailer?....i know you have mentioned it previously but i cant remember.

Check out the other thread 'Trailer build Part Deux' for other comments.


Simon

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Ahh, now thats interesting... I measured our 6.5 before choosing the route of keel rollers and found a 2.75m long 'flat' section along the keel starting about 1.5m fwd of the transom. This horizontal portion of the keel runs parallel with the chines. Hmm, i will o and check again.

Did you opt for bunks on your new trailer?....i know you have mentioned it previously but i cant remember.

Yeah I got a bunk trailer because I thought "Lots of keel rollers and big bunks = best support" - we have lots of pretty awful unsurfaced roads here and the bit down to our house is particularly bad - 10mph in a 4x4.

Unfortunately I had assumed (because the Humber was) that the keel line was straight, and certainly on a Vipermax 5.8m it isn't. Not much of a curve, but enough to not touch the rollers, and to compound this the other thing I'd not thought of is the planing pad which doesn't touch the rollers anyway but even if it did it is the wrong shape for that type of keel roller and would not sit in the V of the rollers.

It sits on three in the middle and the problem is that due to the weight of the engine, is trying to see-saw over bumps. It doesn't do it much but enough to be a concern and while I have it strapped down front and rear, trying to over-tighten these is effectively trying to break it's back - the weight of the boat is taken by the bunks but they have a bit of movement in them as well. I understand from the manufacturers that they do an adjustable keel roller which with welding might be retro-fitted, which reminds me I never got an answer to my last email and must chase it up!

A couple of photos attached from when it was in UK - I don't have any closeups taken here.

If I was designing a trailer from scratch I'd have a continuous set of rollers from a couple of inches in front of the transom right up to by the front of the console. Sadly my fab skills are not up to that and there is nowhere to get anything galvanised here anyway. I may end up just ordering a roller trailer but freight will cost as much as the trailer so it will have to do for a while.

The 6.5m hull is different so you may be fine but I'd double check!

I should say the trailer was my choice and not the standard one Osprey supply which is normally a roller trailer. Had I known then what I know now I would have stuck with that