Keep your trunks up!!

yoyo · 08 October 2006, 18:31

Hi,
Do you guys use regular cam cleats and small dia rope to keep your elephant trunks clear of the water when not in use? Are there any other methods used?

Any info would be helpful.

Thanks

Andy Moore · 08 October 2006, 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoyo

Do you guys use regular cam cleats and small dia rope to keep your elephant trunks clear of the water when not in use?

Yes.

Jimbo · 08 October 2006, 19:59

Best method I have seen (usually employed on 4m seariders used as safety/coach boats) is to run the line through a couple of turning blocks, either to a cam cleat on the side of the console, or on the floor just by the driver, so that you can release and tighten the trunks from the driving position.

Lets go boating · 08 October 2006, 20:37

I use a bungie rope, then on both ends use a springs climbers clip, fasten to the trunk, and just hook on to the a frame, or to any cleats available.

Stormchild · 09 October 2006, 21:56

I tie mine up round the a frame. I've duck taped an 8'' section of 1.5 '' diameter plastic tube to the bottom of my a frame, which I use as a fishing rod holder. I loop the cord for the drain trunk to keep the thing high & clear. It's a pine in the arse for dropping loose from the cleat and despite fuixing it tight into the cleat, it seems with the pounding from running in a swell makes it come loose. - I always fel as though this makes the prop cavitate a bit too when it's not draining water.....

yoyo · 13 February 2007, 10:09

I hold up my trunks using a bungie cord, plastic ball and stainless eye bolt. I cut a channel through the eye bolt to allow the bungie cord to pass into the centre of the eye. it seems to work well.

yoyo · 13 February 2007, 10:15

Does anybody use a simple bung in the trunk hole?

BogMonster · 13 February 2007, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoyo

Does anybody use a simple bung in the trunk hole?

No but as I never use my trunk I have thought about it...

I rarely take any water in and when I do the bilge pump clears it quickly so I just don't bother with the trunk. Depends on what sort of ribbing you do I suppose, personally the sea here is a bit cold to talk to on a regular basis!

Mugshot · 13 February 2007, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoyo

Hi,
Do you guys use regular cam cleats and small dia rope to keep your elephant trunks clear of the water when not in use?

I do that.
Saw a guy on the slip last summer and was amazed at how much water was pouring out of his elephant trunk, it just didnt seem to stop the whole time I was sorting my trailer, lighting board etc out, the point is there was a shocking amount of water on that rib and I wondered what on earth he'd been doing. Anyway saw him launching the next day, with his trunk down

, he didnt fix it up at all

Simon B · 13 February 2007, 12:05

Probably likes that glued in, hunched down feeling you only get with displacement.

We use cam cleat, remote operation sounds nice but deck gets too crowded.

Windchill · 15 February 2007, 20:16

I use 9mm bungy cord and clam cleats to hold the trunks up. Bungy is bettwe than rope with this type of cleat in this application because it imposes its own "pull" on the cleat: rope just drops out.

When I fitted the trunks, I put grey soil pipe fittings with threaded and sealed caps through the transom so that I can close off the holes if I ever need to. The whole hole is set in gallons of Sikaflex.

Will post some pics if I can find the poor thing in the back of my shed!!

jyasaki · 15 February 2007, 21:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mugshot

Saw a guy on the slip last summer and was amazed at how much water was pouring out of his elephant trunk, it just didnt seem to stop the whole time I was sorting my trailer, lighting board etc out, the point is there was a shocking amount of water on that rib and I wondered what on earth he'd been doing. Anyway saw him launching the next day, with his trunk down

, he didnt fix it up at all

That water may have come in while he was waiting to recover. I've done that a few times, and while the tubes are just slightly below the waterline, the deck of the boat fills pretty quickly (depending on how the trunks flop into the water.) Get up on plane (or put it on a trailer, I suppose) and it disappears pretty quickly.

I remember diving in pretty nasty weather once; the swells were occasionally breaking over the bow of the boat while on the hook. When I got back in, the entire deck was covered in about 4" of water. Powering up, it all sloshed to the back (would have been about knee-high at the transom), but it emptied within a half mile of taking off. The diving that day wasn't really worth it.

jky