Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
If it's just sitting on the trailer, it shouldn't hurt anything, but wouldn't it make sense to take a load off the mechanism and supporting structure ?
Whenever you move the trailer or pull it on the road, the keel should be lowered enough to let it rest on the trailer. The reason is that, when you hit a chuckhole or bump in the road, the shock load can easily damage the fiberglass structure that supports the keel. My C25 had a fin keel, but I previously had a C22 swing keel, and I trailered it without lowering the keel and broke the fiberglass supporting structure.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind" previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22 Past Commodore
You should ALWAYS lower the swing keel when it is on the trailer, unless you are only hauling out to check/clean the bottom and intend to put it back in immediately. The trailer bunks/pads/rollers should be supporting only the weight of the hull, to the extent possible. Note: the C-22 keel in Steve's post above weighed about 550 lbs. The C-25 swing keel weighs about 1,500 lbs. BIG difference!
DavidP 1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52 PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess" Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
Yes, I have a piece of 4" channel on my trailer. I put a piece of 2x4 on it and lower the keel on to it. Highly recommend. I agree with all of the previous posts.
So with a fixed or wing keel is all the weight of the boat supposed to rest on the keel with the rollers, pads, or bunks (in my case) there just to keep the boat from falling over?
OR
Does a percentage of the boat weight rest on the keel and the balance of the weight rest on the rollers, pads, or bunks?
Lowering the keel on to the trailer removes a majority of the weight of the keel off your rollers or bunks and is a significant amount. The rest of the weight of the boat is still supported by the rollers or bunks.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
Great advice guys. Glad I asked about it. It has been raised up for awhile after I did my keel overhaul and I will go ahead and lower it back down now. Will also be careful to lower it befote trailering when I pull it out of the water. Thanks!
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.