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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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EZ Loader Trailer Question

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ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/06/2014 : 18:15:15

Hello,
I just bought a '90 wing keel but unfortunately with no trailer. I have found a nice EZ Loader but the frame is not the same as the trailer I had for my '79 swing keel. It doesn't have the vertical arms that raise the rollers up allowing for the keel, this new trailer used to haul a powerboat. I know these trailers are meant to be adjustable, does anyone have any thoughts about converting this trailer to carry a sailboat? Thanks, Craig.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2014 : 03:42:39

If the boat was in a crane sling....
Position the trailer beneath it.
Take lots of pics from every angle
Measure the places where you want the pads/rollers to make contact with the boat.
Take the trailer to a welder that could move the rollers onto adjustable supports (for the fine adjustment)

Is the weight rating of the trailer suitable for the boat? It does look pretty sturdy, but that plate on the inside part of the frame by the hitch should tell you the capacities.

I'm sure you have seen the various pics of Wing Keel Trailers, their guide on systems etc. So you should have a good start.

Do you intend to trail the boat far? It looks as though it has discs on both axles = Good!

Pics of the boat????

paul

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2014 : 06:22:05

I don't know if EZ Loader is as helpful as Catalina, but you might consider telling EZ Loader the serial number of the trailer. and ask if they can either provide a line drawing of the trailer as rigged to carry a sailboat, or, perhaps they would even sell you the parts and plans to modify it. That looks like a nice EZ Loader. Mine was an EZ Loader, and it was a really good trailer.

Rigging it as a fixed bunk trailer would be ok, but it would be really nice if you can rig it as a swing arm trailer.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 05/07/2014 06:24:25

TEM58
Navigator

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USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2014 : 06:40:24

I converted this EZ loader to carry my SK (this is a before pic). It was a lengthy process because of ordering parts to add cross members. Although there are several sources available, I ended up buying the brackets from EZ loader. Prices/shipping were competitive with other suppliers. I corresponded by email with EZ loader, and they were responsive. I didn't ask for a lot of info however.

You can adjust your cross members fore/aft by using the predrilled holes through the frame. Be careful of brakelines and wires inside the channels though. If the trailer is like mine, you can't adjust the axles because of the rigid brake line. May want to verify your center of gravity will be acceptable before getting too far along in the process.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 05/07/2014 : 07:17:03

When I replaced my hydraulic actuator and brakes on my EZ Loader, I also had to replace the 20+ year old brake lines, and that part of the job wasn't difficult or expensive. That shouldn't deter you from making whatever adjustments you might need to make.

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2014 : 07:03:07

Thanks for the replies.
I have tried to contact EZ Loader through their website, no luck. If I new I could get the swing arms to fit this trailer I would snap it up. I have no problem moving brake lines. I remember calling and ordering parts from EZ Loader years ago for my old trailer, now they have their on-line store that doesn't seem to have any thing like the swing arms I need.
Thanks, Craig.

Edited by - on

kc5dlo
1st Mate

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USA
71 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2014 : 08:02:43

I would not be afraid of looking at other sources of trailer parts. As long as the parts are designed to be bolted on.

As others have said the brake lines are easy and cheap to replace. When I was repairing the brakes on my new to me trailer a couple of years ago, the brake lines ended up leaking everywhere.

Edited by - on

Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2014 : 08:12:32

My hydraulic brakes were old and the lines could not be cleared, so the trailer service switched them out with electrics which was pretty inexpensive. I only drop the trailer in fresh water once in April and once in October.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2014 : 08:41:40

All you need are the brackets and uprights and the crossmember that supports the keel. A local shop could fabricate them if you can't find them. The uprights are 3x4x3/16 tube stock. Email me if you decide to do it and need some measurements. The roller assemblies are wobble mounts that adjust to the hull as you load. You might need to do a little repositioning or adjust the length of the bar supporting the rollers. It looks like a very reasonable project.

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ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2014 : 17:45:47

Dave,
That looks like it could work. The only difference between your photo and mine are the vertical extensions. The only problem I see in both is that there is no pivot point to adjust to the shape of the hull. My old trailer had the 'swing arms' that Steve mentioned that swung front to back and I believe pivoted up and down at he center. In both our photos the roller arms seem stationary except for side to side.

Correction: I just found a pic of my old trailer and there is no pivot at the top but the arms do move front to back. Do the rollers only need to be at a certain height with side to side movement? And does a wing keel need a roller and support like a swing keel?
Thanks, Craig.

Edited by - ct95949 on 05/08/2014 20:34:43

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/08/2014 : 22:10:24

Each set of 4 rollers pivots independently. It works well if the uprights are positioned properly. Most of the boat's weight is normally supported by the keel, so you will might want two crossmembers for weight distribution or one bigger one. The swinger trailer probably directly supports a little more than half of the keel weight. A wing owner needs to address that. Everything else would be the the same on our trailers except possibly a small difference in the height of the uprights. The keel rollers aren't necessary, even for a swinger, but you will need a keel pad. I think many wing trailers have some kind of system to center the keel over the pad when recovering. For me, the rollers guide the hull to within an inch or so of the same place in most conditions

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 05/09/2014 : 06:15:32

Thanks Dave,
Based on your photo and info I will probably make an offer on this trailer and do the modifications myself. But I didn't think the keel, especially a swing keel should support any of the boats weight on a trailer. On my old trailer I just lowered the keel a few inches onto the roller to put slack in the cable. I'm trying to figure out how to support a wing keel without putting to much upward force on it.
Thanks, Craig.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 08:29:00

On a fixed keel boat, whether fin or wing, the keel is supposed to support approx. 60% of the boat's weight. The pads support the rest and provide balance to the hull. On a swing keel boat, none of the hull weight is supported by the keel. The swing keel should be lowered onto a wood pad or rubber keel roller, and the bunks support all of the weight of the hull.

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 08:52:01

Hi Craig,

Here is a photo of how the roller bunks are installed on my trailer ... maybe this will give you some ideas:

Keep us posted ... good luck!

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 10:44:44

Correct on the swing not supporting the boat, but the fixed keels are as Buzz says. You need some help from wing owners on the keel pad and launch/recovery. Of course railers don't support a boat like water and the flexibility of fiberglass absorbs the difference, so I doubt that the keel support to roller height is critical beyond 1/2 inch or so.

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 10:54:01

I sure miss my old trailer. It seems like the vertical swing arms attached to the lengthwise rails like what Buzz has in his pic and mine below is the perfect set-up for a sailboat hull. I saw in another photo that a wing keel was being supported by various size boards laid across the trailer frame almost like shims to get the right height.
Craig.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 15:38:16

See what Buzz says, but it looks like the rails are through bolted x2. The rails are set at an angle, and only the roller assemblies pivot.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 16:42:23

Addendum: The brackets supporting the crossmember on my trailer are attached to the frame with a single bolt on each side. If the through bolt is <u>slightly</u> loosened (with the bow securely tensioned with the winch), the crossmember will pivot until both roller sets are equally loaded for and aft. The bolt should be torqued at that positioned

Edited by - Dave5041 on 05/10/2014 21:11:39

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2014 : 07:54:28

Dave,
That makes sense. I couldn't see the single bolt in the pics that would allow for the change of angle. And you are correct about the older trailers being through bolted x2 at the top of the arms but the bottom end has only one bolt through the rail and one over the top allowing for swing front to back. I keep changing my mind about this newer trailer but given what you say about this single bolt on the cross member I'm back to thinking it might work.
Thanks, Craig.

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