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I bolt used to pull boat on trailer?

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Wildcat
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/28/2005 : 21:46:38

After purchasing the boat I put it on a trailer for the first time and found there was no place to attach the cable to wench it up on the trailer. I was able to get it to the right spot but would like to reinstall the I bolt that is built into the bow. There is a hole there but no bolt. Is it threaded, do you have to put a nut on one end or how is it attached? Where can I find the beast. In the water now but planning on taking it out later this sping to buff the fiberglass back to a shine. Also there is a spot on the side that needs more gelcote, any sugestions?
Thanks
Bob

Wildcat----Sailing year around on Lake Mead.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2005 : 22:07:26

The hole you see is probably the drain hole for the anchor locker and not a hole for a bow eye.

I have replaced my bow eye and I'd imagine it would be quite easy to install a new one by simply determining the proper height relative to your trailer, drill a couple of holes, and secure with the proper backing.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2005 : 22:20:56

Be sure to drill at the normal, the perpendicular to the surface. CD sells the teak backing piece that fits in the inside of the bow to back up the eye. I used an oak broom stick piece. A bow eye is a nice u-bolt, you drill two holes. You can only see the top nut of the two, it should give you a benchmark for the location.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 01/29/2005 14:06:38

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2005 : 23:32:27

Wildcat,

As the others have mentioned, the bow eye is normally a stainless steel U-bolt. The location is primarily determined by where you can get at the backside of it to install the backing block, washers, and nuts. The stock bow eye seems a bit wimpy to me. (I broke mine.

) I'd suggest going up 1/16" or 1/8" from factory size. I did so, and consider it an inexpensive investment in peace of mind.

Be sure to use substantial backing to spread the load on the stem area.

-- Leon Sisson

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 01/29/2005 : 11:19:51

I had the same problem when I bought #5857 last year. We got the boat out of the water and onto my trailer with a travel lift, and it wasn't until I was preparing to pull out for the trip home that I went to connect the trailer wench strap and noticed: No bow eye to connect it to! We tied the boat down with cargo straps for that trip, and I got a bow eye after I got home. It is a Hayn stainless steel U-Bolt, purchased from West Marine. It is 3/8" diameter rod size, the eye is 1.5" radius, with 5.5" long "legs" and cost slightly less than $20. It was the biggest and heaviest-duty of the three sizes of Hayn bow eyes that the store had in stock, and is actually a size or two beefier than what I see on most Catalina 25's. The installation location I picked was 18" below the rub rail, but this will vary with model year. As Leon says above, you need to pick a location that you can get at both of the nuts you will have to tighten from the inside. I used an 8" long piece of 1" diameter solid aluminum rod as the backing; aluminum won't rot like wood backing might. Heavy wall stainless steel tubing would also be good, but it's harder to find than aluminum, and much more expensive.

Edited by - lcharlot on 01/29/2005 11:20:42

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2005 : 01:33:04

OK, my point of view is why fix it if it isn't busted. There is no eye on my boat. I have trailered up and down the road to Huningnton Lake, kind of a steep climb and decent. We normally trailer the boat 3 or 4 times a year and have never had a problem loading on with out a trailer winch.
You have two at a great location for pulling the boat on a trailer, they also double as jib winches. I tie off a rope to a stern cleat walk it around the front of the boat and loop it on the extension where other people keep a winch. Then I go back to the jib winch on the opposite side and crank her up for a perfect fit each time. I have a pair of heavy duty straps that hold the boat on good and tight. The added pluse is if I forget the ladder at home I have a great step where the winch would be.

Edited by - on

dbehling
1st Mate

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USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2005 : 03:01:42

I have to agree with Matt. We just launched our boat today to put the mast up. (Im afraid of heights so we drop/raise mast in water)We have an eye bolt, but no wench/stop on our trailer. Sooooo, we use the jib wenches also. It works great. Our capri 22/fin had no eye bolt so we were already used to this method. Our launch ramp at Folsom is very steep too. Now, for traveling down the road, we take extra precaution and tie her down. We don't like to drill any more holes than we have to.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2005 : 16:08:28

Matt, I like your idea. It gets your weight off the bow so it is easier to pull the boat up snug. Matt do you have any pictures of your boat on its trailer? I would like to see how you get the keel lined up over the keep support.

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2005 : 16:55:54

What stops the boat from moving forward during hard stops, like jambing on the brakes? Is this a roller bed trailer? And no safety chain on the bow?

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2005 : 02:30:59

I have the boat right outside the door. I think I have some photos on file somewhere, but it will be easier to take a couple of new ones tomorrow. There are three pad's per side, rugs no rollers. I use a strap in the back, over the cockpit, and one in front over the bow. I did have one time I didn't get the boat all the way up and the board under the keel cracked. Sistered in a 2X6 and make sure the keel is far enough forward that it is over a metal cross beam.

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 02/03/2005 : 01:24:08

Hi Todd,
I'm not sure this is what you want. I didn't take any photos today. I work in a junior high with a bunch of disease carring kids and am kind of under the weather now

going back to school tomorrow anyway and see how many of them I can get sick.
I took this photo a while ago, I think it shows what you want. You can see the pads and sort of the placement over the keel support.

Just the front of the keel is over where the wood support is attached to the metal L bracket that spans the trailer. The weight is on mostly this area. When I had troubles the boat was back about 4 inches. Didn't realize it would cause problems and didn't re float guess I should have.

This was a few months a go at Stockton, you can see the strap in the front and back, when trailering I remove the motor and store it in the cockpit on top a a couple of old PFD's and tied off with mooring lines.
I've never had the boat shift while towing and we have climbd some steep hills. I don't think it is possible to stop fast enough to get it to slide forward, that is unless I'm in an accident. If that is bad enough to move the boat I'm not going to be thinking about the boat at that time anyway.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 02/04/2005 : 00:37:48

Thanks Matt that is perfect. Our trailer came with boards on each side of the keel too. They were just above the support for the keel and were secured to the axle on the front end! I saw that and said I can do better and went out and got some Trex lumber and some slotted metal. I used the existing supports at the rear of the trailer and extended mine foward like yours. When we got done vacationing at Ed Montegue's lake I missed the guides and the boat came down on top of them, bending the flimsy supports I had made. We refloated and I took a long bar and bent them out of the way to get home. I don't have access to welding equipment so I have fabricated a new keel guide from lumber. It is about as high as yours in the back and angles down to the trailer at the front where it attaches to the cross beam of the trailer. Its all triangulated and braced. Lets hope it works when we go to Alameda on Good Friday.

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