Etchells sailboat trailer details
The ladders on either side of Black Magic's trailer serve varied functions:With different rung spacings, they give crew convenient options for securely boarding the boat from the ground;
They reinforce the bunk support structure and trailer;
They protrude well above the water when the trailer is sunk to the proper depth in the water to launch and retrieve the boat, allowing the crew to aim the boat into the trailer (reflective tape placed near the desired waterline position further helps with daytime or nighttime retrievals);
They gently brake the boat if it tries to go too far forward;
They provide a place for crew to catch, grab, or push off from the trailer when it is in the water;
They enable the crew to locate the correct fore-and-aft position to place the boat on the trailer so that the forward bunk support lies under the forward bulkhead of the boat;
They provide a convenient place to tie lines to keep the boat from sliding back off the correct position on the trailer as the boat is initially raised out of the water on the trailer.
posted by Pat @ 5/13/2008 11:34:00 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Wow! Who built that rrailer? Where can I get one.
It was definitely a custom process. We got lots of input and help, and had lots of ideas to start with, when we worked out our design with the manufacturer of the basic trailer, Accutrak of Belen/Los Lunas, New Mexico. Although Accutrak has lots of experience repairing and maintaining sailboat trailers, they are not in the business of manufacturing them. So, all of the upper part of the trailer was done, mostly by Carol Anne and Gerald with a huge amount of support from one of our sailing friends who is also a welder, and who contributed many of the design elements.
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