Retired, widower and starting into sailing with a 31 year old Precision 15 footer. Seems like everything I look at means more to fix. So far it's all trailer repair. Hopefully within a week I'll have that straightened out and will be up to the boat.
Any suggestions or advice on old PBW 15' would be appreciated, thanks. Papaw
Welcome Papaw! You've made a great choice for a starter boat. Trailer repair is fairly straightforward, as they all (mostly) use the same parts, just different shapes and sizes. The same can be said for sailboats in many cases. What are you seeing on the boat itself that needs repair?
Quote from: Riggerdood on Jul 26, 2024, 10:11 PMWelcome Papaw! You've made a great choice for a starter boat. Trailer repair is fairly straightforward, as they all (mostly) use the same parts, just different shapes and sizes. The same can be said for sailboats in many cases. What are you seeing on the boat itself that needs repair?
Right now, I have all ready purchased 150' 5/8 Low Stretch Line ( Main Halyard and Sheet, Jib Halyard) and 100' 1/4 Low Stretch ( Jib Sheets and Boom Vang) to replace lines. At first glance the stainless steel Forward Stay and Both Shrouds, along with all of the SS Fixtures, looks to be in good shape.
I will be taking the rudder apart to examine the wood. I have no idea how to examine the centerboard while on the trailer.
When I went to buy this boat, I took cardboard and a flashlight so I could go under the trailer and examine the hull. No holes, abrasions, cracks or rough spots. For $1900 I at least wanted it to float. Also, I asked the Broker to have the mast and sails up when I got there for examination, and he did. The Fiberglass looks clean, no holes/ rips/ repairs to the sails (polyester, not canvas). The aluminum mast and boom appear to be in good condition.
Once I get the trailer straitened out,I'll move the boat from the driveway to the backyard where I'll have overhead space to raise the mast and get into it a little closer.
I hope you meant 3/8" line and not 5/8" line for the halyards. I'm not sure your blocks will take 5/8" line. Standard rigging specs for the 19ft Mariner:
- halyards: 1/4" line
- sheets: 5/16" line (midboom sheeting, 3/8" line for Crosby rig (main sheet has triangle at transom)
- downhauls and outhauls: 3/16" line
- I have 1/4" line on my 3:1 boom vang, I may need 4:1. The v-slot with 3:1 kept slipping. The size of the main on the Mariner and the length of the boom makes the vang critical. The long boom on the Mariner can easily catch on the backstay during a jibe if the main is not decently vanged. A great way for an unexpected entry into the water.
I have cam cleats on the main and jib sheets (2), and topping lift. I just installed cam cleats on boom vang, and Tiller Clutch (2). The rest are normal cleats - halyards (2), boom downhaul, clew outhaul, cunningham, tack reef line, clew reef line. Have not needed a cleat on the jib downhaul, but definitely needed a downhaul.
Fred W
Stuart Mariner 19 #4133
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC
Quote from: PapawBrett on Jul 27, 2024, 01:41 PMRight now, I have all ready purchased 150' 5/8 Low Stretch Line ( Main Halyard and Sheet, Jib Halyard) and 100' 1/4 Low Stretch ( Jib Sheets and Boom Vang) to replace lines. At first glance the stainless steel Forward Stay and Both Shrouds, along with all of the SS Fixtures, looks to be in good shape.
I will be taking the rudder apart to examine the wood. I have no idea how to examine the centerboard while on the trailer.
When I went to buy this boat, I took cardboard and a flashlight so I could go under the trailer and examine the hull. No holes, abrasions, cracks or rough spots. For $1900 I at least wanted it to float. Also, I asked the Broker to have the mast and sails up when I got there for examination, and he did. The Fiberglass looks clean, no holes/ rips/ repairs to the sails (polyester, not canvas). The aluminum mast and boom appear to be in good condition.
Once I get the trailer straitened out,I'll move the boat from the driveway to the backyard where I'll have overhead space to raise the mast and get into it a little closer.
Sure sounds like she's in great shape overall. For CB inspection, if you have the space in the backyard, you might be able to yard launch and careen the boat to get access. I used to do it with my O'Day Daysailer, easy peasy.
For the standing rigging, you are mainly looking for any sharp kinks or bends in the cable, and any rust/corrosion/broken strands where the end fittings are swaged on, since that is the most common failure point.
I'm correcting a misspoken statement....
5/16" double braided polyester, and 1/4" double braided polyester. As required according to the General Specifications listed for the 15' on the Precision Website.
Both Low Stretch, and mild, mildew and rot resistant.
Sorry about the previous post ..
Back again...
So I finally have my trailer straightened out (Ford has two separate fuses for trailer lights and trailer signals).
Breezy today, so I just raised the mast and checked the rigging. All the stainless looks good, going to replace the lines anyway.
But I am confused... Does the sail hold up the boom ? I know the slots in mast and boom are for the mainsail. The forward end of the boom does too, but nothing holds it up...
A little advice, please...
On most small sailboats the main sail holds up the boom. You can add a sail track stop under the boom to keep it from dropping when lowering the main.
https://sailm8.com/products/davis-sail-track-stops-flat (https://sailm8.com/products/davis-sail-track-stops-flat)
Quote from: Wolverine on Sep 14, 2024, 08:25 PMOn most small sailboats the main sail holds up the boom. You can add a sail track stop under the boom to keep it from dropping when lowering the main.
https://sailm8.com/products/davis-sail-track-stops-flat (https://sailm8.com/products/davis-sail-track-stops-flat)
That looks like something I could definitely use.
Thanks!
Brett, welcome! I had a P15CB for a few years and ended up rigging a topping lift which is handy when the main is not in use. I don't remember any issues with the main raised, however I did use a mast gate and stop when I converted the sail for slugs. Does your sail have slugs right now?
Quote from: Quantico Frank on Sep 15, 2024, 08:49 AMBrett, welcome! I had a P15CB for a few years and ended up rigging a topping lift which is handy when the main is not in use. I don't remember any issues with the main raised, however I did use a mast gate and stop when I converted the sail for slugs. Does your sail have slugs right now?
The mainsail is still in a bag. It's been breezy/ windy here in the Piedmont area (near Charlotte) so I haven't set up the sails yet. If memory serves (debatable) the main has a heavy cord down into the luff (?) and there is an open area in the lower part of the mast groove where you feed the luff into the mast.
Once this tropical depression moves on, maybe I'll get a chance to raise the sails...
Quote from: PapawBrett on Sep 16, 2024, 08:06 PMQuote from: Quantico Frank on Sep 15, 2024, 08:49 AMBrett, welcome! I had a P15CB for a few years and ended up rigging a topping lift which is handy when the main is not in use. I don't remember any issues with the main raised, however I did use a mast gate and stop when I converted the sail for slugs. Does your sail have slugs right now?
The mainsail is still in a bag. It's been breezy/ windy here in the Piedmont area (near Charlotte) so I haven't set up the sails yet. If memory serves (debatable) the main has a heavy cord down into the luff (?) and there is an open area in the lower part of the mast groove where you feed the luff into the mast.
Once this tropical depression moves on, maybe I'll get a chance to raise the sails...
Yes, that sounds right. That cord is called a "bolt rope". One of the few "rope like things" on a sailboat that's actually called a rope. :)
Newer mainsails often have "slugs" attached to the luff that go into the mast track instead of the bolt rope.
I am also a retiree who recently bought a Precision 15 CB a few monthe ago. It's of good quality, stable, and easily man-handled both on land and in the water. Some random thoughts as follows: A motor of some sort is a great help when leaving launching ramps. I have a small trolling motor now, suitable for calm days, and am considering a 2.5 HP gas outboard. I store the boat at home and launch each time I sail. If the boat was kept on a mooring I'd probably do without a motor. A toppimg lift to hold up the boom when the main sail is down, to me is essential. Simplest version is a light line tied at top of mast and end of boom. You can get fancier with a few fittings to make it adjustable. Any time I buy a trailer, I have the bearings replaced. I just had new hubs and bearings installed for about $200. I like to have guides on the trailer that make it easier to retrieve the boat when the wind is blowing and you can't get it straight on the trailer. My boat came with a roller furling jib. Clearly not required but for me (in my 70s) it was mandatory for single handing. As an add on, it's available from Precision. You'll need the excellent Harken furling gear as well as a new jib for a total of about $800. By adding one cam cleat near the mast step and by attaching a line to the forestay, I'm able to step the mast by myself. I'm sure others have good solutions for this as well. Personally, because I'm not so flexible anymore, I find the seats and the tiller, a bit low. I'm considering cushions and a different tiller although neither are required. My wife says that I enjoy working on boats more than sailing them. I think she might be right.
Quote from: rfljr@aol.com on Sep 21, 2024, 10:16 AMI am also a retiree who recently bought a Precision 15 CB a few monthe ago. It's of good quality, stable, and easily man-handled both on land and in the water. Some random thoughts as follows: A motor of some sort is a great help when leaving launching ramps. I have a small trolling motor now, suitable for calm days, and am considering a 2.5 HP gas outboard. I store the boat at home and launch each time I sail. If the boat was kept on a mooring I'd probably do without a motor.
Any time I buy a trailer, I have the bearings replaced. I just had new hubs and bearings installed for about $200. I like to have guides on the trailer that make it easier to retrieve the boat when the wind is blowing and you can't get it straight on the trailer.
There are two sections of 2X8 mounted on the stern. Port side is for a small motor (pricing a 2.5 hp outboard), and the starboard side has a fold up swimming ladder attached. Definitely want the motor.
Part of my trailer work was new hubs/ bearings/ seals and new rims/ tires. I was able to get the Hub Assembly at eTrailer for about $34. Handpacked the bearings with marine grease myself, and installed in the driveway. New lighting as well.
Don't know about the roller jib systems yet. They look easier. If the Jib gets to be a problem, then maybe I'll go that route.
So...
Using one ton jack, two 4" X 6" X 8' beams, and 12 cement blocks, I was able to lift my boat off of the trailer and examine/ paint underneath. The centerboard had a few nicks, filled easily enough. Sea Hawk 33 AF bottom cost ($60 a quart online) for two coats, and she's back on the trailer. Raised the mast and boom just to get a look at assembly/ associated fittings. Found a couple loose rivets on one of the stays, easily fixed.
Next is replacing a few wood trim pieces. Thinking pressure treated, stained maybe twice, then three coats of marine varnish.
Maybe for Christmas Santa will bring me a 2.5 HP 20"shaft outboard for ramps and /or emergency. Any good outboard dealers online ?
Hi, Brett! I've used these guys before, and they seem pretty good: https://onlineoutboards.com/. Looks like they're having a sale.
Quote from: PapawBrett on Nov 19, 2024, 03:45 PMSo...
Using one ton jack, two 4" X 6" X 8' beams, and 12 cement blocks, I was able to lift my boat off of the trailer and examine/ paint underneath. The centerboard had a few nicks, filled easily enough. Sea Hawk 33 AF bottom cost ($60 a quart online) for two coats, and she's back on the trailer. Raised the mast and boom just to get a look at assembly/ associated fittings. Found a couple loose rivets on one of the stays, easily fixed.
Next is replacing a few wood trim pieces. Thinking pressure treated, stained maybe twice, then three coats of marine varnish.
Maybe for Christmas Santa will bring me a 2.5 HP 20"shaft outboard for ramps and /or emergency. Any good outboard dealers online ?
Sounds like some great and satisfying progress !
Don't know if you made a decision on roller furling yet or not but you might need a different jib... or maybe not.
I think on most boats that size, the furler is made up of a drum on the bottom and a swivel at the top with the job essentially acting as the forestay. So the jib would need a wire in the luff suitable for that.
Quote from: tjspiel on Sep 16, 2024, 09:15 PMYes, that sounds right. That cord is called a "bolt rope". One of the few "rope like things" on a sailboat that's actually called a rope. :)
Tom, there are four ropes on a boat that I know of: boltrope, footrope, bellrope, and the one that, when mentioned, makes people laugh nervously and change the subject - the hangman's rope! :o
Quote from: Quantico Frank on Nov 20, 2024, 06:41 AMHi, Brett! I've used these guys before, and they seem pretty good: https://onlineoutboards.com/. Looks like they're having a sale.
Suzuki 2.5hp 20" (long) shaft ordered. Supposed to be here by the end of the month. List as $1145, but on sale for $760. (which is about what everyone else is selling 2.5HP for end of year) Basically for emergency use and to avoid "ramp rage".
Also, there is a county park near me called Cane Creek Park. 1500 acre park wrapped around a 350 acre lake. The lake is maybe a mile wide, but a little narrow in some spots, and max depth of 40'. Shoals are marked with buoys.
Free access for 65 and older, not much happening there from October to March according to the Camp Ranger. Nobody there while I was checking the place out. Two Ramps in the "day area", one has a tree limb overhang maybe 15' up but the other is clear of obstruction. A North (or South) wind should give me access across the entire lake. 15mph with 25 gusts from the ENE today, so I'll wait to try my luck. Six miles of country two-lane between me and getting the hull wet for the first time !
Wow, that's a great price, Brett. I have that engine, and I absolutely love it.
Ok, if anyone is still listening...
Mounted my outboard onto the back of the boat, set lower end in new trash can filled with water, and started up briefly. Maybe three minutes. Then removed water and can from lower end.
A friend suggested winterizing. I only ran it for three minutes tops, so don't see why it's necessary to drain/ refill oil or lower case. But I did add some stabilizer to the fuel.
'Cold' in the piedmont area is anything near freezing. Might get on week of nightly temperatures in the teens. Is there anything else I should do if I plan on leaving the motor outside ?
One man's opinion:
I would check the oil in the lower unit to make sure it is 100% oil and not an emulsion of water/oil.
The water you ran the engine in should have all drained out immediately after removing the trash can.
Anybody else?
On most water cooled motors, water from the pump goes up into the block, fills it, and overflows out. All that water is still in the block.
The instruction booklet should tell you how to get that water out. Mine had a screw to remove, and after water quit running out, pull the start rope a few times to pump air into the pipe from the pump. Then replace the screw, so it cannot get lost.
Even though I removed all the water I could, I kept my motors in the garage, which was always warmer than outside, and usually above freezing.
Using 2X4 and some decking screws, I built an outboard stand and moved the motor into the garage.
There is a chapter in the owners manual for storing the motor, next day off will be dedicated to just that.
Warm today, time for replacing a few lines. Youtube (or you-stupid, as I call it) makes whipping easy. BUT I don't have a needle or the experience, so instead of using metal eyelets (thimbles ?) on the ends of the lanyards I am just tying bowline knots into Captive "D" Shackle (?). I would share pictures but I am techno-challenged, and my grandkids aren't around...
I bought one 2 years ago and have been having a blast with it. I added the self-furling jib last year and I really love it as I sail alone most of the time. I'm adding the ladder because I found I could not get back up into the boat after righting it. I added a trolling motor which is a really good solution with a lot less weight and hassle than an outboard. One of the rivets on a spreader popped out,any advice on replacing it? I love the idea of the top-lift and may add that this year.
Quote from: wvanderclock on Mar 04, 2025, 10:01 PMI bought one 2 years ago and have been having a blast with it. I added the self-furling jib last year and I really love it as I sail alone most of the time. I'm adding the ladder because I found I could not get back up into the boat after righting it. I added a trolling motor which is a really good solution with a lot less weight and hassle than an outboard. One of the rivets on a spreader popped out,any advice on replacing it? I love the idea of the top-lift and may add that this year.
I replaced two rivets on one of my spreaders. It's easy. a small collection of various size rivets, a rivet tool, and the ability to squeeze a tennis ball is about all you need. Choose the rivet hat barely fits in the holes (spreader and mast), line it all up, put the rivet in the tool, set the rivet and start squeezing. really simple.
Thanks so much for the response. You make replacing the rivet sound very easy. I'll let you know how it goes.
Does anyone have any advice on sail trim? I used to race Lightnings which had lots of sail trim information online. I can't seem to find any other than the tiny bit in the owner's manual for the Precision.
Also, has anyone worked out a good way to single handed get the boat back upright after going over? I can't reach the centerboard from the water.
What a Total disaster. First Sail, set up and launch without difficulty. But half way out, I hit a dead spot on th lake (pond ?) and sat there. an occasional puff of air would give me hope, before going slack again. After drifting onto a rip-rap shoreline, the wind returns to try to keep me there. Centerboard and ribber up, row against the breeze far enopught to start up my 2 1/2 Hp and move out. heading towards the ramp, the wind picks up a good 10 mph and drifts me onto a rip-rap on the other shore. After four tries, and getting blown away from the ramp, an elderly couple helps me ramp and trailer my boat. then, pulling out without looking up, catch a tree branch and rip the forestay out of the bow, opening about a four square inch hole right on top of the bow.
Thinking sailing is not for me. Maybe look for a bow plate, than sell the Sea Urchin
PapawBrett, Your statement: "Thinking sailing is not for me." Might be a little extreme.
So you basically put a 4 square inch hole in your boat, after a mast mishap? ???
Naw, that's not a mast mishap; HERE'S a mast mishap!! :'(
20160508_084821_338x600.jpg
20160508_085300_338x600.jpg
At least, your mast came home in one piece! :o
20160508_093139_800x450.jpg
Needless to say, never made it out to go fishing, that day.
That happened to me in 2016.
I replaced the mast, and have had many sailing adventures, since then.
Including, fishing:
PICT0214_800x600.jpg
I don't think it's a case of "sailing is not for me", I think it's a case of: Not looking up, is not for you.
Look at the cool story you got to tell, now! :)
I purchased that boat in November of 1976, at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.
Picked it up after dark, after work, on the last night of the boat show and went directly to Crandon Marina, in Miami, Florida.
Quickly loaded it with all the required USCG safety gear borrowed from my power boat and went out in Biscayne Bay sans motor, sans experience, sans skill. :P
Promptly went aground and the rudder kicked up off the gudgeons and started floating away.
Had to go over the side in the dark to swim after it and reunite it with the hull.
Did I mention I picked the boat up, in November?!? :o
Had to fight to get the pintles back in the gudgeons, because every time I got close, the boat started sailing away and it pulled the rudder away from the gudgeons.
Certainly a disastrous start, but I licked my wounds, learned (a lot!) from it, and moved on.
Coming up on 49 years ago, and every one of those years, I was grateful that I did not decide that maybe sailing was not for me, on that night.
I've had a TON of adventures since then; some of them fun, some of them scary.
And I've fixed TONS of broken stuff over those years.
Without something busted or malfunctioning, you have no stories to tell, do you? ???
I've got stories.
The time I couldn't find my way back to the ramp in the dark.
https://trailersailor.com/forum/index.php?topic=965.0
The time I nearly sank in Biscayne Bay due to a manufacturing defect, that had occurred decades before.
The time I got trapped under my hull and nearly drowned.
https://trailersailor.com/forum/index.php?topic=978.0
And for every story like this:
20160508_084821_338x600.jpg
You get many, many, more stories like this:
20230518_192435 1024X768.jpg
Sounds to me, like you're 4 square inches of fiberglass away from making MORE stories!
Just look at all the things you learned on one outing!! :D
You need to get the hole fixed, and get out there again and make more stories! ;D
One guy's opinion,
Charles Brennan
Thanks CB. First I have to 'Learn Me Some" fiberglass repair techniques from U-Stupid (aka YouTube). It'll be my first fiberglass repair. I think I might still have a small piece of sheet tin under the old workbench for backing. Maybe once it's fixed I'll think about rollers instead of boards and guide poles for the trailer....
Brett,
I was going to say, but Charles beat me to it so eloquently, that you need to follow this forum for a while, and you'll feel a WHOLE LOT better. These folks have bailed me out of so many jams with their advice over the five-six years I've been here, you wouldn't believe it. I have lee shore adventures I'll put up against anyone's, including the one when Fairfax Fire and Rescue pulled me off the mud flats leading to the Ft. Belvoir marina because Tow Boat USA couldn't get in there. And that's just one "story" I have off the top of my head— I have many more. One thing for sure is they all look better and funnier in the rear view mirror. Still, you learn from each of them, and they all go to improving your check lists for the next time.
Brett, I agree with Charles and Frank. It's very easy to get discouraged on a first outing, and my first one on my DS was much like you described: getting blown all over hell and back, feeling out of control, etc. Heck, the dang boat didn't even have spreaders, because I didn't even know it was supposed to (after all, my Sunfish 30 years earlier didn't have them). I quickly found the DS forum, much like you have found this one, and immediately got answers to questions I had and ones I didn't even know I needed to ask. That's the power of a community of folks with any common interest: most of the members are more than willing to bend over backwards to help each other, because no matter the activity, they want others to find the same enjoyment they find in doing it. So don't give up Brett - you are on the most active group on this forum (and it's not even close), and you can find all the help you need here.
PapawBrett, I was going to let my response be my last; but a statement of yours, concerned me. ???
"I think I might still have a small piece of sheet tin under the old workbench for backing."
I don't have a problem with mechanical backing, but I just hope you know just how easily epoxy fiberglass resins can leak, from ANYWHERE to ANYWHERE. :o
You might consider bridging the hole from underneath with several layers of duct tape, and THEN a piece of sheet tin.
Just a thought,
Charles Brennan
Thanks for all the words of encouragement. There is a sailing club about 1 hour and
20 minutes away at Lake Norman. They have annual dues for community sailing. I took their course last year, maybe I'll try that route next, just for some experience...
There is a reason my boat is named Miss Adventure. Every outing something goes wrong. We were launching one early spring and the floating docks had yet to be put in. I left the trailer winch hooked up, but let out enough strap so the boat could float off the trailer, then be pulled in. Well, the hook broke and I watched as the boat drifted away. I hesitated to jump in the cold water and she quickly caught the wind and headed out into the lake. I parked the truck and ran down the shoreline following her progress. She finally stopped when she ran onto some very large rocks along a distant shore. It took me a long time to free her from the rocks using a paddle and boat pole. Then the o/b refused to start. Raising the sails got me a quarter of the way back, but the wind completely disappeared. I wore the skin off between my fingers pulling on the o/b cord hoping it would start. My wife, still waiting in the truck at the ramp 3 miles away, asked 2 young men if they could check on me as she no longer had sight of me and there wasn't any cell service. The bass boat pulled up and the 2 young men found me moving from port to starboard attempting to paddle my way back. They towed me back to the ramp which now had boats waiting to launch. So, after a 2 hour drive to the lake, over 6 hours retrieving the boat, another hour and a half waiting at the ramp to pull the boat, and the 2 hour drive home, I was very surprised when my wife excepted my invitation the next weekend to go sailing. We did, and we had a most enjoyable time. Until, on our way home, a trailer tire blew out.
Quote from: Wolverine on Sep 14, 2024, 08:25 PMOn most small sailboats the main sail holds up the boom. You can add a sail track stop under the boom to keep it from dropping when lowering the main.
https://sailm8.com/products/davis-sail-track-stops-flat (https://sailm8.com/products/davis-sail-track-stops-flat)
How do I determine the correct size for my boat?
The round one in the link is what I use on my Compac 19. It should fit your Precision.
I owned a Starwind 19, also designed by Jim Taylor, and aesthetically very much like the Precision line. On the Starwind the boom wasn't free floating. The mast had a permanent mount it attached to.
Wolverine, my current boat is a Rebel Spindrift 22, also designed by Jim Taylor (the reason I'm even on this group), and a very close relative of the Starwind 19. She too has a fixed gooseneck, among many other similarities.
Just a question ; I'm thinking of replacing the trailer bunk boards with roller bunks. Any preference or suggestions ? I am thinking this would make the P15 easier to launch/ trailer single handedly.
PapawBrett, The biggest problem with roller bunks is that they are mostly used for flat-bottom boats like skiffs, prams, Jon-boats and Bass boats.
trailer_bunks.jpg
You would be hard pressed to have more than two rollers on each side, contacting the hull.
My other problem with black rubber rollers (of any type or function!) is that they leave black streaks on the hull, as the rubber gets old and oxidizes.
Sailboat hulls are wayyyy too curvy, to take good advantage of in-line roller bunks.
Does that hull look very flat, to you? ???
Precision_P165.jpg
A problem with using roller bunks on sailboats is called "point-loading", where a lot of the hull's total weight is resting on a few rollers. It can even cause the fiberglass hull to "flex" in and out, in a manner called: "oil-canning". :o
Since your hull sits on your trailer probably 90% of the time, proper support is essential to keep the hull's form the same as the designers/builders originally envisioned.
I mention all this, because I discovered all this, (including experiencing "oil-canning") when I tried to put rollers on my trailer over 45 years ago. One of my more spectacular trailer failures.
However, I discovered lumber bunks and carpet were not the answer either, for two reasons:
1) The bunk carpet, no matter how much the manufacturer brags about good fabric drainage, retains moisture. Over time, you get gelcoat "blisters" on that part of the hull that is in constant contact with the bunk carpet.
Used to have two rows of random blisters exactly the width of my trailer bunks; very annoying. >:(
The moisture problem is aggravated when you're in salt water all the time. The hygroscopic action of the salt crystals will absorb moisture from anywhere and remain "wet" unless or until thoroughly rinsed out with fresh water. If most of your boating is in fresh water, then this will not be as much of a problem, but it sure is, for me. One of the by-products of salt crystals is that there is more friction on the carpet and therefore, it's a little harder to push the hull off the carpeted bunks.
2) The bunks no matter how well pressure-treated, succumb to moisture and rot; the only suspense is whether it happens in 5 years or 8 years. SURPRISE!! :o Sometimes, only 3 years. >:(
My solution was not to use pressure-treated wooden 2X4 bunks run vertically, or 4X6 bunks run horizontally, but to use synthetic planking like they use on decks, called Trex and available at most Big Box Stores.
https://www.trex.com/products/decking/
A single plank is far too flexible for supporting an 18 or 19 foot hull, but it might well do the job for a lighter, 16 foot hull.
The Trex planks typically come in 12 foot and 16 foot lengths.
In my application for my 18 foot hull, I needed 8 feet for a bunk length, so I bought 2) 16 foot planks.
What I did was to cut a 16 foot plank in half and take the two planks and screw them together back-to-back and then install them.
Here's a pic of the whole trailer; notice the curvature of the planks, even when the hull is not on them.
20230419_163226 1024X768.jpg
And not a black rubber roller in sight!! :P
20230419_163249 1024X768.jpg
Here's a close-up of the two Trex planks screwed together.
Trex_Close-up.jpg
Didn't want the hull scraping against hard bunks, so my solution to that was to get rid of the carpet by using HDPE strips screwed to the planks.
Taco Marine sells a product called Glyde Slicks which are 2 feet long.
https://tacomarine.com/dockside-accessories-p06-06?srsltid=AfmBOopMBUl6tXra2LQiAtdyC4cCfmnjDmX2WkE7YK9jhFAgKVf2LWRd
Three columns of Glyde Slicks is really overkill, but the reason I did so, was because when the hull is coming onto the trailer, it can rub on the side of the planks until all the way up on the trailer. This way, the hull is always rubbing against a Glyde Slick and not a plank. A single strip on each side of a trailer will support boat hulls up to 2000 pounds, so you can see it is really overkill. If I had it do again, I would probably just leave out the center row of Glyde Slicks. I never have to worry about rinsing salt water out of the bunks, or that rain will drip down the hull and soak the carpet and start aggravating blisters.
I'm a Big Fan of Low Maintenance Solutions. 8)
******* WARNING*******
They are VERY slippery.
They used to come with a sticker reminding you not to disconnect your winch cable until ready to launch.
I once watched a guy whose trailer had Glyde Slicks, at the Hollywood Marina in south Florida, backing up a 25 foot sports fisherman and his buddy shouted something to him and he instinctively hit his brakes and dumped the boat right onto the asphalt and put his lower unit through the engine compartment.
I never disconnect my winch cable, until my hull is over water.
On the plus side, it is extremely easy for me to launch my boat. I never have (or need!) help to launch and retrieve my boat. Most of my sailing is done single-handed.
Here's another addition to make single-handed handling easier:
20230419_163259 1024X768.jpg
Notice the 6-inch cleat bolted to the mast support, about a foot above the winch.
If I am at a problematic ramp that requires a "snap-launch", I can pay out 5 or 6 feet of bow line and secure the bow line to the cleat. Now, when I back in and gently hit the brakes, the hull slides off the Glyde Slicks and into the water, between the goal posts, until it is snubbed by the bow line. Then I can get out, disconnect the bow line from the cleat, and guide the boat over to the dock.
All by myself.
I have self-centering keel rollers and the swing keel sits on the middle two rollers and the bow sits on the forward roller. The aft roller is only for guiding the hull onto the trailer and is unused when the hull is sitting on the bunks.
You can see the aft roller well clear of the hull in this pic.
You can also see the hull curve nicely supported along the hull by the Trex planks.
tie_downs 1024X768.jpg
The cost of some Trex planks and Glyde Slicks strips is also considerably less than a good pair of bunk rollers.
Hope this helps,
Charles Brennan