Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Report #4½ . . . .

[Charles Brennan]

When we last left our SCAMP trailer project, I had just acquired a roughly 25 year old Continental trailer.
Looked pretty rugged, but to me, it was a Diamond in the Rough.
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But to get to that polished stage, I had to shuffle the SCAMP behind Urchin so I could work on the trailer in the carport.
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And begin stripping off anything that wasn't a frame.
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Wheels, fenders  . . . .
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Winch stand, bow stop, defective light wiring, rollers, rusted-shut jack-stand, wrong-size hitch coupler (1-7/8", all my trailers are 2")  . . . . .
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Having experience with rebuilding rusty trailers, I decided to forego the PB-Blaster treatment, the heat-torch treatment, or angle grinder, or using a Sawzall on all the bolts.
Nay, I got out my "Persuader" pipe extension for my socket wrench and simply sheared all the nuts & bolts off.
Saves a tremendous amount of time.
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Ready for the wire-brush and scraper!
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After spending a life-time with hydraulic jacks and cribbing and jack-stands, it was amusing to simply lift the frame up on a jack stand to work on it.

The refurbishment begins with the proper size coupler and new holes drilled since: NO TWO COUPLERS IN THE WORLD,  USE THE SAME HOLE PATTERN!!     GEEZE!!   
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Some cold-galvanizing paint over the galvanized frame to touch up any bare metal spots.  (Note Urchin's trailer in the background, is done the same way.)
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Coupler, fenders and winch stand also painted.
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Painted and with front-end components installed.
And a comparison to the kayak trailer.
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The original plan was to relegate the used trailer as the kayak trailer and the kayak trailer re-purposed as a SCAMP trailer.
So I was going to take the kayak racks off the kayak trailer and bolt them onto the used trailer, but something looked funny.   
Couldn't put my finger on it right away, but somehow the kayak trailer looked "stubby"  compared to the used trailer.
Got out the tape measure again and took detailed measurements and got a few surprises.
That's when I found out the "apron" or "A-frame" of the kayak trailer was 5 feet in length and the used trailer apron was 8 feet.
An 8 foot apron would work far better, for supporting the SCAMP hull.
Not only that, the used trailer was 15 feet long, and the kayak trailer was only 14 feet in length.
The only reason I had for doing all that in the first place, was that the used trailer had lighter capacity springs, 800 lb vs 1200 lb.
So instead of changing all the kayak racks, I changed the springs between the two trailers and kept the kayak trailer as a kayak trailer and the used trailer is now the SCAMP trailer.
Saved me a TON of work!   
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While I was at it, I made some modifications to the kayak trailer that I had been procrastinating on.
Started by re-installing the forward foam blocks and the rear rollers/brackets, that had been removed to bring the SCAMP down from Wisconsin.
Moved the forward rack further forward for better kayak positioning and better trailer tongue weight and moved the spare tire forward on the frame (same reason).
I cut the length of the spare tire tie-down U-Bolt  (unseen in the photo, under the tire cover) to make it faster to unscrew the tire tie-downs, for those times a spare tire is needed, quickly. 
(Usually in the dark and the rain, along-side a busy Interstate.)
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OK!! At least, ONE trailer is ready to go! 
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Looking good! 
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Well, after I painted the springs for both trailers:
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And reinstalled them.

Returning to the other trailer, got the fenders and tires back on.
This is just to wheel the trailer around in the yard.
Date code on those tires is November, 2015; wouldn't trust those tires to get me to the Post Office, much less Cedar Key, or Pensacola.   
Also installed a new jack-stand, and safety chains, while I was at it.
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Normally a bow-stop  has a roller bolted between the two arms, but the SCAMP does not have a Vee-shaped bow.
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Using some spare Glyde-Sliks left over from  Urchin's bunks, I cut them in half and screwed them to the wood blocks.
The wood pieces are really just place-holders, until I can get my hands on some sufficiently stout Starboard and fabricate a permanent bow-stop.
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That winch is just for photographic illustration; I have no intention of EVER using that rusty Death-Trap.

Trying not to end up like this guy, is why I am NOT using carpeted bunks for a bow-stop.
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Guy added UHMW (same material as my Glyde-SLiks) to his bunks, to solve that problem.
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And I get to benefit from his ordeal!

Wired the trailer connector.
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If I need some more space, or if the bow stops aren't rigid enough, I figure I can cut down those two arms closer to the winch bracket and mount those pivots closer to the winch.
Will probably gain me 6 inches more trailer room, for the hull.
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Changed out the races and bearings (one of them rusted stuck; can't believe I made it home from Daytona)    and threw away the dust caps and installed some spare Bearing Buddies I had on hand.
   Time to de-bunk ONCE AGAIN, that Hoary Old Wive's Tale: A grease gun in the zerk fitting of a Bearing Buddy, can blow out the inner seal! 
Nope.
There is an over-flow port and when the diaphragm gets moved out far enough, any more grease simply squirts out the over-flow port, letting you know you've added enough.
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You don't see that hole, you ain't got a real Bearing Buddy.
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(In best Forest Gump voice: ) "And just like that! I was DONE!!"
Well, except for the Great Trailer Shuffle.

Good looking kayak trailer! 
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From any angle! 
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And the future SCAMP trailer:
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All it needs to be finished, are goal posts, lights, bunks, and rollers.
And it WILL have goal posts; my kayak trailer was rear-ended once on my way to Wisconsin and rear-ended twice in the same day, going to Vero Beach.
Might even put goal posts on the kayak trailer, even though I don't need them.
It's the only way I can think of to deal with these Dodge Ram truck owners that can't see over their own hood and don't know where their bumper is.   
(All three hits were from Dodge Rams; figure I gotta put the trailer lights right in their face, to get them to pay attention.)   
Since all my trailer and boat registrations come due in June, I'm going to wait until then to get a certified weight slip, so I can get it registered in Florida.
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Check the loop of wire at the ends; length is to go up inside a future goal post.

And now to cram the trailers into the Boat Carport! 
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Yeah, it's a little crowded in there, right now.
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L-R: Kayak trailer, SCAMP trailer, RIB (Short Ribs) on trailer.
Tough week, but I'm glad to have that done.
Total investment was $150 for the trailer, plus another $100 for accessories and parts.
Wayyy cheaper than the $999 - $1500 for an equivalent new trailer.
After I get the bottom work done to the hull, it'll probably go on the trailer at that time.

Charles Brennan

[Riley Smith]

I think you're really just trying to get around the picture limit   The wood blocks will work forever on the bow
 stops if you want to forgo the starboard I'm thinking. I love my 1/2" impact for ringing off bolts! Good job!
 

[Captain Kidd]

That's a great deal of work for the week! Impressive.

[DBthal]

That's a great deal of work for the week! Impressive.

Very Impressive. You've been busy!

[Charles Brennan]

Riley, Have to disagree about the wooden pieces.  The wood grain is vertically oriented and looks (to my eye at least!) that one good sideways slam from the bow and it would split in half, like those karate demonstrations where everybody ooohs and aaahs at a guy splitting large-grain pine slabs, with his hands.
Plus, y'all know me well enough by now, to know that I firmly believe:
"A Thing Worth Engineering, Is A Thing Worth OVER-Engineering!!" 

One guy's perspective,
Charles Brennan

[Frank B.]

Oh no! I'm not falling for that! There seems to be no limit to the number of trailers you can own.  The last time I had an extra motor laying around, I built a boat for it.  Seems I might be tempted to do the same with an extra trailer.  Nope...not gonna doit..........

[Spot]

Riley, Have to disagree about the wooden pieces.  The wood grain is vertically oriented and looks (to my eye at least!) that one good sideways slam from the bow and it would split in half, like those karate demonstrations where everybody ooohs and aaahs at a guy splitting large-grain pine slabs, with his hands.
Plus, y'all know me well enough by now, to know that I firmly believe:
"A Thing Worth Engineering, Is A Thing Worth OVER-Engineering!!" 

One guy's perspective,
Charles Brennan

It's not overengineered until it is glassed with 4 layers 1708 double bias with mat interleaved with 3k/6oz carbon fiber, vacuum bagged with 38% resin and finished with white alkyd enamel tractor paint.
 
For reference, the motor mount on my 21-footer is 1 or 2 layers 6oz E-glass hand layed with the epoxy doped to an opaque mint green.
 

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

For reference, the motor mount on my 21-footer is 1 or 2 layers 6oz E-glass hand layed with the epoxy doped to an opaque mint green.
 

We might need pics...

[Spot]

For reference, the motor mount on my 21-footer is 1 or 2 layers 6oz E-glass hand layed with the epoxy doped to an opaque mint green.
 

We might need pics...

You don't believe me...?!? 

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[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

Oh, I believe you!  I just wanted to SEE it.

[Travis Chapman]

Looking great! I love the cold galvanizing compound for trailers... So many cans that I've gone through. All the pictures are great motivation to stop and organize the story of moving two boats from MD to VA with a trailer swap on there. You are an inspiration!

[Captain Kidd]

... moving two boats from MD to VA

(Off topic)

Ah! Moving from MD to VA. 43 years ago we moved from VA to MD (Richmond to Westminster), so I know where Glyndon is. My wife worked in Owings Mills. We left MD 26 years ago for points south though we still have friends there and stay in touch. The last we were there was 2019 IIRC. Loved our time there.

[Frank B.]

... moving two boats from MD to VA

(Off topic)

Ah! Moving from MD to VA. 43 years ago we moved from VA to MD (Richmond to Westminster), so I know where Glyndon is. My wife worked in Owings Mills. We left MD 26 years ago for points south though we still have friends there and stay in touch. The last we were there was 2019 IIRC. Loved our time there.

Spent a lot of my growing up time in Annapolis, Severna Park, Eastport, Bainbridge, Pocomoke, went to school in Elkton, and Perryville. My Dad was born in the area, my grandparents lived there and, as a Navy brat, we lived there off and on until I was twelve. Lot's of good memories.

[Krusen]

  Strange that Charles jack stands are all galvanized?

Well done on all your trailers!