Unforced errors

[rfrance0718]

I mount my trailer license and lights on a removeable crossbar. That way the lights don't get dunked and I can use the bar on my 2 Thistle trailers, Tami's Daysailer trailer, and anything else I happen to tow. Last Thursday I was towing the Oday to Lake Erie and all seemed to be going perfectly. But then a small doubt about whether or not I had attached the license to the bar creeped into my head. I has checked the lights before I left, they were working, but somehow I didn't notice whether or not I had the plate. I looked back to see if I could see the bar well enough to see the plate, and guess what?, No bar, no lights, no License! just a a wire tail flowing behind.

I actually bolt the bar to the trailer. How could it be gone! I guess that the old 2 x 4 had become soft and that the bolt head on one side (no washer) had worked its way through the wood. That would have left the thing flopping around and it probably wedged itself free of the other side.

Now I have several things to worry about. First I'm driving without lights or a plate. Next, I've dropped the bar onto a four lane highway somewhere and somebody could hit it, damage their car, or worse, get injured. Third, if the plate was indeed on the bar, then the highway patrol wouldn't have much of a problem identifying the guilty party.

In the end it all worked out. Later in the day I got a text from my friend who owns the place where I store the boat, saying that he found my license plate in the drive. On the way home the next day I spotted the bar, in the grass by the side of the Northbound lane. I decided to let the sleeping dog be.

[Timm R Oday25]

Ahh you caught a break..I also use a quickly detachable set of trailer lights for the same reason . When the sailboat is on the trailer the lights are mounted on the lower grudgeon . That way they are at windshield height for the car behind me !

[Charles Brennan]

Don't understand why you guys don't use "goal posts".   

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1) They allow my hull to self-center in adverse winds/currents.
2) Easy to see trailer alignment in steep ramps.
3) My lights stay permanently above any water/wave action.
4) Never have to be set up/removed for launching/retrieval.
5) Can see the lights in the rear view mirror at night, and can tell if they're working properly.
6) Lights are right in the following driver's face (especially the ruder, Big Tires & Lifter types, you know who I mean).

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Even have a rotating PVC bracket to swivel license plate when launching.

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It was made by using the next larger size of PVC tubing, by cutting most of the way through in two places.
Then I cut a vertical slot between the 2 horizontal cuts and used a heat gun to "unfold" the PVC and flatten it out to mount the license plate.

7) While you guys are rigging/de-rigging your light bars, I've already left the drive way/ramp.

One of my very first dictums in TSBB was: Any chore done more than 3 times in a row, needs to be automated.

Food for thought,
Charles Brennan

[Wayne Howard]

The trailer for Unole/Necessity had goal posts and keel guides. Split the uprights and the keel was centered on the trailer.

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[Riley Smith]

I'll have to think about that one. Maybe even MEASURE!    The previous trailer was a no-go as far as that is concerned because of the beam of the catboat. What I built as trial was immediately a problem and soon got smashed to end the tale. It sure would help in a foul wind at the ramp. I guess I'm spoiled in that way, because there are so many ramps in my world, THAT foul wind is taken into account. (Yeah, it would be a problem over an extended period because of wind shifts but mostly my trips are half-day.)

[rfrance0718]

I like your goal post set up a lot, but it doesn't solve my problem of needing rigs for 4 or 5 different trailers. Besides the cost of having 4 different rigs it is better for me to have one light set up to maintain. It doesn't take long to mount and I use heavy duty wiring that doesn't break. I'm building a new bar with a few improvements. I'm going to run my bolts from bottom to top, with washers glued to the top of the bar. I'll use wing nuts and lock washers, and having them on top of the bar will allow inspections when I stop.

For the Thistles and the Daysailer the bar serves as a tie down. I've never had a problem with that. I've also used the rig on coach boats that I tow to Jr Regattas. I do have lights mounted to my Laser Trailer. I've used the light bar in the past but its really too big for that boat.

[Captain Kidd]

I think installing goal posts for my CIY is a good idea. The way I retrieve the boat is simply pushing it off the ramp and pulling it back in over the partially submerged trailer with a long line attached at the bow. It's been tricky keeping it straight as I pull it back in. I've needed to get wet which is not a problem in the summertime, but I'm prone to go sailing at all times of the year.  My Hunter trailer already has goal posts.