Chrysler Sailors Forum

I purchased a Chrysler 26 because it was designed as a trailer sailor, I bought a used roller trailer with keel rollers and wobble rollers on the side.

I am very skeptical to put the weight of the boat on the swing keel (like you would on a fixed keel) because it is a small pin and a LOT of weight.

I see most of the trailers here have wood frames to prevent the swing keel from touching but I don't see how they would work at a boat launching ramp.

How were the original trailers built and were they designed to keep the weight off the swing keel?

Has anyone modified a roller trailer to allow easy launching and recovery at a boat ramp?

Any photos or links would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, in advance,

Garth B

Greetings Garth,

Don't know the weight of your boat. My C-22 swing keel is on a roller trailer. The keel sits on a 1/4" steel plate bolted to the center of the trailer. Rather than the keel holding up the boat, the plate is slightly below the keel and so the keel sits on it to take most of the weight off the pin. You can see the trailer in my avitar, which is entitled: Empty trailer = boat in the water!

EE's trailer has the two wood runners you're referring to, with a gap in the middle for the swing keel. The outer edges of the boards match the width of the keel pocket, and it also has two vertical boards attached to the outer edges of the runners to center the keel pocket on the boards.

The project boat has the same setup.

Thank you, I suspected that you should not put the weight directly onto the swing keel and pin.

Does anyone know why it is designed this way?

Better yet, has anyone modified the keel by building up the area around with swing keel? It seems like that would be a fairly easy task and would make it easier to be sure the keel is supported well.

Have wondered that one myself, why the keel was not designed to completely dissappear into the pocket..

When my boat is sitting on the trailer the keel is about 2 inches above the keel roller. The weight of the boat is on the wobble rollers. Then I lower the keel on to the keel roller to take the weight of the keel pin and cable.

Seems to me that if you add glass & some structural component to surround the keel, you gain no advantage. Ultimately, whether exposed or encased, once the boat is on the trailer the keel will end up resting on the trailer. Having a surrounding structure doesn't change that, nor the resulting stress felt on the swing pin.

This is just my opinion which I am proud to humbly submit

Paul

I was glad to see the photo of your trailer. My EZ loader trailer is very similar, more keel rollers and less wobble rollers. I was already considering adding some wobble rollers!

Thanks,

Garth

I Paul, I am planning to add enough depth the the trunk surrounding the keel so that the swing keel will be even or slightly recessed into the keel trunk.

I guess I wasn't very clear about that.


Garth

I think I understood, but if the keel is up inside the keel trunk, it is then hanging on the pin and on the pendent so the strain is not removed. In fact, now you have a situation that, due to uneven road surfaces, has vertical movement and inertia acting on these two points whenever transportation takes place. The only way to get rid of the strain is to lower the keel onto something on the trailer so the weight is no longer acting on the hull.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Either way I think you wuould want to put the weight of the swing keel onto the trailer, but not supporting the weight of the boat on the swing keel

My C-22 sits on bunks. Paul's is on rollers. The way ours are set-up, the weight of the boat is carried by the bunks/rollers leaving the keel hanging free. Once on the trailer, you lower the keel onto the trailer to reduce the weight on the pin.

Rather than extending the housing around your keel, why don't you just raise the wobble rollers on your trailer a little to get the keel just off the keel rollers. Then set the keel down on the keel rollers to take the load off. Just thinking out loud.

I guess that is what everyone does. I am used to fixed keel boats where 90% of the weight of the boat rests on the keel and the bunks or uprights are just to stabilize the boat.

I guess the swing keel boats are designed to take most of the weight on the rollers and NOT on the kee!

Any suggestions on where to find wobble roller assemblies for a reasonable price? I'd like to switch my trailer from bunks to rollers but the prices I've seen so far will exceed what I paid for the trailer.

My trailer is similar to the one shown by SN691. And my answer is the same. Lower keel on to the rollers. It is best to crank it up to launch.

Queenie... check your local wrecking yard for rollers. The one near me takes abandoned and derelect boats & trailers as well as cars, trucks & campers.

Paul