Chrysler Sailors Forum

For those interested, here are some pics of my C-20 on the sling with the keel down so I could get it on the trailer and have a good look at the keel.

Any doubts or confusion I had about the weight of ballast have been dispelled. To my reading, there was ambiguity in that spec depending upon what source was relied on.

The keel is definitely cast iron, at least two inches thick, and without doubt weighs the whole 410lbs as advertised. Therefore, I believe the entire ballast is indeed 810lbs, adding in the shoal keel filler - which is probably concrete - yielding a whopping 37% ballast to displacement ratio.

This sample is very crusty and needs attention, but the cable, shackle and winch are of recent origin, so I have no concerns there. Although blistered, there is very little pitting in the actual surface.

The real reason for the sling-out was the trailer, which is a very good, strong model - but for a powerboat, not a sailboat. It has proven to be almost impossible to safely land the boat. So, I'm looking for a different trailer, or some one who can mod this one-which may be preferable, given the fact that it is hugely stout.

Anyway, here is the link to the C-20 Folder... and feel free to look at the other stuff...

http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/OutnB ... 4693474372

I would vary much like to see photos of the C-20 with the keel down. I tried the link, loots of nice photos but I could not find photos of the keel??

Ditto!
Looks like that library is set to private!
Scott

OOPS! My bad. Here ya go...
http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/OutnBacker/library/#

Thank you, will it dose not fill the sling as much as Captain Scott's Destiny. But is a fine looking boat just the same. The self locking keel on a C-20 looks just like the self locking keel on a C-26, only smaller. Looking at your trailer, could you add a set of bunks to the rear outer rail, an have you tried loading with the keel down 20 % to help center the boat?

It looks like tub toy on that sling. They lifted out a 55 footer after mine.

There is no way the boat can be landed consistantly each time, so no, the keel position doesn't matter, especially since I solo alot. The trailer cannot be properly modified without removing the U shaped roller frames entirely. This is an easy thing to do and will leave a clean frame with all right angles to work with.

When the boat was nested, we made sure that it was absolutely level before I strapped it in place with 3000# straps - one on each side, and a lesser strap holding the bow down into the rubber V at the winch tower. That allowed me to measure accurately for the steel. I've already drawn plans and now I just need to get the steel, do the cutting and dry fitting here, then take the "kit" to a weld shop.

One very good reason I'm using this trailer rather than finding another is because when I'm done, I'll be able to easily jack the boat off the trailer next to my shop. It will have an open aft end with no frame cross members to deal with when blocking.

Also, the plywood that currently supports the shoal keel will be replaced with two treated 2X8 planks, with a split in the middle so the keel can be lowered thru the bottom by just jacking up the whole thing, trailer and all. Can't get any more stable than that.

I should have posted this in "Let's begin another Project..."

Ah!

Very cool!
I had not seen the bottom with the keel down on that boat before! Pretty cool! I agree making that trailer fit the boat is a good idea. It is a very stout trailer!


Wish I was there to watch ya haul her out! We must have come in AFTER you went in. The sun looks pretty high in the sky. Had I not had the family with me I would have driven passed the lift area and checked on Lady Jo! I probably would have seen you then!


. . .and yes, that is the sling used for Destiny!

Scott

"Ditto" on good plain on trailer

CaptainScott wrote:Ah!

Very cool!
I had not seen the bottom with the keel down on that boat before! Pretty cool! I agree making that trailer fit the boat is a good idea. It is a very stout trailer!


Wish I was there to watch ya haul her out! We must have come in AFTER you went in. The sun looks pretty high in the sky. Had I not had the family with me I would have driven passed the lift area and checked on Lady Jo! I probably would have seen you then!


. . .and yes, that is the sling used for Destiny!

Scott

The sling out was tuesday at 2pm. I had to leave it at the guest dock because it was going to tip over off the trailer at the ramp sunday. Just no way to get it home that day. The other times I retreived I just got lucky - even tho it didn't trailer up correctly, it was close enough that my mega straps held it fast til I got it home and onto a floor jack.

It was quite the show: A cute little Tubby Toy, too small for the sling straps. They had quite a time getting it up off the water because of the shoal keel and the width of the straps. Those guys really know what they're doing. There was some creative rope work involved. The 50 footer after me came right out... but everyone thought mine was the cutest little thing...

Chrysler20%26 wrote:"Ditto" on good plain on trailer

I have the welder in my pocket as of today. Might get started saturday cutting up the steel and dry fitting so I can just bring the trailer to him and clamp everything in place. I plan to use that plastic 2x4 decking material for the bunk rails, covered in astroturf, which dries fast.

Galvanized trailers, from what I have seen are bolted not welded.

Chrysler20%26 wrote:Galvanized trailers, from what I have seen are bolted not welded.

It depends. If the trailer manufacturer is top notch, they will weld up their trailers, then ship them to a hot dipper to have the thing galvanized as one piece, or a series of sub assemblies, then bolt them up. This eliminates, as much as possible, the tendency of welded galv joins to rust at the bead.

That's the way mine is, which is why it has no rust since being built in '78. But, I have no choice with the mod. The cost of taking the pieces to a hot dipper is enormous, then I'll have to grind off the galv at the weld point to get a good current flow anyway. And, no one around here sells pre-galv steel.

I'll have to use mild black steel, paint it as best I can and hope it lasts for as long as possible with good maintenance. The connections have to be welded because the angles won't accept U-bolts except for the under carriage cross-overs.

Not perfect, but it'll do.