Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

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  • oferraz
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2015
    • 328

    Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

    Hi,

    I am building this Tom Cat and I just got to the point of putting it on the trailer for the first time. I am new to trailers and never used one before. The trailer needs some adjustment and the dealer didn't really help as he used to motor boats. I have few questions but any feedback or tip will be helpful:

    1. Is the roller that is under the Kill is at the correct location? It seems to bring up the bow of the boat and the boat does not look level on the trailer.



    2. The boat is extended after the trailer. The dealer indicated that usually, the boat end at the trailer end but from photos, I have seen on this site, many boats are extended after the trailer. Is that OK?

    3. Right now the boat kill is floating and the boat is supported by the bunks. Is that OK or should I buy another roller for the end to support the kill?
    4. Also in this image. It's hard to see but as a result of the hull shape, an only relatively small part of the hull is actually touching the bunks. Is that OK or should the Bunks need to be adjusted somehow?



    and last,

    5. Right now the tongue is extended about 7' in front of the boat its hard to see it in the image. This is a 12-1/2' boat. Is that OK? I know I can adjust it and push the tongue under the boat. Is there a standard for that?



    Thanks,

    Ofer Raz
  • Mike.Higgins.94301
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2015
    • 641

    #2
    Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

    The longer the distance between the ball and the axle, the easier it is to back a trailer. I made my trailer as short as possible so that it would fit in my garage. The back hatch on the tow vehicle just clears the spars, which rest on a cradle over the hull. This is fine when it comes to fitting the rig in my garage. However, backing up takes a lot of concentration and sometimes more than one try.

    Also, I would worry about the strength of your trailer. The center beam on my trailer is attached to the side members at two points. From the photos it looks as though there is only one point of contact on your trailer. That looks weak to me.

    Trailer details.jpg

    Nice looking hull.

    Comment

    • Thorne
      Like my hat?
      • Aug 2005
      • 16414

      #3
      Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

      Ofer -

      PM / IM me and I can come consult with you -- I'm not working right now and live nearby in Richmond's North & East between McBryde and Esmond. I have 3 boats on trailers right now and have had at least 5 others in the past, so I know a fair bit about small trailers...

      Hard to say without seeing more photos, but I'd be tempted to move the bow stop / winch stand forward to reduce some of that overhang aft. You want some tongue length to allow you to open the tailgate of your tow vehicle, for ease in backing as Mike says above, and not have to back your tow vehicle too deep into salt water when launching. If the forward keel roller is too tall, you can lower it a bit by loosening the bolts, putting the bottom one in the lowest hole thus putting it at a steeper angle.

      Do you have a bow eye installed yet? If not, I'd put it fairly low so that the winch strap runs under the bow stop roller -- and when under tow by another boat it will pull your bow up rather than down. As you probably know, use a honkin' big washer or even better a rectangular plate (probably marine-grade stainless or bronze) to back the nut of the bow eye on the inside of the stem.
      Last edited by Thorne; 12-10-2018, 10:01 AM.
      "The enemies of reason have a certain blind look."
      Doctor Jacquin to Lieutenant D'Hubert, in Ridley Scott's first major film _The Duellists_.

      Comment

      • Chip Chester
        Senior Member
        • May 2012
        • 525

        #4
        Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

        Take the offer. Experienced help will also help you get the tongue weight right so things trail nicely down the road. Also will help with guides to center boat on trailer so it's straight and well-supported when it comes out from its swim.

        For a boat this light, foldable or extension tongue accessories are fine, and may help with garage arrangement and knee-knocking.

        Comment

        • swoody126
          Senior Member
          • Oct 2013
          • 1590

          #5
          Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

          IMHO(developed from dad's & grandfather's examples) a boat trailer has 2 jobs

          transport & protect (during transport/storage)

          the dealer's comment about the trailer ending just slighty past the transom would support my thoughts

          in addition to that the trailer should be wider than the hull

          this way the trailer surrounds/protects the hull

          also IMHO the keel should support the weight not the thinner/more easily damaged bilge/bottom panels

          bunks are for balance not support

          your pics do not tell us if the axle assly is fixed or adjustable

          the weight of the hull in it's road ready configuration should be balanced in such a way as to provide proper tongue weight according to the TV's capacity window or between 50# & 75# for a light weight boat

          50#-75# tongue weight will allow you to personally maneuver the rig solo when it is sitting on a wheeled tongue jack while providing adequate balance for safe towing

          the tongue and tongue apendages should not impede TV functions(P/U tailgates and minivan lift gates etc...)

          the length of the tongue should be long enough so IF/WHEN the trailer is fully buck knifed the TV bumper/tail lights will not tag the boat

          my feelings are not fully supported by many who will read this post for many/varried reasons(mo$tly co$t a/o $torage $pace related)

          over the years(i began towing trailers in 1960±) i've had my trailers bump'd n side swiped but have never had a boat damaged in transit/storage either by trailer design or outside forces

          your baby deserves all the attention to trailer design/configuration as you can provide

          you've already got a huge investment and now is not the time to skimp

          sw
          "we are the people, our parents warned us about" (jb)

          steve

          Comment

          • Rich Jones
            What boat to build next?
            • Apr 2009
            • 19676

            #6
            Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

            I always bolt a plank of pressure treated wood down the center of my trailers and add a few rollers. This way, the weight of the boat is on the keel where it belongs. It also acts as a nice walkway. This way, those bunks only balance the boat and not actually support too much weight. If all the weight is on those bunks, the hull could deform over time.
            Remember, all these trailers are designed for heavy fiberglass motor boats which don't always require centerline support.
            Due to the heavy springs, lightweight boats like yours will bounce all over the place going down the road. Lowering the tire pressure from the recommended 60 psi to 30-35 psi helps keep my trailers from bouncing. The tires still hold their shape, but the bouncing is reduced.
            I was born on a wooden boat that I built myself.
            Skiing is the next best thing to having wings.

            Comment

            • oferraz
              Senior Member
              • Aug 2015
              • 328

              #7
              Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

              Originally posted by Rich Jones
              I always bolt a plank of pressure treated wood down the center of my trailers and add a few rollers. This way, the weight of the boat is on the keel where it belongs. It also acts as a nice walkway. This way, those bunks only balance the boat and not actually support too much weight. If all the weight is on those bunks, the hull could deform over time.
              Remember, all these trailers are designed for heavy fiberglass motor boats which don't always require centerline support.
              Due to the heavy springs, lightweight boats like yours will bounce all over the place going down the road. Lowering the tire pressure from the recommended 60 psi to 30-35 psi helps keep my trailers from bouncing. The tires still hold their shape, but the bouncing is reduced.

              Hi Rich,

              Thanks for sharing. Can you share some photos of the center support you are adding?

              Ofer

              Comment

              • oferraz
                Senior Member
                • Aug 2015
                • 328

                #8
                Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

                Originally posted by Rich Jones
                I always bolt a plank of pressure treated wood down the center of my trailers and add a few rollers. This way, the weight of the boat is on the keel where it belongs. It also acts as a nice walkway. This way, those bunks only balance the boat and not actually support too much weight. If all the weight is on those bunks, the hull could deform over time.
                Remember, all these trailers are designed for heavy fiberglass motor boats which don't always require centerline support.
                Due to the heavy springs, lightweight boats like yours will bounce all over the place going down the road. Lowering the tire pressure from the recommended 60 psi to 30-35 psi helps keep my trailers from bouncing. The tires still hold their shape, but the bouncing is reduced.
                Ok found it in one of your threads. How did you connect the board to the trailer? did you fabricate a metal part for it?

                Thanks,

                Ofer

                Comment

                • Rich Jones
                  What boat to build next?
                  • Apr 2009
                  • 19676

                  #9
                  Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

                  Originally posted by oferraz
                  Ok found it in one of your threads. How did you connect the board to the trailer? did you fabricate a metal part for it?

                  Thanks,

                  Ofer
                  I just used u-bolts to attach it to the cross supports and bolted to the front end of the trailer.
                  I was born on a wooden boat that I built myself.
                  Skiing is the next best thing to having wings.

                  Comment

                  • Rich Jones
                    What boat to build next?
                    • Apr 2009
                    • 19676

                    #10
                    Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

                    Originally posted by Rich Jones
                    I just used u-bolts to attach it to the cross supports and bolted to the front end of the trailer.
                    I just went through my pictures and found this one. Not sure if it's the same one on my thread. The u-bolts are just galvanized ones purchased at the hardware store. Sorry I don't have any closeup shots. Boat and trailer are now put away for the winter in a bowshed that is totally blocked in by snow.

                    IMG_0109.jpg
                    I was born on a wooden boat that I built myself.
                    Skiing is the next best thing to having wings.

                    Comment

                    • Thorne
                      Like my hat?
                      • Aug 2005
                      • 16414

                      #11
                      Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

                      Originally posted by Rich Jones

                      [ATTACH=CONFIG]27947[/ATTACH]
                      Yes long U-bolts are the way to go, and use a chisel or router to countersink the top of the U-bolt into the wood. You can sometimes find heavier galvanized U-bolts at chandelries, but more important is the heavier bar at the bottom. The thin bars tend to bend around the trailer frame bars and trap the nuts and washers, so if you can find the heavy galvanized ones they're usually worth the extra expense. etrailer has both galvanized and stainless square U-bolts - https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=stainless+u+bolts

                      As for those rollers, I put four of them on the backbone of my Caledonia Yawl trailer and found that I had to replace the axles-with-snap-ends with stainless steel bolts, heavy SS washers and nuts. Boat only weighs 500lbs or so unloaded, but that was enough to pop off the caps that are just hammered onto the ends of the axle bar.

                      An alternative to rollers is to buy a long piece of ULDPE (slick plastic) and set that on the wood plank with countersunk screws. That stuff is slick and works well on nearly anything but the shallowest of ramps or beach launching.
                      "The enemies of reason have a certain blind look."
                      Doctor Jacquin to Lieutenant D'Hubert, in Ridley Scott's first major film _The Duellists_.

                      Comment

                      • oferraz
                        Senior Member
                        • Aug 2015
                        • 328

                        #12
                        Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

                        Thanks for all the comments. I think that I now understand what I need to do.

                        Ofer

                        Comment

                        • Chip Chester
                          Senior Member
                          • May 2012
                          • 525

                          #13
                          Re: Adjusting a new trailer for a Tom Cat

                          A previous trailer for my 16' lapstrake runabout had winch-retractable rollers down the middle. Time to launch -- crank the aux. winch, and rollers rise up to lift the boat just off the bunks by the keel. Rolls right off.

                          When pulling out, rollers are up if water is shallow and you need to winch up. Rollers down if you can float on. Rollers 'mostly' down for storage, except for supporting their even share of boat's weight.

                          Newer trailer is configured/adjusted so weight is properly distributed when boat is fully loaded. Less fussy system, but you have to dunk the trailer more to launch in the shallows.

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