Hey Tod, That's a first rate trailer upgrade. I bet it hurt a little bit submerging that nice work in dirty ramp water. Your website has given me some good ideas. Thanks Tod and Don, Rick Langer

Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2005 18:03:50 -0400 From: <htmills@bright.net> Subject: RE: M_Boats: Trailer Keel Rollers To: "'For and about Montgomery Sailboats'" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Message-ID: <001201c53af4$84ad0550$6188db42@HTM031103> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Rick,

Although my boat is a 17, I was faced with adding keel rollers, not to replace a board, but to replace a single roller that was over loaded. My trailrite trailer originally had but one, just aft of the first cross-channel, and it was severely over loaded.

When I bought the boat, I saw that the rubber roller was split and the shaft was bent, so I merely replaced them. Shortly after, the new roller was in the same sorry condition. So....

I made up a frame upon which four rollers were mounted, two aft of the c/b, one under the c/b about 3/4" lower, the amount the c/b protrudes, and one fwd of the c/b.

The frame height w/ respect to the bunks is adjustable with shims. I have it set up so that the bulk of the weight rests on the rollers.

I also added keel guides to help get the boat centered on the trailer.

Since these mods, no more bent rollers and getting the boat on the trailer is much easier.

Photo at: http://www.todspages.net/images/BBd01a-TrailerKeelGuides.jpg

Lastly, I noticed that some gelcoat on the corner of a strake on each side was taking a bit of a beating thanks to years of too concentrated of a load, so I slipped 1/2" closed-cell foam pads between the bunk carpeting and the wooden bunk board.

Tod M17 #408 BuscaBrisas