Whist checking over the trailer I found...

[graham]

One of the 2 bolts holding on the tow hitch was a bit loose. On closer examination this may have been why

Looked perfect on the outside. Bit worrying really as I have allready done a good few hundred miles this year.Luckilly the other one wasnt quite so bad.

The thought of Mighty Atom overtaking the car on the motorway isnt nice.

 

[Lakesailor]

Ooh. Bit of a worry. Luckily I have recently had my hitch off, so know the score there.

Reading your blog I notice the slight problem you have getting the foot of the stem onto the trailer roller.
I had a 14ft clinker dinghy and found that by lifting the trailer drawbar up to shoulder height and winching, the bow came straight onto the roller, which was now close to the ground. Using this method I could winch the boat from the lawn onto the trailer easily.
It depends on being able to reach the winch from that position. You could always have the winch low down on the post and run the cable or strap over a turning block (or keel roller) at the top of the post.

 

[Searush]

My laser, on its trolley had been overgrown with weeds, so I gave it a jolly good tug to free it. Sure enough, out of the vegetation it came, but it was damn hard to pull. closer investigation revealed that the port axle had corroded thro & the wheel was still in the nettles!

 

[graham]

Ooh. Bit of a worry. Luckily I have recently had my hitch off, so know the score there.

Reading your blog I notice the slight problem you have getting the foot of the stem onto the trailer roller.
I had a 14ft clinker dinghy and found that by lifting the trailer drawbar up to shoulder height and winching, the bow came straight onto the roller, which was now close to the ground. Using this method I could winch the boat from the lawn onto the trailer easily.
It depends on being able to reach the winch from that position. You could always have the winch low down on the post and run the cable or strap over a turning block (or keel roller) at the top of the post.

Nice looking dinghy in the pic.

The Mighty Atom Trailer is too heavy to lift the front up ,plus I am sometimes on my own and want to be able to launch /recover singlehanded so i am going to make a third ramp for the center line,

I allready have two drop down ramps for the keels to slide up in, just need something to raise the bow up until the keels take the weight as she comes up.I have been doing it manually by winching until the bow is an inch from the back then physically lifting and dragging it on to the edge but its not ideal.

 

[Lakesailor]

Ideally you could make your centre ramp of two pieces of steel (angle or box) and put 3 keel rollers between them from lowest position that would engage the foot of the stem to the hinge bolt at the top so the boat is easier to winch up and less likely to damage the stem and foot.

 

[graham]

Ideally you could make your centre ramp of two pieces of steel (angle or box) and put 3 keel rollers between them from lowest position that would engage the foot of the stem to the hinge bolt at the top so the boat is easier to winch up and less likely to damage the stem and foot.

Sounds a good plan. I could even thread the hinge bolt at the top through a roller . I have seen V shaped ones for keeping the boat centred that would do nicely.cheers.