What Did You Do To Your Boat This Week?

What’s the trick to getting it off the trailer? The process?
It takes a while. Have all your heavy load jackstands, keel stands, mud sills and pads, air compressor and air jack ready to go. Drop the reach on your trailer as low as possible, without dragging the tongue jack. Put the two jack stands under the transom.

Use the 3 ton air jack to raise the bow of the boat ahead of the front cross-member. Set a keel stand under the keel behind the cross member with a thick, 8" long crush pad (glue 2 layers of 3/4" plywood together) between the two. Lower and remove the air jack and pull the trailer forward until the first axle touches the keel stand. Use redundancy with the keel stands. Do not rely on the air jack without a stand in place. Stay below the trailer axles and watch yourself!

Reposition the air jack. Put a second keel stand behind the first axle. Lift enough to install the second keel stand, using a pad to distribute stress. Remove the first one and lower onto the second keel stand. Move the trailer forward, as before. At this point you can place a second pair of outer jack stands to support and stabilize the hull. Position those where "Sling" is indicated on the hull. Use pads to cushion your hull and avoid creating hard points. Wash, rinse repeat.

Take your time and be safe. Use adequate equipment. My keel stands are 6 ton, the jack stands are 3 ton. Do not go below the boat unless you are entirely confident that the hull is well supported and braced. I like the air jack because I do not need to be below the boat to operate it - 2 remote valves. My boat has a tri-axle trailer, so it takes more time .

To load the boat back on the trailer, follow the same procedure, in reverse. Be very cautious moving the trailer. If you have help, it's safer to move it manually. This entire process goes better and quicker with some help.
 
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It takes a while. Have all your heavy load jackstands, keel stands, mud sills and pads, air compressor and air jack ready to go. Drop the reach on your trailer as low as possible, without dragging the tongue jack. Put the two jack stands under the transom.

Use the 3 ton air jack to raise the bow of the boat ahead of the front cross-member. Set a keel stand under the keel behind the cross member with a thick, 8" long crush pad (glue 2 layers of 3/4" plywood together) between the two. Lower and remove the air jack and pull the trailer forward until the first axle touches the keel stand. Use redundancy with the keel stands. Do not rely on the air jack without a stand in place. Stay below the trailer axles and watch yourself!

Reposition the air jack. Put a second keel stand behind the first axle. Lift enough to install the second keel stand, using a pad to distribute stress. Remove the first one and lower onto the second keel stand. Move the trailer forward, as before. At this point you can place a second pair of outer jack stands to support and stabilize the hull. Position those where "Sling" is indicated on the hull. Use pads to cushion your hull and avoid creating hard points. Wash, rinse repeat.

Take your time and be safe. Use adequate equipment. My keel stands are 6 ton, the jack stands are 3 ton. Do not go below the boat unless you are entirely confident that the hull is well supported and braced. I like the air jack because I do not need to be below the boat to operate it - 2 remote valves. My boat has a tri-axle trailer, so it takes more time .

To load the boat back on the trailer, follow the same procedure, in reverse. Be very cautious moving the trailer. If you have help, it's safer to move it manually. This entire process goes better and quicker with some help.
Very helpful. Thanks.
 
As per the greedy aluminum boat builders thread, I bought the aluminum for the hardtop I’m having built. Should be a “those greedy window manufacturers” thread because just the two side sliders was nearly double the cost of the materials for an entire aluminum cabin.
 
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As per the greedy aluminum boat builders thread, I bought the aluminum for the hardtop I’m having built. Should be a “those greedy window manufacturers” thread because just the two side sliders was nearly double the cost of the materials for an entire aluminum cabin.
I’m hearing rumours that some glass manufacturers are going to lower their prices because not all we’re being as greedy as the others. So might be coming down a bit
 
I’m hearing rumours that some glass manufacturers are going to lower their prices because not all we’re being as greedy as the others. So might be coming down a bit
Geez, I sure hope so. Probably too late to do me any good but I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
 
Working on installing new seats and had to do a bunch of modifications. Decided to paint interior
I have come to terms that I am never going to build another boat. Going to buy something newer
But that baby looks dialled in. At least 100 good years left in it!
 
The first thing I checked were the O rings—- brand new, no deformation...boat was built in 2021. I initially freaked out visualizing that stuff getting into the injectors of my Suzukis but I’ve calmed down a bit. I changed out all the filters and will watch them like a hawk.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of water in the tanks.....former owner bought some crappy fuel while up in Alaska I’m guessing. Part of me wants to pump the tanks and dump the fuel but I’m going to just keep swapping filters and see what happens
What kind of cap do you have? I ask because I had the same issue of water ingress into the fuel system a few years back. The cap I had at the time also incorporated the fuel tank breather, and was basically flush mounted on top of the gunnel. Whenever heavy rain, and later in the season snow/slush accumulated around the cap, into would be drawn into the breather (when engine was running, ofcourse).
It was an odd one, but pretty obvious when I got into it
 
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I’m thinking this one is close——thick plastic “O” ring, ratcheting cap. Maybe Perko makes them?A495A573-33B1-409D-A5FF-80662E9AA649.jpeg

I know that if you’re hasty thinking they’re properly ratcheted they can leak—I might be paying the price of buying a pre-owned boat —former owner either purchased really crappy gas or got sloppy with the cap and let in water....the “O” rings look good on both tanks, though
 
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Super easy way to move your outboard up and down is to drop the motor down, put a block under the skeg, loosen the bolts with the slots, remove the other bolts and use your tongue jack to raise or lower to your wanted level and tighten everything up.
Thanks fisher dude. Unfortunately there are no slots on the model i have. All individual holes. I raised the motor 2 holes with a friends engine hoist and now have amazing hole shot and top speed is up. Pulling the halibut anchor was quick and easy yesterday when that heavy wind arrives at race rocks.
 
What kind of cap do you have? I ask because I had the same issue of water ingress into the fuel system a few years back. The cap I had at the time also incorporated the fuel tank breather, and was basically flush mounted on top of the gunnel. Whenever heavy rain, and later in the season snow/slush accumulated around the cap, into would be drawn into the breather (when engine was running, ofcourse).
It was an odd one, but pretty obvious when I got into it
I had that same problem when I first bought my 2359, kept getting water in the fuel, couldn’t fiqure it out until finally realized the faulty perko fuel cap/breather combo
 
Pretty sure if I bring that up with the manufacturer he’ll say the EPA mandates those caps....Meanwhile I just took on some gas about an hour ago (in the pounding rain) to stir up the crap on the bottom of both tanks to see if I can catch it in the fuel water separators—-I noticed rain pools on the gunnel exactly where those caps are placed....even with good cap design, not good placement for sure
 
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