Joining the 'real' boat crowd

[gim]

How are the tires?  Still good tread or also need replacing?

[TnRiver46]

Shoot! You should see my 1957 trailer. Yours is mint condition compared to mine. I will say I have never seen that front platform deal, that’s homemade I guess. I have somehow been pulling mine completely rusted since I was 16 and it still works well

 

i wish I could teleport to Minnesota and take that old winch off your hands! It’s in decades better shape than mine 

 

the important part is the axle hubs bearings and wheels, the rest is just gravy If you use a yellow tow strap around the belly of the boat 

[MN Fisher]

That's one other thing that's fine - almost new tires, and new hubs last year.

 

I'm still going to inspect and maybe re-pack the bearings...just to be safe.

[detroit1]

I hope you have a heated garage.  Looks good, i am sure you will enjoy it. My first boat was a 14' aerostar, much shallower than yours. Fished it 2 years without an ob, but had a transom mt . t/m mounted on the bow, and made a rudder out of 2x4's to slip over the transom. All i could do is add  carpeted , removable floors between the seat benches. Had alot of good times in that boat...

[MN Fisher]

It's a partial tuck-under and I've got a good space heater that'll bring the temp up to around 50 even when it's -20 outside.

[gim]

I was wondering about that too. That will be a nice asset during the “offseason” to work on this thing.

[MN Fisher]

That's the whole plan, my friend...winter project.

 

Probably won't be able to paint until just before ice-out - but the rest should be done.

[TnRiver46]

Here’s my janky trailer, it also tilts. But by golly it’s strong, I guess they don’t make em like they used to. The coupler mechanism is comical, never seen one like it 

[gim]

LOL whoa. Now that is some serious rust. The handle looks bent too! Now wonder you wanted @MN Fishers winch…

[TnRiver46]

My buddy will is responsible for the bent handle. He was backing down the trailer down talking on the phone to his ex wife and jack knifed hahaha. One of the wheels was off the ground!!! Me and my buddy were hollering for all we had to stop the truck, it was pretty funny 

[MN Fisher]

He's getting it too - I've already pulled it...just have to box it up and ship it out.

[gim]

Well one mans trash is another mans treasure I guess.

[TnRiver46]

 

Many thanks!!!  Wait does this mean I have to get my old rusted one off??? Oh goodness

[MN Fisher]

Just getting the old bunks off - snapped two 3/8" bolts...they were that rusted on. Thankfully, I do own a breaker-bar.

[TnRiver46]

I was thinking that when you did the walk thru video of the trailer, rusted bolts seem bad, and then you try to remove them……….. sometimes I think they are stronger than new ones 

[MN Fisher]

Well...there's always the angle-grinder route.

[TnRiver46]

I borrowed one of those during my transom repair, a very awesome and quite scary tool 

[MN Fisher]

Ya - most air-tools I need I borrow from my cross-the-street neighbor. I do use my own compressor though...little 2.5gallon pancake.

[Deephaven]

I have beat the living snot out of my Harbor freight $19.99 angle grinder combo pack with cut off and sanding wheels.  MANY sets more of other cutting wheels later it still rips through crap.  Metal blade on the sawzall can get whatever it can't...unless the cutting torch needs to come out.  

 

Project looks fun. Can't wait to see updates.

[MN Fisher]

I'm looking at an angle-grinder from Menards actually for $14...already have a disc adapter and a sanding disc adapter that I've been using on my reversible Skill electric drill or the Ryobi 18V...so just need the grinder.

 

Cross the street neighbor has a more powerful grinder if I need it...and a sawzall...can borrow when I need them.

 

His air and electric tools are all either Dewalt or Millwaukee

[MN Fisher]

Still working on 'dismantling' the trailer - but a test shows that I'll be able to take it down to bare metal with a little effort.

Klean Strip Paint and Varnish remover pulls the old paint off...both layers...fairly easily and quickly

Rust Oleum Rust Destroyer is clearing all the surface rust.

The test area I did almost looks like new steel.

 

Another thing I'm doing, is laying out the plan instead of working 'off the cuff' like I did with the canoe. Found an overhead image of the boat...little blurry cause I had to upscale it.

 

A little work with my photo editor...and now I have a blank slate that I can print out as many times as I want.

 

 

Prints out at 1:20 so with my engineering ruler on the 20 scale means 1 mark is 1 inch

[TnRiver46]

Upgrade!!!! Thanks a million @MN Fisher. 

[MN Fisher]

Nice to know it's going to a good cause.

 

That trailer of yours needs all the help it can get.

[gim]

Significant upgrade. That piece of rust should find a new home in a scrap heap.

[TnRiver46]

It was actually painted red at one point in its life