The Winklebrig Forum

Tim Willey
Username: Tim_willey

Registered: 03-2012
   
Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 11:41 am:      
Still sorting out the trailer but the coupling is now sorted (thanks to some very helpful advice). Now I need to replace the very rusty wire rope which connects the coupling to the compensator. Difficult to find from the trailer manufactures, and they suggest using a threaded rod as replacement (would be about 3.5 metres+). Is this the way to go or should I just find some off-the-shelf wire rope and rope grips etc?

Tim Willey
Username: Tim_willey

Registered: 03-2012
   
Posted on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 04:18 pm:      
I've never had a braked trailer before so I'm not sure if the following is normal. I've a standard roller-coaster which, after coming to a halt and then pulling away gives a disconcerting clunk, despite my being very gentle on the gas pedal. Is there any adjustment or attention needed?

Tim Willey
Username: Tim_willey

Registered: 03-2012
   
Posted on Friday, July 13, 2012 - 08:51 pm:      
I think I have a fairly standard Roller-Coaster trailer for Skylark. It all seems fine, except that when the boat is off the trailer the roller cradle always swings upside down. Recovering is therefore a rather messy affair involving wading in and trying to balance the cradle in the correct position whilst someone winches in. Haven't noticed any mention of this on the forum but I guess I must be missing something?

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2011 - 10:27 pm:      
I towed my Winklebrig to Poole Harbour and to Milford Haven from Cardiff Bay this year without any problems. In fact I was surprised at how straightforward it was. However, my brother, a keen caravanner is very surprised I don't use a stabliser. Does anyone use one? What advantages might it have?

Pam Freeman
Username: Pam_freeman

Registered: 05-2011
   
Posted on Sunday, September 18, 2011 - 03:19 pm:      
Mudlark will be being put to bed early this year and I wondered, please, if any of you have any ideas/tips for care, of the trailer in particular, with the WBs stored on same during the Winter. Is it true, for example that. as the boats are on their trailers for some time, the tyre pressures should be reduced... and to what? As a newbie to all of this, I'd really appreciate, please, any tips that your experiences have gleaned over the years. Thank you, Pam.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2011 - 04:26 pm:      
Can someone tell me if it is a good idea to change your tyres after 6 years, even if there is no outward signs of wear, bulging or cracking. I am towing to Italy next month and wonder if now would be a good time to change them.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 - 06:45 pm:      
I thought it would be a good idea to check my roller assembly this year in view of my forthcoming trip to Venice. Having propped the boat up and removed the swing beam, I saw to my horror that the only part of the trailer which is not Indespension (and must have been fabricated especially for the Winklebrig)ie the roller bar support bracket, has badly rusted and two have twisted. It might be worth others who have original trailers and who salt water launch checking this

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 09:02 pm:      
There is a new series on trailer sailing starting in PBO this month.The first article covers licence requirements, trailer requirements and towing legislation. Worth reading so you are familiar with requirements and don't fall foul of the law.

James_parsons
Username: James_parsons

Registered: 04-2009
   
Posted on Saturday, May 23, 2009 - 08:16 pm:      
At the moment I have a BMW X5 which is absurdly expensive to run and way over the top for towing my WB. I'm thinking of seriously reducing my carbon footprint (and the size of the hole in my wallet!) so can anyone recommend an economical car capable of towing the WB without struggling, and remaining legal? All suggestions gratefully received!

David Peck
Username: David_peck

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Monday, October 27, 2008 - 06:26 pm:      
I have had 2 years of trailer problems. Last year whilst manoeuvring my trailer to hitch up to the car the trailing arm on one side just disintegrated.
The antics performed to get the boat and trailer back up my drive and onto its storage area I won't go into, but suffice it to say, that was the end of 2007 sailing as it took a few months to get a new one.
The broken one looked very much like the standard Indesuspension full axle with Rubber 'Inde' units in the ends. The trailing arms being made of steel plate in two halves welded together to form a hollow arm thereby getting saltwater inside and rusting away. Beware if you have similar units
A friend of mine makes trailers and many trailer parts for the trade (Towsure etc) and he has made me a superb four wheel trailer, purpose built to cart my miniature steam loco around the country (Weighs about .75 tonnes).
On the grounds that this trailer is so good I asked him to make me a replacement axle. He cautioned me that the maximum rubber suspension arms that he is tooled up to make were to carry one tonne. I did my sums and as the weight of the WB is 650 kilos I reckoned that I would have 1/3 of a tonne spare for the trailer and equipment. (I carry thing like provisions and outboard in the car when trailing) Ample I thought, so 2008 ready for the sea.
I had a fraught 4 days due to brake problems getting to Nefyn in north Wales, but worse than that, the trailing arms on the new axle, over the journey had pushed up to about 5 degrees above the horizontal. This made launching from ramps difficult due to the changes in gradient. The rear of the trailer was by now perilously close to the ground. (I launched and recovered from a shallow gradient beach in the end, stripping and cleaning the hubs to prevent damage from saltwater after launch and recovery). They'd been off so many times during my initial brake problems I could do it with my eyes closed!
Cockle stayed on my mooring in the bay for the 3 week holiday. Too much wind, too little wind, and lots of rain made me wonder whether all the efforts I'd put in were worth it with the limited amount of sailing we had.
Following a very nervous journey home the trailing arm angle getting worse if anything, I put the boat and trailer on a local weigh bridge, to check its actual weight.
Exclusive of engine it weighed 1020 kilos. Excluding the wheels, the arms would be supporting under a ton. It's apparent that the 1ton axle he supplied doesn't support 1ton!
The result of all this means that I have found a suitable replacement, I hope, from Indesuspension, (Google Indesuspension.co.uk)
It is their superide unit 1300kg SH032.
I still think a 1 tonne axle should carry a ton but referring to Roger's article on his web site he seems think having spare capacity is a good idea as he says it trails much better. Has the 1300kg trailer enough spare? The 'Inde' axles all seem to have these hollow trailing arms
I really want to trail with as much security as I can possibly build in, it's too nerve wracking otherwise!
Any comments?

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 01:51 pm:      
Does anyone have experience of trailing a boat in Europe? We are thinking about going to Croatia and I have never towed a boat internationally before. is there anything we need to be aware of or prepare for? I also wondered how happy caravan site owners are if you turn up with a floating "caravan" rather than the usual white box? Any advice appreciated.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Monday, May 05, 2008 - 08:20 pm:      
Has anyone tried beaching a WB, letting the tide go down and then floating off say 6-12 hours later?
Here on the East Anglian coast there are plenty of harbours, but a lot of sand in between, so I tend to tow and day sail. However, I have often wondered if I could stop off on a beach for a night and thereby cover more ground. Would you ground bow first or reverse in (to keep the waves out of the cockpit)? Would those inflatable rollers work or is a WB too heavy? I would be pleased to hear any views.

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 - 10:50 pm:      
I am hoping to keep my boat on a swing mooring in Poole Harbour this year. Usually I keep her on a trailer and launch her when needed, but that means I am tied to the boatyard opening times, and the best summer sailing is often in the evening. The mooring gets around that, but has the added problems of getting out to the boat, security etc. Does anyone have experience of keeping a WB on a swing mooring? Any recommendations or tips? All advice gratefully received.

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 04:31 pm:      
I have to take Peg off the trailer whilst I upgrade the trailer. Julian, you posted that you have Pelican sitting on some tyres. Did you just in effect 'launch' Pelican onto the ground plus strategically placed tyres? are there any issues with doing this?
Thanks

Adrian.

Oh, and when I've completed my repairs, I may have got over events it sufficiently to post my own cautionary tale, possibly even with pictures of the gory details. And the contretemps with the tree wasn't the worst of it...

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 08:27 pm:      
Julian you have brought together some very useful information. Under the NTTA guide in the tyre section there is an explanation of the data on the wall of a tyre . The date stamp needs to be explained more fully as tyres on a trailer are usually replaced on a time interval basis as you are unlikely to wear out the tread.
The Caravan club reccommends that tyres are replaced after 7years. The date stamp has three numbers , the first two are the week of manufacture and the third is the decade in which the tyre was made. If there is a triangle or splodgy bit of rubber after the numbers then the trye was made in the 1990's , if there is nothing the tyre was made in the 2000's or the 1980's (but surely no one is using these!) This information was given in the TSA Newsletter some time ago.

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 10:56 am:      
Has anyone experience of using a non-roller type trailer? I was thinking of the Indespension type with carpets covered skids on each side. The boat launchers at my boat yard use them for all of their work and swear by them. They say they are so simple they just never go wrong and handle almost any style of hull. You don't get the tilting cradle benefit of holding your bow in place. Piccy here http://www.indespension.com/b2c/app/I00810?ZTNOID=1280&slnk=1

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Sunday, August 12, 2007 - 10:38 pm:      
I've just had a difficult haul out with an exceptionally strong cross tide. When I finally pulled the trailer up the ramp, we found that one of the aft roller units s on the cradle was tilted outwards and holding the boat up very awkwardly. The boatyard staff lifted the whole boat up with a fork lift so I could straighten it up. I've had this problem a few times. Is there any way of keeping the rollers tilted inwards against a current which is trying to tilt them over? I am thinking of packing some foam rubber under them to see if that helps. Any suggestions?

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 - 03:26 pm:      
The only aspect of Peggoty I'm at all unhappy with is perhaps the trailer. I did find the towing up from Essex hard work, (the tow vehicle is a Fiat Multipla which is fairly torquey and powerful, and should be well suited to the job - the rear axle is very close to the hitch) and I am wondering about upgrades to get a more comfortable tow, and carry more gear. I am concerned about putting too much weight in Peggoty, as she bears onto the rollers through the hull, and not through the keel, and I had thought to wedge a long baulk of timber between the keel and trailer, to take some of the load. Roger, you mentioned on your website upgrading the RC1 to allow for more weight of gear. Would you be able to detail a little what you had done?

I'd also be very interested to see a picture of the bump stops you added on the swinging arms to help centre the boat on the trailer. I did find this tricky on recovery, even without wind, tide or current!

Many thanks

Martin Cartwright
   
Posted on Monday, June 25, 2007 - 07:34 pm:      
How do most people strap their boat to the trailer?
I have used two (one fore one aft) webbing straps which pass between the timber bulwarks and the deck, but these chafe quite a lot and I am now having to replace them. Is it necessary to tie the boat on in this way if it is secured against fore and aft movement?

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - 08:04 pm:      
Has anyone replaced the plastic bushes through which the draw tube slides on the Knott Coupling KVR13? This hitch is fitted to my Rollercoaster 1 but may be same on later models. I was concerned that there is quite a bit of play if you move the draw tube up or down. Knott do not make any recommendation on tolerances except to say "that if you are concerned about it then it is probably too much!" I have now acquired a replacement bush but should have bought two-one each end of the draw tube Any advise would be welcome before I start dismantling.