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Hi All
I just ordered a trailer for my NE Dory. Now when I am using my travel trailer I can still car top my Dory. When it’s just the Dory going for a day trip it will ride its spiffy new trailer. I have never used a boat trailer before. I’m very used to towing and backing, that’s not an issue for me. But I have a silly question. When I am towing my Dory, do I remove the rudder? I would think it would be the smart thing to do. I am assuming the Mast and Sail will be safe all wrapped up and under the straps holding the boat down. I will keep the PFD’s and such stuff in the vehicle with me. It just seems I should keep the rudder off the boat when traveling. What do you all do?
4 replies:
RE: New trailer coming!
I agree on removing the rudders. The cycles and shock loads on the gudgeons and pintles will add up quickly. With such a small, light rudder, there's very little disencentive to not err on the side of caution.
I used to uninstall my 100 pound rudder on my 21' pocket cruiser. On my Hobie, I build an astroturf covered deck with a system of bungee and pad eye tie downs that captured the rudders flat for trailering.
RE: New trailer coming!
I agree with Gramps. I once had two bicycles on a trailer hitch rack. I was headed to Zion Canyon for spring break. There was bumper to bumper traffic outside of Stateline, Nevada, and a guy rear-ended me. It wasn't a hard nudge but enough to make both bikes un-rideable. His insurance covered it, but my vacation was ruined.
RE: New trailer coming!
Yeah, funny things can happen to rudders back there.
Bought a beach cat real cheap once. Then found one of the kickup rudders must have dropped in transit, because an inch had ground off the bottom.
RE: New trailer coming!
» Submitted by Gramps - Fri, 3/9/18 » 11:48 PM
I'd recommend leaving the rudder un-hung. Less likely to be damaged by any number of road hazards, including tailgaters misjudging how close they are in a panic stop. Plus which, the rudder won't be so vulnerable to your own misjudgements in close quarters where you can't see the rudder, there'll be less wear and tear on the gudgeons and pintles, and less likelihood of stripping those fittings out of the rudder or transom.
Trailerin' boats down the highway can be hard on 'em; there's a whole lot of shakin' goin' on.
.....Michael