trailering with centeboard

Submitted by harry reich on Thu, 02/05/2004 - 08:29
When trailering my Thistle, I remove the centerboard. I'd like to trailer my Scot without removing the centerboard. Any suggestions for supporting the board while travelling. I have an aluminum Trailex trailer just purchased from "Flying Scot".
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Comments

Harry: Not knowing the exact construction of your trailer, I won

Submitted by Bob41 on Thu, 02/05/2004 - 12:51.
Harry: Not knowing the exact construction of your trailer, I wonder if you could put something padded on the trailer and beneath the board when it is on the trailer and then let the board rest on it when you are moving down the road. That way, the board rigging wouldn't be carrying any load. I've trailered my boat all over the place and never had any sort of problem.

I broke the top off my center board the first time I traveled an

Submitted by Philip on Fri, 02/06/2004 - 19:15.
I broke the top off my center board the first time I traveled any distance. It had to be replaced. I now stuff small towels on either side of the board before traveling. I heard there are wooden wedges that can be purchased for this purpose.

Ouch- breaking a centerboard sounds expensive.

Submitted by Bob41 on Sat, 02/07/2004 - 12:00.
Ouch- breaking a centerboard sounds expensive. I hesitated to recommend the wedges because of the potential for pushing the sides of the centerboard trunk apart. Many of the older Scots I've seen have that condition. The $3.00 packs of shims sold at building supply stores are made of soft and sticky pine and would probably work but it seems to me that it would be hard to hold that heavy and slippery board in place.

I have the aluminum Trailex Trailer and have trailered our boat

Submitted by Claus on Fri, 02/13/2004 - 14:49.
I have the aluminum Trailex Trailer and have trailered our boat on several long trips without a problem. Flying Scot sells Tie-down centerboard wedges made out of wood or plastic. I have been using the wood ones. Basically it's two 1/8 inch (or so) thick pieces of wood that are screwed together at the top and have carped glued on the inside for padding. You lower the center board slightly, stick the wedge in from the top of the centerboard trunk and lift the centerboard until it fits snug. The wedges just prevent the centerboard from swinging/vibrating and hitting the centerboard trunk wall. I wouldn't lower the centerboard and have it rest on the trailer. I think a bumpy road would do bad things to it. Removing the centerboard really isn't an option either since it's quite heavy. So I reccomend just to leave the centerboard up and have a wedge of some sort to keep it from vibrating. An alternative to the wedge is to use some old mainsheet and cut it in a 1 1/2 foot lenth and tie a big knot on each end to prevent the line to fall into the centerboard trunk. Now just lower the centerboard put the piece of rope between the centerboard and the centerboard trunk and lift the centerboard up like before. One piece on the left and another on the right so that you are using two of the cut and knoted pieces of rope. Keep the knots out of the centerboard and don't go crazy with pulling the center board up.