Hey Harb.

Technically the hull is already past the back of the trailer so it cant go back any more than that unfortunately.

Like this photo, ideally the mast falls within the hull extents.

Thoughts??

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Stuman92 said..
Technically the hull is already past the back of the trailer so it cant go back any more than that unfortunately.

OK, couldn't find anything about boat trailers on the mainroads webpage but ADR says

"Other Trailers
Rear overhang must not exceed the lesser of 3.7 metres or the front load space. "

From the previous pics you posted last year your hull looks like around 2.5m-3m max past the axle so you still have a bit of overhang to play with.

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Stuman92 said..
Hey Harb.
Like this photo, ideally the mast falls within the hull extents.

Thoughts??

The mast above only looks around 4 m long and the boom looks as long as the mast.
To get your mast to fall within the hull you'd have to 1) put the hinge point about 3m up the mast 2) fit a hinge like in the pic above then fit another hinge half way up so it folds back on itself or 3) chop 2m of your mast, fit the hinge as above and modify your main to a smaller area square head.

Or you can leave it as it is now and if you haven't got a hinged mast step yet fit one of them and 2 baby stays in line with the step to make it easy to put up and lower the mast on your own.

Hey Everyone.

So still really want to improve my current setup for making launching and raising the mast easier.
Got mixed reviews on the hinged mast idea.

Still want to add an electric winch on the car so I can lower and raise the trailer up and down the boat ramp.

Been doing all the winter repairs and tune ups.

Any hints on those two areas?
Any fresh ideas?

Hi Stuman,

Not sure how a witch looks at the base but perhaps you could look how a beach cat mast is raised. My mast is I think somewhere around 8-9m and I can lift it solo. There is a briddle at the front of the boat attached to the hulls which the jib line eventually attaches to. To get the jib line attached you need a pulley attached to the ring on the bridle and a rope going through the pulley to the jib line and back throuh a cleat on the tramp. As you raise the mast to its final position you take up the slack of the rope. Then you attached the jib line to the ring. Remove the pulley. Hope that makes sense. It might be easier on cat though without the obstacle course of cabin and stuff.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/I-Max-12V-3500LBS-Portable-Detachable-Electric-Cable-Boat-Winch-ATV-4WD-4x4-Quad/182590075809

or for something larger

www.ebay.com.au/itm/T-REX-6500lbs-Electric-Boat-Winch-Portable-Detachable-12V-ATV-4wd-4x4-Trailer-/381679886208

Both come with a bracket to fit on your towbar. I've got the smaller one and I cut the power cable near the clips and fitted Anderson plugs in between Also an Anderson socket on the back of the car so I can power the winch from the car socket or from a portable battery when I use it away from the car.

Thoughts on this?

Could they pull the 1ton load up the ramp?

www.autow.com/products/trailer-parts/winches/manual/caravan-kit/caravan-winch-kit--dutton-1400lbs-with-cable=3035

and this

Hey guys, I've been quiet last few months, hired a yacht in the med and spent a 8 sailing around, highly recommend it, long term charters end up cheaper than a hotel room per night and I had a 2016 Dufour 350 to take me where the wind allowed.

Stuman on a similar journey to you I originally had some issues getting the mast up by myself, watching a few others down the boat ramp I learned a few tricks:
Attach the jib halyard to the turnbuckle where your forestay will go, as you pull up the mast up make sure you are keeping tension in the halyard, doing it this way I can stand on the aft of the yacht, push the mast up in the air with one hand, then tension the halyard with the other, I continue doing this while walking forward getting the mast higher and higher. I then stand on the cabin roof, bend with both knees and pull it up the last 45 degrees and re-tension the halyard. I find lifting the mast the first 45 degrees is the hardest so if you can get it up from a push underneath then use the halyard to keep it up its much easier. Alternatively you could use another line, attached to the bitter end of the forestay, take the line through the front turnbuckle and then back to a line winch (if you have them, I don't), once up tighten the jib halyard again and then disconnect the extra line at the end of the forestay.

For the mast hanging out while driving, I just make sure it extends at max a metre out the back but it extends majority off the bow, no risk of it hitting another vehicle upfront and its much too high to connect with my ute.

As for the winching in and out of the water, my plan this summer was to reverse the trailer to closer to the water line, chock the wheels, attach a decent rope from the trailer to the ute and then reverse the ute back using the weight of the trailer to feed itself into the water, not sure if the trailer will stay straight but I'm going to test this out. When coming out I was going to do the same and use the power of the car to pull the trailer all the way up and out the water, chock the wheels, then reverse the ute back and connect back up at the tow ball, I plan to use the power of the ute and some decent 3000+ kg breaking strength line instead of a winch.

Planning to head out this weekend if you are keen.

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Stuman92 said..
Thoughts on this?

Could they pull the 1ton load up the ramp?

www.autow.com/products/trailer-parts/winches/manual/caravan-kit/caravan-winch-kit--dutton-1400lbs-with-cable=3035

and this

The one in your link is only 1400lbs or just over 600kg and if is anything like the 1400lbs I first bought of ebay it will struggle to pull even hat weight. I think they worked the maximum pulling capacity on a level trailer with lubricated and wet rollers because I managed to bend the handle trying to get the boat on the trailer half way before I gave up on it. Luckily I was at home and not at the ramp.
I ended up mounting that one just in front of the winch post with webbing running around a 4" roller fitted at the end of the trailer then back to the bows to pull the boat off the trailer at the ramp, saves me having to push the boat off the trailer after it sat on the roller for a while and flattened them.
The orange one in your pic looks more solid but depends on the gearing on it, to make it easier on your hands you'd want it to have a 10:1 ratio and 3 speed. something like this, www.bcf.com.au/Product/Atlantic-Trailer-Winch-with-Cable-Three-Speed-10-5-1/215676?menuFrom=571552

Another thing to consider is that with manual winch you either crank the handle or guide the boat or in your case the trailer. With an electric winch with either wired or wireless remote you can do both at the same time so you can retrieve the boat on your own.

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Jake888 said..

As for the winching in and out of the water, my plan this summer was to reverse the trailer to closer to the water line, chock the wheels, attach a decent rope from the trailer to the ute and then reverse the ute back using the weight of the trailer to feed itself into the water, not sure if the trailer will stay straight but I'm going to test this out. When coming out I was going to do the same and use the power of the car to pull the trailer all the way up and out the water, chock the wheels, then reverse the ute back and connect back up at the tow ball, I plan to use the power of the ute and some decent 3000+ kg breaking strength line instead of a winch.

Planning to head out this weekend if you are keen.

It should work out ok Jake, if the ramp is in decent condition . Just remember to remove the straps holding the boat down on the trailer or else the trailer will float under the boat and also use the traps and some rope to line up the boat with the trailer and check it continuously as you pulling it out of water to make sure it falls in place when boat no longer floats. Good practice for when the winch gives up on you or someone needs it more then you do.

So i Bought a Redwitch ...too
Very dirty and waiting for my summer break to get into it.
First task, after the deck clean.. the rigging.

Stuman92 your photographic journey looks to be a great resource

Looks like a tidy rig BarPoint
If you have any questions fire away chief.

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BarPoint said..
So i Bought a Redwitch ...too
Very dirty and waiting for my summer break to get into it.
First task, after the deck clean.. the rigging.

Stuman92 your photographic journey looks to be a great resource

Hey ! That's a yellow witch !!!!

I'm not going to repaint the deck, just cut it back. it is covered with algae, but apart from that the surface appears to be in reasonable condition. I've been told that I can strip a lot of the grime by using toilet cleaner? which apparently doesn't affect the gel coat. Then cut it back a bit and polish.
I will worry about the hull, the jungle underneath, when it's ready to sail.

Before using any chemicals, try elbow grease. Then go from there.
I find most chemicals were a placebo, you just think they are making it easier :)

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Stuman92 said..
Before using any chemicals, try elbow grease. Then go from there.
I find most chemicals were a placebo, you just think they are making it easier :)

Hey Stuman, Have you taken your Red Witch out this summer? After all the hard work I wanted to know how she went.

After a lot of fun I decided to let my red jacket go:
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/waikiki/sail-boats/18ft-trailer-sailer-red-jacket/1174192595

There is surf cat racing in Safety Bay which I want to enter for next season so need the space in the driveway.

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BarPoint said..
I'm not going to repaint the deck, just cut it back. it is covered with algae, but apart from that the surface appears to be in reasonable condition. I've been told that I can strip a lot of the grime by using toilet cleaner? which apparently doesn't affect the gel coat. Then cut it back a bit and polish.
I will worry about the hull, the jungle underneath, when it's ready to sail.

Timber deck cleaner that contains oxalic acid or just buy oxalic acid. Deck cleaner from Bunnings is cheap and easy to come by, just make sure it has oxalic acid in it. Mix with warm water as per the directions. Works best on a warm day too. Just scrub the whole boat with a stiff broom or a soft broom depending on how bad it is, leave a few minutes and hose off. Might have to go over deck tread a couple of times with a scrubbing brush if the grime is ingrained. You will need to wear sunglasses after!

I bought a red witch
believe it may have been called "Broomstick"
lots of work done just need to do inside and re rig...
yah we bought a boat

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Stuman92 said..
Making good Head way on this now


Testing the new hubs


Rose Joints in and looking good :)

This was a most interesting post which took me about an hour to read all of it.. Kudos to you Stuman 92 and all the others that commented on your Redwitch revival.
Well done.

This thread reminds me of my Comet 20. I did almost the exact same project to bring her back to glory. In terms of your mast I wouldnt worry about it (if its only to do with ease of launch). If its to do with bridges in your area then is there somewhere else you can launch from? I only found out after I sold my trailer sailer that there was a MUCH easier/better place to launch from!

For raising the mast I was contemplating making an extension arm on the trailer that went above the bow, with a turning block on it which would allow the trailer winch to be used to assist in raising the mast but over time I simply got better at raising the mast from a standing position in the cockpit, avoiding snags etc and it wasnt necessary. So I am not sure the folding mast is worth the hassle.

A simple device I welded up which helped a lot was a steel pole (you can just see it in the pic- still in primer blue before it was galvanised) which slotted into the rudder pin holes on the stern, with a small rubber bow roller on top. I would put this in place, then put the mast on the roller, which made it easier to position the first bolt in the mast base, then as it supported the mast I would make sure all the rigging was setup and snag free before raising the mast. It made it easier for sure.

This pic is just after restoring her at home just like you did.

The trailer I extended the tilt arm (you can see its galvanised while the rest of the trailer is painted black). So I am a bit dubious about winching an entire trailer and boat down into the water. If there is any sort of swell or tidal movement you may have some problems. If at all possible I would design a system where its still hitched to the tow vehicle for stability.

Love your work guys... just got a witch about to rerig reboom and glass repairs in the cabin ... me and the GF keen to get out and sail ... not far away ...

love to get any info on keels and more pics of your lovely work !
cheers Blake

Love your work guys... just about to rerig reboom and glass repairs in the cabin ... me and the GF keen to get out and sail ... not far away ...

love to get any info on keels and more pics of your lovely work !
cheers Blake

Thought i would randomly check this seeing as i never get update emails about it. :P
that picture looks awesome Felix, the trailer looks Great!!!! i have actually done something similar to you for the mast, i fabricated up a rear double loop that make sthe whole process very easy now.
Pics to follow.

Hi Broomstick, great new on your purchase, what area are you in? got any pics of the boat :)

Thanks Stu for this post as it has been both an inspiration and source of information with everyone else also contributing. I bought a Red Witch in Jan 2017 and after sailing her for a few months, towed her home for a refurb. She started out as "Warlock" which is not a very feminine name for a boat, so we also renamed her "Summer Soul".

BEFORE


DURING


AFTER




Our boat is based at Nedlands Yacht Club and as with most people down there, we use the long rope method for launching as you will see from the rope hanging on the front of the trailer. Personally, I back the SUV until rear wheels touch water. Then rope is looped around tow ball, lift hitch and let out rope with one hand whilst guiding trailer down ramp with the other. You do have to be prepared to get into the water up to waist deep, however if you don't want that cold water shock, one of the members has fishing waders that he uses when launching. To get her out, I just hook up the other end of that long rope and pull her out. Obviously, all this is made easier by having the third wheel close to the tow hitch.

For those who have been wondering about the weight, officially Red Witches have a Displacement of 650kg (295kg of which is the keel).


Therefore, your trailer would need to be less than 100kg for it to be registered for <750kg and thus not require brakes. As you can see, my trailer is pretty basic and therefore I come in under this weight, but it should be something people consider when building/refurbishing a trailer. The more extension arms, thicker steel, fancier suspension etc the more likely you're going to go over this weight limit and require brakes.

Happy sailing and thanks again for providing such a great source of info and discussion.

Dave

Hi guys well back to work on the boat iver xmas currently
sanding the inside and redoing sone old fibre glass repairs... sanding i love it soo hahaha... hoping to have it in the water soon ish...
just gonna read back over and get inspired...

More sanding uncovering thin soots and old repairs in the bouyancy tanks going to put some more glass down seal up and reinforce....
so much sanding ??
still i want it to look like stuman 's interior and that takes work!!

Wow looks like some great progress Broomstick!!!!!, my word of advice when it comes to cleaning up the inside is pick your battles, dont spend hours sanding an area that has something that is stubborn to remove.... just leave it and paint over.
Also with the open fibers, Bunnings sells a Fiberglas putty sealer meant to seal up old fiber glass roof sheets, its amazing at smoothing the interior and allows you to get a really good gloss coat going once you start painting.
Also Broomstick your Two tone deck looks fantastic, im contemplating redoing mine so the "grip" areas are a very light grey Color.

Dave!!!!! what a paint Job, i wish i had the confidence to do those lines!!! she looks ready to race that's for sure!!!Happy New Year!!!!!

Cheers mate its going well... there is some rubberised paint that wasn't applied very well so im taking it back a bit to get a good solid bond seems like im doing a resto on the inside lol...

im going to reglass some of the tanks as they seem quite thin and the gelcoat is brittle... looks like when raced they are the place to stand and get weak with age... i will be happier knowing they are airtight water proof and solid...

sanding is not really a motivational force just saying .... hahahah