Bow Eye

[jerridsc]

My A25 came without a bow eye (hook) one might use to winch the boat onto the trailer. Should I have one? What, where and how should it be attached to boat?


Thanks All,
jerridsc

[WillieC]

You should have one, otherwise how do you pull the boat onto the trailer?
Place it so that it snugs right under the rubber chock on the trailer. See pic. My chock needs to be adjusted down a bit.

IMG_0300.JPG

Once again, click on the picture to right it if viewing from a computer.

I installed a half inch ubolt as it provided longer length to go through a serious backing plate I made for the inside. First, I leveled out a flat spot with resin and several layers of fiberglass so the backing plate had bearing. The original 3/8" ubolt with rotted wood backing stuffed down into the vee of the inside of the hull...gently removed itself from the boat when once, and only once, somebody forgot to remove the safety chain and thought it would be a good idea to bump the boat off the trailer into the water down the ramp on an otherwise beautiful day on the Canal.

I have/had pics somewhere on the computer...maybe I removed all evidence of the crime. Can't find them just now.

Make it stout, and learn from my mistakes. It is cheaper.

[DesertAlbin736]

Bow eye placement location can apparently vary between boats & I'm guessing they weren't a factory standard item & were added later depending on style/design of trailer. Here's WillieC and our La Dolce Vita rafted up together, and you can see that his bow eye is much higher up on the stem than ours. Ours is down low, where in this photo it can been seen where the bobstay chain for the anchor bowsprit attaches.

DSCN4257 (1280x960).jpg

Here's another shot of our boat rafted with a big sailboat in Desolation Sound that gives a clearer view of our bow eye's location.

DSCN4311(1).jpg

If you're about to install one definitely heed WillieC's advice on reinforcement, but location will depend on how your trailer is set up and the height of winch & bow stop. And yeah, if you plan to trailer launch you'll need one. Conversely if you're in a situation where your boat is alternately stored on the hard in a boatyard or wet slipped & you can always count on sling launch via crane or Travelift(TM) then you could get away without having one. But for over-the-road transport on a trailer, yes you should install one.

[kerrye]

I used a really long bow eye and glued two pieces of Ipe together about a foot long and cut it to fit into the V on the inside of the boat.