Albin 25 tow vehicles in Europe

[DesertAlbin736]

So far have not encountered excessively shallow ramps nor have had any trouble floating the boat off the trailer, which we've been able to do with the truck backed in such that water's edge is at the back edge of the driver's door and the back end of the truck is in water almost up to the exhaust pipe. In salt water that means thoroughly flushing everything with fresh water, trailer and the underside of the truck, especially wheels & brakes.
So far in our various travels, besides our local home Lake Pleasant, we've launched from Lake Powell in Page AZ (only once), Bellingham (twice) & Blaine (twice) in Washington State, Huntington Beach in CA (once), Westerly on the Pawcatuck River in Rhode Island (once), Seneca Lake State Park, Geneva, NY (once), and Blades Marina on the Nanticoke River in Delaware (once). The only issue we've had, which is still an ongoing one, is getting the boat to center on the trailer when hauling out. That means we need to use the lane next to the ramp dock no matter how long we have to wait to get it, and the Admiral drives the truck to pull ahead while I stand on the dock at the stern with a dock line and boat hook to guide & steady the boat as it settles onto the trailer. Some times it takes a couple tries to get it right. A bit of a pain, but we have lots of practice.

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In the satellite view of the Blades Marina, the blue roof at the upper right corner is the Nanticoke River Yacht Club clubhouse, which my late stepfather belonged to up until is passing in November, 2011, which is why we launched there for our 2015 Chesapeake cruise. The ramp is at bottom center, at upper right is the Travellift launch. This is 35 NM upriver from Chesapeake Bay.

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This was me with my late stepdad Lee Simonds in 2011 on the occasion of his being made honorary Commodore of the NRYC (after having served a term as Vice Commodore), which happened to also be my 60th birthday and one month before his passing at age 90 from cancer. A true gentleman and WWII Navy veteran.

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On our 2015 Chesapeake cruise we flew the NRYC burgee on our bow as we motored down the Nanticoke River in honor of his memory.

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[DesertAlbin736]

You need to move to Canada. Very few people here except in the cities.

We wish! But we a) don't like cold winters, except if we could spend winters in AZ and hang out with the rest of the BC snowbirds, b) we're not rich enough to be accepted as retiree immigrants on basis of net worth, and c)who would want hosers like us anyway.

[Bob Noodat]

......The only issue we've had, which is still an ongoing one, is getting the boat to center on the trailer when hauling out. T

Oh boy! Does that ring a bell! With our O'Day 20 It was impossible without me getting soaked. We have a 6" wide flat bunk for the keel, very narrow. As the keel came down on that bunk, no matter how central it was to start with, it would always drift off to one side. If there was no wind, then an imaginary wind would pull it sideways at the last moment. I had to climb along the tongue, climb along the frame (at this point, even if I had not slipped before, I would get wet) and climb on to the fenders. Then, as my wife drove the truck ahead, I would hold the boat in place. Third time would usually do it...... for my temper too.

This was not satisfactory.

Naturally I went on to the Amazonly-Here-To-Make-Jeff-Richer site, searched for boat trailer guides and found these:

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Except, being in Canada, I paid CAN$225., or US$150. on Canadian Amazon. Par for the course for us picked-on Canadians. No, no chip on these shoulders.

Note they are the heavy duty ones. I was skeptical, but thought it worth a try. Now, our sailboat is only 7' wide, but there is a lot of adjustment on these guides. In fact, they are adjusted in about as far as they can be, and they would work for a very wide boat, or narrow trailer frame. Here are some pictures on the trailer:

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I found that I had to adjust them so that the vertical rollers exert slight pressure on the hull when the boat is in place. But, they work a treat. They are very tough, and the boat obeys them. Used them only three times at the end of last season, but the boat could not be more central on the keel bunk. Highly recommended, especially at the price you will pay..... could even buy a second set and not pay much more than I did for one! Hrumph.

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[Bob Noodat]

We wish! But we a) don't like cold winters, except if we could spend winters in AZ and hang out with the rest of the BC snowbirds, b) we're not rich enough to be accepted as retiree immigrants on basis of net worth, and c)who would want hosers like us anyway.

Cold! Why it's 50F here near Edmonton, Alberta in February!

Did you mean Hoosiers? We take all sorts here, even Hoosiers. Canada population about 35 million, and we take in something like half a million immigrants a year. Some people, as down with you, don't like this, but ya know..... these new immigrant people have more kids than the rest of Canada, and those kids are going to be paying my pension and medical costs for the rest of my life! Poor buggers. Bring 'em in, I say.

[Dieselram94]

Canada, would probably be ok to live around Vancouver island. I’ve been thinking about visiting there to check it out. It would be a warm up from winters here in maine!

[Dieselram94]

Puckboard is slippery and incredibly tough, will deform and bounce back, cheap per square foot but you have to buy 8x4 sheets. Could get away with the thinnest stuff though, 1/8" IIRC. I use it for all kinds of things. I have a piece 2'x8' that I slide under vehicles when working under them. You slip and slide around and the board wipes clean of anyything. .......Thinks: they have no idea what I am talking about.

I'd still prefer rollers to bunks for mount/dismount. As to the threaded rod and taking a while, well, maybe a minute or two, but you bring the boat off the ramp on rollers to the tie-down area and then there's no need to rush to get out of people's way while you screw in the bunks to conform to the hull.

You need to move to Canada. Very few people here except in the cities.

PS. Just thought, with my travel trailer leveller jacks, I use my cordless driver to adjust them in seconds. Just need a hex head on the threaded rod.

Forgive my ignorance, what is puckboard? I have been seriously considering a type of dropping bunk for my trailer as well. I’m still using the temporary setup like is pictured above with the 2x4’s
I have adjustable bunk brackets but am worried they may slip down if I remove the large bunks with the 2x4’s attached.

[Bob Noodat]

Puckboard: I'm glad you asked!

You have seen it if you have ever watched an NHL game. Which I don't myself. Shhhh. I don't want it known that I dislike hockey, could get me evicted from Canada.

Puckboard is the shiny white wall material lining hockey arenas, and that pucks harmlessly smack into at near earth escape velocity having been propelled by a 6'6" 300lb behemoth who shaves his (or her) knuckles twice a day. It is actually available in several colours and thicknesses. No doubt more easily available the closer you are to ice hockey country, but Maine ought to be close enough. I can get it from local building supply. I believe it is a teflon-type product. It is very slick and does not mar other surfaces. You would just have to lightly chamfer outer edges with a sander for bunks.

[Bob Noodat]

Canada, would probably be ok to live around Vancouver island. I’ve been thinking about visiting there to check it out. It would be a warm up from winters here in maine!

Nice in parts. There is a rainshadow produced by the Olympic mountains in Washington, to the southwest. This shadow has most effect in Victoria, where annual rainfall is about 16", and spreads out over the southeast corner of the island. However, 50 miles further north there is little effect, and you get the lush green "temperate rainforest" ecosystem typical of the northwest Pacific coast. By the time you get to the northwestern end of Vancouver Island, annual rainfall is of the order of 150 to 200 inches. Yes, that's what you just read. The east coast of the island has a variable rainfall, and the popular towns, like Nanaimo, have bearable levels of precipitation, in the 40"+ range.

Anywhere the weather is decent on Vancouver Island, property prices are through the roof.

Now, where I think is a nice, and still affordable area in BC, without a severe winter, is the southern interior around Christina Lake. A lot of orchards there, much like the Yakima Valley, but less industrial and a lot prettier.

Of course we are fondest of the central BC region, with great, unspoilt beauty and a low population density. No princes and princesses spoiling the view here. But, winter is six months long.

[Dieselram94]

Canada, would probably be ok to live around Vancouver island. I’ve been thinking about visiting there to check it out. It would be a warm up from winters here in maine!

Nice in parts. There is a rainshadow produced by the Olympic mountains in Washington, to the southwest. This shadow has most effect in Victoria, where annual rainfall is about 16", and spreads out over the southeast corner of the island. However, 50 miles further north there is little effect, and you get the lush green "temperate rainforest" ecosystem typical of the northwest Pacific coast. By the time you get to the northwestern end of Vancouver Island, annual rainfall is of the order of 150 to 200 inches. Yes, that's what you just read. The east coast of the island has a variable rainfall, and the popular towns, like Nanaimo, have bearable levels of precipitation, in the 40"+ range.

Anywhere the weather is decent on Vancouver Island, property prices are through the roof.

Now, where I think is a nice, and still affordable area in BC, without a severe winter, is the southern interior around Christina Lake. A lot of orchards there, much like the Yakima Valley, but less industrial and a lot prettier.

Of course we are fondest of the central BC region, with great, unspoilt beauty and a low population density. No princes and princesses spoiling the view here. But, winter is six months long.

Thanks for clarifying puckboard! I bet it would make awesome bunk material!!!

I used to live in Washington state as a kid many years ago. In fact my grandmother used to live in a original wheelhouse from the Klickitat ferry from Puget sound. Some great memories of spending time there. I’m going to google that lake and check it out!

[motthediesel]

"Puckboard" is HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) plastic. Think "Starboard" but for half the money

Hard, slick, with excellent wear properties, easily machinable, but it cannot be glued.

[Bob Noodat]

"Puckboard" is HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) plastic. Think "Starboard" but for half the money

Hard, slick, with excellent wear properties, easily machinable, but it cannot be glued.

You are right. I have always recessed screws when fastening it. I have not tried heating it though to see if it would mould into place for retention, which I have done with acrylics.

[DesertAlbin736]

About "hosers": maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that was a Canadian hockey based derogatory term meaning 'jerk'. Eh? Housing prices & availability on Vancouver Island: Last year we stopped in Ganges on Salt Spring Island and talked to a clerk in a BC liquor store who lamented about the dire state of the housing situation there.

About centering guides for the trailer: the widest part of the hull is right where the axles are. Ideally guides would be there, or at the stern. But the stern narrows, besides the back end of the trailer is deep in the water.

[Bob Noodat]

About "hosers": maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that was a Canadian hockey based derogatory term meaning 'jerk'. Eh? Housing prices & availability on Vancouver Island: Last year we stopped in Ganges on Salt Spring Island and talked to a clerk in a BC liquor store who lamented about the dire state of the housing situation there.

About centering guides for the trailer: the widest part of the hull is right where the axles are. Ideally guides would be there, or at the stern. But the stern narrows, besides the back end of the trailer is deep in the water.

Well, ser-pos-ably it's Canadian, but I never hear it except from you Southerners. To hose someone is to rip them off, that I hear now and again. Eh sneaks up on you without you realizing it. After a couple of years here I would find myself saying it. Annoys the Bajeezis out of me. Why it is spelt Eh when it is pronounced Ey I haven't discovered.

With my centering guides, in front of the axles is the best location. With my O'Day the trailer rear is also very deep in the water, but with the prow firmly held in the front roller behind the winch and the hull sides held by the guides, the stern naturally falls into place. I think my preference would be to also place tipping double rollers on the frame a little aft of the rear axle though with a boat the size of an A25.

[WillieC]

"I think my preference would be to also place tipping double rollers on the frame a little aft of the rear axle though with a boat the size of an A25."

When I figure out how to do this, I'll post pics. This seems like the way to go, at least on our trailer.

[DesertAlbin736]

As shown above in the photo at the AIS inspection there is a guide post added ahead of the wheels. Helps some but not all that effective if there's wind from the side or turbulence in the water.