Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Tuesday 16 November 2021

Final trailer adaptations

 The final trailer adjustments have been made before we head the 60 miles up the road to the trailer manufacturer to have the new spacer bars fitted. 

Both me and the trailer team have agonised over the best way to do this and we concluded that fitting spacer bars and adjusting the trailer bunks and rollers to fit Arwen's unusual bottom shape would be best.

The issue is that sat on her keel rollers, Arwen only clears the top of the mudguards by around a centimetre. So under the advice of the trailer team, I have been cutting up closed cell foam camping mat into layers and duct taping them to the top of the mudguards. This is to prevent them scrapping the hull. 

adjusting the support bunks one more time using the car jack

I will then drive up 'slowly' later this week and we will fit the axle spacer bars and do the final adjustments. 

I'm just hoping the tape will hold things in place when we go up the A38!!

That means that from the end of the week I can start sailing again. I have several winter overnight trips planned locally; some of them will be specifically to do star gazing from some dark sky beach areas. 

As always I will post here my trip logs, photos and vlogs. 

It will be good to get back out on the water again. I've missed it. 

4 comments:

Matt’s Navigator said...

Hi Steve, have you considered removing the mud guards as they are attached to the suspension arm and may travel up an contact the hull. On my trailer the mud guards are fixed to the trailer body so don’t move with the suspension. Glad things are getting sorted, Matt.

steve said...

Hi Matt - was my plan - but hey guess what - apparently it is illegal to drive a trailer in the UK without mudguards - not something I knew until I checked!! Go figure!

Matt’s Navigator said...

Hi Steve, I was aware of that, it is interesting to see what some people get away with when it comes to trailers. Take it easy, hope it all gets sorted. The Navigator is challenging when it comes to trailers. I am tinkering with my trailer when I get the chance. Hopefully catch up on the water soon.

steve said...

It is a tricky shape. I notice most navigator owners in USA go for bunks. Looking forward to that catch up. Stay safe and well now