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

Wednesday, 2 March 2022

Final trailer modifications

 I have returned from the trailer manufacturers and as soon as the weather is better, Arwen and I will be out on the water. 

There was some success as I can now push the boat back on the trailer a metre or so far more easily than before. 

To summarise then:

  1. the bunks were swapped out for two sets of twin rollers which pivot both fore-aft and starboard-port. The flat hull base now rests on these just near the first chine with the first plank up the side. 
  2. height adjustable keel rollers have been moved to the front of the trailer to lift the bow slightly.
  3. all the keel rollers have had their bases strengthened  by 1cm thick galvanised plates. This has had the added benefit of lifting the boat hull another centimetre clear of the mudguards. 
  4. 60 cm has been cut of the central spine at the aft end. This means that Arwen's stern now overhangs the end of the trailer by some 60cm. We are hoping that this means I don't have to dip the wheels as deeply as I have been before she floats off.
When the weather abates a little and tides fall right, we will test this out and I will post an update here. 

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