don't move the trailer
I have a 23 foot boat and have gone though the process of jacking the boat up each of the past 6 years. The first year was the trickiest but I can get it done in 30 minutes now. Practice definately pays. I agree with some of the other guys in regards to having a professional do the job. I think this is only necessary for the first coat though. After this year I would do it myself. The paint adhears much better to old paint than bear fiber glass.
I agree with Calmwater, you really should just raise the boat above the trailer. I wouldn't move the trailer... way too much work.
Here's the process I go through to raise my boat off the trailer. Keep in mind I use cement block and wood(as to not damage the fiber glass). First thing I do is lower the front of the trailer as much as possible. This has the effect of raising the back of the boat several inches. Using a hydrolic jack under the middle of the transom I jack the boat up 4-6 inches. I keep a small piece of plywood between the jack and the boat to protect the fiber glass. Also, under the left and right corners of the transom I stack cement block, as many as possible. I make up the difference between the cement blocks and the bottom on the boat with pieces of the wood. So, once the boat is jacked up 4-6 inches, I add pieces of wood to the two corner supports. I then lower the boat onto the two corner supports(made up of cement blocks and topped off with wood) so that the back of the boat is now resting 4-6 inches higher. The support that the jack was sitting on can now be increased 4-6 inches and the process repeated. I would only raise the boat just enough so the a brush or paint roller can fit between the trailer rollers and the boat.
Now to the easy part... the bow. With the boat transom raised above the trailer and the front of the trailer lowered to the lowest point your only minutes away from finishing. As before stack cement blocks topped off with wood under the lowest point of the boat V. Now, raise the front of the trailer using the trailer jack. The jack on my trailer spans about 12 inches. Considering we have the same size boat yours should raise about the same. Once the trailer jack is raised as high as possible support the forward beam of the trailer with cemment blocks(wood is optional). Retract the trailer jack fully. Next, put a cement block under the wheel of the trialer jack. Again, extend the trailer jack and add the support blocks under the forward beam. Once you have the bow of the boat at the desired height, add more cement block or wood the support under the V. Now, reverse the process and lower the trailer so that the boat is completely off the trailer.
Again, I wouldn't recommend moving the trailer from under the boat. Way to much work and unsafe.
Also, I didn't even bother taking the boat off the the trailer this year. I painted it while it was on the trailer. Came out great and no headache. Then again I have a few good coats of paint on there already.
Anyway good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
Regards,
Riz
I have a 23 foot boat and have gone though the process of jacking the boat up each of the past 6 years. The first year was the trickiest but I can get it done in 30 minutes now. Practice definately pays. I agree with some of the other guys in regards to having a professional do the job. I think this is only necessary for the first coat though. After this year I would do it myself. The paint adhears much better to old paint than bear fiber glass.
I agree with Calmwater, you really should just raise the boat above the trailer. I wouldn't move the trailer... way too much work.
Here's the process I go through to raise my boat off the trailer. Keep in mind I use cement block and wood(as to not damage the fiber glass). First thing I do is lower the front of the trailer as much as possible. This has the effect of raising the back of the boat several inches. Using a hydrolic jack under the middle of the transom I jack the boat up 4-6 inches. I keep a small piece of plywood between the jack and the boat to protect the fiber glass. Also, under the left and right corners of the transom I stack cement block, as many as possible. I make up the difference between the cement blocks and the bottom on the boat with pieces of the wood. So, once the boat is jacked up 4-6 inches, I add pieces of wood to the two corner supports. I then lower the boat onto the two corner supports(made up of cement blocks and topped off with wood) so that the back of the boat is now resting 4-6 inches higher. The support that the jack was sitting on can now be increased 4-6 inches and the process repeated. I would only raise the boat just enough so the a brush or paint roller can fit between the trailer rollers and the boat.
Now to the easy part... the bow. With the boat transom raised above the trailer and the front of the trailer lowered to the lowest point your only minutes away from finishing. As before stack cement blocks topped off with wood under the lowest point of the boat V. Now, raise the front of the trailer using the trailer jack. The jack on my trailer spans about 12 inches. Considering we have the same size boat yours should raise about the same. Once the trailer jack is raised as high as possible support the forward beam of the trailer with cemment blocks(wood is optional). Retract the trailer jack fully. Next, put a cement block under the wheel of the trialer jack. Again, extend the trailer jack and add the support blocks under the forward beam. Once you have the bow of the boat at the desired height, add more cement block or wood the support under the V. Now, reverse the process and lower the trailer so that the boat is completely off the trailer.
Again, I wouldn't recommend moving the trailer from under the boat. Way to much work and unsafe.
Also, I didn't even bother taking the boat off the the trailer this year. I painted it while it was on the trailer. Came out great and no headache. Then again I have a few good coats of paint on there already.
Anyway good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
Regards,
Riz
