Gubbs GT23

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Gubbs
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Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Post by Gubbs »

Ozzy,

I'm really sorry to hear about the ankle. Injuries always suck, especially when they put a damper on boat building! Get well soon.

cheers

Bill

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Iowa Boy Greg
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Post by Iowa Boy Greg »

Hey Gubbs,

What brand trailer are you using? I was noticing the other day that the beam was wide enough at the bottom that the boat wouldn't fit between the wheels of a standard width U.S. trailer. I see that you have raised bunks to accomodate this. For the front, are you going to weld in some sort of support to replace the wood bracing you have now? Are you planning to use bunks up front also?

Greg
Earth First! We can mine the other planets later.

Gubbs
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Post by Gubbs »

Greg,

Yes, I did have some problems with the trailer. Most trailers are built for V-hulls and I did have to raise the bunks to accomodate the flatness of this hull. As you can see from the pictures, the boat sits about an inch and a half above the wheel fenders. The trailer is a Crown, made here in Ontario. I have a bow roller set up that I am going to install to replace the wooden frame. The wooden frame was there to hold the shape of the boat until I got the interior structure installed. I think that a nice large bow roller should be enough to support the front as most of the weight will remain on the bunks. The first time I trailer it I will be watching very carefully to make sure everything is ok!

Cheers

Bill

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Iowa Boy Greg
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Post by Iowa Boy Greg »

Gubbs,

Thanks for the info on the trailer. I don't know much about them and so appreciate the help. I will wait to hear how yours works out, but I like the idea of bunks in back and a roller up front. I have a welder and can customize mine however I need to, I just want to do it right the first time. Maybe I'll go all out and get an electric winch so the wife can help load. She just got a job after being a full time mom for several years, so now she can help me buy boat goodies!

Also, I was wondering what length/weight capacity trailer to buy. I definitely want a dual axle, and one that has good brakes and plenty of margin on weight capacity. Should I buy a trailer for a 23' boat, or longer, since I will have a 28" motor bracket on the back? I want to use a transom saver and I assume that they make them long enough for boats with motors that hang way back because of brackets. I would like to use the minimum practical wheel size to keep the center of gravity low, since the boat has to sit above the wheels.

Any help you or others can give would be great. I would also like to hear a recommendation on what type of trailer brakes to get for a big boat trailer. I have been checking other forums re: trailer boats and there seems to be mixed feelings between surge and electric.

Thanks, and keep taking pictures for us!

Greg
Earth First! We can mine the other planets later.

Gubbs
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Post by Gubbs »

Greg,

The trailer I bought was good for a 24ft boat up to 6000 lbs, so it can handle quite a bit more than I need. I have thought about a Transom saver as well but have not got one yet. I will let you know if I find anything good. As for brakes, there are advantages and disadvantages to both. I got surge brakes because I am not sure that I will always use the same vehicle to pull the trailer. My vehicle won't pull it if the boat is on it, so I have to borrow my fathers truck. It is not wired for electric brakes, and I did not want to get into wiring his truck. Surge brakes gives more options on which vehicle to use. Electric brakes, however, offer more control over the braking force as most have in-cab adjustments. I think the important thing is that you have brakes! What kind you have is more an individual choice.

Get that thing flipped over, I want to see it! I have been following your blog and really appreciate the effort you have been putting in.

Cheers

Bill

Daddy
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Post by Daddy »

Hey Bill, I got my plans back, now in metric, so I can more easily reduce the size by 6% and begin to build my GT22. I have been looking at your album and was wondering how you attached the forward stringers to the other stringers or do they just butt up against the forward bulkhead. I cant tell from the pictue?. I am probably getting ahead of myself by asking this question and it is probably explained somewhere but I havent found it yet.
Your boat looks great, hope I can do as well.
Daddy

Gubbs
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Post by Gubbs »

Daddy,

Sorry for the late reply, I have been floating down the Trent-Severn waterway in my newly launched boat for the last month! The stringers just butt up against the bulkhead in my boat. Iowa Boy Gregg, however, attached his sets of stringers together, to make big long stringers, which also seems to have worked just fine. So I really don't think it matters how you do it!

Cheers

Bill

ps. pictures of her in the water coming soon!

Daddy
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Post by Daddy »

Bill, Thanks so much for the reply, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to do it. When you say butt up aginst, did you use some screws to hold it (temporarily)? Thats what I was thinking of doing.
Your trip sounds great, did you use the new boat, GT23? How about power, you used a 40hp right, on a bracket?, How about trim? Speed? Comfort? Handling? Eager to hear about it.
Daddy

Daddy
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Post by Daddy »

Bill, re: your PS, cant wait to see the pictures, I googled the Trentsevern water way and it look really fantastic, what a great resource!
Daddy
PS I have finished my stringers and frames and am now joining by bottom and side panels into their full lengths, cut out all the bits and pieces, next will build the jig and start making it look like a boat.

Daddy
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Post by Daddy »

Absolutely great, thanks for the pics and update. I was worried about the windage effect of those broad bullwarks but you have allayed them considerably. Did you take any waves over the bow transom? I think I asked you this before but cant find the post, where did you get your windows? Thanks
Daddy
ps found the post on the windows, Wynne enterprise

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