Here are the pictures that Tom sent along to give me an idea of how his trailer works. Thanks so much!
From Tom:
Here are some pictures. They were taken without taking the cover off of the boat, so not exactly presentation quality, but may show you how it works. I built it in 1988, and it's hot dipped galvanized. It has twin axles. The vertical square tubing with open top is for the second layer rack to mount. Two boats were pulled all over the country on it for the Prosail series.
This first picture shows the A-frame angled up from it's mounting pivot points in front of the trailer front crossbar.
This picture is looking down from above the pivot point attachment for the A-frame.
Another overall view of the legs of the A-frame.
This shows the pointy end of the A-frame. It just rests against the mast/winch stand while traveling.
The boat hasn't been used in years, and parts have been taken off here for other use.
To use the A-frame: roll the mast back (rear stand has a boat trailer bow-roller on the top) and attach it to the mast base ball. Attach a couple of trapeze wires to a snap hook attached to the pointy end of the A-frame. A line stays there (normally) that's the right length, and also serves as the winch line. Helper winches mast up with a little tension, I keep it from swinging side to side as it goes up, and get off to attach the forestay to the furler. Ease tension off winch, hook up trap wires, and the mast is stepped. Jib stays furled around forestay, so you are almost ready to raise the main once the boat is off the trailer and go sailing.
Cross bars on trailer are telescopic. Pads and rollers pivot. The rear support is two 12" rollers on a pivot to give the hulls good support as the boat rolls on and off the trailer.
Front supports are wide pads (18" front to back) covered with carpet. The pads are wide enough side to side that the boat can be telescoped while sliding on these flat pads and wide rollers at the back.
Each end of a crossbar is individual, so it can telescope in for legal trailering width, and out to assemble boat.
We haven't used the boat in years, but it's under a shed on our farm on Lake Gaston where we live, so it's just kept expanded all the time.
It has two mounting positions. Vertical to support the mast. and a place to store it horizontally so the boat can be slid off the trailer once the mast is up.
There is a large boat trailer "bow roller" on the top to ease sliding it back to step, and forward to put it on the front support.
We have two front supports. One for when a single boat is on the trailer, and a double one for when we carried two.
These are all the pictures I have right now. Whenever I ever get this boat out again, I'll take some of the rigging process.
Regards,
Tom