Thursday 24 May 2012

The Trouble with Trailers

Trailers are a pain behind, and empty trailers are double pain. I went to bring the Bee from the shed she was sharing with Sallyport, so I can finish her off at home, so I had to take the trailer ten miles down the road. I mean, how difficult could it be?
For a start, the rubber supports on the cross-bar were positioned for my old boat Nessy, so they had to be unbolted and the struts reinstated for the Bee's V-hull. But the trailer has been standing outside for several years so the bolts were rusty as hell. After much heaving and cursing I got three off but the fourth had to be sawn through. Off to buy new bolts.
Then I tried to give a squeeze of grease to the bearings, but both nipples ripped off in a demonstration of the quality standards that have made Chinese engineering a byword round the world. Did any local dealer have the 45 degree nipples required? Did they hell. So I ordered some on eBay. Two to use now and a couple of spares - they were less than a couple of quid each - four in all.
This is what arrived a couple of days later. Forty grease nipples will last me out, I reckon.
Finally, I had to devise a way of attaching the light board to the trailer without any boat to attach it to. Duck tape to the rescue!

3 comments:

O Docker said...

The only way of ensuring that you won't get a flat tire, no matter how short the journey, is to carry a spare.

Chris Partridge said...

However, taking an umbrella on every trip doesn't ensure the sun comes out.....

Jeremy said...

Old Chinese saying:

"Man can never have too many nipples........"

(see you at Beale - may be able to swap you some nipples for rowlock springs)