Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Setting up VanSant's Trailer
Thanks to my recent trip to Tuckerton, one of my Washington County gunning partners now owns this sweet little VanSant Sneakbox - circa 1950s. Two of my partners (both circa 1940s) hauled her north from Jersey - whilst I was gunning solo hereabouts. Here she is just arrived at Pencil Brook Boatworks on my duckboat trailer.
We subsequently found - and said partner purchased - a boat-motor-trailer combo locally that saved lots of cash - and provided both 6 horses of propulsion and 2-wheeled overland transport for the VanSant.
This Sea Lion trailer - having enjoyed a life on freshwater - was in excellent condition, by and large. However, it did need some attention and some customizing. It had been set up for a flat-bottomed cartopper. The shapely displacement hull of the VanSant required a few important modifications for Happy Trailering.
As will become obvious, there is no Rocket Science in this post - just a lot of common sense steps most of us take when rigging a boat trailer for a particular boat.
I thought I could restore and re-use the coupler - but close inspection once removed revealed some inexplicable distortion - and argued for a new unit. (I never did discover why most of a roll of electrical tape found itself wrapped around the coupler.....)
There is a bunch of good trailer parts suppliers out there - but nothing local here in dairy country. We used etrailer.com ( http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Boat_Trailer_Parts.aspx ) for the first time - and were very satisfied with the service, prices and quality.
I de-rusted the safety chain in a bath of phosphoric acid then gave it 3 coats of Rustoleum.
Note how the bolts on the jackstand and winch stand are reaching out toward those expensive neoprene waders.....
Since couplers do not seem to come galvanized, I sprayed 3 coats of Rustoleum on it before installation.
As you will see, the winch stand was re-installed ahead of the jack stand - and the keel roller was moved to where it would just kiss the hull once the Sneakbox was in place.
As with all of the "appurtenances", the new coupler was bolted on with the nuts on the "passenger side" of the trailer - to protect shins and waders. Fasteners are either galvanized or stainless and slathered with Anti-Seize during assembly.
Some parts - like this forward keel roller - were disassembled, cleaned, lubed and replaced temporarily until the Sneakbox was fitted to the trailer. The roller itself is misshapen, though, and will be replaced ultimately.
These "on-edge" bunks were perfect for the car-topper - but needed to be replaced with "on-the-flat" bunks that would conform to the contours of the Sneakbox. The on-edge bunks would support the cedar 'Box at single points on either side - and could damage the hull and/or its frames.
There was no keel roller at the rear cross-member.
Note how all of the bolts now point away from the driver/operator ? (The one renegade bolt on the winch stand is about to snap in two - it emitted several cries of distress when wrenches were applied). I will switch it out it once I get a replacement bolt later today.
Also, the jack stand is now on the driver's side of the trailer. Care was taken so its handle would not interfere with either the winch handle or the hull.
This new 4-inch bow roller replaced a worn 3-inch roller - the wrong size for the existing bracket.
These tie-down brackets enable us to use the belly strap closer to amidships - a better location - in my opinion - for a displacement hull. Each took just a minute to fasten onto the existing U-bolts.
The new stanchions for the bunks were needed for the on-the-flat approach. The new bunks were made from 3/4-inch (by 3.5 inches wide) treated lumber. We used the thin stock so that the bunks would conform to the hull shape. New carpeting was stapled on with Monel staples. The upper edges of the bunks were rounded over on the router table to minimize chafe on the carpet.
etrailer offered a 4-pack of stanchions - nicely priced.
The rear keel roller will a) be the first thing the Sneakbox encounters as it is winched onto the trailer and b) will support the skeg.
Here are some "after" shots to show how the trailer has been adjusted to fit the shape of the Sneakbox. We still need to add a ring on the underside of the bow - for the line from the winch.
The thin (and therefore limber) bunks conformed to the hull as hoped/planned. Neither 2x4s nor 5/4 decking would have worked as well.
I will cut the belly strap to length and re-sew as needed - so the cam buckle lays in a convenient location.
In addition to long sections of the bunks, the VanSant is supported at 3 other locations.
BTW: The lights all work!
Next Steps: Now that the VanSant is where it will be on the trailer, the spare tire mount can be located - aft of the jack stand and on the "passenger" side. Then - once it has plates - our local mechanic will repack the wheel bearings and we will tap some Bearing Buddies onto each hub.
Stay tuned for a bit of work on the Sneakbox - and then "sea trials".....
SJS
Thanks to my recent trip to Tuckerton, one of my Washington County gunning partners now owns this sweet little VanSant Sneakbox - circa 1950s. Two of my partners (both circa 1940s) hauled her north from Jersey - whilst I was gunning solo hereabouts. Here she is just arrived at Pencil Brook Boatworks on my duckboat trailer.
We subsequently found - and said partner purchased - a boat-motor-trailer combo locally that saved lots of cash - and provided both 6 horses of propulsion and 2-wheeled overland transport for the VanSant.
This Sea Lion trailer - having enjoyed a life on freshwater - was in excellent condition, by and large. However, it did need some attention and some customizing. It had been set up for a flat-bottomed cartopper. The shapely displacement hull of the VanSant required a few important modifications for Happy Trailering.
As will become obvious, there is no Rocket Science in this post - just a lot of common sense steps most of us take when rigging a boat trailer for a particular boat.
I thought I could restore and re-use the coupler - but close inspection once removed revealed some inexplicable distortion - and argued for a new unit. (I never did discover why most of a roll of electrical tape found itself wrapped around the coupler.....)
There is a bunch of good trailer parts suppliers out there - but nothing local here in dairy country. We used etrailer.com ( http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Boat_Trailer_Parts.aspx ) for the first time - and were very satisfied with the service, prices and quality.
I de-rusted the safety chain in a bath of phosphoric acid then gave it 3 coats of Rustoleum.
Note how the bolts on the jackstand and winch stand are reaching out toward those expensive neoprene waders.....
Since couplers do not seem to come galvanized, I sprayed 3 coats of Rustoleum on it before installation.
As you will see, the winch stand was re-installed ahead of the jack stand - and the keel roller was moved to where it would just kiss the hull once the Sneakbox was in place.
As with all of the "appurtenances", the new coupler was bolted on with the nuts on the "passenger side" of the trailer - to protect shins and waders. Fasteners are either galvanized or stainless and slathered with Anti-Seize during assembly.
Some parts - like this forward keel roller - were disassembled, cleaned, lubed and replaced temporarily until the Sneakbox was fitted to the trailer. The roller itself is misshapen, though, and will be replaced ultimately.
These "on-edge" bunks were perfect for the car-topper - but needed to be replaced with "on-the-flat" bunks that would conform to the contours of the Sneakbox. The on-edge bunks would support the cedar 'Box at single points on either side - and could damage the hull and/or its frames.
There was no keel roller at the rear cross-member.
Note how all of the bolts now point away from the driver/operator ? (The one renegade bolt on the winch stand is about to snap in two - it emitted several cries of distress when wrenches were applied). I will switch it out it once I get a replacement bolt later today.
Also, the jack stand is now on the driver's side of the trailer. Care was taken so its handle would not interfere with either the winch handle or the hull.
This new 4-inch bow roller replaced a worn 3-inch roller - the wrong size for the existing bracket.
These tie-down brackets enable us to use the belly strap closer to amidships - a better location - in my opinion - for a displacement hull. Each took just a minute to fasten onto the existing U-bolts.
The new stanchions for the bunks were needed for the on-the-flat approach. The new bunks were made from 3/4-inch (by 3.5 inches wide) treated lumber. We used the thin stock so that the bunks would conform to the hull shape. New carpeting was stapled on with Monel staples. The upper edges of the bunks were rounded over on the router table to minimize chafe on the carpet.
etrailer offered a 4-pack of stanchions - nicely priced.
The rear keel roller will a) be the first thing the Sneakbox encounters as it is winched onto the trailer and b) will support the skeg.
Here are some "after" shots to show how the trailer has been adjusted to fit the shape of the Sneakbox. We still need to add a ring on the underside of the bow - for the line from the winch.
The thin (and therefore limber) bunks conformed to the hull as hoped/planned. Neither 2x4s nor 5/4 decking would have worked as well.
I will cut the belly strap to length and re-sew as needed - so the cam buckle lays in a convenient location.
In addition to long sections of the bunks, the VanSant is supported at 3 other locations.
BTW: The lights all work!
Next Steps: Now that the VanSant is where it will be on the trailer, the spare tire mount can be located - aft of the jack stand and on the "passenger" side. Then - once it has plates - our local mechanic will repack the wheel bearings and we will tap some Bearing Buddies onto each hub.
Stay tuned for a bit of work on the Sneakbox - and then "sea trials".....
SJS
