New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

[TJS]

This is what they do out West. It is called a floater bar.
Had issues with the boat always sliding forward even with the transom strapped down and the front V-block. So I decided to make a floater bar also with a new V-block mount. This is how I made it. Notice I also had to TIG weld the mounts on the trailer as I did not want to move the boat for my MIG welder to reach. My TIG torch lines and foot control are 20FT long. The only issue is every time I flipped my helmet down it would hit the boat. I was fighting the soon to be rain too.

Pics.

Here is the basis of the materials. I already found the angle and milled it into the square tube.

Milling the slot in the flat stock for the bow eye.

Milled and ready to be tacked.

Tacked

Angle and mocking up

 

[TJS]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

More.

Drilling tube for bushing.

Fitting the bushing.

Fully welded BAR.

Here the V-block mount I made.

Mounts welded on.

 

[TJS]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

More. I need to get the correct length bolt.

Done. Needs paint.

 

[marlboro180]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

Elegantly simple , and well executed.

Nice idea too!

How did the bunks turn out?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

VERY nice!...... now make me one..... I'll take the deluxe model with boat waxing/buffing feature... again tho really nice to see such a great safety device pop up... I'm gonna look into doing the same

 

[TJS]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

Elegantly simple , and well executed.

Nice idea too!

How did the bunks turn out?

The bunks turned out great when I put the new cross memeber in. I takes me less than 20 seconds to get the boat on and all hoked up with this new set up.
T.J.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

Is this only to keep the boat from moving forward or does this replace the safety chain? ( I see you still have one) If so I would think a flexible chain would be better suited than a rigid coupling, especially if the boat comes off the trailer.

Man I wish I could weld like that! Nice build!

 

[TJS]

Re: New V-block and floater Bar Fabrication

Is this only to keep the boat from moving forward or does this replace the safety chain? ( I see you still have one) If so I would think a flexible chain would be better suited than a rigid coupling, especially if the boat comes off the trailer.

Man I wish I could weld like that! Nice build!

I had a feeling someone was going to write that. I had a chain, but with boats like this one with a very steep angle of the boat where the V-block is, no matter what I did, the boat would slide up on the V-block under braking conditions. I also have the transom tied down to the trailer as well and it still did not matter. There are pros and cons to everything. Even if in an accident and the boat flys off the trailer you are going to have a lot of damage no matter if you have a chain or a floater bar. The floater bar vs winch has been an ongoing debate in the Jet boating community.