Regarding your trailer pads, I set my pads so that most of the weight is on the keel. I do this to prevent the hull from "oil canning" (deforming do to local pressure) when too much weight is put on the pads. This is a light displacement boat and the hull (although very strong) is relatively thin compared to other heavier boats. If you are moving the boat over the road (outside the boatyard) or storing it outside for the winter always use tie down straps to hold the boat to the trailer. Put a short piece of 4" x 4" fore and aft on either side of the forward hatch to keep the hold down pressure off of the hatch itself. In very high winds boats can be blown off the trailer if sitting in a boatyard. Make sure you block the wheels well.
Not knowing exactly what your trailer looks like it is hard for me to comment on fore and aft positioning of the boat on the trailer. I don't know if all the trailers were made the same. With my trailer, probably the first trailer that was made, since I have the first production boat, I always put my boat all the way up to the front keel stop. My trailer was actually modified slightly, apparently when it was made, to mover the stop a little further forward than originally planned. In this position the C.G. is better for towing.
I alway put a wood block under the back beam of the trailer and jack up the front until the block is just touching when I am working on the boat. This makes the boat much more stable.
One other item, I live in Iowa and out here we actually launch and recover our boats off of the trailer. I have modified my trailer with a tongue extension and a keel guide that works very well. If anyone is interested in pictures and drawings of the modifications please e-mail me at wmabrock@msn.com.
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