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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Cradle to trailer

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ArgonautEC
Deckhand

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USA
11 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/30/2005 : 20:40:21

Any suggestions on converting or adaption a c25 cradle to a trailer.

Earl
s/v Screamin' Seaman
'87 C25 WK/SR
http://www.perryyachtclub.com/index1.html
Home Port: Lake of the Forest, Bonner Springs, KS

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 21:13:29

If you do it will probably make a heavy trailer with more ground clearance than you want. Both of those things will make towing, launching , and loading more difficult than it already is. Dave

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thaind
Navigator

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Canada
145 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2005 : 22:35:47

The trailer that came with my 1978 FK was made by/for the original owner out of a 12" I beam, 6X4 box tube, and a pair of house trailer axles and wheels. It likely weighs double or triple what a commercial product does but works fine. Original owner used to trailer from NH to Florida and back each winter. I think that to make such an item it would be better to adapt a trailer design to a cradle, than a cradle to a trailer.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2005 : 07:24:19

Earl,
There are probably half a dozen of those here at Cheney. I will take some pictures for you. There are both the house trailer conversion, (but they are massive and foe the 30's) and the dual axle flatbed trailers. The flat bed trailers seem to work fine as long as you have a lift for launching.

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cjb
1st Mate

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USA
27 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2005 : 07:50:25

I bolted my steeel cradle to a used double axel trailer and it works great. My brother in law towes it for me and is happy with the way it towes, He has a custom Triad trailer for his Oday 25. the bigest problem is ballancing the weight on the trailer. We moved the boat about a foot forward of where we origanly put it and that made a world of difference. Launching and retrieving are no problem at all.Had the cradle bought the trailer for $1200 works great

83/sk/tr

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2005 : 10:48:12

Man this is great. I have a cradle for swimmer and never thought of turning it into a trailer. I've got to explore this more. Any suggestions on where to get a suiitable flatbed trailer?

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rich
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2005 : 18:55:05

The Catalina 25 swinger that I bought from Frank Rich sits on a cradle/trailer combination. We towed it home (1200 miles) and have launched it at our lake without much dificulty. It probably took a couple of feet deeper water than an on purpose trailer would have to launch-- so having an extender would help in shallow waters. Didn't use it to launch but will to get the boat out when the lake is at lower fall water levels. As hard as it is to find Catalina 25's with trailers seems to me that this is not a bad way to go. A trailer that is on purpose might be better but a lot more expensive. Look at Franks ad on swap meet forum for a couple of trailer pictures.

Rich

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2005 : 07:43:11

Here are the picts from our boatyard that I promised. I will not leave these up very long.
[url="http://homepage.mac.com/fhopper/PhotoAlbum98.html"]cradle trailers[/url]

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2005 : 11:42:34

Very helpful Frank. Thank you for taking the time to take the pictures. If you happen to be going by them again sometime, would you mind looking to see what the manufacturer is on some of them?

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cjb
1st Mate

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USA
27 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2005 : 18:07:42

I looked at all the trailer companies in my area and found a large used motor boat trailer it was 1200 works great a car trailer or flat bed probably shouldn't be submerged

83/sk/tr

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2005 : 22:26:07

Rick,
It isn't a brand thing. These are very generic trailers that are built buy a dozen people in every town over 100,000. The only thing that matters is that the axles be rated at 3500lb minimum. I rally like the first red one. He took a simple trailer with strong side rails and added the supports. His Capri 26 weighs more than our boats. I would prefer his method to just dropping a cradle on a flat trailer but even that works for a lot of people. The sad ones are the house trailer frames, they sag over time.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.