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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Picking up new boat

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CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/21/2006 : 17:17:59

I'm picking up my "new" 2003 250 WK either tomorrow or Wednesday and I've got a few questions. First, I measured the tongue weight at around 500 pounds so my Avalanche should be able to take that easily. I plan on getting the Progress Equalizer hitch soon for longer distances, but the 40 or 50 miles back from the dealer should be OK for the big chevy. The Progress hitch seems to be better than my chain style weight distribution hitch so I'd do the upgrade regardless.

The setup offered by the dealer includes the factory Trailrite trailer with the 10 foot extender tongue. The package does not include any tiedowns for the back of the boat/trailer and I'm pretty sure I need something. I've got a 20+ foot 4 inch 10,000 pound ratchet strap which I plan on using - even though the dealer says it doesn't need it. I've done too much trailering with big open and enclosed car haulers to believe that. If it can move it will, period. Am I being too carefull?

Should the lowered mast be suspended between the mast holder in back and the lowered roller in the front of the trailer, or maybe the stainless rails on the pulpit instead? Do you normally take off the spreaders for a long trip or somehow stuff something under them so they won't damage the cabin top / deck?

I plan on test raising the mast either before or after I bring it home. There's absolutely nothing on the boat that even looks like it could pin the mast to the mast plate on the cabin top. Did it come with a bolt or a clevis type pin?

Thanks for your help. I should be a real owner within 16 to 40 hours. More questions will follow. If anyone is upgrading to a C400 you can bounce anything off of me. I was Commodore and tech editor for way too many years.

Ron

CaptRon400
C250 WK #688 "Running Free"
Telstar 28 #359 "Tri-Power"
2002 SeaDoo Challenger 2000 Merc V6
C400 #74 "Good Vibrations" (sold)

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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1913 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2006 : 18:40:16

Ahoy Capt Ron.
I have posted a picture of Knotty Cat tied down to the trailer with a 3 inch strap thrown over the coaming area and made fast to the trailer on both sides. You can also see the mast resting on the trailer roller in the front and resting on the mast support in the back. I pulled Knotty Cat back from Kansas to Atlanta when I bought her without a mast crutch and noticed a lot of bounce in the mast so I made up a mast support out of 3 "PVC pipe and a 3x4x4 PVC Tee. It fits in the mast plate and uses the same "SS bolt and lock nut" that you will need to pin you mast. You can leave the spreaders on, "tip" when you lay your mast down on the rollers try to line your jib cars under the spreaders and use a bungee or something to tie your spreaders to the cars. This will keep your mast from rolling to one side or the other while trailering.
If you have a roller furler you will need to secure it to the mast. A few of us have made Furler Supports that work great. You can see a picture on my site in the modifications.

Oh yea... make sure you have the mast supports both on the trailer and stern crutch as low as they go before you hit the road. Knotty Cat measures 12'6" from the ground up. Watch those gas station over hangs.

Sure wish I could afford your 400, she's sweet!

Edited by - Tom Potter on 08/21/2006 18:52:37

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2006 : 18:49:30

Here's a better picture of my PVC mast support and Arlyn's furler support design that I stole

Edited by - Tom Potter on 08/21/2006 19:20:21

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2006 : 19:57:46

Thanks Tom - you've got some good ideas in the pictures. I like the PVC mast support and furler supports. I'm going to copy these. I figured that I'd need a fairly heavy load strap going around the boat - the trailer has heavy duty hooks for that purpose. I thought I read in the Catalina manual (now on the boat) that the bottom of the mast rests on the bow pulpit, but that made no sense at all. You wind up with the mast sticking 3 feet out in back of the boat.

For my 50 mile trip home I'll wedge some fenders under the end of the spreaders and tie everything up.

Ron

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2006 : 20:15:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by CaptRon400
 the trailer has heavy duty hooks for that purpose.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ron, can you describe the heavy duty hooks, where and how they are attached to the trailer?

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2006 : 00:41:17

The "hooks" are really two steel tabs with holes welded to the frame just behind the wheels. They look like they're made for a tiedown strap. Without the mast support, I may trailer it home as it stands on the lot now, with the bottom end of the mast resting on the bow pulpit (but tied down securely)and the spreaders tied to and resting on 2 fenders. Thats the way it was trailered into the lot. If I move the stick to the trailer support I'll wind up with the unsupported spreaders hanging over the cabin top. Once I get it home I'll start building the stuff in your pictures.

I love the 400, but it draws close to 6 feet with the wing and there is no way I'm ever going to trailer it.

Ron

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2006 : 07:08:04

And the 400's beam of 13' (drool) plus makes it a bit awkward on the trailer too

Do they actually trail the big boats or are they launched and subsequently only pulled by crane?

Paul.

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2006 : 07:17:15

Paul -

Actually, the beam is 13 feet 6 inches, and it goes back almost to the transom. That (and it's trailered height of over 16 feet) put it into a special tow catagory). Chase cars back and front, permits, road closures, police escorts, lower bridges, etc. It takes up almost 2 lanes. Mine came by "trailer" to Annapolis from Largo Fl. Hey - they trailer the 470 too.

Ron

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2006 : 12:43:14

Ron,
If you wanted to rest the mast on the front trailer support for your trip home it would work okay. I pulled mine from Kansas without anything supporting the mast in the middle or spreaders. Many owners don't have a mid support. I made one because I have a tall rig, my mast is 3 feet longer than the standard rig, and bounced a lot. I had no tie down strap for the Kansas Atlanta trip either.

Slipped the old mind, I was caught up in the new boat and all.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2006 : 13:02:23

Ron,
Ok, with issues like that trailering the C400, for now I'll stick with Joint Decision.
(and I guess even our F150 couldn't pull one of those puppies

)

Paul.

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2006 : 11:45:04

I am now officially a 250 WK owner - picked it up yesterday and drove the 60 miles home. No problems at all - the Avalanche didn't even budge off of a straight line. I still want the Progress equalizer hitch for many reasons - weight distribution and sway control over 1250 miles could mean the difference of staying on 95 or winding up in a ditch.

I'm going to build the mast support today or tommorrow, but I may try to hang the headsail roller on the side of the stick. I'd like to avoid adding an extra 6 inches on top of the rig. Interestingly - the owners manual says to strap the mast to the bow pulpit and support the spreaders with something soft underneath !!!! I like the other way better.

Okay - a new question. The transom has two heavy duty u-bolts sticking out, one on each side. They look like they are made for 2 hold down straps to the trailer. I could cross them too (look like an X from the back). Most trailerable boat you see on the road have this arrangement. Is this better than going over the cockpit / coaming with a 25 foot load strap?

Another one - can you raise the mast by yourself? I may try it - doesn't look too hard (as long as there's no wind, etc.)

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2006 : 16:45:02

Ron, raising the mast single handed is not a problem. Just take your time and check everything is clear, no lines snagged, turnbuckles upright, and all shrouds firmly inserted/secured into their mast slots. If you have the Baby Stays, same thing, make them secure. We added a D Shackle to the port stancheon as the mast support on the stern is several inches to stbd so the port baby stay needs to be about an inch longer than the stbd.
We don't have the U-bolts sticking out from the stern, I would be concerned about using them as some folks on this forum have described the acrobatics the boat has performed going over bumps in the roadway, I wouldn't like to trust the strain on a bolt through the hull, the 'over the boat' straps seem to be very practical and are easy to setup.

Paul.

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2006 : 19:04:44

The two "U" bolts on the transom are were you hook the split backstay. Most people I know that trailer do not unhook them when lowering the mast. They just coil them and tape to the mast then when raising the mast they uncoil them and toss them out the stern so they are not impeded when raising the mast.
Hope you enjoy your new boat and welcome to the forum.

Edited by - frog0911 on 08/23/2006 19:06:14

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2006 : 19:28:08

OK - the mast support is done. I used the 3 inch pvc with the 4x4x3 "T". Looks pretty good. I'll tackle the roller support next. I may try to offset it by around 45 degrees to lose some height. I also think I'd rather store some of the standing rigging down below - especially for a long highway trip. The less stuff flapping around the better.

I've got a few other projects to tackle also. I want to install a 120 volt AC outlet in the boat with a waterproof plug on the transom, mostly to plug in a battery tender to keep the battery topped off. I really think that the boat needs an electric bilge pump with float switch - especially if you leave it unattended in the water for a week or more. I've already stored the dining table in the forward access hole (with the access covers under it) and I'm thinking about building a small cocktail table to take its place. The main has one reef point - and that will become two when I get a chance.

I ran the 9.9 Honda engine yesterday with water hose earcaps over the water intake ports. Sounds OK - didn't miss a beat. I'm going to track down the Honda flush adapter - may be easier when the boat's in the water. Remember - I'm in salt and you can't let this stuff sit in the engine.

I'm having fun and the boat hasn't even make it to the water yet.

Edited by - on

CaptRon400
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2006 : 13:55:34

I finished building the mast and furler supports, and 2 pictures are below. I opted to angle the furler 1" pvc half section at around 45 degrees to the 3" mast top pvc half section, which allowed me to use a thinner wood separator to lower the absolute height of the whole rig. Assuming that I will keep the roller drum attached, I also used about 16 inches of aluminum "L" stock attached to 2 connected mast / roller supports and a 2" pvc half section to hold the drum up. Seems to work.

Thanks for the advice.

Edited by - on

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