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Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Height of trailer mast lifting tower?

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mowrangler
1st Mate

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USA
66 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/23/2013 : 18:33:37

Good evening all. After a near miss using the pole to raise the mast, I have decided it would be a good upgrade to add the trailer tower that allows you to use your trailer winch to raise the mast. Would one of you fine folks be willing to give me dimensions on what comes with the trailers on the ones that had this feature from the factory?

Thanks!

Ross B
95 Catalina 250 WB #29
Moving up to 90 Catalina 28 in June 2015
Four Winds
Spokane, MO

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 18:38:46

Hi Ross,
not sure of the exact measurements, but our Mast raising post on the trailer extends to a few inches above the Bow Pulpit and about 12" in front of it. I can measure it tomorrow night if needed.

Ours has the ladder welded to the port side of the trailer post.

The post itself is bolted via two large inverted U bolts to the upper (road) hitch tube.

The height & position is not that important. The height allows us to rest the lowered mast on top of the pole.

The pole has a pair of welded plates on each side at the top to which a roller is bolted. The strap passes through between the pole and the roller.

Paul

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mowrangler
1st Mate

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USA
66 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 18:46:29

Ah... I had been envisioning something that is essentially a tube within a tube so that it can be raised and lowered, but being able to rest the mast on it would be a fantastic side effect and would eliminate complexity. My concern with the height was jus to make sure it is pulling up enough that it isn't just pulling forward. I think your dimensions give me enough to start with.

Thanks!

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DavidCrosby
Navigator

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USA
240 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 19:55:45

Ross,

My trailer "tower" is a tube within a tube. I would agree with everything Paul wrote and add that the tube within extends probably another four feet.

Since my boat is kept 1 1/2 hours away from where I live, next weekend is the earliest I would be able to get any specific measurements.

I have included the only photo I have of my boat on the trailer that shows atleast some of the tower. If you look on the very far right, you can see the height in the down/trail position.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 20:08:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DavidCrosby
 Ross,

My trailer "tower" is a tube within a tube. I would agree with everything Paul wrote and add that the tube within extends probably another four feet.

Since my boat is kept 1 1/2 hours away from where I live, next weekend is the earliest I would be able to get any specific measurements.

I have included the only photo I have of my boat on the trailer that shows atleast some of the tower. If you look on the very far right, you can see the height in the down/trail position.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
[hijack]Wow that boat looks familiar. It used to be at Bolling AFB, right? I remember almost having a panic attack climbing over that boat's bow pulpit (about 8' above ground level) to get onto the trailer ladder. Descending the swim ladder would have been so much easier, but the previous owner had it backed up so close to a fence that the swim ladder would not drop. All this was a couple days after a major snowstorm in early 2010, so the foredeck also had some icy spots. [/hijack]

Note that OP's boat is a water ballast model, but yours is wing keel, so your measurements might be different since your boat rides a lot higher on the trailer.

If the OP could take a few minutes to describe his "close call" with his gin pole, I'd really appreciate it. Many of us could learn something from it and improve our own poles.

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mowrangler
1st Mate

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USA
66 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 20:34:08

Close call - - well... more of an oops on my part. I had noticed that there was previously a weld in the mast next to the hole for the gin pole, but today I found out how the previous owner did it. I had modified my gin pole with a winch like a few other folks on here and that part didn't fail, but while I was walking past the mast I kicked the halyard and it popped out of the cam cleat. Fortunately, the mast just walked back down slowly over about 5 seconds. Unfortunately, the end of the factory gin pole broke off and it re-opened the crack in the mast from the previous owner. It should be a simple fix, but I don't want to have to depend on reinforcing the hole for a gin pole again, so I am going to make one temporarily to get back on the water next weekend, and then work over the trailer to have the mast lifting "tower".

Bad part is that I am usually really careful to tie a second knot in the halyard so that this can't happen. I just got in a hurry and didn't follow my usual safety protocol. Fortunately no one was hurt and no damage other than a little crack in the mast.

Of course, as luck would have it I also got a blowout on the trailer pulling it back from the lake and the check engine light went on tonight too... I decided not to work on anything else tonight. :)

EDIT - also, good note on the wing/WB difference. Since I am kind of winging it, please don't make any special trips for measurements or anything. If you happen to have it in your yard and it isn't too much trouble that would be great, but if not, I should be able to work from pictures and experiences you guys have with what is there.

Edited by - mowrangler on 06/23/2013 20:39:16

DavidCrosby
Navigator

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USA
240 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 21:40:09

Rick,

You are correct, it is the C250WK that was for sale at Bowling AFB. I bought it in May 2010 and relocated it to Carlyle Lake, IL, about 50 miles east of St. Louis.

Ross,

Next time I am at the lake, I will get measurements for how far the tower extends beyond the top of the pulpit. This should help you figure out a workable configuration.

I have successfully raised and lowered the mast by myself multiple times, so it does work.

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mowrangler
1st Mate

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USA
66 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2013 : 21:45:34

Thanks David - I didn't realize you were up at Carlyle, as that is where my boat was at prior to when I purchased her last summer. Small world...

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DavidCrosby
Navigator

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USA
240 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 22:03:49

Ross,

I had to go to the lake tonight. The water is coming up, so I had to move to higher ground. Anyhow, that gave me an opportunity to measure the mast lifting tower. Since we are dealing with WB vs. WK, I only measured how high the tower extends beyond the top of the bow pulpit. The answer is exactly five feet.

I took several pictures of my boat on the trailer. I will post one here that shows the tower extended full length.

David

PS, Where do you sail? Stockton Lake or Table Rock or??

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mowrangler
1st Mate

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Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 22:09:53

Perfect... that is exactly what my buddy and I were coming up with for a design this evening. I'm planning on taking Friday off to get it working and try to get 'er back in the water for the weekend. It appears that your wing keel has a bit more robust angle iron supporting the tower than what supports the ladder and winch on my old WB trailer, but I think we can beef it up if need be.

I have sailed both Stockton and Table Rock, but I keep my boat on Table Rock since it is only a 20 minute drive from my house. Stockton has much better wind, but I'm willing to make the sacrifice in exchange for a few hours less in the jeep round trip.

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pharris7779
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2013 : 09:26:36

Ross, I replaced my inner tube last summer after getting specs from Trail-rite & the dimensions of the original are as follows: 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" .120 thin walled tubing, and the total length of the inner tube is 7' 6" long. Put a plate on top of the tubing & bend it down not sure why because haven't looked at it for a while to visualize think its for the roller. If your having one made do yourself a favor & use a thicker gauge steel. My new one is about a 1/4" thick so it won't bend & get stuck in sleeve when raising mast. Tried everything to get old one back down before trailering to no avail. Towed boat about 8 miles home avoiding low bridges etc, etc only to have it catch on a low hanging wire, telephone pole. Scared the _ _ _ _ out of me & bent old mast over, crunch. Tech at trail-rite also suggested I could spray that insulation/crack foam into old tube to stiffen it. I would definitely do it if I had the old tubing still, good luck.

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pharris7779
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2013 : 09:28:44

Oh yeah! The wire was at intersection of dead end street about 100 feet from my driveway!!! :(

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