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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Trailers, Trailers, Trailers

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Chemist
Deckhand

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USA
16 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/31/2004 : 20:55:01

Been away from the forum for too long but I have a question for those of you who trailer C25s with a swing keel. I may have the opportunity to buy a used trailer (which I will need at the end of the season to move from NJ to south eastern IN). How much capacity should I be looking for (I know that it has to be a tandem axle rig with surge brakes at least). What should the dimension from the hitch to the lead axle be? How high should the side bunks or rollers be so that the keel will clear the axles? Any other advice?

Thanks

Bob Imes
C25 #1544 sr sk, "Prime Time"

ps I'm also going to be in the market for a tow vehicle (used!!!!). I'm considering looking for a reasonably priced 3/4 pick-up with a diesel engine and, maybe, 4WD. Any advice? Don't think that my Chrysler 300M nor my wife's Passat would be happy towing a C25 for 650 miles.

Edited by - on

StSimon
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2004 : 21:23:35

I cannot get you the dimensions anytime soon for my trailer but I can tell you it was built new last summer by Performance Trailers out of Florida. I had to go through a dealer so I chose Rooke Sails out of Memphis. They got me a fair deal on a nice tandem axle trailer with surge brakes on one axle and a ladder up the front so I can board while on the hard. I have been very happy with the trailer up until now. I just learned on the Performance Trailer website that there is now (I don't know if it was available then) an option for an extendable tongue. On normal ramps I cannot launch/retrieve without getting the back of the tow vehicle deep in the water. Not a good situation.

The first time I launched I ended up making a extendable tongue using a long line I had and wrapped it 4 times between the trailer and hitch. I had to back down on the tongue wheel. I read about this technique somewhere. Things probably would have been allright except I missed launching in slack tide by about 3 hours. Coastal currents at this point can be very strong and the tongue wheel did not fail but it did bend to the point it was unusable. I replaced it with a more heavy duty model with twin wheels. At the end of this trip I elected to have a boatyard crane it out and place it on the trailer for the ride home. Luckily, my local boatyard has a steep ramp built specifically for sailboats.

While I may have drifted slightly off topic I will now attempt to pull it back on. If I was to buy another trailer, I would never buy one without the built in tongue extension. By the way, mine just went up for sale.

Edited by - on

Chemist
Deckhand

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USA
16 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2004 : 21:31:06

Used the rope technique every time I launched or retreived my O'Day 22. It needed to be floated off because the bunks were(are) quite high. With that one, I think that an extended tongue wouldn't have helped much, since the trailer need to be in so far. Made for fun retreivals in the last week of Oct. in NW Penn. Lake Erie gets cold quickly. Always wound up going wading to get the boat back on the trailer.

Bob Imes

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2004 : 21:36:49

If you're going to pony up the money, get a good trailer.
A C25 gets bigger and bigger when hitched up.

IMHO, Minimal C25 trailer, 6,500 lb capacity. 8,000 is better.

On my EZ-Loader, Hitch to front axle about 16', Tops of rollers, about 28" above axle, (the axle has about 4" of offset). I have a 12' tongue extension... necessary for ramp launching without using some sort of tongue dolly. (unless you teach your tow rig to swim)

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 01:41:56

To paraphrase ClamBeach,

If you're going to tow a Catalina 25, get a really good trailer. And yes, a C-25 seems huge, once it's out of the water. Now IMHO, trailer load capacity should be at least 8,000#, and 10,000 is better. In other words, 6-lug wheels. I highly recommend the surge-actuated stainless steel disk brakes. Get a fully hot dipped galvanized trailer with stainless steel fasteners -- it's work the extra initial cost. Boat trailer lights that get submerged are doomed. I use a removable light bar across the boat transom, or rear of trailer. remember that boat trailers this large are required to have amber side clearance lights. This can be done with another light bar, and a 4-wire 'Y' connector adapter at the vehicle harness. I have a roller-style trailer, and am very happy with that feature. I had bunks on previous sailboat trailers, so I know the differences.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

Gary B.
Admiral

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USA
969 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 03:15:51

I have towed these suckers often since 1983. NEVER have I owned a new pickup, but I have had good luck with 3/4 ton trucks of various makes, including a Dodge with a 318 and a 350 Chev and GMC, now a Ford 250 with a 460 cu. in. gas engine and super cab. It's a '78. Gas hog, but VERY strong. I ramp launch at a quite steep ramp...usually I can load and unload my SK w/o messing with the tongue extension.

The point of all this is that all my PUs have been 2 WD and worked fine. A couple of times I have had to let some air out of my back tires to pull the steep ramp in wet weather, but have never needed the 4 WD option for which you will pay dearly in a used PU. A 4 WD is great if you have deep pockets, but in your situation I say save the money and potential troubles, IMHO and get a good 2 wheel drive, depending of course, on how you will use the rig when you are NOT towing the boat. I think a LOT of folks pay way too much for the 4 WD option when they don't really need it. Just my opinion......

Gary B.
s/v Encore! #685 SK/SR
Vice Commodore

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 06:07:48

Don't worry about not getting the tounge extention from performance. That option is listed but not available. The owner said he was sued last year after someone drove a boat down the road with it extended and hit a house when he went around a corner. Any trailer shop could retrofit an extention for you.

Edited by - on

km0e
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 07:26:38

This will be my first season in a 25 with a swing keel. I have moved up from a C 22 on a bunk style trailer. Like ClamBeach, I also have a EZ Loader trailer, which seems very short tounged to me. I have a camper on the back of my truck and the boat and camper will meet each other in a tight turn! So I need a couple of feet added on to start with but I really have been wondering what it would take to launch the boat. I planned to take it to a trailer shop and with there blessings, put a longer tounge on it to make it easier to launch and tow. But if ClamBeach put a 12' foot extension on, I assume I will need to do the same or else rope launch the boat ??? I have never launched a boat sitting on rollers and have no idea how much easier the boat moves on rollers. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jim Sherrow

Edited by - on

Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 12:28:56

With the rollers you need to be careful not to disconnect the trailer winch and safety chain until the boat is in the water. 4 years ago a friend and I were launching into Monterey Bay, CA at Moss Landing, very steep ramp. We thought we would save time by disconnecting everything so the boat would just slide off with no wading into the water. Well I think you have already figured out the outcome of this little adventure. As he backed my rig down the ramp with me in the cockpit ready to fire up the outboard, he touched the brakes very slightly and the boat started to roll off the trailer. Fortunately he noticed right away that the boat was moving and gunned the rig down the ramp. The resulting splash was very impressive from where I sat.

Lesson learned and passed on.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 12:32:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ed Montague
 With the rollers you need to be careful not to disconnect the trailer winch and safety chain until the boat is in the water. 4 years ago a friend and I were launching into Monterey Bay, CA at Moss Landing, very steep ramp. We thought we would save time by disconnecting everything so the boat would just slide off with no wading into the water. Well I think you have already figured out the outcome of this little adventure. As he backed my rig down the ramp with me in the cockpit ready to fire up the outboard, he touched the brakes very slightly and the boat started to roll off the trailer. Fortunately he noticed right away that the boat was moving and gunned the rig down the ramp. The resulting splash was very impressive from where I sat.

Lesson learned and passed on.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sorry Ed, but picturing you and the boat during this sequence of events made me laugh. Thanks!

Edited by - on

1grndslr
1st Mate

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34 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 13:56:09

What about trailering a fin keel 25? I keep in the water but just wondered if it were worth getting a trailer to pull out and clean? Any input would be helpful.

Thanks.

86 TR/FK. "Childs Play"

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 16:51:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by 1grndslr
 What about trailering a fin keel 25? I keep in the water but just wondered if it were worth getting a trailer to pull out and clean? Any input would be helpful.

Thanks.

86 TR/FK. "Childs Play"
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
One of the things this site has taught me is that we do things based on where and how we sail. I live in Kansas and sail a lake, we have to have a trailer even with a large boat, (our club's biggest is 32ft and looks quite normal to us on its trailer). Others live where marinas can provide hauling, cradles and stands. It is your call, I know everyone at our lake is glad they have a trailer.

Edited by - on

km0e
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 16:57:22

Ed, Thanks for the story. I am glad the outcome was a good one. I had to chuckle thinking about the guy driving trying to catch up to the boat. Happy Sailing, Jim

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 21:50:07

The tongue extension on my EZ-Loader is extremely simple to make and use.

It's comprised of 5 short pieces of flatbar, (4) 1/2" galvanized pipe spacers, a 12' piece of 3" X 4" tubing, 4 lengths of stainless all-thread and a bolt-on trailer coupler. A hundred bucks worth of 'stuff'.... maybe. A hacksaw and 1/2" drill are the only tools required.

Can send photos if anyone is interested.

The design of the EZ loader trailer continues to amaze me with it's sheer ingenuity. There's only 2 pieces on the trailer (the main beams) that aren't simple 'stock' metal available from most any supplier. Axles and springs are 'stockers' too.

Edited by - on

km0e
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2004 : 22:13:47

ClamBeach, Would you please send photos? Thank You, Jim

Edited by - on

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