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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

trailer

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/16/2005 : 22:10:19

As I am getting ready to launch my new 1983 C25 (yeah!) Are there any tricks to making sure all the running lights work? Who sells the best spinnaker plus hardware? How much can I sell the trailer - in excellent shape- for? Thank you. ps I am in North Central Washington

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2005 : 22:27:26

Why are you selling your trailer? One of the big advantages of the C25 is that it's trailerable,
both for exploring other venues and being able to do your own 'haulouts' and maintenance.

Hook your trailer up in advance and get all the lights sorted out. Sure beats trying to do it in a rush... when you're thoughts are on the launching.

Should be lots of sail lofts around Puget Sound... big names are North, Ullman, Doyle... and lots of smaller lofts. Ask around when you get in the marina and you'll probably get lots of good local advice..

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2005 : 22:56:56

I rewired my new to me trailer in about an hour. The first order of business was to find an adapter that mated the trailer wire harness to my truck...the good folks at the Bellingham Wa UHaul store knew exactly what I needed - they have lots of adapters and plugs in stock. I hooked up the trailer to the truck and found out immediately that half the bulbs didn't work. A local auto parts dealer had everything in stock to replace the wiring and light housing(s). It seemed that replacing everything was easier than wrestling with rusted and broken bulbs.
I secured everything with nylon tie wraps and electrical tape. It was very straight forward to do a nice neat job. It was especially satisfying since I'm electricly challenged.

And since I am electricly challenged - how do I monitor the state of my batteries? I just replaced both house batteries, I have a 9.9 honda and a small flexible solar panel.

Edited by - on

frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2005 : 23:28:39

Thank you for your feed back. I am going to have the boat in Lake Chelan and I'm not planning on travelling with it. Also - a friend of mine has a trailer that I can use.
Since this will be my first launch, any good hints? Should I charge the batteries, replace lightbulbs? I could also use some info on mast trim.
Thanks
Frants

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 02:25:10

You should be able to sell a tandem axle trailer for at least $1500 with a top end of about $3,500 depending on condition, features etc.

The best first step in looking for info is to use the search function, and look in the tech tips section - once you've done some research you will be able to ask better and more specific questions to your situation.

I'm new to C25s and have spent many hours going thru old threads and topics. I took lots of pictures of my boat so that I can compare to other pictures posted here, and have a visual understanding of what others are doing.

I bought my boat in Bellingham last November - it had sat there for about 8 months and the batteries were toast.
My tip on launching a boat for the first time is to round up at least another two pairs of hands. I had the good fortune of launching at a Navy Marina - a group of retired sailors were standing about and they asked me if I needed a hand - I told them I was a newbie and didn't have a clue - next thing you know, I had about 200 years of experience launching my boat and stepping the mast and getting all the rigging installed.

How wide is Lake Chelan? Seems like it might be kind of narrow.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 10:04:18

Someday you'll probably want to sell your boat... it will be ten times easier to do so if it has a trailer. (still trying to convince you to keep it)...

Launch day is stressful... you want as few hassles as possible. If your situation permits, I'd do a 'dry run' on raising the mast and rigging while still on the trailer. Having some experienced help is a huge plus.

Other stuff... charge batteries, test running lights (especially masthead and steaming lights if so equipped. It's easier to deal with problems on the hard than in the water. Flush water tank and fill with clean water, refill fuel tank with fresh gas, test run the engine, (with flushing fitting attached) etc. If you don't do a dry run on raising the mast, test fit the turnbuckles on the standing rigging to make sure all the threads are 'clean' (always use a little lubricant on stainless threads). Have all your running rigging neatly organized and labelled. Put labels on the standing rigging too.. Test fit your rudder, make sure you have a retaining pin for the gudgeons. Mooring lines ready, fenders... and be sure to have a couple extra-long lines (25' or so) for handling the boat during launch. Check safety items against coast guard requirements... flares, fire extinguisher, lifejackets... have a basic toolkit on board.

There are a number of threads in the archives on mast trim.. starting point is plumb side to side and fore to aft... stays are tight, but not twangy tight. If you go around the marina and twiddle the stays on boats that look like they are well-cared for you can get a feel for what I'm talking about. In it's initial tuning, the mast shoud have no bends either side to side or fore-aft. Later on you may want to introduce some rake (leaning aft) and some mast bend (in the fore-aft plane, never bend side to side)

It's easier to tune the mast before you put the boom on... (lay on the deck and sight up the mast track)

Whew... for a simple thing, it get's complicated.

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jlouder
1st Mate

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27 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 12:35:58

I would vote on keeping the trailer. When I acquire 'Amazing Grace' she had a trailer that came with her. After sanding, epoxing and painting the bottom I sold the trailer where I would never be tempted to do that again. Now three years later we are moving from the lake and I sure wish that I had kept it. If you have a place to store it consider doing so. If I was closer I would store it for you for the use of it.

Jim
'Amazing Grace'
88 stdwk #5768

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cclark
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 14:16:39

Frants,
I have to agree with the others. If you were over here in the Puget Sound, a trailer is a nice thing but not a necessity. If I buy a boat in Bellingham or Olympia, I can sail it home. If you sell your boat to someone outside of Lake Chelan, they will have to figure out how to ship it. Think decreased intrest and decreased sales price on the boat itself.
BTW, If you STILL want to sell it, let me know how much you want. Also, is your C25 a Swing, Wing, or Fin?
Chris

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2005 : 18:34:34

I would absolutely rig the boat once on the hard. I did. You need to see it all go together, while it is together you can test your mast lights.

Keep the trailer.

Edited by - on

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2005 : 13:11:11

If you are absolutely sure you are not going to trailer your boat and are going to keep the boat for a couple of years, sell the trailer. I had a C25 for four years, when I sold it last summer (no trailer) the purchaser found boat moving company to move it to his lake for a couple of hundred dollars. I did not want a trailer...was not going to trailer the boat, would have had to register the trailer (state license plate), would have added to my personal property tax, would have had to maintain it (tires, brakes, wiring, paint), and would have had to rent a place to store it. Way too much trouble and expense for something I never would have used and did not need at sale time.

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2005 : 09:53:10

I recently bought a used trailer for osmepneo, but looked for a used one, reasonably close to The Great Sacandaga Lake. Very few (actually none available) late last summer. So I bit the bullet and bought new.

I guess I would give very serious thought to selling the trailer. When you want to haul out and do maintenance, you have it. When you and some friend decide to go someplace else for a weeks sailing adventure, somewhere else is greatly expanded when you have a trailer.

I moved my boat 150 miles, and didn't have a trailer. Had to hire a boat hauler to do the job for me. Made it very easy, but if I'd had a trailer then!

Also, a trailer makes the boat more marketable when you go to sell it.

Give the idea of selling it a second thought.

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2005 : 11:31:34

Don't sell your trailer if you have or can find a place to store it for free or little $$$. When it comes time to sell the boat, the very first question you will be asked by almost all potential buyers will be "does it come with a trailer?". If you have to say "no" to that question, 9 out of 10 people who call on your ad won't even want to come look at the boat. For example, look at "Freelancer" down in Charleston, SC (Mike Tiffee's boat). This is an '89 Mk. IV, the most sought after Catalina 25, and he hasn't been able to sell the boat in more than a year despite a reasonable price, because there's no trailer. ANyone who does their research will quickly discover that used trailers for sale that can be adapted to fit a Catalina 25 are extremely rare, and a new trailer costs upwards of $7500 (on the west coast). Don't sell your trailer; you will need it eventually.

Edited by - on

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2005 : 20:06:02

I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but having recently sold a C25, "9 of 10 people won't even look at your boat because they want a trailer"...based on my personal experience is not true. There are two basic groups of buyers: Those that want a trailer and those that do not want a trailer. However the over riding consideration is the condition of the boat...if it is in great shape, most buyers could care less about a trailer. Those that want a trailer will buy without one, and those that do not want one will buy with a trailer.

Most of the folks that looked at my boat did not want a trailer. The guy that bought it would have liked to have one, but the boat was is such good shape that it was worth it to him to buy it without a trailer.

Edited by - on

frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2005 : 23:45:27

Wow, thank you everybody for your input! Chris, it is a finkeel. Stampeder, Lake Chelan is about a mile wide in some places and 55 miles long...we are having a regatta again in September. ClamBeach, thank you for your advice.
Frants

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barmstro
1st Mate

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34 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2005 : 02:39:07

Tell us more about the regatta. Is it for c25's or open for all boats?
With a trailer it would be easy to get to the San Juans or anywhere in Puget Sound. I trailed to the Nationals last year. Great fun and worth a trip to Kansas this year.
P.S. there will be a "Northwest Catalina Regatta" here in Seatle June 24-26.It will be combined with the International Catalina 30 Regatta
Go to WWW.capsfleet1.com for more info. Good luck and fairwinds

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2005 : 08:39:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by At Ease
 "9 of 10 people won't even look at your boat because they want a trailer"...based on my personal experience is not true.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I should have qualified my statement I guess. For coastal areas, where boats are mostly in marina slips on the ocean, At Ease is right - trailers aren't so important. But in inland areas, trailers are often a necessity, and in fact are MANDATORY at Folsom Lake, which requires all slip renters to haul out for the winter months when the water is low. There is no hoist or travel lift at Folsom Lake, only a launch ramp, so having a trailer is an absolute requirement here. I would venture to guess that a fair number of Catalina 25 owners, and would-be owners, are in similar circumstances.

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At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2005 : 15:41:38

Interesting how different parts of the country operate differently. I'm on a lake in eastern OK (same lake as Charlie Vick), and of all our sailboats at my marina, none come out of the water for the winter and I know of only one guy who even owns a trailer...a 26' Hunter who races at different lakes.

Obviously at Folsom a trailer is a requirement, and I can see why a person would not look at a boat without one.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2005 : 09:03:29

Most of the boats around my neck of the woods are cradled at marinas.

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2005 : 00:57:49

Hi Bob, the regatta is open for all classes and held in september every year. Russ Jones is our Commodore and I will get you his e-mail adress.
Frants

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by barmstro
 Tell us more about the regatta. Is it for c25's or open for all boats?
With a trailer it would be easy to get to the San Juans or anywhere in Puget Sound. I trailed to the Nationals last year. Great fun and worth a trip to Kansas this year.
P.S. there will be a "Northwest Catalina Regatta" here in Seatle June 24-26.It will be combined with the International Catalina 30 Regatta
Go to WWW.capsfleet1.com for more info. Good luck and fairwinds
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2005 : 08:11:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 Most of the boats around my neck of the woods are cradled at marinas.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It would seem there is a logical critical mass issue. I love sailing at my lake but there is not enough commerce potential to support a real marina so trailers are required for ALL our boats, even the several 32's. The very small public marina that does exist on the opposite side of our lake barely survives. It only sells gas as there is not enough call for diesel and probably sells more Twinkies and beer than anything else.

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