Will this trailer work?

Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
I'm getting ready to purchase a used trailer for my 2001 Catalina 250 Wing Keel. The trailer I'm looking at was used for a Catalina 25 swing keel. The trailer has bunks vs. individual supports with pads. I think my draft is a little taller than what this one had. Maybe 12 inches or so taller on each riser. I'm buying this one because the price is right and I think I can get it to work with some simple modifications. I would like to remove the bunk and use the screw jack pads. Any thoughts on whether this will work or not? Any experts? I have a welder friend that will help me modify if needed. Thanks. See pictures attached.
 

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Jul 23, 2019
100
Hunter 18.5 Revelstoke
I’m definitely no expert so... unless you can buy a trailer made for your boat your stuck with making something work which is probably doable in this case with what you have. I’m sure there’s going to be some costs but probably less expensive than sourcing a trailer ready made for your boat, especially if your handy with metal cutting and welding.

My trailer looks like it started out like yours and was modified and it seems to work fine. I don’t know the history of it. Here’s some photos of what they made work, let me know if you need more detailed pics and I can do that next time I put it in the water.

E02A9678-6CF9-4C32-BF93-E9CF04C67A98.jpeg49E22025-125E-4DD4-A714-E65F9FEE808D.jpeg8F56921E-3596-40D4-B14F-DADFAC8C7F2C.jpeg
 
Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
This definately helps. Thank you. I like the keel guide.
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
Just one thing to point out. My previous boat had a lead in and centering guides for the keel. The problem I had was with the angle of the trailer, and the water being level, my keel was always well above the guides. I always had to recenter the boat as I pulled it out of the water. Otherwise the keel was sitting on the guides, rather than in between.
 
Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
Makes sense. Something to think about. Maybe it needs more of a trough that connects to the base and is a little wider than the wing. I don’t know.
 
Mar 2, 2019
433
Oday 25 Milwaukee
I would keep the bunks as opposed to the adjustable pads . The bunks support the hull over a larger area. The pads need very careful alignment to the inner bulkheads .It can be done ,just need to be much more diligent.
I also added goal post and keel guides to help align . huge difference ,especially in a cross wind
 
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Jul 23, 2019
100
Hunter 18.5 Revelstoke
This is what I think is also important, notice the big V for the keel and how they taper it all the way to the front of the keel..... really helps it glide into position. I’m with Tim R in having bunks that support a larger area of the hull.
5FF968A3-7A51-415C-B5CB-C86E9F3D6EEA.jpeg
 
Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
My thought on the pads was that if I need to paint the bottom, it would be easier with pads. Any thoughts on that?
 
Jul 23, 2019
100
Hunter 18.5 Revelstoke
Id rather have the hull support and jack it up for the occasional paint. When you look at trailers built for your boat do they have bunks or pads?
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
I would keep the bunks as opposed to the adjustable pads . The bunks support the hull over a larger area. The pads need very careful alignment to the inner bulkheads .It can be done ,just need to be much more diligent.
I also added goal post and keel guides to help align . huge difference ,especially in a cross wind
The bunks or pads neither one should support the boat. The weight of the boat should primarily rest on the keel. The bunks are there to keep the boat from rocking side to side. Otherwise you can warp the hull. Even bunks sag under the weight of the boat, such that the high point is under the bracing. Even standing on a bunk, you will see it sag quite a bit.

Yes goal posts help a lot, especially on a windy day.
 
Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
All good points. I can purchase a couple jacks to lower one bunk at a time when painting I guess. The pictures I've seen for the Catalina 250s on a trailer seem to be pads.
 
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Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
1567730025813.png


Here's the same model as mine on a trailer with pads.
 

LloydB

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Jan 15, 2006
805
Macgregor 22 Silverton
"Here's the same model as mine on a trailer with pads."

The square pads are positioned properly on that boat so that it does not 'oil can' if it were to get too hot or off level. Each of the posts must have lateral support so they won't change position while transporting the boat. With the bunks there is more surface area support than you have with individual pads and they are tied front to back in a trapezoid construct to provide lateral support. If you want to paint under the bunks then lift the boat off of them by putting a spacer under the wing keel(4x4's ?) and dropping the the wing keel back onto the spacers while you paint. You can lift the boat with the tongue jack fore and then aft to raise it off the bunks.
If it were me I think I would put a two by four up on each side of the boat to keep it from tipping in case I painted a side too hard.:biggrin:
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
I'm currently in the market for a trailer to fit my H26.5. If that trailer came up at the right price in my area, I would happily buy it, adjust the bunks & fabricate a keel guide/support to fit my wing.
 
Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
Thanks Jim and Lloyd, I've raised the bunks as high as possible. Not sure if it's enough yet, might have to get longer posts. I've replaced the lights and wiring and added goal posts to each side. I've also separated the keel guides to work better for the wing keel. I've added a picture to this post.

I'm trying to figure out what you mean by using the tongue jack to raise the boat off the trailer. Not making sense to me. I need to make a trial run to see if the boat will fit the trailer. I'm not sure on the width of the wing keel or the height the bunks need to be.

1569418256049.png
 

LloydB

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Jan 15, 2006
805
Macgregor 22 Silverton
Using the trailer Jack lower the tongue to raise the back of the boat. Build a crib on the ground to keep the stern at that raised position. Raise the tongue back up above the normal towing position and do the same thing with the front of the boat. Using this teeter totter method you can raise the boat pretty much any height you want to depending on the stability of the outside supports. I was thinking that you could raise the wing keel 4 inches higher by stacking shims on the bunks then sliding four by fours under the wing keel to support it while you worked on the bunks. In looking at your trailer without the boat on it I would think that you would want to change the footprint of your keel support to equal the footprint of your wing keel.
 
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Sep 7, 2018
82
Chrysler C-22 Battle Creek
I have had the exact same problem with my trailer as others have mentioned. In fact I broke the keel guide boards while pulling the boat out of the water when it wasnt perfectly centered. I have since replaced the old guide boards (2x4s) with much taller ones ( 2x8s). Hopefully that will help keep it aligned. Its difficult to tell just how "centered" you really are and if you can keep it there while you start pullin the boat\trailer out of the water. I have been thinking of building another set of guide boards that would stay above the water line when backed into the water to aid in alignment.
DSCN0025.JPG
 
Aug 21, 2013
18
Catalina 250 Wing Beaver Lake - Starkey
I attempted to test the trailer I have last week. It appears I need to somehow lengthen the bunk posts. I also had a great deal of bend in the keel bunk. I’m guessing this may be relieved with more weight on the bunks instead of all of it on the keel.
 

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Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
I attempted to test the trailer I have last week. It appears I need to somehow lengthen the bunk posts. I also had a great deal of bend in the keel bunk. I’m guessing this may be relieved with more weight on the bunks instead of all of it on the keel.
NO NO 1000 times NO. ALL OF THE WEIGHT NEEDS TO BE ON THE KEEL. If the keel bunk is bending then it is not strong enough. It may need to be reinforced with angle iron, but all of the boat weight MUST be on the keel. The sides of the boat where the upper bunks as is not strong enough to support the weight of the boat. This will cause the sides to permanently bow in, ruining the shape of the hull. The upper bunks are there only to stabilize the boat. They should be really support any weight.