advice on launching and retrieving a cat 250 wing keel to tr

caguy · Sep 11, 2013

Chief RA said:
Just got back from a 3 week trip up to Washington where I bought a 1998 Catalina tall rig, wing keel, 3 crispy dacron sails, and galvanized trailer. Bought a new 10 hp Tohatsu 4st. w/ electric start and 25" shaft as well. She's an Arizona fresh water boat that just got launched by me at Bodega Bay CA! (boat never had been in the sea!)
It was really tough getting her rigged and you guys were right, that mast is hard to raise! My trailer has the strap wenching system but it didn't want to draw at the low beginning angle. Once we got her up a bit it went on up well. Any suggestions to better achieve this task?
Launching with the trailer extention was barely adequate at West Side Launch at Bodega Bay. I put my rear wheels well into the water to make the boat come off. Wasn't happy about that! Its the best angle launch with a long cement launch but could use steeper ramp! Yes, I was at high tide as well. Anyone know a practical method to extend the existing tongue extention another 4' or so? The trailer does have the rotatable spare tire system to support it up front if needed. Chief

You can always do what many do with fin keels and that is to detach your hitch and use a chain, strap or cable to launch and retrieve. Some launch at MDR with a strap that is 20' long. Just be careful not to go off the end of the ramp.

hewebb · Sep 12, 2013

Re: advice on launching and retrieving a cat 250 wing keel t

You can build an extension that fastens to the existing one to add a few feet. Use square tube with uprights welded to each side on one end that go around the existing from the bottom. Place a ball on the new extension that goes into the coupler on the existing. Run a pin or bolt through the uprights across the top of the existing. Add a coupler to the other end. I have seen this on other trailers.

caguy · Sep 12, 2013

Re: advice on launching and retrieving a cat 250 wing keel t

Do you have pictures of your exhisting set up? There have been some mods done on Mac 22 trailers that involve telescoping a square tube into the tongue. Timo42 did a really nice job on his. He had some bungy loaded pins that drop into place automatically to lock the extension. He could move the extension in and out single handedly without detaching the trailer. this gave him about a 6' extension.

Stu Jackson · Sep 12, 2013

Re: advice on launching and retrieving a cat 250 wing keel t

Chief, congratulations on your new boat. Nice.

You should get to know these Catalina 250 skippers:

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=4

Our C22 trailer had a tongue extender on the trailer. It'd be safer and perhaps even easier to have one installed rather than use a chain.

Good luck.

Jackdaw · Sep 12, 2013

Re: advice on launching and retrieving a cat 250 wing keel t

If your dolly wheel on the trailer is robust enough, the strap is a good way to go. Get a 10,000 lb towing strap from Northern Equipment or the like. Someone can 'steer' the trailer down by pushing the hitch right or left. You have to make sure that there is no holes of gaps in the ramp that the wheel can fall into.

Where there is no crane available, we launch and retrieve our First 260 this way.

caguy · Sep 12, 2013

Chief RA said:
Thanks guys. Anyone got anything for improving low angle mast raising? Chief

Use a gin pole, there are a number of solutions and threads for "mast stepping" but they all involve using a gin pole to raise the angle of the rope or cable. Here are a few examples.

Here is a nice video. http://www.sailingtexas.com/Movies/Macgregor26Me/macgregor26me.html

advice on launching and retrieving a cat 250 wing keel to tr

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