catalina trailer

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Jim Hughes

In mid summer, I picked up a 22'catalina.I left it in one of the lakes for the rest of the summer,so I could sail it every weekend.It's now in my driveway on it's trailer.The keel is about 3/4" above the axle.I looked at another catalina 22'on it's trailer.That one had a fixed keel.The axle was vee shaped,which gave it more clearence between it and the keel.Do the swing keel boats have the same type axle or a straight axle? I thought of raising the bunks,but the boats going to sit higher on the trailer and the u bolt on the boat and trailer winch aren't going to line up.I've already raised my trailer winch 2" so that when I winch the bow up into the rubber vee,the boats sitting far enough forward.If I raise the bunks,the boats going forward more and I might have to much tougue weight.If anyone has any ideas,please reply. PS The springs on both trailers,seem to be kicked out.Most trailers,the springs are right under the frame.On both of these trailers,they're kicked out,at an angle to match the axle. JIM
 
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Chris I.

My trailer

Jim, I have a Catalina 22 that I bought about a year ago. I bought a trailer from a local Catalina dealer about a month later. My trailer is one of the "drop axle" trailers. I like it because the boat sits a few inches lower than it would if the axle was straight. My swing keel is about 1" above the axle. If you raise the bunks, can you move the winch back a few inches so the boat doesn't sit too far forward? My winch is on a pier that can be moved forward and back if I loosen a couple of big u-bolts. My trailer was supposed to come all set up for a C-22 but I still needed to adjust it. I raised the boat up about 1" so it would clear the axle. I also moved the winch pier back an inch or so. My springs are right under the trailer frame. I think I know what you mean when you say the springs are kicked out a bit, but I've never seen a trailer that way. Chris I.
 
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Dick of Sylvan

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Jul 8, 2004
157
- - Pinedale, WY
Trailer and Keel

Jim: With my 1975 C 22, the bottom end of the swing keel slides onto a V-shaped pad just above the axle. After its on the trailer, I back off on the winch to take the pressure off of the cable. I tighten the winch back up just before launching. I have a straight axle (actually two as it is a tamden traler), which has worked fine. I probably have about 400 lbs of tongue weight on the hitch ball. Dick
 
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watercolors

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Jun 2, 2004
38
- - Pennsylvania lake
Raise the stern

If you feel there may be a problem between the keel and the axle. Just raise the back end of the bunks so the stern is higher. The back end of the keel is just over the top of the axles. Will not affect the weight distribution on the trailer, it will lower the bow slightly and will create no problems during launching. You really need the bow to be as low as possible on the trailer because you have to go into the water far enough to release the bow from the front edge of the bunks, the angle of the launch ramp will take care of the stern regardless of how high it is. Really the stern could be so high that it would look weird going down the road but, launching and retreiving would be so much easier if the front is the lowest it can be on the trailer
 
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Chris I.

One followup

I agree with what the other poster said. You may be able to raise only the back end of the bunks. I raised my bunks more at the aft end than I did at the front end. I could probably lower the front a bit and raise the stern some more. Chris I. Clearwater, FL
 
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