Hi folks, another thread has me wondering...what is the largest boat that you know of that could be reasonably trailered? I am not as much worried about the beam, I know if it is over 8' 6" it is not legal to pull it, however I have heard you can get by with a little more (At least til' you get caught!). In other words what is the biggest boat you trailer or your friends trailer? Thanks in advance! Jack
Largest trailerable boat????????
- Thread starter jackhartjr
- Start date
- Status
You need a permit for over 28 feet
so that is the effective dividing line between what is deemed trailerable and what is not. For that reason also, 28 feet is a focal point for builders as they are aware that that is a limit for a lot of potential customers.
so that is the effective dividing line between what is deemed trailerable and what is not. For that reason also, 28 feet is a focal point for builders as they are aware that that is a limit for a lot of potential customers.
Ross is correct
The size of the truck is paramount for stability, safety and haulout and braking efficiently. I have a H26 and would not (do not) trailer it except to haul out in the fall and launch in the spring. I had a catalina 22 that was trailerable as well but the time it took to rig it when onsite was a pain. If you get to a launch area and have to wait then rig it then store the truck and trailer then get on the water only to reverse it a few hours later is welll worth the cost of a permanent slip. Just my 2 cents.
The size of the truck is paramount for stability, safety and haulout and braking efficiently. I have a H26 and would not (do not) trailer it except to haul out in the fall and launch in the spring. I had a catalina 22 that was trailerable as well but the time it took to rig it when onsite was a pain. If you get to a launch area and have to wait then rig it then store the truck and trailer then get on the water only to reverse it a few hours later is welll worth the cost of a permanent slip. Just my 2 cents.
DEPENDS
THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES TO CONSIDER. HOW OFTEN WILL YOU TRAILER THE BOAT? WILL YOU TRAILER/SAIL JUST FOR THE WEEKEND AS OPPOSED TO STORING THE BOAT ON THE TRAILER AT THE LAKE? WHAT SIZE IS YOUR TOW VEHICLE? YOUR AGE, STRENGTH AND ENERGY ALSO MATTER. I THINK FOR WEEKEND TRIPS A CATALINA 22 OR MAC 26 IS THE LARGEST I WOULD WANT. WE HAVE A KENT RANGER 26 WE TRAILER TO THE COAST AND SEA OF CORTEZ FOR A WEEK OR MORE AT A TIME. IT IS HEAVIER AND TAKES LONGER TO RIG. WE HAVE TRUCKS THAT WILL HAUL ABOUT ANYTHING (INCLUDING OUR CATALINA 30). IT IS THE TIME AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO RIG THE BOAT THAT SEEM MOST IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO TRAILERS A BOAT LARGER THAN 26' FOR JUST THE WEEKEND. HOPE THIS HELPS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES TO CONSIDER. HOW OFTEN WILL YOU TRAILER THE BOAT? WILL YOU TRAILER/SAIL JUST FOR THE WEEKEND AS OPPOSED TO STORING THE BOAT ON THE TRAILER AT THE LAKE? WHAT SIZE IS YOUR TOW VEHICLE? YOUR AGE, STRENGTH AND ENERGY ALSO MATTER. I THINK FOR WEEKEND TRIPS A CATALINA 22 OR MAC 26 IS THE LARGEST I WOULD WANT. WE HAVE A KENT RANGER 26 WE TRAILER TO THE COAST AND SEA OF CORTEZ FOR A WEEK OR MORE AT A TIME. IT IS HEAVIER AND TAKES LONGER TO RIG. WE HAVE TRUCKS THAT WILL HAUL ABOUT ANYTHING (INCLUDING OUR CATALINA 30). IT IS THE TIME AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO RIG THE BOAT THAT SEEM MOST IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO TRAILERS A BOAT LARGER THAN 26' FOR JUST THE WEEKEND. HOPE THIS HELPS.
To clarify...
...the truck is a Chevy 2500HD with diesel, so I can tow up to about 12,000 with boat and trailer. I also already have a 3 axle aluminum trailer, 38 feet long that will take up to a 9,000 pound boat with the tires and axles as they are now. I know that rigging has a lot to do with it. We plan to sail on NC lakes, (A variety) and the Outer Banks and Southern Outer Banks of NC, as well as someday doing the Dy Tortugas and maybe the Great Lakes at some time. We travel a lot and Love it! Rigging would seem to me be similar to setting up camp when camping. While we are at it I know someone will say look at a MAC, they do not seem to appeal to us. (Why looking at a storm coming in and firing up the 50HP and getting to the dock fast would be like cheating wouldn't it?) That's a joke folks! Thanks again! Jack
...the truck is a Chevy 2500HD with diesel, so I can tow up to about 12,000 with boat and trailer. I also already have a 3 axle aluminum trailer, 38 feet long that will take up to a 9,000 pound boat with the tires and axles as they are now. I know that rigging has a lot to do with it. We plan to sail on NC lakes, (A variety) and the Outer Banks and Southern Outer Banks of NC, as well as someday doing the Dy Tortugas and maybe the Great Lakes at some time. We travel a lot and Love it! Rigging would seem to me be similar to setting up camp when camping. While we are at it I know someone will say look at a MAC, they do not seem to appeal to us. (Why looking at a storm coming in and firing up the 50HP and getting to the dock fast would be like cheating wouldn't it?) That's a joke folks! Thanks again! Jack
Also you must consider...
how on earth are you going to raise the mast! You can install a tabernacle on the mast base, but man, alot of $$ and work. I agree with the others, about 25' is a large as I would want to haul, and then only with the correct size truck and trailer.
how on earth are you going to raise the mast! You can install a tabernacle on the mast base, but man, alot of $$ and work. I agree with the others, about 25' is a large as I would want to haul, and then only with the correct size truck and trailer.
I can and do raise and lower the mast on
Bietzpadlin. It weighs about 110 pounds and is 35 feet long. To set everything up and be able to maintain safety takes about 1 1/2 hours and at least two people. To lower the mast for transport and secure everything would take at least 3 hours. If I had to trailer a boat I certainly would not have so large a boat as I have. For distant sailing locations I would plan to charter if I wanted a boat larger than a convenient day sailer.
Bietzpadlin. It weighs about 110 pounds and is 35 feet long. To set everything up and be able to maintain safety takes about 1 1/2 hours and at least two people. To lower the mast for transport and secure everything would take at least 3 hours. If I had to trailer a boat I certainly would not have so large a boat as I have. For distant sailing locations I would plan to charter if I wanted a boat larger than a convenient day sailer.
A Big As They Get?!?
You want big - here is trailor sailer big - thirty-three feet BIG. I don't know how they launch or step the mast - maybe they have yard do it with a crane and lift. I don't think I'd want to back a truck down a steep ramp with that much weight pulling me in and down. Nearly all boats live on trailers here, 22-28' with 4' draft is ramp launched & recovered every season. Our lakes do have some steep and deep ramps to help that process out. OC
You want big - here is trailor sailer big - thirty-three feet BIG. I don't know how they launch or step the mast - maybe they have yard do it with a crane and lift. I don't think I'd want to back a truck down a steep ramp with that much weight pulling me in and down. Nearly all boats live on trailers here, 22-28' with 4' draft is ramp launched & recovered every season. Our lakes do have some steep and deep ramps to help that process out. OC
Trailering (how Big)
There is a big difference between a trailer sailer a boat that can be trailered and launched on a ramp and set up to step the mast expediently and then hauled out and taken home after the weekend, and a boat that can be moved on a trailer Ive got a pearson 26W about 5200 lbs 8'8" beam just over the limit. 4' draft Ive got a big sturdy tandem trailer capable of trailering the boat anywhere. Ive got a pickup truck that can do it. BUT that dosent mean I can launch it on a ramp and step the 80 lb + mast on deck. My definition of a launch ramp boat is 25' max under 2 1/2' draft keel CB a light mast with a tabernacle and lifting rig. Sure you could probably rig a tabernacle on my deck and fabricate some kind of a lifting rig with a big frame and winches. All that said and done you would still have to find a ramp steep enough to float the boat. It can be done by 2 people in maybe 3 hours on and 2 hours off but not by me.
There is a big difference between a trailer sailer a boat that can be trailered and launched on a ramp and set up to step the mast expediently and then hauled out and taken home after the weekend, and a boat that can be moved on a trailer Ive got a pearson 26W about 5200 lbs 8'8" beam just over the limit. 4' draft Ive got a big sturdy tandem trailer capable of trailering the boat anywhere. Ive got a pickup truck that can do it. BUT that dosent mean I can launch it on a ramp and step the 80 lb + mast on deck. My definition of a launch ramp boat is 25' max under 2 1/2' draft keel CB a light mast with a tabernacle and lifting rig. Sure you could probably rig a tabernacle on my deck and fabricate some kind of a lifting rig with a big frame and winches. All that said and done you would still have to find a ramp steep enough to float the boat. It can be done by 2 people in maybe 3 hours on and 2 hours off but not by me.
Hake/Seaward 32...
Hake/Seaward 32RK LOA 34'7" LWL 30'7" Beam 10'6" Disp 8300 Draft 20" to 6'5" Is that big enough? abe
Hake/Seaward 32RK LOA 34'7" LWL 30'7" Beam 10'6" Disp 8300 Draft 20" to 6'5" Is that big enough? abe
Was a 32
I saw a benn 32 swing keel on this forum that pulled it with a heavy duty pickup and heavy duty trailer not the same one here with the specialty trailer with the goose neck. Seemed like it worked for him,don't know how he got it off the trailer and raise the mast. I don't think he trailered it every week but just relocated. Nick
I saw a benn 32 swing keel on this forum that pulled it with a heavy duty pickup and heavy duty trailer not the same one here with the specialty trailer with the goose neck. Seemed like it worked for him,don't know how he got it off the trailer and raise the mast. I don't think he trailered it every week but just relocated. Nick
Largest Trailerable Legally?
This all depends on what you mean when you ask what is the largest trailerable boat. If you mean the largest boat that can be moved on a trailer, well that can be very big. BUT if you mean that you can trailer legally, then an 8'6" maximum beam and 53' long except in a few states, would be the biggest you could trailer without a permit. These limits are set by the DOT. Using a long narrow boat's dimentional proportion of length being no more than 4X the beam would mean you would be looking at a 34' length over all as about the longest boat you would find, but this would be a long narrow boat. I don't know of any 34' boats built to be trailered. The beam being this narrow wouldn't be good for cabin layouts, etc. so it wouldn't sell. Micro Marine made a 30' trailer boat with a 8'6" beam, but it's not made anymore. It was alot like the Precission 23, a centerboard boat with a short keel for the center board to come up in. It was a little ugly, cheaply built, and didn't sail all that well, but may be the biggest trailerable (legally) boat built. Nor'Seas and Montgomery built some trailerable boats, but they weren't boats you would want to trailer to a lake for a weekend sail, and trailer back home. Too heavy and a little too time consuming on the set up side. Cal has made a 30' race boat that is trailerable, with a dagger board setup. I understand this boat takes a whole day to set up. But would be the largest trailerable boat out there today. For cruising I'd guesss the Com Pac 25, actually a 27' long boat, would be up there in the largest trailerable boats group. Though not 30' long, it has good room inside (more than the Cal 30") and has a shallow keel. I'm not sure how much work is involved in setting her up though. There are a number of 25-26' trailer boats that set up quickly for day sailing or a weekend at a lake or coastla sailing. MacGregor, Catalina, and Hunter make nice trailerable boats. I prefer the older Macs to the new power sailer. The Catalina sail the best of these and the Hunter has the nicest cabin.
This all depends on what you mean when you ask what is the largest trailerable boat. If you mean the largest boat that can be moved on a trailer, well that can be very big. BUT if you mean that you can trailer legally, then an 8'6" maximum beam and 53' long except in a few states, would be the biggest you could trailer without a permit. These limits are set by the DOT. Using a long narrow boat's dimentional proportion of length being no more than 4X the beam would mean you would be looking at a 34' length over all as about the longest boat you would find, but this would be a long narrow boat. I don't know of any 34' boats built to be trailered. The beam being this narrow wouldn't be good for cabin layouts, etc. so it wouldn't sell. Micro Marine made a 30' trailer boat with a 8'6" beam, but it's not made anymore. It was alot like the Precission 23, a centerboard boat with a short keel for the center board to come up in. It was a little ugly, cheaply built, and didn't sail all that well, but may be the biggest trailerable (legally) boat built. Nor'Seas and Montgomery built some trailerable boats, but they weren't boats you would want to trailer to a lake for a weekend sail, and trailer back home. Too heavy and a little too time consuming on the set up side. Cal has made a 30' race boat that is trailerable, with a dagger board setup. I understand this boat takes a whole day to set up. But would be the largest trailerable boat out there today. For cruising I'd guesss the Com Pac 25, actually a 27' long boat, would be up there in the largest trailerable boats group. Though not 30' long, it has good room inside (more than the Cal 30") and has a shallow keel. I'm not sure how much work is involved in setting her up though. There are a number of 25-26' trailer boats that set up quickly for day sailing or a weekend at a lake or coastla sailing. MacGregor, Catalina, and Hunter make nice trailerable boats. I prefer the older Macs to the new power sailer. The Catalina sail the best of these and the Hunter has the nicest cabin.
Eddie 28 foot Max?
Eddie, is that just in Or.? In my state we go by the fedral length limit which is 53'. Texas and a few other states allow 58'. If Or. and some other states have a 28' limit, that may be why we don't see any new trailerable boats in the 28+ to 30' range. I would sure like you to double check this as I have been planning a 30' trailerable boat for some time now, and am supposed to start the plug this spring. If 28' has become a max length in some states, I guess we will have to redo all the drawings and scale down to 28'. It would be nice if others reading this would chime in on what they think of a larger trailerable boat. This boat uses a shallow keel. with a weighted center board to let her tack quickly, and water balast to keep her under a 2.0 for righting, while keeping the trailer weight down for the road. 8'6" beam for as much room and initial stability as possible, plenty of water capacity for longer trips, good freeboard, while keeping the windage down as much as possible and still having 6'+ head room inside. Sleeps 4-5. Designed for heavy coastal cruising, and short off shore passages. Now we're just trying to keep the cost down too.
Eddie, is that just in Or.? In my state we go by the fedral length limit which is 53'. Texas and a few other states allow 58'. If Or. and some other states have a 28' limit, that may be why we don't see any new trailerable boats in the 28+ to 30' range. I would sure like you to double check this as I have been planning a 30' trailerable boat for some time now, and am supposed to start the plug this spring. If 28' has become a max length in some states, I guess we will have to redo all the drawings and scale down to 28'. It would be nice if others reading this would chime in on what they think of a larger trailerable boat. This boat uses a shallow keel. with a weighted center board to let her tack quickly, and water balast to keep her under a 2.0 for righting, while keeping the trailer weight down for the road. 8'6" beam for as much room and initial stability as possible, plenty of water capacity for longer trips, good freeboard, while keeping the windage down as much as possible and still having 6'+ head room inside. Sleeps 4-5. Designed for heavy coastal cruising, and short off shore passages. Now we're just trying to keep the cost down too.
Another
C&C Mega 30 depending on your definition of "reasonable". I am going to ride along on a trip from Boise, Idaho, to Loreto, Baja California leaving on Jan 25th next. We are going to haul a Laguna 26, which is a handful, through Tiajauna and then on down. The boat will be pulled out and stored on the trailer after each use, and I hear that we can leave the mast up between the storage yard and the ramp. I personally own a 1987 Macgregor 26 Daggerboard water ballasted sailboat. It goes 65 MPH on the freeway, launches in inches of water, hardly has any effect on my 3/4 ton Ford diesel. I can set it up alone from down-the-road to splashing it on the ramp in less than a half hour. This model of ballasted Mac goes very well to windward and is only sailed on inland lakes by me.
C&C Mega 30 depending on your definition of "reasonable". I am going to ride along on a trip from Boise, Idaho, to Loreto, Baja California leaving on Jan 25th next. We are going to haul a Laguna 26, which is a handful, through Tiajauna and then on down. The boat will be pulled out and stored on the trailer after each use, and I hear that we can leave the mast up between the storage yard and the ramp. I personally own a 1987 Macgregor 26 Daggerboard water ballasted sailboat. It goes 65 MPH on the freeway, launches in inches of water, hardly has any effect on my 3/4 ton Ford diesel. I can set it up alone from down-the-road to splashing it on the ramp in less than a half hour. This model of ballasted Mac goes very well to windward and is only sailed on inland lakes by me.
A boat being trailered is not the same as a
trailer boat. If you consider mobility and set-up you are probably restrained to a 22-25 full keeled vessel or a 24-26 water ballasted model. Whatever, the object is to be able to sail different venues in adequate comfort. Some use them to avoid slip fees at the expense of sail time and others race them around the country. A boat that takes a diesel cab and trailer to haul it and crane to set the mast just does'nt make the cut.
trailer boat. If you consider mobility and set-up you are probably restrained to a 22-25 full keeled vessel or a 24-26 water ballasted model. Whatever, the object is to be able to sail different venues in adequate comfort. Some use them to avoid slip fees at the expense of sail time and others race them around the country. A boat that takes a diesel cab and trailer to haul it and crane to set the mast just does'nt make the cut.
O'Day 272, A nice 72 in Phoenix
I would say a 27'. Mine is a 87 O'day with over 3000' road miles under it's keel. It is a pain to set up, about 3 hours each way. It was never intended to be trailered for weekend use, just to a other region for extened stays. Mark
I would say a 27'. Mine is a 87 O'day with over 3000' road miles under it's keel. It is a pain to set up, about 3 hours each way. It was never intended to be trailered for weekend use, just to a other region for extened stays. Mark
hey mark lets get together and hit the water somei
i'm in phx also and would love to sail with someone who shares the size boat we could probably learn a few things from one another or just have a great day on the water
i'm in phx also and would love to sail with someone who shares the size boat we could probably learn a few things from one another or just have a great day on the water
- Status