Largest Trailerable Sailboats

[taichi]

The trailer has to be legal too which means has 8.5 max width, adequate axle rating, axle brakes in nearly all states, and lights, and in most states it has to be registered& insured.
In Wisconsin any trailer with a gross weight (with the boat) over 3500lbs is supposed to be registered with plates, and have at least one axle with brakes. - Oh and by the way - converted mobile home trailers are not legal because they do not have servicable axles - luckily only the state patrol usually knows the actual laws so you can often get away with it. In Wisconsin an oversize permit for a single trip is only $25 - BUT you have to show proof of insurance! That is another whole can of worms and I doubt that many people get it or their insurance companies don't know what thier doing - If you are oversize and happen to have an accident you would be entirely liable even if it wasnb't your fault because you should not have been there.

I started 20 years ago with a Clippper Marine 26, then went to a Mull Ranger 26, then went down to a Hunter 23. All LEGALLY trailerable and were insured, and myself and my GF could step the mast ourselves. That is what a trailer sailer is. Any boat can be trailered "technically speaking".

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I was involved with many trailerable sailboats over the years. I see much written but a truely trailerable sailboat is one that one person can handle to include raising/lowering the mast, sailing and of course launching and retrieving. When there are boats over the legal widths, wieghts, need help to be launched and/or raise the mast and so forth, they in my mind are not truely trailerable. Granted it is nice to tow the larger boats and believe me I did my share to include launching with a hydraulic trailer behind my dooley a 36 footer, I stilll needed help to raise the mast with a crane as in some places there are no gin poles. Each state varies in legal widths starting at 8 ft going up to 9 ft' 11" (NC daylight) while it is legal all the times on interstates at 8' 6". However, the permit fees vary from state to state along with axle requirments on brakes. A good example most states at 3000 lbs or more require brakes on one axle while in PA, they require brakes on all axles. The list goes on but you catch the drift.

Crazy dave condon

 

[Sumner]

.... I see much written but a truely trailerable sailboat is one that one person can handle to include raising/lowering the mast, sailing and of course launching and retrieving. When there are boats over the legal widths, wieghts, need help to be launched and/or raise the mast and so forth, they in my mind are not truely trailerable.....Crazy dave condon

A very good description of a trailer sailboat anything else is a boat on a trailer and that could be a lot of boats with the discussion going on forever,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37.... not a trailer sailboat...

Our MacGregor 26-S .... a trailer sailboat...

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[Sail123]

A trailer able sailboat needs to be set up by one person? Pass on that idea! Where did that notion come from? I can't make my lunch by myself, so now I have to set up a sailboat alone? Lol

Safety is always to set up and sail with a buddy. Many of us feel that way. A 15 foot day sailer on a quiet lake, and you would let a young teen go sailing alone? How about a 78 year old grandfather? For some of us, alone is not the way to set up, sail or recover. The buddy system is always a good idea, at any age or skill level.

Now for the notion that size makes or breaks a bargain to be a trailer able sailboat, one would have to agree there must be a boundary that a. certain size is just too large for most people to be comfortable. That size of comfort is going to be different for everyone. A person in mountains may feel a smaller boat is more practical. Lots of factors come into play choosing a trailer able sailboat.

Rules of the road do apply to everyone by in large.

Beam legal to tow without permits?
Weight legal to tow without permits?
Length of vehicle and boat legal to tow without permits?

Some areas require an 8' beam. Others allow another 6" Some places look the other way at any beam under 10' unless you hit something.

Sum, someone with a disability, would you allow them to accept help setting up and still be thought of as trailer able?

Sailing is all about families and we see people of all shapes, sizes and abilities doing whatever they can to enjoy the great outdoors.

 

[taichi]

I see that our resident computer sailor is checking in mincing words with the usual gibberish - where praytell do they require 8' beam but alow another 6"? Are we still talking U.S. highways? The entire U.S. interstate system alows 8.6' max and you need an oversize permit if over, if over 10' you usually need an escort besides the permits. So a boat with 7' beam would be illegal?
I've met a few disabled sailers and they all liked small single handed daysailers, if they want to sail a big boat they charter.
Has your CM32 been in the water yet? last we heard from you it was still in canada...

 

[Sumner]

..Sum, someone with a disability, would you allow them to accept help setting up and still be thought of as trailer able?...

I knew better than to post on one of your threads, won't let it happen again.

I was merely agreeing with Dave on his description of a trailer sailboat. I thought it was a good one and still do. You can read into that what you may and of course I think a person doesn't have to sail alone and can receive help regardless of a disability or not, but there are tons of guys and some gals that do launch and sail single handed all the time off of a trailer.

c ya,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

 

[Sail123]

I knew better than to post on one of your threads, won't let it happen again.

I am an amputee, 1968. Most people never notice, but I do not climb ladders with any confidence. When I say most people never notice, I would say my disability is less noticeable than the chip on your shoulder.

You have the notion to come into my thread and suggest I am a problem when all I was doing was talking about sailing. No one attacked you. No one said anything negative about you, or the ability to get along with you.


This thread is about sailing. Not about one member not liking another member and blah blah blah.

Back to sailing folks,

Does anyone have any experience with tri hulls that fold up at the slip or at the trailer? It would seem to me, that would be a great way to get size on the water for stability and use ability as long as they sailed well. I like the feeling of heeling, so I would miss that.

 

[Sail123]

I was involved with many trailerable sailboats over the years. I see much written but a truely trailerable sailboat is one that one person can handle to include raising/lowering the mast, sailing and of course launching and retrieving. When there are boats over the legal widths, wieghts, need help to be launched and/or raise the mast and so forth, they in my mind are not truely trailerable. Granted it is nice to tow the larger boats and believe me I did my share to include launching with a hydraulic trailer behind my dooley a 36 footer, I stilll needed help to raise the mast with a crane as in some places there are no gin poles. Each state varies in legal widths starting at 8 ft going up to 9 ft' 11" (NC daylight) while it is legal all the times on interstates at 8' 6". However, the permit fees vary from state to state along with axle requirments on brakes. A good example most states at 3000 lbs or more require brakes on one axle while in PA, they require brakes on all axles. The list goes on but you catch the drift.

Crazy dave condon

Great post Dave!

In many ways I prefer letting each state decide what laws they want passed to protect their boarders. However, when traveling with a large sailboat, that does make it tricky, sticky at times.

My toter home is licensed as a motor home. It looks like a Semi if you have that mindset. A couple of times, different states asked me questions about what I was and what I was doing. My last stop the lady said: "you like going down the road driving a semi without paperwork?". I told her I liked driving down the road driving my motor home that I pay taxes to drive on public streets. She told me to drive safe and she let me go.

For some of us, we push the edges looking for bigger, longer, taller etc. At 6'7" I am forced into living my life in a smaller world.

 

[dlandersson]

That's a nice looking Mac. Every now and again I get an itch to get one, simply because it's a better sailing sailboat than my Mac 26X.

 

[anchorclanker]

I dont agree with the idea it needs to be one man handleable to be considered trailerable. But at the other extreme, even a boat up to 60 or 70 feet could be considered trailerable if by trailerable you need a semi tractor trailer with permits and flag cars to haul it. I dont consider that trailerable at all.

The term trailerable should have the same limits and legalities as any RV motor home, Bus Conversion or pull behind camper trailer: 8.5 max width, under 26,001 pounds GCVW, within state length limits for combined vehicles, and meet all safety conditions, etc.. If any permits are required, I respectfully argue it is NOT trailerable.

 

[Sail123]

I dont agree with the idea it needs to be one man handleable to be considered trailerable. But at the other extreme, even a boat up to 60 or 70 feet could be considered trailerable if by trailerable you need a semi tractor trailer with permits and flag cars to haul it. I dont consider that trailerable at all.

The term trailerable should have the same limits and legalities as any RV motor home, Bus Conversion or pull behind camper trailer: 8.5 max width, under 26,001 pounds GCVW, within state length limits for combined vehicles, and meet all safety conditions, etc.. If any permits are required, I respectfully argue it is NOT trailerable.

I agree with your post

Except the 26001 part. That went out the window summer or fall 2005.

The one time safe number of 26000 is not the ledge looking over the valley any longer. The dot people have a newer, lower number they like to preach about, 10000. If you are over 10000 and are driving a lettered company vehicle (lettered meaning company signs), more than 150 miles from your company address, you are subject to dot laws. Log books, yearly doctor visits, the whole 9 yards.

I have a company truck that weighs ten thousand pounds. I cannot pull a motorcycle trailer to Sturgis. I can drive my toter home and pull anything, but it is licensed as a motor home.

The black truck, I cannot tow, and the white truck, that weighs twice as much, I can tow any weight the road will hold.

I use the black truck strictly local if I am pulling a trailer. I also use it to launch and recover on boat ramps. Semi's do not do well on boat ramps! Never tried it, but I can imagine a nightmare.

The last photo would be a little over my state length of 65 feet but I have done it with car toters or motorcycle trailers and they say nothing.

 

[Sail123]

What is this sailboat? Seen a couple of these but never in the water.

These look wicked fun! I am guessing when that one pontoon comes up out of the water (if it does) that is exciting.

These were in the 26' size range.

 

[Sail123]

That's a nice looking Mac. Every now and again I get an itch to get one, simply because it's a better sailing sailboat than my Mac 26X.

I really studied both boats and no one model is better in every way over the other. The X is my favorite Mac. I think the head is better. I personally like little things about it better. The main stanchion by the cockpit is much sturdier. In the X model, there are a couple sub models. Things like rudder improvements. Give me the newest X over the newest M any day. Both look like a lot of fun!

 

[Victory]

I really studied both boats and no one model is better in every way over the other. The X is my favorite Mac. I think the head is better. I personally like little things about it better. The main stanchion by the cockpit is much sturdier. In the X model, there are a couple sub models. Things like rudder improvements. Give me the newest X over the newest M any day. Both look like a lot of fun!

Actually, there are 4 Mac 26 models and I think dlanderson was comparing the much better sailing characteristics of Sumner's older D or S model over the newer, replacement M and X designs....

It is generally accepted that the D and S models were true trailor sailors... actual sailboats, if you will.... While the M and X power-sailboat redesign sacrificed those superior sailing qualities to incorporate a powerboat hull with maximize interior space. The boat appeals to an entry level sailor who may feel safer knowing he can speed back to the Marina at 20 kts if the wind gets too strong.

 

[Victory]

Q

I knew better than to post on one of your threads, won't let it happen again.

.........................
c ya,

Sum

Sumner....... that was priceless...... it's like walking on eggshells, isn't it?

 

[Sail123]

Sumner....... that was priceless...... it's like walking on eggshells, isn't it?

There are sailboats, sailors and cliques of sailors. If you are in her clique, you would like it, I guess.

I think the mods they have done to their boats are pretty sweet. I am on record for saying so. However, being handy with a screwdriver does not give one license to scream fire in a theatre. By coming in my thread and taking the focus from the topic and redirecting it to a vague personal attack, is uncalled for and wrong.

Should I seek out your threads and do the same to you?

This site is about sailing and sailboats. Personal chips on shoulders rubbed in another members face is uncalled for.

The thread is on trailer able sailboats, appreciate your post where you talk about the topic and not poor gas on a fire where their should be none.

Looking inside the doors of MacGregor, it looks like they are planning the next model of sailboat. I look for it to be 28 feet long with a diesel inboard. I believe the M is the last of the power sailboats.

Roger has one ultimate sailboat design award, and he is never going to win another with his power sailboat design. His goal, I believe is the acceptance of other builders as a great sailboat designer. That ain't going to happen until he cranks out another true great sailboat. If the economy turns around, we will see a new, wonderfully new Mac. It will be a stretched 26D design with a little higher freeboard to allow more interior space. I believe the transom will still have a dedicated space for a small kicker outboard for connivence and safety. Little larger boat will mean some people will want a dingy. A dingy needs a kicker. What better place to store it? The new sailboat will have a beam of 8.5'. This will become one great trailer able sailboat! Listening Roger? Anytime. Lol

 

[anchorclanker]

The one time safe number of 26000 is not the ledge looking over the valley any longer. The dot people have a newer, lower number they like to preach about, 10000. If you are over 10000 and are driving a lettered company vehicle (lettered meaning company signs), more than 150 miles from your company address, you are subject to dot laws. Log books, yearly doctor visits, the whole 9 yards.

While this is true, the vast majority of boat owners dont haul their boat with a commercially licensed vehicle. Those who do, likely (or should) know the legal limitations. This is one of the reasons people use magnetic poster boards on their door, so they can pull them off when they want to use the truck non commercially.

And yes, Motorhomes are virtually weight exempt in most states. Some large Bus conversions well exceed 50K before they hook on the toad. Some states are now requiring class B to operate them if they are over 26K.

But the vast majority are limited to 26K, nationwide, leaving a max boat weight of approx 15K, perhaps round down to 14K to be safe. If were trying to classify the term trailerable, I think thats a pretty fair maximum for the term "trailerable", wouldnt you agree?

 

[Squidd]

In Wisconsin .... Oh and by the way - converted mobile home trailers are not legal because they do not have servicable axles - luckily only the state patrol usually knows the actual laws so you can often get away with it. ".

Not sure where you came up with that...

Been servicing MH axles with standard, localy available parts for years...Boat trailers, equipment trailers, flatbeds, lowboys... you name it...

Now there are "some" MH axles that were designated "one way only" (delivery) and are so stamped (visably open backing plates, open face brake drums) ... but the majority of axles I've seen (and currently use) use standard Dexter Axle replacement parts...

 

[Sail123]

These are pushing the limits of Trailerable.

Sweet!

Called a Stockholm Archipelago.

 

[taichi]

Squidd you answered your own question! The non-servicable ones aren't legal - if it's servicable then they are! I made the commment because when I'm in the marinas I see alot of converted mobile home trailers underneath sailboat that are not... - I don't think they trailer very far though, across the parking lot or across town to the storage lot is probably fine.