Purchasing a Trailer - Cat 22 Retractable Keel

Nov 19, 2020
4
Catalina 22 Pasadena, MD
Hi!

We are looking to pull our boat out to park at our house and do some work getting it back in to good condition. I have never trailered a sailboat before and am looking for some input on the suitability of the 24’ bunk trailer in the pictures and well as general information about what to look for in a trailer for a Cat 22.

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Thanks in advance for your input.

Danielle
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
Hi!

We are looking to pull our boat out to park at our house and do some work getting it back in to good condition. I have never trailered a sailboat before and am looking for some input on the suitability of the 24’ bunk trailer in the pictures and well as general information about what to look for in a trailer for a Cat 22.

View attachment 187391View attachment 187392

Thanks in advance for your input.

Danielle
Welcome to SBO!

Although I don’t own a Cat 22 I could offer a few suggestions.
There is a Cat 22 specific area here that you could browse through or use the search function so you can see how others have rigged their trailers.

As far as the trailer goes it looks to be a viable option, lots of Cat 22’s have single axle and this one is dual so that’s a plus. The bunks would need modification so they would be at the correct height and width to fit the hull shape. Some people add guide posts to help load and rollers for the keel. Etc.

You don’t mention your mechanical skill level so those mods might be an additional labour cost on top of the components. :)
 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
It's a bit hard to see in the small pics but that definitely looks like a motorboat trailer. You'll usually find some sort of bunk or support in the middle for a keel. The bunks on that trailer look like they're made out of 4x4's instead of 2x4's. I doubt the wood will bend to the correct shape. This is great for a motor boat but I'd think twice about them because they wont conform to the hull. My own boat was on a cradle that had straight beams for support but having something fit like a glove for a trailer helps minimize stress on the curved hull and it can actually make the boat a bit more stable when towing. I was able to notice a difference when my bunks were properly adjusted when towing my Starwind 19.

The other thing that would make me hesitant with this trailer is the fact that there's no tongue extension. A tongue extension allows for easier launching and retrieval at the ramp. By pushing the trailer further into the water will make it easier to float the boat off of it. I've seen Cat 22's launch without issues without a tongue extension but steepness of ramps vary greatly.
The general rule of thumb is that you dont want to push your tow vehicle past the point that the muffler is bubbling in the water. I try to avoid pulling the electrical connectors in the water as it can lead to corrosion. It's usually pretty easy to clean corrosion but just one more thing to have to do.

While that does look like a nice trailer, it may not be worth the effort or expense to modify it

What kind of vehicle do you plan to tow with? I assume you have a swing keel (you should see a crank for it in the cabin)? Is your boat currently in the water?
 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
Also, guides or markers to center the boat on the trailer are useful for murky waters where you cant see the trailer while its underwater. Remember to pull up your swing keel and rudder before pulling it out of the water
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
Just looking at the pictures that looks to be a bit bigger than what you will want. Dual axle is nice but you'll need to redo the bunks and lengthen where the bow stop mounts do it can reach the boat as its currently too far forward from the axel. Though it may be easier to move the axel and shorten the trailer. If that trailer is really 24 feet remember that it is 2 feet longer than the boat and that most C22 trailers dont have the frame reach the back of the boat. As has been stated there are a number of trailer threads specific to the C22 in that forum and there is also a very active facebook group where I occasionally see trailers come up that may require less modification. However with the time and knowhow almost any trailer can be modified to fit any boat. Its more a matter of the cost and effort you want to put into it. Here is a drawing (not mine originally) that will give you a starting place for setting up a trailer for a swing keel C22. If you need one for a wing that's a whole different thing.
 

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ambler

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Dec 7, 2013
60
catalina 22 11619 Watauga Lake, TN
I have a trailer for my CAT 22 and as the previous posts point out the bunks are curved to match the shape of the hull so the weight isn't concentrated on a small area. You can see the curve on LakeShark's attachment. You can also see the support for the (swing) keel. I assume you have a swing keel. The keel has to be lowered so the support takes the weight of the keel. You don't want the 500lb keel bouncing from the cable and winch while on the highway.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
That trailer is likely for a pontoon boat of some description. It would take a fair bit of attention to modify it.
 
Nov 19, 2020
4
Catalina 22 Pasadena, MD
Thanks so much for all of the information and input. We are still looking for a trailer but now have a better idea of what we need to look for!
 
Nov 19, 2020
4
Catalina 22 Pasadena, MD
Just looking at the pictures that looks to be a bit bigger than what you will want. Dual axle is nice but you'll need to redo the bunks and lengthen where the bow stop mounts do it can reach the boat as its currently too far forward from the axel. Though it may be easier to move the axel and shorten the trailer. If that trailer is really 24 feet remember that it is 2 feet longer than the boat and that most C22 trailers dont have the frame reach the back of the boat. As has been stated there are a number of trailer threads specific to the C22 in that forum and there is also a very active facebook group where I occasionally see trailers come up that may require less modification. However with the time and knowhow almost any trailer can be modified to fit any boat. Its more a matter of the cost and effort you want to put into it. Here is a drawing (not mine originally) that will give you a starting place for setting up a trailer for a swing keel C22. If you need one for a wing that's a whole different thing.
LakeShark
Just looking at the pictures that looks to be a bit bigger than what you will want. Dual axle is nice but you'll need to redo the bunks and lengthen where the bow stop mounts do it can reach the boat as its currently too far forward from the axel. Though it may be easier to move the axel and shorten the trailer. If that trailer is really 24 feet remember that it is 2 feet longer than the boat and that most C22 trailers dont have the frame reach the back of the boat. As has been stated there are a number of trailer threads specific to the C22 in that forum and there is also a very active facebook group where I occasionally see trailers come up that may require less modification. However with the time and knowhow almost any trailer can be modified to fit any boat. Its more a matter of the cost and effort you want to put into it. Here is a drawing (not mine originally) that will give you a starting place for setting up a trailer for a swing keel C22. If you need one for a wing that's a whole different thing.
Lake Shark - we bought the attached trailer and your measurements were really helpful. The one thing this one is missing is a bunk for the keel. I am thinking that adding one on should not be a heavy lift. Could you provide me a bit more detail about the one on your trailer? Thanks in advance
 

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Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
Lake Shark Could you provide me a bit more detail about the one on your trailer? Thanks in advance
Sorry I have a Wing keel not a swing. The C22 forum will be of much more help on that one for you. Just remember that on a Swing keel 22 you want all the weight of the keel on the trailer when going down the road and not bouncing on the pivot pin and the wench. Most I have see use some sort of a V stop or a bow roller for the keel to rest on which is attached to a cross member. I would also say that if you don't already have the Tech manual form the C22 association I highly recommend it. Often your questions are answered there with photos of what works well with other c22 specific boats.
 
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ambler

.
Dec 7, 2013
60
catalina 22 11619 Watauga Lake, TN
My trailer supports the keel with a roller attached to the axle. Like the rollers you can see at the front of the trail to the right of your picture. I float the boat onto the trailer with the keel up, haul it out and then lower the keel on to the roller. The down side is that the roller isn't very wide and the boat has to be very close to the middle for the keel to hit the roller.

I've seen others with a heavy wood plank bolted to the trailer to lower the keel onto. The keel weighs about 550lbs so it needs to be sturdy.
 
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