Dear Members: I am curious about the dependability of a single axle trailer for a Catalina 22. Mine is rated at 3500lbs. What kind of failures have you experienced?? I am acustomed to replacing wheel bearings and keeping them pumped full. I plan to only sail/launch in fresh water. I realize that a tandem axle trailer is better but the outfit I am purchasing has only one axle. It could be converted but that is costly. Also how many of you have and use trailer brakes?? Hydraulic or electric? I have mountains in Pa to deal with. I will be usimg a Ford F150 to tow with. I assume that it will handle the C22 OK. Thanks for your time and input. Byron
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Barry Lenoble
Single Axle OK
Hello, How far and how many times do you plan on towing? I bought my boat (an 81) in July of 2003. It came with a single axle trailer that the PO bought in 1994, when they bought the boat. They didn't use the trailer that much, just for launcing in the spring and recovering in the fall. I have used it about 10 times, and it has been fine. I have surge brakes, I don't think electric brakes do well in water. I have salt water, so maybe fresh water and electric brakes are OK. I did need a very long tongue extension. My trailer came with a 10' tongue, and I bought a 12' extend a hitch, which works great for my area. Good luck, Barry
Hello, How far and how many times do you plan on towing? I bought my boat (an 81) in July of 2003. It came with a single axle trailer that the PO bought in 1994, when they bought the boat. They didn't use the trailer that much, just for launcing in the spring and recovering in the fall. I have used it about 10 times, and it has been fine. I have surge brakes, I don't think electric brakes do well in water. I have salt water, so maybe fresh water and electric brakes are OK. I did need a very long tongue extension. My trailer came with a 10' tongue, and I bought a 12' extend a hitch, which works great for my area. Good luck, Barry
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bob
made for the job
I tow with C22 with my 6 cylinder f150 over the rockies and no problem - the serge brakes work great. The single axel stock trailer is excellent and the 15 inch wheels allow for good tires.
I tow with C22 with my 6 cylinder f150 over the rockies and no problem - the serge brakes work great. The single axel stock trailer is excellent and the 15 inch wheels allow for good tires.
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Ray Hodges
Single axle is no problem
Byron, I've owned a single axle, original trailer, with my '76 C22 since 1990. I've used it in salt and fresh, with no brake system on the trailer, and pulled it with a 6 cyl Caravan, V8 Dodge Ram and now a 4-Runner. I've done the usual maintenance you describe, and pulled LOTS of short jaunts and a few up into the "mountains" of S.C.. We've never had a single problem (knock on wood!) and have been very satisfied with it. Good luck!........Ray
Byron, I've owned a single axle, original trailer, with my '76 C22 since 1990. I've used it in salt and fresh, with no brake system on the trailer, and pulled it with a 6 cyl Caravan, V8 Dodge Ram and now a 4-Runner. I've done the usual maintenance you describe, and pulled LOTS of short jaunts and a few up into the "mountains" of S.C.. We've never had a single problem (knock on wood!) and have been very satisfied with it. Good luck!........Ray
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tomD
Single axle experiences
My C-22 sits on the single axle Trail-rite trailer with surge brakes. It is held on with the bow eye only--add a second line and tie it off. Single axle trailers are easier to reverse with, more manoeuverable. Less rolling friction on the road. If you balance the load in the boat so a 200 lb man (me) can just raise the tongue when I bounce on the aft swim ladder, it's loaded right. Also balance your weight side to side so each tyre has similar weight on it. Check to be sure you have ST rated tyres, not truck tyres on the rims, they have heavy sidewalls. Then inflate them to the max of 50+ psi, I go 52 psi, so they roll well and the sidewalls don't flex and overheat. I have trailered my C-22 as much as 800 miles in a day, also right thru the Rocky Mountains behind my Pathfinder, and no problems at all. Rememeber a couple of pumps of grease after you launch the boat to push out the water--hope you have those Bearing Buddies on yours, they're great. If you do these things you will likely never have a problem on the trailer.
My C-22 sits on the single axle Trail-rite trailer with surge brakes. It is held on with the bow eye only--add a second line and tie it off. Single axle trailers are easier to reverse with, more manoeuverable. Less rolling friction on the road. If you balance the load in the boat so a 200 lb man (me) can just raise the tongue when I bounce on the aft swim ladder, it's loaded right. Also balance your weight side to side so each tyre has similar weight on it. Check to be sure you have ST rated tyres, not truck tyres on the rims, they have heavy sidewalls. Then inflate them to the max of 50+ psi, I go 52 psi, so they roll well and the sidewalls don't flex and overheat. I have trailered my C-22 as much as 800 miles in a day, also right thru the Rocky Mountains behind my Pathfinder, and no problems at all. Rememeber a couple of pumps of grease after you launch the boat to push out the water--hope you have those Bearing Buddies on yours, they're great. If you do these things you will likely never have a problem on the trailer.
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Byron
Thanks
Thanks to: Tom, Ray, Bob, and Barry for sharing your experiences with your single axle trailers. My trailer is a Trail-r- craft brand with 205/78-14 st tires they are rated at 1760lbs each @ 50 psi. Do you guys have 14 or 15 inch tires? There does not seem to be a great deal of difference in load rating unless you are using the 225/78-15 tires with a D load rating. These have a rating of about 2500 lbs each. I always run my tires at the upper pressure limits. I wound rather have less tread life than to risk an overheated tire due to flexing of the sidewall. Heat KILLS a tire and low pressure causes fishtailing too!!! I have hauled various trailers and campers for a total of several thousand miles since the 1970's. I only ever had one tire failure and that was due to low pressure and ignoring the "signs". I will be installing brakes on my trailer at some point. I don't like the idea of having 3000-4000 lbs pushing me if I have to make a panic stop. People are stupid when they see someone with a trailer. I don't worry about me but others are totally unpredictable. What are your feelings as to hydraulic vs electric brakes? I will be launching in fresh water only. Thanks once again for your help. I am hoping for an early spring in Pa.
Thanks to: Tom, Ray, Bob, and Barry for sharing your experiences with your single axle trailers. My trailer is a Trail-r- craft brand with 205/78-14 st tires they are rated at 1760lbs each @ 50 psi. Do you guys have 14 or 15 inch tires? There does not seem to be a great deal of difference in load rating unless you are using the 225/78-15 tires with a D load rating. These have a rating of about 2500 lbs each. I always run my tires at the upper pressure limits. I wound rather have less tread life than to risk an overheated tire due to flexing of the sidewall. Heat KILLS a tire and low pressure causes fishtailing too!!! I have hauled various trailers and campers for a total of several thousand miles since the 1970's. I only ever had one tire failure and that was due to low pressure and ignoring the "signs". I will be installing brakes on my trailer at some point. I don't like the idea of having 3000-4000 lbs pushing me if I have to make a panic stop. People are stupid when they see someone with a trailer. I don't worry about me but others are totally unpredictable. What are your feelings as to hydraulic vs electric brakes? I will be launching in fresh water only. Thanks once again for your help. I am hoping for an early spring in Pa.
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Aldo
Always Carry a Spare Tire
Byron: We currently only trailer our C-22 100 miles in the spring to Middle River, near Baltimore, on the Chesapeake Bay, and 100 miles home in the fall. We have, however, trailered it to the Keys twice, when it was new, in 1980 and 1981. Our trailer is only a single axle with no brakes. I always fill the "Bearing Buddies" with grease before I use the trailer. I don't have mountains to contend with. We use a Suburban to tow it now, and have used 2 station wagons and other Suburbans over the last 20 years, all with V-8s. The main thing with the Suburban is that you have to remember the boat's back there. You won't have any trouble with your truck. We did have a rim fail one time near Coco Beach, Florida. This was right after we purchased the boat and trailer. We had some great help and got back on our way within a few hours. You should always carry a spare tire. I have written other advice on towing in the past, so you might want to check the archives. I don't put much in the boat when we tow it, other that the cushions, galley, sails, and life jackets. Where are you planning on sailing your boat in Pennsylvania? I hope your enjoy your boat as much as we enjoy ours. Aldo
Byron: We currently only trailer our C-22 100 miles in the spring to Middle River, near Baltimore, on the Chesapeake Bay, and 100 miles home in the fall. We have, however, trailered it to the Keys twice, when it was new, in 1980 and 1981. Our trailer is only a single axle with no brakes. I always fill the "Bearing Buddies" with grease before I use the trailer. I don't have mountains to contend with. We use a Suburban to tow it now, and have used 2 station wagons and other Suburbans over the last 20 years, all with V-8s. The main thing with the Suburban is that you have to remember the boat's back there. You won't have any trouble with your truck. We did have a rim fail one time near Coco Beach, Florida. This was right after we purchased the boat and trailer. We had some great help and got back on our way within a few hours. You should always carry a spare tire. I have written other advice on towing in the past, so you might want to check the archives. I don't put much in the boat when we tow it, other that the cushions, galley, sails, and life jackets. Where are you planning on sailing your boat in Pennsylvania? I hope your enjoy your boat as much as we enjoy ours. Aldo
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Byron
Sailing in Pa
Aldo: Thanks for your reply. I presently sail on Glenndale Lake but am planning to sail Raystown and possibly Kizua (Allegheny Reservoir). Eventually I want to travel around the East with the Catalina and camp on various waters. All the Corp of Engineer Reservoirs require a marine head and do not allow porta potties. So that will be one of the mods done. I will do the whole keel and cable bit first off followed by a complete trailer go-over.... bearings, bunks, etc. I will see how wild it is without brakes and may do that next winter. Most of the time it with be "dry moored" mast up at Glenndale Lake. I love the Florida keys; I am a scuba diver but don't know it I have the guts to take my own boat to dive from. I would need to do alot of studying first. But that is part of learning and boating. Byron
Aldo: Thanks for your reply. I presently sail on Glenndale Lake but am planning to sail Raystown and possibly Kizua (Allegheny Reservoir). Eventually I want to travel around the East with the Catalina and camp on various waters. All the Corp of Engineer Reservoirs require a marine head and do not allow porta potties. So that will be one of the mods done. I will do the whole keel and cable bit first off followed by a complete trailer go-over.... bearings, bunks, etc. I will see how wild it is without brakes and may do that next winter. Most of the time it with be "dry moored" mast up at Glenndale Lake. I love the Florida keys; I am a scuba diver but don't know it I have the guts to take my own boat to dive from. I would need to do alot of studying first. But that is part of learning and boating. Byron
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