I currently sail a C22 on a Pennsylvania lake but am getting itchy to sail on larger boats on larger waters. I have chartered 30'- 35' boats on the Chesapeake for a number of years. I would like some honest feedback about towing a Catalina 27 about 30 miles each way twice a year. The intent is to moor the C27 for 2 months a year a month in May & another month in September. I will transport it the rest of the year to a storage area keeping the boat on the trailer for the other 10 months. Questions: What is wrong with this concept? How difficult is it to raise the mast for 2 people? Can you launch the boat from the trailer or must you go to a yard and have it launched? What are the real down sides? Clearly I'm not 'trailer sailing' it just transporting and storing it. Thanks, Paul
Towing a Catalina 27
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M
Mick
Trailering a C27
For 7 years I did just that with a C25 fin keel. My wife, and I needed help raising the mast (30' tall) so I would think it would be more difficult on the C27. The trailer weight (boat, and trailer) was between 5500-6500 lbs. The boat displaced 4550, and the trailer was a tandem axle Easy Loader. I pulled it with a full sized 1986 Ford Bronco with a 302 V8. I don't think the C27 is a lot worse than this.
For 7 years I did just that with a C25 fin keel. My wife, and I needed help raising the mast (30' tall) so I would think it would be more difficult on the C27. The trailer weight (boat, and trailer) was between 5500-6500 lbs. The boat displaced 4550, and the trailer was a tandem axle Easy Loader. I pulled it with a full sized 1986 Ford Bronco with a 302 V8. I don't think the C27 is a lot worse than this.
Trailering a C27
I tow my C27 to Lake Erie in the spring then home in the fall, about 180 miles each way. I have a tri-axle trailer and the towing is not a problem. Depending on where you intend to lauch will determine if you can do it from the trailer or not. The launch area has to be about 6' deep for my trailer. I have done it but it takes some practice. Launching is a whole lot easier than pulling out! I find it much easier to have a yard do it. As for stepping the mast, I have not come up with a way to do it safely simply by hand. The one yard I used had an electric winch on a ulitlity pole we could use and that was great for two DIY's, but today, at a different yard, they have to do it for me. If any one out there is hand stepping a C27 I would be most interested in how you are doing it.
I tow my C27 to Lake Erie in the spring then home in the fall, about 180 miles each way. I have a tri-axle trailer and the towing is not a problem. Depending on where you intend to lauch will determine if you can do it from the trailer or not. The launch area has to be about 6' deep for my trailer. I have done it but it takes some practice. Launching is a whole lot easier than pulling out! I find it much easier to have a yard do it. As for stepping the mast, I have not come up with a way to do it safely simply by hand. The one yard I used had an electric winch on a ulitlity pole we could use and that was great for two DIY's, but today, at a different yard, they have to do it for me. If any one out there is hand stepping a C27 I would be most interested in how you are doing it.
Local Co-op
I'm guessing (with no real actual experience there) that there are others in and around your area with the same issue - needing to get their boats into and out of the water at around the same time of the year, each and every year, just like the seasons. Wouldn't it be common for a couple of like minded boat owners to band together, hire a small crane, and have some sort of mast raising/lowering party twice a year? A bunch of like minded guys with the proper equipment could probably take half a dozen boats off trailers in one Saturday. As far as trailering the C27, I believe (again, with no actual experience) that it should be totally doable - twice a year for 30 miles. Some folks ask about utilizing a C27 like a trailer boat - in and out many times through the season, and driving all over the land - That I think wouldn't work as well. Good Luck! Tim Brogan April IV C350 #68 Seattle
I'm guessing (with no real actual experience there) that there are others in and around your area with the same issue - needing to get their boats into and out of the water at around the same time of the year, each and every year, just like the seasons. Wouldn't it be common for a couple of like minded boat owners to band together, hire a small crane, and have some sort of mast raising/lowering party twice a year? A bunch of like minded guys with the proper equipment could probably take half a dozen boats off trailers in one Saturday. As far as trailering the C27, I believe (again, with no actual experience) that it should be totally doable - twice a year for 30 miles. Some folks ask about utilizing a C27 like a trailer boat - in and out many times through the season, and driving all over the land - That I think wouldn't work as well. Good Luck! Tim Brogan April IV C350 #68 Seattle
T
TJ the Rocket Scientist (not)
go for it
Our system uses an A frame on the deck to step mast, a very heavy duty tongue roller for trailer, 50' of 1" poly line and most important is a four wheel drive with low range. Two of us can rig the boat and launch or retrieve from a suitable ramp in about 2 1/2 hrs. I've used yards and done it myself, I prefer doing it myself because I don't have problems, scheduling, paying, damage, dings, etc. etc. I take my time, think it out, work safely. Now for the downsides #1 you will need someone to drive your empty truck and trailer or heaven forbid your true love. #2 You might roll your trailer off the end of a ramp if the waters not deep enough. ( I did once so far )took two hours to block it under water so I could pull trailer back up to surface. #3 you may go over a R/R crossing too fast and launch your Catalina prematurely ( I did once) #4 you may decide you like transporting your boat to distant places. One last thing, consider getting a wing keel and standard mast for obvious reasons. Just do it, its not that much trouble. Good luck
Our system uses an A frame on the deck to step mast, a very heavy duty tongue roller for trailer, 50' of 1" poly line and most important is a four wheel drive with low range. Two of us can rig the boat and launch or retrieve from a suitable ramp in about 2 1/2 hrs. I've used yards and done it myself, I prefer doing it myself because I don't have problems, scheduling, paying, damage, dings, etc. etc. I take my time, think it out, work safely. Now for the downsides #1 you will need someone to drive your empty truck and trailer or heaven forbid your true love. #2 You might roll your trailer off the end of a ramp if the waters not deep enough. ( I did once so far )took two hours to block it under water so I could pull trailer back up to surface. #3 you may go over a R/R crossing too fast and launch your Catalina prematurely ( I did once) #4 you may decide you like transporting your boat to distant places. One last thing, consider getting a wing keel and standard mast for obvious reasons. Just do it, its not that much trouble. Good luck
T
Tom Monroe
go to the C27 association site
... and you'll find some tech articles on raising/lowering the mast. YOu can't do it like on a C22 ... too tall and heavy. On trailering, lots of people do it with a C27, but it takes a hefty trailer and a lot of tow vehicle. I think with trailer and all you're probably pushing 10,000 lbs. That means a 3/4 ton pickup. I know two different C27 sailers who do it routinely. Both use float off/lift on trailers. A real long tongue extension helps one of them do it more easily than the other. I looked into the price of a good C27 trailer. Didn't want to go there! One other thought ... there is a shoal draft model of the C27 that has something like a 3.5 ft keel. The "standard" keel is listed at 4 ft, but most of us that have them have measured keel bottom to scum line at more like 4.5 feet. There was never, to my knowledge, a wing keel. I mention that because I think if I was going to buy a boat that I could tow, either is a bit much, at least for me. I LOVE my C27. But I wouldn't have purchased her if I needed to tow her. Tom Monroe Carlyle Lake
... and you'll find some tech articles on raising/lowering the mast. YOu can't do it like on a C22 ... too tall and heavy. On trailering, lots of people do it with a C27, but it takes a hefty trailer and a lot of tow vehicle. I think with trailer and all you're probably pushing 10,000 lbs. That means a 3/4 ton pickup. I know two different C27 sailers who do it routinely. Both use float off/lift on trailers. A real long tongue extension helps one of them do it more easily than the other. I looked into the price of a good C27 trailer. Didn't want to go there! One other thought ... there is a shoal draft model of the C27 that has something like a 3.5 ft keel. The "standard" keel is listed at 4 ft, but most of us that have them have measured keel bottom to scum line at more like 4.5 feet. There was never, to my knowledge, a wing keel. I mention that because I think if I was going to buy a boat that I could tow, either is a bit much, at least for me. I LOVE my C27. But I wouldn't have purchased her if I needed to tow her. Tom Monroe Carlyle Lake
! NOT EASY!
I own a Catalina 27 and definitely it is not a trairable boat with arount 10,000 paounds and a 30' mast. The safest way it will be form Boat Yard to Boat Yard crane and using an 18 wheeler flat bed. It may be a problem to control it if you use an small truck/trailer and must stop short even with trailer brakes. I trailered a CAL-25 Racer from California to Florida when we moved with a large diesel truck and it was no fun. A Catalina 22 is more likely and is meant to be trailerable and sail very well.
I own a Catalina 27 and definitely it is not a trairable boat with arount 10,000 paounds and a 30' mast. The safest way it will be form Boat Yard to Boat Yard crane and using an 18 wheeler flat bed. It may be a problem to control it if you use an small truck/trailer and must stop short even with trailer brakes. I trailered a CAL-25 Racer from California to Florida when we moved with a large diesel truck and it was no fun. A Catalina 22 is more likely and is meant to be trailerable and sail very well.
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