Trailer dimension help

Sep 8, 2013
8
55
XXXX Building a trailer is not advisable XXXX

I know, but this is gunna happen.

My boat needs too much work to pay to store a boat in a yard, so I decided I'm bringing her home. It's about a ten mile drive, but it's over farm equipment torn road so it'll have to be sturdy. FKTR, and it will be pulled and launched by lift, not ramp.
A co-worker has a trailer for free that held a twenty-something foot boat, so I'll slap on some new rubber and light kit, repack the bearings and bring it to the shop to modify. I'm an industrial mechanic by trade, so that means not only do I have the proper tools and equipment to modify a trailer, but I'm surrounded by people with the knowledge of doing such projects. Ill pull her on a Friday, and drive her early Saturday so I can drive slow and not hold anyone up.
What I'm asking for is general dimensions of where the jackstands are welded and roughly what angle their at. Or is there a better alternative to jacks? Im taking a stab in the dark here but, I'm assuming the whole deal is pushing around nine foot high? 4' draft + 4'2" headroom + road to keel tip; is this a safe assumption? It would also be cool if you guys that do trailer could tell me mods that you wished yours had or changes you have done. I'm starting from scratch, so I have a number of ideas bouncing around. I love my boat and plan on keeping her, so I plan on only doing this once in my life. I have a set of side-boxes for a pickup, would that be something I might want to consider adding?
Id like to think my Google skills are many, but I couldnt find much. Some interesting J-24 trailers tho'. ALL ideas and input is welcome!
Thanks guys, for all the help!
-Chris
 
Jan 22, 2008
506
Catalina 310 278 Lyndeborough NH
Chris,

I modified a trailer that had an O'Day 19 for my Capri 22. The trailer is a little short for the Capri because the stern hangs out a bit more than ideal. The balance is good. A simple non-structural extension of the frame would make it "look" right.

The O'Day has a center board. The hull is strong enough to use rollers to support the hull. Since i needed to increase the height for my Capri 22 WKSR, I removed the rollers, bolted 16" lengths of 2-inch galvanized pipe, then inserted four Brownell boat stand tops (nicely fits in the 2" pipe).

The boat stand tops adjust to support the boat from tilting. 90% of the weight should be on the keel.

Between the two cross beams I bolted an angle iron frame to support the keel. I intend to rework the keel support to straddle the two side frame rails.

The center of balance will be just in front of the axle (mine is a single axle trailer).

I have trailered my boat hundreds of miles over several years. With an extension, I launch using a ramp.


http://search.defender.com/?expression= ... -282&y=-51
Brownell Replacement Swivel Top For Shoring Stand
Item # : 753263FLATTOP
Height: 16", Color: Blue
Flat Top, Adjustable Under Load
Designed for Brownell Boat Shoring Stands
Brand: Brownell
Model Number: BTOP 16 H
 
Aug 6, 2010
4
Catalina Capri 22 Olympia, wa.
Chris,
I was originally in the same place you are. I purchased and modified an old trailer that held a Columbia 22. I have since purchased a Trail-rite trailer made for the boat and sold the old trailer. It had worked just fine for me other than it weighed a lot and I am towing with a 4 cyl. Tacoma. The old site had some pretty good info about trailer dims and setup, but I'll give you what I still have. If you use the single point lift information you can find a rough balance point for the boat. Using that, take the distance from the center of axle to the ball and subtract the percentage of tongue weight that you'd like (163" - 24.38"(15% of 163) = 138.62"). So if the distance from your axle to your ball was 163" you would need to move the balance point forward from the axle 24-3/8" to get 15% tongue weight. I'll attach some photos and drawings, one drawing that I got from the old site showing Chris' (csinett) rough trailer dimensions, and one showing center lift dimensions that I got from Catalina. My boat is an early model SRFK, #058, with a draft of 4'-2" so my stands are extended a bit farther than newer boats. Hope this helps.
 

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Sep 8, 2013
8
55
Guys, thats great, thanks! How fast are you guys comfortable towing? The speed limit for me will be 55 on the fastest stretch, but like I said, it'll be early Saturday to avoid going over 50. It'll be pulled by an '88 F-150 4x4 351w so she doesn't like going fast anyhow.
Marc, by chance do you remember a width dimension from the pdf? Or is that an arbitrary number? I have hull 55 so I draw 4'2"? This is why I love this site; good information! Anything you guys would do different, because this is less complicated than I was expecting. Appreciate the help!
-Chris
 
Aug 6, 2010
4
Catalina Capri 22 Olympia, wa.
Chris, with the tongue weight correct I would think you should feel totally comfortable towing at 55 with that truck. Don't remember widths, but I have the boat put to bed for the winter and should be checking on it soon so I will get that when I'm there. I believe Chris (csinett) modified his bow stop so that it would seat the boat better on his trailer when loading it on a ramp. Not sure if you have a bow eye in place on your boat, but you may want to do your own figuring so that your winch and eye line up the way you would like. The bunks on my original trailer didn't get placed well enough and the rear ones didn't sit on the boat where there was hull support, so It ended up pushing in the hull slightly, you might watch out for that.
 

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Jan 22, 2008
506
Catalina 310 278 Lyndeborough NH
Chris A. said:
Guys, thats great, thanks! How fast are you guys comfortable towing? The speed limit for me will be 55 on the fastest stretch, but like I said, it'll be early Saturday to avoid going over 50. It'll be pulled by an '88 F-150 4x4 351w so she doesn't like going fast anyhow.
Marc, by chance do you remember a width dimension from the pdf? Or is that an arbitrary number? I have hull 55 so I draw 4'2"? This is why I love this site; good information! Anything you guys would do different, because this is less complicated than I was expecting. Appreciate the help!
-Chris
I start out at 55 but if the trailer is well balanced, I will comfortably go the "speed limit" with my '12 Grand Cherokee.
 
Jul 5, 2013
36
653
Yeah Red would be great... Badger Red that is. I bought the boat from a guy in Nebraska, I pulled it back to Sheboygan WI in one day. I only go 55mph because my truck only has a small 6 cylinder. I am sure it would pull fine at 65 without a problem though.
 
Jul 18, 2013
44
22
+1 on prevent oil canning.
Place the pads or bunk supports at the same location as bulkheads in the boat.

If you were going to ramp launch, I recommend keel guides that are very high - within a few inches of the hull when it's on the trailer.

I can imagine doing this myself, but it would involve either 3-D CAD drawings or iterative construction with the boat haning from a lift to be gently set on the self-built trailer, several times as the design is modified.
 
May 15, 2010
75
Capri 22 Central Florida
If you're near Orlando FL, I have a hoist at my storage yard to pick up sailboats and I'd gladly help you out. I have built a few trailers, including for my Capri and I've gotten pretty good at it; Pick up the boat, back the trailer under, lower till the keel (or whatever you want to carry the weight) is loaded, balance front to back for tongue weight, start measuring and cutting.

My yard hoist, the "Lunar Landing Module" at the 33rd Street Marina in Orlando. "Aja" the day she came home on a makeshift trailer. I'll come up with some "after" pics soon...

The hoist does make working on the bottom and building a trailer much easier.
 

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Sep 8, 2013
8
55
BillL said:
+1 on prevent oil canning.
Place the pads or bunk supports at the same location as bulkheads in the boat.

If you were going to ramp launch, I recommend keel guides that are very high - within a few inches of the hull when it's on the trailer.

I can imagine doing this myself, but it would involve either 3-D CAD drawings or iterative construction with the boat haning from a lift to be gently set on the self-built trailer, several times as the design is modified.
The 3-d drawings might be a bit much in my opinion, but I plan on taking this route...

stevenwp2 said:
If you're near Orlando FL, I have a hoist at my storage yard to pick up sailboats and I'd gladly help you out. I have built a few trailers, including for my Capri and I've gotten pretty good at it; Pick up the boat, back the trailer under, lower till the keel (or whatever you want to carry the weight) is loaded, balance front to back for tongue weight, start measuring and cutting.

Did I hear something about Nebraska? Helluva drive, but check the wind here:

http://windalert.com/en-us/Search/SpotI ... spotid=620

Nice. ;-)
I'd love to have a buddy with a yard and lift, sadly, I'm in Monterey County.
At this point, my plan is to pick the boat on a Friday with Keel support mounted and welded up, and support pads (if measurements don't allow a stand to fall on a frame) welded in place. Ill have a couple of sticks of galv tubing, along with my company truck and welder (a big Miller, I'm going to 'stick' it, not mig). Drop the boat on, make final adjustments, and cut and weld.
How much of this should I have done before I show up? What I mean is, I'd rather show up to the yard with raw materials so that I KNOW measurements are correct, but I also don't want to frustrate my yard. The next closest yard is Monterey, and they aint cheap. What kind of etiquette do I use with the lift guy? I deal with crane lifts all the time, so I don't need an operator who "knows what he's doing", but rather one that will watch me and let me tell him what I want him to do. I might be overthinking this, but I don't like surprises, I like to have details ironed out.
Thanks guys!
 
Jan 22, 2008
98
Catalina Capri-18 Dallas TX
I had to design a trailer for my Capri 26 a couple of years ago.
Almost 6000 pound boat as equipped! 8500 tow weight.
Triple axle swing arms, electric brakes, etc. Interesting project.
Especially with the boat in the water.
Everybody wondered why I was sweating bullets.
"Just measure it", they all said.
Yeah right...

Started with the sketch from Catalina for a cradle, and went from there.
That gave the end points and I had worked up a fairly close wild guess drawing as to hull shape.

The supports were - a short bunk in the midship area (the 26 has some serious curvature
front to back, so full length bunks wouldn't work), and screw jack pads fore and aft.
(1 inch all-thread)

I only made one little mistake. I thought that was pretty good, considering.
The mistake was that the wing is not flat on bottom (well duh!).
The boat sits on the angled aft surface of the wing.
So the boat sits on the trailer a couple of degrees nose high.

But THAT meant the aft supports were too long!
She couldn't get the keel down flat on the keel board.
So, set her off on stands, race home slice off 6 inches of support!
After that she sat ok, but as I said, a bit nose high.
Only added $400 to the haul out.

One other thing - the cradle dimensions will be for the deepest keel version.
They expect you to block up under the keel with shoring.
So that was another place I was kinda wondering... :shock:

If somebody has a dimensioned sketch for the Capri 22 cradle, we'd have a good starting point.
Next would be the dimensions at certain stations.

I think I might can draw one that would work from that much information.
 

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Sep 8, 2013
8
55
cavelamb said:
I had to design a trailer for my Capri 26 a couple of years ago.
Almost 6000 pound boat as equipped! 8500 tow weight.
Triple axle swing arms, electric brakes, etc. Interesting project.
Especially with the boat in the water.
Everybody wondered why I was sweating bullets.
"Just measure it", they all said.
Yeah right...

Started with the sketch from Catalina for a cradle, and went from there.
That gave the end points and I had worked up a fairly close wild guess drawing as to hull shape.

The supports were - a short bunk in the midship area (the 26 has some serious curvature
front to back, so full length bunks wouldn't work), and screw jack pads fore and aft.
(1 inch all-thread)

I only made one little mistake. I thought that was pretty good, considering.
The mistake was that the wing is not flat on bottom (well duh!).
The boat sits on the angled aft surface of the wing.
So the boat sits on the trailer a couple of degrees nose high.

But THAT meant the aft supports were too long!
She couldn't get the keel down flat on the keel board.
So, set her off on stands, race home slice off 6 inches of support!
After that she sat ok, but as I said, a bit nose high.
Only added $400 to the haul out.

One other thing - the cradle dimensions will be for the deepest keel version.
They expect you to block up under the keel with shoring.
So that was another place I was kinda wondering... :shock:

If somebody has a dimensioned sketch for the Capri 22 cradle, we'd have a good starting point.
Next would be the dimensions at certain stations.

I think I might can draw one that would work from that much information.
Thats a good lookin' trailer Cavelamb! Very profesional! Thats how I want my attempt to look like also. Nice to hear that it went so smooth for you, all things considered. Do you plan to re work the keel support? Looks like she tows good, but is a beast to turn in a pinch. Nice work!
 
Jan 22, 2008
98
Catalina Capri-18 Dallas TX
We sold that boat this summer in order to downsize to a Capri 22.
(Still looking for that boat tho)

It trails really nice - followed along like a happy puppy.
But in tight corners, you are right. A triple axle is really hard to turn.
But it gives one a great deal more leeway in tire selection and safety if one blows.

Something to watch out for with multiple axles is chocking the wheels.
Make sure there is some weight on that wheel !!!

Tow driver chocked the empty trailer on the ramp but stuck the chock behind the aft wheel.
When he unhooked, the trailer walked right over the chocks and back into the lake!

We managed to hook on to it with an anchor and pulled it back out.
Nobody hurt or anything, but he was SO embarrassed...
(could have been a disaster!)
 

shnool

.
Aug 10, 2012
556
WD Schock Wavelength 24 Wallenpaupack
I can't understand why they don't use #5000 axles on boat trailers. Then 2 would be fine! We have #6000 axles on the horse trailer, you ought to see how the wheels bend and twist when you turn more than 90 degrees with it. God forbid you do it on pavement.