Several months ago there was a very informative discussion about trailering a shoal draft Hunter 25.5. I am now very seriously considering getting a trailer and really I am only awaiting the accumulation of enough funds.... But I have some more questions. On most trailerable boats I have seen there is a pad eye on the bow of the boat where you attach the line of the trailer winch. And during retrieval when the boat is lined up on the trailer you crank on the trailer winch to bring the bow up to the trailer bow bumper. But the 25.5 does not have a pad eye on the bow... so what did you'all do to resolve this problem? Also when trailering did you leave the rudder attached to the transom or did you remove it? Finally does anyone out there trailer the full fin keel 25.5 model?
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Its A Load!
Hi Anthony, The only experience I had trailering my deep draft 25.5 was when I took delivery nearly 10 years ago. I borrowed a trailer from the dealer and towed "Honey Bear" about 100 miles. It wasn't fun...We pulled it with a V8 Jeep Waggoneer and it was about all she would handle on the bigger East Tennessee hills. I estimate the total weight of trailer and boat was about 6500+ lbs. The trailer was not factory built but a tandem flat bed that had adjustable bunks welded on. Weight distribution was a big problem as we couldn't get sufficient weight on the tongue to prevent fishtailing. We tied the bow off using the anchor cleats. I've searched for years for a used "real" trailer to use for haul-outs but they're very hard to find. I've about given up until I can justify the $$$ for a new trailer. One of our club members has a very large homemade adjustable trailer that we use for pulling and painting boats to 35' but its not suitable for road use. Our lake has no haul out facilities so everything is DIY. As for the rudder, it isn't necessary to remove it but it should be tied off securely. Make sure its pointing straight so you won't get weather helm at highway speeds.<BG> Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
Hi Anthony, The only experience I had trailering my deep draft 25.5 was when I took delivery nearly 10 years ago. I borrowed a trailer from the dealer and towed "Honey Bear" about 100 miles. It wasn't fun...We pulled it with a V8 Jeep Waggoneer and it was about all she would handle on the bigger East Tennessee hills. I estimate the total weight of trailer and boat was about 6500+ lbs. The trailer was not factory built but a tandem flat bed that had adjustable bunks welded on. Weight distribution was a big problem as we couldn't get sufficient weight on the tongue to prevent fishtailing. We tied the bow off using the anchor cleats. I've searched for years for a used "real" trailer to use for haul-outs but they're very hard to find. I've about given up until I can justify the $$$ for a new trailer. One of our club members has a very large homemade adjustable trailer that we use for pulling and painting boats to 35' but its not suitable for road use. Our lake has no haul out facilities so everything is DIY. As for the rudder, it isn't necessary to remove it but it should be tied off securely. Make sure its pointing straight so you won't get weather helm at highway speeds.<BG> Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
Not that Bad
Anthony, We bought our 25.5 shoal draft with out a trailor but had to buy one. So we bought a new one like Dick says ther hard to find. We pulled ours 350 miles each way to Lake Michigan two years in a row. A buddy did the same with his and some other friends just bought a new trailor for there 25.5. We used our Jeep Cheroke with the High Output 6 and it was just fine, no problem. It is a big load and the boat on the trailor is big but with brakes on the trailor it was not that bad. We all did have to install a bow eye you will need to cut out some fiberglass in the bow on the inside liner to get to the hull but still not that tough. The bow eye is just to hold the bow down on the trailor you must float the boat on and off it's just to big to try to pull it on the trailor with the bow eye. Also you need a tounge extension for the trailor. Getting the boat on and off depends all on the ramp. You need a pretty flat ramp, all in all it was not that difficult, it's just big. The boat on the trailor were balenced and we were able to drive 65 mph on the highway with know problem. Its sit's way up there and you might need to keep an eye on over pass height, I think we were around 11 feet to the top of the mast. Owning the trailor was a all win for us. We were able to travel with the boat to Lake Mi. and Lake Erie and not need to depend on others to get in and out of the water. It also saved on winter storage and I was able to bring it home and work on it. I have sold the boat and trailor and now have a Tripp 26 it's a full blown rocket with sails, not much down below nice bunks but that is about it. You seem to forget about the down below stuff when your doing 15 knots on a Spinnaker Reach. Having to not depend on a crane and a yard was my reason for not buying a bigger boat like a Hnter 28.5 or a J 30. After being so used to doing it all my self and from a cost factor buing a boat that I can do all myself only made sence to me. Cliff
Anthony, We bought our 25.5 shoal draft with out a trailor but had to buy one. So we bought a new one like Dick says ther hard to find. We pulled ours 350 miles each way to Lake Michigan two years in a row. A buddy did the same with his and some other friends just bought a new trailor for there 25.5. We used our Jeep Cheroke with the High Output 6 and it was just fine, no problem. It is a big load and the boat on the trailor is big but with brakes on the trailor it was not that bad. We all did have to install a bow eye you will need to cut out some fiberglass in the bow on the inside liner to get to the hull but still not that tough. The bow eye is just to hold the bow down on the trailor you must float the boat on and off it's just to big to try to pull it on the trailor with the bow eye. Also you need a tounge extension for the trailor. Getting the boat on and off depends all on the ramp. You need a pretty flat ramp, all in all it was not that difficult, it's just big. The boat on the trailor were balenced and we were able to drive 65 mph on the highway with know problem. Its sit's way up there and you might need to keep an eye on over pass height, I think we were around 11 feet to the top of the mast. Owning the trailor was a all win for us. We were able to travel with the boat to Lake Mi. and Lake Erie and not need to depend on others to get in and out of the water. It also saved on winter storage and I was able to bring it home and work on it. I have sold the boat and trailor and now have a Tripp 26 it's a full blown rocket with sails, not much down below nice bunks but that is about it. You seem to forget about the down below stuff when your doing 15 knots on a Spinnaker Reach. Having to not depend on a crane and a yard was my reason for not buying a bigger boat like a Hnter 28.5 or a J 30. After being so used to doing it all my self and from a cost factor buing a boat that I can do all myself only made sence to me. Cliff
One more thing
My rudder had been shortend and was not deeper than the keel so I left it on and it just went straight when trailoring, you jst need to keep an eye on the port tackers and yell STARBOARD out the window. You will want to do the pad eye after you have the boat lifted on the trailor to see where it will best line up. Cliff
My rudder had been shortend and was not deeper than the keel so I left it on and it just went straight when trailoring, you jst need to keep an eye on the port tackers and yell STARBOARD out the window. You will want to do the pad eye after you have the boat lifted on the trailor to see where it will best line up. Cliff
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