Trailering Mid size sailboats

[Lance]

I'm often trailering small and mid-sized sailboats and Hunters are included. Unfortunately because of the soft hull construction of the Hunter ie. the Hunter 28.5 it is not very popular to trailer them. The manufacturer only recommends using a cradle to move them. This would be cost prohibitive for a bottom job or a short move from one place to another. I know that Catalina lists pad, sling and lift points for all of there boats. Do Hunters (28.5 and 31) have a recommended procedure for trailering?

 

[Stephen Ostrander]

hauling

I would not consider the 28.5 with a fin keel and 10'-6' beam to be a trailerable boat. I had mine transported on the cradle on a low-boy style trailer many times. Proper design of the cradle and proper placement of the cradle pads is important. Proper handling is also important. The pads should be located where the interior bulkheads are. And hunters do not have thin or soft hulls. Anyone who has installed a thru-hull in a Hunter can attest to that. The worst case of hull oil-canning I ever saw was on a Catalina 320, which had sling points marked, BTW.