What is the largest trailerable sailboat?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
I may have missed this in an earlier post, if so, I apologize. One consideration about trailering often forgotten is the width of the beam. Anything over 8' 6" (normally) requires a permit, and can be a PITA.
As a former dealer, my specialty was trailerable sailboats. I use to classify a truly trailerable is one that one person can handle in launching/retrieving, mast raising, and sailing. Widths, lengths, weight, etc. will have to be considered when pulling with a tow vehicle not to mention the wide load permits if a boat is overwidth as most states regulate on the towing at night and weekends. There there are the costs. Like one said, most of the boats have been trailered to a dealership of all sizes but I go back to my basic assumption that a truly trailerable boat is a one person boat.
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I lately resolved a similar situation that you describe, having had my yacht(s) in Long Beach for 15 yr. We were developing a sort of the "been there, done that" type of attitude. Solution--moved the boat to a new sailing venue, in this case the northern Channel Islands operating out of Ventura Harbor. That ought to be good for a few years of new adventure! It's only 90 mi from driveway to marina parking lot; two hours in moderately heavy traffic; otherwise 1 1/2 hours in light traffic. You'll easily add up to more time than that overall hauling (55 mph), launching, and recovering a trailer boat--even a small one. One suggestion--move the boat to Santa Cruz; explore more fully the sailing venues between there and Morro Bay. Or-- this is quite a bit more of a stretch-- relocate her to Puget Sound or down here in So. Cal [consider Jet Blue; Oakland to Long Beach flts] for a couple of years and explore those places. Of course, feasibility depends on the time you have to spend on it all. Think of a large trailerable boat as motor home--how much are you really going to use it if stuck at home to service a job or other local commitments? When the "hassle factor" gets high, hours on the water get low.
In some ways your are correct but applications vary from boat to boat and the equipment that you have in order to do that. When I look at any boat, I can figure out what to do but again it will depend on the boat and equipment. What seperates me from most is the fact that was my livelihood for 35 years and I had manufacturers coming to me for advice. Not every boat can be handled by one person. So I go back to my theory that a truly trailerable sailboat is a boat that one person can raise/lower the mast, launch/retrieve and sail of course. That is all I am going to say on the issue
It’s not so much a question of how big, but rather how much time do you want to spend prep it for s haul and recommissioning it.
In our setting, we may haul it a mile or two with the mast up but when you have to take the mast down, it really starts to take serious time.
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Anything is trailerable.
You will be given choices like MEGA 30. etc..
To be a true trailer sailer the rig ( boat and sailboat) must be able to raise the mast without a crane and be ramp launch-able .
Then any body of water with a boat ramp is available.
That means the H260.
Many of us have done the same search.
You will be given choices like MEGA 30. etc..
To be a true trailer sailer the rig ( boat and sailboat) must be able to raise the mast without a crane and be ramp launch-able .
Then any body of water with a boat ramp is available.
That means the H260.
Many of us have done the same search.
To a point.
A water ballast boat is no longer on the table, and the 260 doesn't have large enough amenities for us. Then again, when this gets to be too much, something like a WP 19 might just be the ticket.
Trailerable sailboats are always by their nature a compromise.
The H260 has a reasonable sized enclosed head and a cockpit larger than most 30ft boats.
A Cal 270 is a nice boat but was never meant to be trailerable.can you raise the mast without a crane and how long and deep do you have to push your trailer into water to float it . ( most ramps are not that long and driving of the end into the mud is never fun)
The H260 has a reasonable sized enclosed head and a cockpit larger than most 30ft boats.
A Cal 270 is a nice boat but was never meant to be trailerable.can you raise the mast without a crane and how long and deep do you have to push your trailer into water to float it . ( most ramps are not that long and driving of the end into the mud is never fun)
I adapted all the things I learned with my 26c, yes I can rig myself and be ready in short order, save for tension, which I like to do right.
I need 4’, and have launched and retrieved for the last 4 years, much to the delight of the poor souls who have to line up for the crane.
I need 4’, and have launched and retrieved for the last 4 years, much to the delight of the poor souls who have to line up for the crane.
Yessir. A 2 pole A frame, one set acts as a pivot point, and the other stops the mast from getting off center. There is a 6:1 set for hauling it up or down, it rigs up in about 5 minutes. This mast is about 32 feet, she’s not light at all, but it’s surprisingly easy.
The trailers been through 2 major revisions, and about a 1/2 dozen minor changes.
There’s a whole bunch of pictures on my Wordpress pages.
While this kind of thing isn’t for everybody, we don’t have a travel lift, and I’m not comfortable getting in line for a crane. That limits your options.
The trailers been through 2 major revisions, and about a 1/2 dozen minor changes.
There’s a whole bunch of pictures on my Wordpress pages.
While this kind of thing isn’t for everybody, we don’t have a travel lift, and I’m not comfortable getting in line for a crane. That limits your options.
Oh yeah. One you can see, one you can't. Same premise applies to boats. heh..heh..