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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Boat height on trailer

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ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/07/2014 : 16:54:29

I know this question must have been answered a hundred times before but doing a search got me zero.

I just pulled my boat back from Anacortes, WA to Sacramento, CA with a brand new trailer.
Unfortunately even though the trailer invoice says <i>wing</i> keel my trailer guy must have used a fin keel drawing since with the support pads all the way down the keel was still 14" above the keel pad. The guys at the boat yard cut 5" off the highest rear posts but still had to put in about 6" of blocking under the keel.

I am taking the trailer with boat on it to my trailer guy tomorrow for modifications. I would like to tell him what the average height is of a wing or swing keel boat on the trailer. Mine is sitting at about 10' from the ground to the cabin top.
Thanks, Craig.

Edited by - ct95949 on 09/07/2014 17:58:23

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2014 : 17:14:08

I don't remember this question ever coming up before, but I think it's probably because the height of the boat from the ground isn't particularly important. If the boat sits too high on the trailer, it doesn't cause a windage problem, and it doesn't make the rig top-heavy. Fin keel boats sit higher on the trailer than your boat and they have more windage than yours. The problem that is caused by the boat sitting too high on the trailer, like yours, is that it becomes harder to launch and retrieve it from the trailer. If the boat sits too high on the trailer, it takes deeper water to float it off the trailer. If the trailer guys can adjust the trailer supports so that the boat sits as low as possible, then you will be well-served by the trailer, regardless of what it's overall height may be.

Edited by - on

ct95949
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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2014 : 17:52:54

Thanks Steve.
I just used the ground as an easy place to measure to. I could have picked a point on the trailer but it's all relative. A wing keel and swing keel retracted have almost the same draft and most of our trailers have similar dimensions. If anyone has any kind of height measurement I could compare to then I could tell my trailer builder where the boat should be sitting.

My concern is that he will simply want to raise the keel pad up so he won't have to mess with the posts. I don't remember how high my '79 swing sat on the trailer, I would just like to know what the normal/average height should be.

Another reason I measured from the ground to cabin top is that I'm sure someone has done that to make sure the boat would clear a shop door

.
Thanks, Craig.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/07/2014 : 20:05:20

The keel should be down on the board that supports the keel without any additional blocking. That board should be mounted directly to the trailer cross members. It sounds like the only way to properly correct it is to lower the support posts so the boat sits on the keel board.

You want the boat as low as possible to minimize wind-age, minimize it from being top heavy, and to allow the boat to be launched in shallower water like Steve said above.

There is a picture of OJ's wing keel sitting on his trailer on page 2 of the "Mast Raising System" post started by Kiko in this Catalina 25 Specific Forum.

Edited by - GaryB on 09/07/2014 20:10:42

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2014 : 20:54:28

Thanks Gary, I agree with everything you're saying, I just wanted some more info in case my trailer guy started looking for an easy way out. The keel pad is welded directly to the cross members, it looks like the posts would have to be cut very short to still allow for some adjustment with the keel resting on the pad. Here are some photos:

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 05:27:02

I would have never left the trailer builder with the boat sitting that high. It wasn't right and it wasn't what you ordered. Have you called them? They should have fixed this before you left.

Edited by - on

dasreboot
Admiral

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803 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 05:42:34

mine sits on the pad. sits much lower than even my swing keel.

Edited by - on

sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 07:20:34

that isdefinitely a fin keel trailer.....

Edited by - on

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 07:32:04

The builder is here in Sacramento, the boat was in dry storage in Anacortes, 800 miles away. They had drawings for and had built trailers for C25 fin keel boats. They said that adjustments would be made for the reduced draft and wing shape, I'm not sure what happened, I'll find out this morning.

I'm wondering if the mods can be done with the boat on the trailer or if welding and re-painting will mess up my hull. Other wise the boat would have to go back into storage instead of sitting in my yard where I could work on it.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 07:40:33

Hope this helps!

Edited by - OJ on 09/08/2014 08:03:48

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 08:04:18

OJ, nice pic, thanks. The posts need to be a lot shorter.
The keel guide boards and frame were part of the problem and they can be easily removed for loading with a travel lift. More often though I will be loading from a ramp so I thought the guides would be good for centering the boat on the trailer. Or would I be better off without them? I see a lot of trailers with no keel guides, my old EZ Loader didn't have any but the boat did float on a little lopsided sometimes.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 08:42:35

quote:
Originally posted by ct95949

. . . More often though I will be loading from a ramp so I thought the guides would be good for centering the boat on the trailer. Or would I be better off without them? I see a lot of trailers with no keel guides, my old EZ Loader didn't have any but the boat did float on a little lopsided sometimes.

Hi Craig, the first pix above is when we married the trailer (from Santa Ana) to the boat (near Boston). We also normally launch via a ramp, hence, the roller trains. Guides work well for fins and swings - but you run the risk of the guide getting hung-up on a wing. Added trailer weight is another consideration. It usually takes a minimum of two tries to get our boat centered.

I hope the corrections to your new trailer go smoothly. I helped a guy adjust the pads on a brand new aluminum trailer for an O'Day 27. I bet we pulled his boat/trailer up the ramp 25 times

before we got it right. Post before and after pix!

Of mice and men . . .

Edited by - OJ on 09/08/2014 08:46:35

ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 08:56:38

I wish now that I had made the trip to Trail-Rite in Santa Ana, buying locally got me nothing but trouble.

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sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 10:21:27

They goofed up big time..... That is definitely a fin keel trailer. Also it is not designed with rollers to get the boat in/out on a boat ramp very easily. It would take a very special boat ramp to get that boat floating off the stands, even if you shorten them. You would probably end up having to use the marina's TravelLift unless you have the perfect boat ramp. The whole benefit of a wing keel on a trailer is to make it easy to launch and retrieve. See if they can start over and put rollers on it as well.

Edited by - on

sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 10:27:54

the keel guides on my trailer are down at the very bottom, just a 2X6 vertical framework that steers the wings into the center of the pad. Let me see if I can get you some photos later today.... they do not interfere with the wing.

Edited by - on

sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 10:34:28

Here you can sort of see the guides sticking out the aft end of the trailer. They are just vertical boards that channel the wing into the center. Later I will see if I can get a better photo up closer for you.

Edited by - on

sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
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Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 11:55:03

ok, just took some photos.....

I can get more also if you want one of a specific part.....

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ct95949
Captain

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Aruba
300 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2014 : 13:17:14

Thanks Scott.
I'm going to email those pics to my trailer builder. Guiding the wide part of the keel at the bottom looks a lot easier than trying to channel the narrow part. Also easier for a lift to drop straight down rather than slide in fighting the straps.

As for needing rollers, I was able to float my '79 swing keel almost all the way up to the bow roller on my EZ Loader trailer (with tongue extender) before the hull even contacted the rollers. Hopefully I can do the same with this trailer. At this point I don't really want to complicate things with this builder, I just want to get the problem fixed and get my boat back.

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