Check link below for a complete description of the building process and the final concept. There are still things to fix but it is working alright now.
it is most impressive! I tought it looked a bit peculiar in Marstrand, but the concept is great. I only have two questions: What do you do about sleeping when you both live in the trailer (you and crew)? The bed dont look wide enough for comfortable sleeping if you both are to sleep there. The crew you had at Marstrand was a lot more attractive than my crew, but it still looks like a tight fit. How did you secure the sandwich structure to the trailer without having issues with compression?
Perhaps something to consider in the future if we are to continue travelling to regattas.. But I wonder why you did not make a large sectioned box and put the boat inside the box? Is the Hobie wider than max trailering width? Would have solved the issues with sidewinds?
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Rolf_Nilsen]
#113344 08/02/0705:37 AM08/02/0705:37 AM
A guy here (owning a Inter-17) made himself a large rectangular box 3mtr x 1.8 mtr x 1.5 mrt and that fitted between his hulls. The boat lay on top of this cabin, layed up on the beams.
Indeed, he did not have standing room, but I think he could sit up straight. He had a door in the rear through which he could step into his cabin, even when the boat was on top.
The thing looked pretty nice as well. Not too big or anything.
Wouter
Wouter Hijink Formula 16 NED 243 (one-off; homebuild) The Netherlands
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Hakan Frojdh]
#113345 08/02/0706:16 AM08/02/0706:16 AM
That was very well done indeed! I wonder if you could add yourselves some internal shelves by building a pair of pockets that protrude out over the tops of the hulls.
Jake Kohl
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Rolf_Nilsen]
#113347 08/02/0706:39 AM08/02/0706:39 AM
The bed is quite high above the floor so there is about 0.5 m distance between the bed and the floor and that's where the extra bed is. I didn't hear too much complains about the extra bed but a reading lamp will be added.
I glued 10 mm high density foam on the beams on the trailer frames to avoid compression of the sandwich. I have secured the cabin to the frame of the trailer on several places. I have some cracks in one area where the structure has done some resistance to the movemet of the trailer.
The german guy that was my inspiration was actually talking about a mk II version of his box and he had the same ideas as you, a giant box for both the boat and beds.
/hakan
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Hakan Frojdh]
#113348 08/02/0708:36 AM08/02/0708:36 AM
Not only is there room for a small person under the bed, but you can add more beds above the current one and make it a full holiday camper <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
About sandwich and steel.. When doing tilt trailers for Tornados I have always heard that the sandwich Tornado hulls are stiffer than the trailer frame. Hence you try to support the boat by strapping only parts of the crossbeams to the trailer. No use stiffening the trailer with your boat. I guess your sandwich is stiffer than the trailer frame, hence the stress cracks?
I see several advantages to using a large box, and some disadvantages. One advantage is the ability to put the whole boat into a dry, secure, clean, trailer when on the road or during winter (unless you decide to sail trough the winter, like someone I know..). Another is balance of the trailer and windage. You also gain a lot more room. If you can park the trailer at the club, you have your own dressing room and storage. You can also have a small workshop in the back of the trailer. A "box" trailer also be used for domestic chores like bringing home new furniture, firewood etc. Major selling point with the wife.. Disadvantages is size, weight, cost, problems with tall items and possibly fuel efficiency. Your trailer dont exactly look aerodynamically streamlined, but I dont know if a rectangular box would be better or worse..
Did you buy a 'clean' boat trailer which you buildt on, or did you build the trailers frame as well?
Upon second reading the technical solutions and installations look really good. You are not an engineer or similar by trade?
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Rolf_Nilsen]
#113349 08/02/0712:01 PM08/02/0712:01 PM
Fantastic Hakan! I want one! I've given some thought to building a small camping trailer, but never dreamed of this small wonder. How about ventilation? No windows? You should sell plans!
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Hakan Frojdh]
#113350 08/02/0705:06 PM08/02/0705:06 PM
fantastic. I've been thinking about this for a long time, drivability is one of my mayor concerns as well. I was thinking of a hight adjustable front section [like a shoebox and lid] to overcome this issue. Great building/thinking
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Brian_Mc]
#113352 08/03/0706:04 AM08/03/0706:04 AM
I haven't made any windows yet, the main reason is that it shouldn't look like a camper. It is easier to park it at regattas if it looks like a box for sails and equipment and not a camper.
There are four air inlets at floor height and two ventilators in the roof to get the air out, one of the ventilators has a fan the other one uses the air flow outside the cabin to get the air moving.
I have a roof hatch as escape hatch and that one provide good ventilation when it is opened.
/hakan
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Hakan Frojdh]
#113353 08/03/0710:02 AM08/03/0710:02 AM
Hakan, I noticed the roof vent after my post. No windows makes it a little more secure when people don't know what's in there. Any idea how much it weighs? It is so well thought out and designed! Very cool project! Thanks for sharing it.
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Hakan Frojdh]
#113354 08/03/0703:47 PM08/03/0703:47 PM
Very pretty and nicely finished. Can anyone breadboard a narrow?, small used trailer- shorten the back end to accomplish this neat idea for a fraction of the price? Or a small pickup truck slide-in camper might fit on the front of a (heavy) boat trailer, and my A-cat hulls extend on each side... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Come on you CaD/CA Jockeys, get busy.
Dacarls: A-class USA 196, USA 21, H18, H16 "Nothing that's any good works by itself. You got to make the damn thing work"- Thomas Edison
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: dacarls]
#113357 08/05/0712:42 PM08/05/0712:42 PM
I just looked up slide-in popup campers for small pickups. Here re some pix of $600 self-comtained Palomoino (1990). My A-cat is 66 inches between the hulls, and 9 feet of hulls bow to crossbar: everything fits- back to front on my boat trailer, door in the front- sleeps 2 or 3 as is leaving the overhead part over the boat.
Dacarls: A-class USA 196, USA 21, H18, H16 "Nothing that's any good works by itself. You got to make the damn thing work"- Thomas Edison
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: dacarls]
#113358 08/05/0712:44 PM08/05/0712:44 PM
Dont forget the part of the design brief stating that it should _not_ look like a camper. The "stealth" properties of Håkans trailer enable you to stay next to the boat at regattas, or in parking lots when driving etc. It's a huge advantage in many ways.
Re: Cat trailer with a sleeping cabin
[Re: Rolf_Nilsen]
#113360 08/05/0704:49 PM08/05/0704:49 PM
The Airstream Basecamp is cool. I saw one of the factory demo's at a park while mountain biking. Unfortunatly about the only cat you can carry is an A-Cat on a roof rack. The factory rep mentioned they could build a larger version.
One of my regrets is turning down an old Airstream trailer with a flood destroyed interior from a relative. With a rear opening hatch, that would be a nice way to carry my A-Cat (and a disassembled Tornado)