Hi all,

Ongoing with my Nacra 5.5 project (disassembled, need to replace beams), I have picked up an old, lightweight dinghy trailer I plan to modify to fit the cat. I am interested in seeing some pics of people's trailer setups for similar boats. And any ideas for the least complicated but proper way to make some sort of hull cradles for the cat, and how to raise and attach them up and outboard on the trailer frame. I have the ability to do some simple welding. I was thinking of simply 2x6 or 2x8 boards, attached at right angles to each other along one edge, forming a V. Covering this is some old carpet, and attaching to some metal supports welded along each side to raise the V-boards up and out. Does this sound reasonable?

The trailer is 18ft from hitch to taillights, and 6.5ft between the inside walls of the tires. I plan to extent the front bar that the hitch is attached to by several feet, as well as hanging the boat a foot or two out the back, so that the hulls will have enough clearance not to hit the car when the trailer is turned (!!!). The cool thing about this trailer is that the axles can move fore and aft along a series of mounting holes, to customize the trailer for proper balance and tongue weight.

I also have some ideas for mast support uprights, and I'd like them to fold down or be removable, as I have a very low-roof carport I plan to store it under (low on one side, due to steep roof to reduce snow loading).

Any thoughts and photos appreciate!

If the trailer is only 18' long, you're going to need to lengthen you trailer tongue by about 2' at the least... you'll have an issue with the hulls hitting the car/truck when backing up and turning if you dont

Those wheels are a long way back, for balance you may end up adding a section at the back of the trailer, do you know how much you can legally overhang the back of the trailer with your boat when towing? Perhaps you could consider putting a couple of bits of steel across the trailer then putting the boat on it to see how the weight sits, you just want a bit of weight on the tongue, then it's easy to add a bit at the back for some rollers. I don't like hulls sitting on the trailer when tied down so I have beam supports, I'll try to get some pics this weekend

Agree with Jeffs, the trailer axle needs to be moved for a better balanced trailer, as to whether it a case of shifting the axle forward or extending the back of a the trailer is guesswork from pics only...

I also agree with Jeffs in regard to the hull carry V's beam carry ......
I modified TwiceShy's trailer from a hull carrying trailer to a beam carrier ......

Plenty of pics here -> TwiceShy

Really simple to add a bit at the back, is it just the camera or are the wheels splayed out?

Certainly appears that way in the photos....



Old school rule...... (For anyone interested) .....1/2 an inch per foot .......

The drawbar isn't included in the measured area, for example, a 6' x4' trailer is obviously 6 foot long, but add the drawbar into it and the combination is up around 10foot overall length......
What we're interested in is the main carrying area, the 6foot bit

So applying our rule...... 6 times half an inch equals 3inches.
That means the axle should be 3inches back from the middle of the trailer's 6foot length.
On an 8foot trailer it would be 8 times 1/2 an inch = 4inches back
On a 20foot trailer it would be 20 times 1/2 an inch = 10 inches back


Same rule applies to tandem trailers, tri-axle's etc etc......

Interestingly enough, the longer the drawbar, the easier it is to reverse

Cheers

Boat trailer is a bit tricky, generally the back of the boat is heavier than the front of the boat need to balance boat on the trailer with sail box, spare wheel etc to work out where the load is, work out how much weight you want on the tow hitch, then find out the legal distance the boat can overhang the rear of the trailer, normally would want the trailer to finish in line with the rear beam

Here's my trailer it's pretty heavy duty for desert camping etc, I have the beach roller cradles under the bows to stop stones, removable struts at the rear hold the rear beam, front beam held by C section, it's no tie down held with a pin at the base of the rear mast stand but still needs tie down when going distance to stop any movement

All my trailers are now flat beds. Simply get 4x8 plywood, attach and cover with carpet. Fits a Wave, Nacra 20 or whatever.
And you can haul other stuff, if need be.
Rick

yes, the trailer box will shift the COG and overall weight a bit.

After knowing the total all-up weight, can you just fiddle with the axle position using the weight on the tongue? Did you say 10% of the total weight should be at the hitch?

I recall first using the N20 trailer (without a sailbox) and the boat was about 1 foot too far back. There was very little weight on the tongue and it jiggled up at almost every bump.

Kind of spooky now, thinking that it could have popped off while trailering it down I-10. But ignorance is bliss... (until the trailer pops off)

10% of the overall trailer weight on the tongue is the general rule. I like to run a little more than that when possible.

Ditto...

MUCH less wagging when there is decent tongue weight.

Mike

Great advice everyone, thankyou. As I mentioned, the axles are very easily moved. There is a series of bolt holes along each side of the trailer frame, and the axles and springs are all one unit. It will be as simple as testing the balance and tongue weight, jacking up each side (at the same time) and moving the axle to the next position, drop the jacks and test. Repeat.

The wheels are a bit splayed out. I questioned it also, when I bought it, but I jumped up and down on the trailer and with some weight they lean back in. I think it's just because the trailer is unloaded.

Still not sure whether to go rollers or build some carpeted bunks in a v-shape. The beam supports are a good idea, but maybe not for me.

I'm about to pick up some 3/16 wall 1.5 in square tube to weld two cross beams on top of the frame, about 8.5ft each. I'll also extend the draw bar a few feet - not sure how much by.... maybe attach a 2x4 board on the draw bar, extending beyond the hitch, and back the car up at the most extreme angle I can ever imagine turning (right angles I guess) and move the 2x4 until it looks like a safe clearance. Then measure and replace with metal.