| How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically? #235345 07/28/11 12:16 PM 07/28/11 12:16 PM |
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah tomthouse OP
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Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah | Well, I found a replacement mast for the one I broke on my Stiletto 27. However, the guy who has it can only get it from Florida to Bismarck, North Dakota.
I'll travel from Salt Lake City, Utah to pick it up.
I just finished checking with the Highway Patrol and this is what I discovered.
I can transport the 38 foot mast, like the big rigs transport long stuff.
They use a what is called a "tow trailer".
I can lash one end of the mast (or the bigger piece of the broken mast) to the tongue and bed of a very small flat bad trailer. The other end is lashed to a tow bar.
The result is that the mast itself becomes a "tongue extension" to the trailer.
All that is then required is to add some wiring extensions.
Towing it behind our Corolla (40-45 mpg) or Matrix (30-35 mpg) should provide an economical way to transport the mast.
A Highway Patrol officer said that would be the same as towing any 38 foot boat or trailer. However, transporting only the mast (by itself on a very small flatbed) is a very light tow.
The Highway Patrol officer said that this approach is legal and required no special permits or hassles.
He advised that I install some clearance lights, at intervals, between the tow trailer and the tow vehicle.
That will alert other drivers to the fact that the tow trailer and tow vehicle are connected.
The extra lights should help prevent cars from errantly cutting in, just after the tow vehicle passes.
Traveling from Salt Lake City to Bismarck and back to get this mast will already cost a round trip of 2,400 miles and 35 hours hours of driving, plus the cost of the mast.
Any thoughts....about this method of transporting the mast or anyother way to get it from there (Bismarck, North Dakotato Salt City?
Just in case you're wondering, a trucking company already bid it at over $2,000 and this trip will cost me about ten tanks of gas at 10 gallons per fill up.
In the bargain I get to see the sights between SLC, Utah and Bismarck, North Dakota...and that's gotta be good...right..??????
Last edited by tomthouse; 07/28/11 12:21 PM.
| | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: catman]
#235418 07/29/11 01:35 PM 07/29/11 01:35 PM |
Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,307 Asuncion, Paraguay Luiz
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Posts: 1,307 Asuncion, Paraguay | You just checked with one trucking Co? Have you tried a boat trucking Co? I second that. Give the trucking company the choice of date. The price drops dramatially if you can wait until a boat or other suitable cargo is headed your way. Works best with a company near your location, for it is return freight.
Luiz
| | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: Luiz]
#235427 07/29/11 02:13 PM 07/29/11 02:13 PM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 12,310 South Carolina Jake
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Posts: 12,310 South Carolina | You just checked with one trucking Co? Have you tried a boat trucking Co? I second that. Give the trucking company the choice of date. The price drops dramatially if you can wait until a boat or other suitable cargo is headed your way. Works best with a company near your location, for it is return freight. Trucking companies are scary with something as long and fragile with a mast...particularly if you are giving them a large flexibility with the date. If they have that kind of time they'll probably transfer the mast at stations along the way. Each transfer risks damage. I've heard of nothing but nightmares when trying to ship a stand alone mast by a trucking company.
Jake Kohl | | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: mikekrantz]
#235548 08/01/11 08:53 AM 08/01/11 08:53 AM |
Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 338 Nimrod
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Posts: 338 | maybe I'm missing soemthing, but don't you have a trailer for your stilletto?
Use that trailer, but leave the boat at home to save weight. With a Corolla? Can't haul the weight, it will burn that transmission up after 150 or so miles. | | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: Nimrod]
#235558 08/01/11 02:21 PM 08/01/11 02:21 PM |
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah tomthouse OP
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Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah | "With a Corolla? Can't haul the weight, it will burn that transmission up after 150 or so miles."
Exactly..!
If I use the Stiletto's trailer to haul the mast, the Corolla wouldn't handle it.
I'd have to drive a pirckup or at least something like a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
However, the Corolla will handle the weight of a small tow trailer and the weight of the mast, with little problem.
If I use the Stiletto's trailer to transport the mast, that adds 800-1,000 pounds of unnecessary weight.
I'm still thinking of using the broken mast to extend the trailer tongue of a small trailer.
The mast section is really fairly stiff and shouldn't add much flex and sway to a small trailer, used as a tow trailer.
To that I'd have to add some simple mast cradles to support the mast in about the same locations, as if it were on the Stiletto's trailer mast cradles.
The total tow weight, of trailer and mast, should be around 400-500 lbs.
That's well within the cargo weight limits of the Corolla. | | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: hobie1616]
#235561 08/01/11 03:46 PM 08/01/11 03:46 PM |
Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 678 Palm Beach County TheManShed
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Posts: 678 Palm Beach County | The reason a mast is stiff is from the diamond wires and stays. I would not trust a mast to be stiff enough to be the body of your trailer rig. Get a smaller trailer and support the mast your dollar feebleness now may result in the purchase of a 3rd mast.
Mike Shappell www.themanshed.comTMS-20 Builder G-Cat 5.7 - Current Boat NACRA 5.2 - early 70's | | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: TeamChums]
#235566 08/01/11 05:50 PM 08/01/11 05:50 PM |
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah tomthouse OP
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Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah | Lee,
I've tried calling a time or two, to explore some options.
The last time I left a voice mail.
I'm still trying to think my way through all this, while exploring as many options as possible.
I'd guess this will all come to a head, when the mast leaves Florida, strapped to the Stiletto 30 and begins its trip to Bismarck on its way to Canada.
I think that will occur the week of August 7, sometime...though they still don't have the boat ready for transport.
I did do some calling to Bismarck storage and boat dealers, to explore some temporary storage and costs.
That's to explore some options to give me some breathing room, in case I can't get there (or make some kind of arrangements) at the same time that the Stiletto 30 comes through Bismarck.
So far I haven't found any place to leave the mast in Bismarck or any other option except driving there to pick it up myself.
The mast is 34 feet long and probably weighs 150-200 lbs.
Give me a call at your convenience.
Thanks,
Tom cell 801-589-9596 | | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: tomthouse]
#235604 08/02/11 01:00 PM 08/02/11 01:00 PM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 2,844 42.904444 N; 88.008586 W Todd_Sails
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Posts: 2,844 42.904444 N; 88.008586 W | "With a Corolla? Can't haul the weight, it will burn that transmission up after 150 or so miles."
Exactly..!
If I use the Stiletto's trailer to haul the mast, the Corolla wouldn't handle it.
I'd have to drive a pirckup or at least something like a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
However, the Corolla will handle the weight of a small tow trailer and the weight of the mast, with little problem.
If I use the Stiletto's trailer to transport the mast, that adds 800-1,000 pounds of unnecessary weight.
I'm still thinking of using the broken mast to extend the trailer tongue of a small trailer.
The mast section is really fairly stiff and shouldn't add much flex and sway to a small trailer, used as a tow trailer.
To that I'd have to add some simple mast cradles to support the mast in about the same locations, as if it were on the Stiletto's trailer mast cradles.
The total tow weight, of trailer and mast, should be around 400-500 lbs.
That's well within the cargo weight limits of the Corolla. So, you're telling us then that these tow vehicles you have - corrolla, Matrix, are Automatic transmissions? And, have no tranny cooler? O/w, you are NOT going to burn up a manual tranny. Ya, LIke Mikkee said, take a picture when you decide
F-18 Infusion #626- SOLD it!
'Long Live the Legend of Chris Kyle'
| | | Re: How can I transport a 38 foot mast, economically?
[Re: orphan]
#235616 08/02/11 02:52 PM 08/02/11 02:52 PM |
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah tomthouse OP
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Posts: 144 Near SLC, Utah | I have tried that company and other shipping/trucking companies.
So far, using them will add as much as the mast cost, doubling the cost and I haven't even begun dealing with rigging replacement or repair after the fiasco.
One fellow cat sailor has offered to transport it from Minot or Bismarck, ND to Billings Montana, half the distance from Bismarck to Utah.
Cat sailors always amaze me how ready they are to help, whenever the can.
A very thoughtful fellow sailor and a great group of folks.
I'm also exploring places to stash the mast to provide some flexibility.
Getting to Bismark at the exact time, that the Stiletto 30 transport crew gets there, is tough.
When I couldn't find a boat shop, storage facility, etc., willing to help (even for a fee) I called a church, in Bismarck to see if I could have the transport crew leave it there for a few hours or days, depending on how this all goes.
The Bishop of that Mormon church was kind enough to make arrangements with a local church member. (He thought it would be safer than just being left behind the church building.
The people he called readily agreed to allow the mast to be dropped off (at the convenience of the transport folk) and store it at their place until I can get there or make other arrangements.
Ya know, there are lots of great folks all over the place.
It's fun to run across them, where ever they are.
Its even fun to be one of them every now and again.
It make the world just a nicer place to be....or at least in our little corner of it.
"Pay it forward" is an interesting concept and goes further (sometimes) than "pay it back" to make it even...though paying it back is good also.
Working in and around law enforcement, jails and prisons so long might make one a bit cynical.
Though even there some folks still display various degree of kindness, etc. under some pretty surprising circumstances and conditions.
I can hardly wait to see how this all works out.
Life is good, even with a broken mast.
Oh, and as for the tranny cooler....
I hava stick shift so an over heated engin/tranny probably isn't a big problem, if the load isn't outrageous. However, the clutch in even the stick shift is so small it probably could be a problem, when starting off from a standing start., or trying to back up especially up hill.
Last edited by tomthouse; 08/02/11 02:59 PM.
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