How Trailable is a 24'+ Trailer Sailer

[Phil_M]

How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

There are a variety of 24 foot plus Trailer Sailor’s out there but actually how trailable are they?
Specifically interested in the water ballasted ones for the ease of transport. Accommodation need to be of reasonable size to cope with two adults plus two children for a weekend of sailing. Sailing will be limited to coastal cruising.


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[Joe_Cole]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

I think the answer on our roads is "only just". I tow my boat down to the coast at the beginning of the season and bring it back again for the winter. It's great to be able to work on her over the winter but I really wouldn't want to do any more journeys than that. Mind you, I hate towing!

Joe

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[cynthia]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

We used to trail a Parker 275 down to the Med. in summer, using a Discovery. No problems, straight down the payage, using it as an overnight caravan. Very stable as weight in the right place and trailor built to a high standard. Rigging and de-rigging in hot weather was more of a chore though.

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[TrailerSailer]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

We have a Sportina (about 2.75t on the trailer) that we keep at home and trail down to the South Coast behind a Discovery. Takes about 15 mins longer than in just a car to get the 55 miles down to Hythe on Southampton Water - that says how bad the roads are. Rarely get above 50mph but no real problem. Also save the £400+ pcm for marina charges!

Like one of the other posts we intend to trail down to the Med next year and use it for overnight stops there and back. I'd estimate 2 good days travelling from here to do the 1000 miles.

At the end of the day it just depends on what you want. Possibly in time we'll move the boat into position at the beginning of the season and leave it on the trailer in the boatyard fully rigged.

As an aside; having looked at the water ballasted ones I'd not go for one. Happy with the extra weight. Boat performed really well in Southampton Water the other weekend in a F5 gusting F6. Did not feel unsafe at all. As with all boats sail within your and the craft's limits!

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[StugeronSteve]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

Dehler 25. Water ballast, lifting keel. Sits low on trailer and tows well 55mph behind Ford Galaxy (provided that the outboard and rudder are removed and stowed in car to reduce tail weight). Mast raising/lowering system makes rigging a doddle and not bad to launch, although the floating launch trolley tends to slip away on the tide. Plenty of room for 4, but low headroom. Great fast sailing boat as well!

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[Miquel_Culzean]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

We have a Macgregor 26 that we trailor from Belgium to Costa Brava (Spain), so about 1400 Km; We don't use much of the motorway, as the speed is not that high, so you can enjoy more the view in roads, and it is less expensive. And we do it in 2 days, so we use it as caravan to sleep.

It is the first trailorable boat we have (in fact, no experience with trailers of any kind before the boat), and we came to look for it in England, where we bought it. We had no problem, even if it was the forst time with a trailer (a long one, by the way), and driving in "the other side".

We are 2 adults and 4 children (2 of 12 and 2 of 8).

We also sail in Belgium and Holand, and like to do some inner water navigation in Belgium, Netherland and France.

We keep our boat in the trailer, and we rig it every time we sail. Perhaps because wa have got used to, but we find it OK (about 45 minutes work).

Regards,

Miquel.
Culzean

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[William_H]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

Hello Phil good luck with your quest. I have had my trailer sailer for 22 years though I admit I don't tow it far.. In the early days we towed 200 miles to a race without any real trouble but you need a car with good cooling system etc. 4WD is good but I found automatic transmission is nearly as good onm ramps. I actually towed the boat home once with a 2 litre toyota without problem considering our club has a hill of about 100 metres at fiendish slope. You will need to keep up the maintenance on the trailer as rust is a real killer . beware of box sections which can'r be accessed. As for the boat mine is a 6.5 metre made in Melbourne (still) at about 10K UK pounds . (eat your heart out thats what a miserable Oz dollar does to you. I don't imagine it's worth you trying to import into EU however.
Any way it's a fine boat. I like the vertically dropping keel with 100kg balast that goes right into the hull when retracted to give a flat bottom and very shallow draft. The stern can come to ankle deep water so no need for a dinghy. There is a lot of under floor balst but no water balast. I tdon't think I would be keen on water balast.
This boat is very fast compared with fixed keel boats but does require early reefing as it is relatively tender. It is however self righting as I seem to test it a few times each season with spinnacher broaches. I appologise for raving about my boat but I do love it . It has room for 4 although a 24 foot would be better. I would love to be able to wander around UK and Europe with it but that is a bit of a pipe dream. Good luck.

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[ditchcrawler]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

I used to tow a Hunter Minstrel 23ft which had a cradle launcher on the trailer with a Ford Scorpio 2.9 litre.No problems except whilst towing the fuel consumption is very high.A big car/engine certainly helps,& you need to allow more time for your journey.

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[xcw]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

Phil,
I have owned a Macgregor 26 for the past 9 years (the proper sailing version not the sail/power hybrid). The beauty of the water ballast system is that she is very light to trail/launch/recover. I understand that she weighs no more than the average caravan and I certainly trailed her easily with a 2.0l Cavalier. The main problem with towing is the length, but, if you are happy with this and stick to main roads it is ok (I got used to it very quickly). If you are looking for the flexibility of a trailer sailer over 20 feet I believe a water ballast yacht is the only option. Yes they have limitations, but all boats are a compromise. We have had a huge amount of fun sailing her with 2 adults and 2 children all over the solent and with the lifting keel you can sail in very shallow waters (she floats in less than 12 inches of water). She is currently on the market only because we have bought a larger yacht for longer range sailing. If you would like any further information please send me a pm.

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[oldharry]

How do the boats peerform on the road, though?

Trailer law in the UK is tightening all the time, and the Police accordingly getting more and more interested in the interests of 'crime detection rates'. The primary consideration is the manufacturers specified 'Gross Train Weight ' for the towing vehicle. This is the maximum all up weight the vehicle is designed to carry, and is the weight of the entire outfit with gear. Generally most cars are only now permitted to tow between 70 and 90% of their own weight. This does not mean they are not able to carry more - they are simply not allowed to by law. Ignore that at your peril as the Police have the power to stop you and insist that your boat is moved only by a vehicle capable of legally taking the all-up load. Imagine the cost and hassle of having to crane your boat on to a low loader at short notice!

I would imagine (though I have not checked the weights of the boats in question) that very few 24 footers are light enough to be towed legally behind the average family car. The Gross Train Weight is specified on the vehicle Identification Plate usually somewhere under the bonnet. Look for the VIN number, and the GTW rating will be nearby.

Be aware of you are going foreign that the French Gendarmerie (which includes my brother in law) are very concerned about 'overloaded' English cars, and are mounting an ongoing campaign to monitor and prevent overloading, which they see as a serious road hazard (and a good way of getting at Les Anglais...)

The trailer if new should meet current regulations - the supplier can be held liable if not, and must not be loaded beyond the manufacturers specified limits defined on a plate which is legally required to be attached to the trailer.

The difficulty is that it is very easy to exceed these legal limits. Say the boat wieighs 1 ton. The trailer may well weigh a further 250 - 300 kg - a lot more as the load weight increases. Then by the time you have put all your gear aboard, fuel, water, dinghy and outboard, as well as all your personal gear, it is not unusual to be looking at a further 1/4 ton - which if the outfit was near the limits before you started loading could put you well the wrong side of PC Plod.

Having saidf all this, having towed boats on and off for nearly 40 years, I have never ever been stopped and checked.

But having once lived near a Ministry Of Transport checkpoint and weighing station on the M5, during the summer it was surprising how many people had had their boats and caravans impounded there. While here in Sussex the Police are regularly out on the A/M27 checking out vehicles towing anything at all heavy.

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[xcw]

Re: How do the boats peerform on the road, though?

I quite agree, hence my decision to buy a water ballast boat. She is within the legal towing limits of my car (a 2.0l hatchback) but at the same time gives the space of a 26 footer.

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[Phil_M]

Re: How Trailable is a 24\'+ Trailer Sailer

Thanks to everyone for their response to my posting.

Reading and summarizing what people have said I got the following general points

1-Boat needs to be one with a quick rig mast.
2-Water Ballast very good for trailering weight (not so good on the water)
3-Can be used as a caravan while on the trailer
4-Need 24 foot plus for 2 Adults and 2 Children, in fairly comfortable conditions
5-Can park on your trailer out of the water to save on Marina costs.

Since we have a Freelander (2000kg weight limit) the water balasted boats are in scope. My main concern would be the 1.5 hour drive over the Welsh Mountains to Aberystwyth (closest port). So maybe a journey too far
Will probably use the hardstanding there or take a harbor berth.
Looking round the harbor, it looks potentially possible to launch even when the tide is low as the harbor slipway drops into the Marina area. Would need to have a shallow draft boat of course.

The "Choosing a trailer-sailer" article in PBO May 2002 describes a range of potential boats.

Currently not looking to buy a boat till I have been on a course in October.

Thanks again for all the post

Phil Morgan


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