Trailer Yacht - How Bigs Too Big or Too Small?

[AngusMcDoon]

http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/59204/

About as big as you can go with a 4x4. We sail one of these round chichester harbour and the solent. Won't win any races but plenty of accommodation.

This is as big as you can go with a 4x4 and standard driving license. It's designed to be the maximum that is legal to tow in EU countries - well at least it was with the EU members at the time of the design. All up tow weight of 3.5 tonnes and a 50' mast.

 

[Seajet]

AFAIK its the plated towing weight on the tow vehicle which is a maximum of 3500kg for 4x4's etc. & not many are plated for this weight. Land Rovers, Range Rovers ( I think), the only hybrid truck is the Isuzu double cab, over this its trucks etc.

That's how I heard it too, a lot of 4x4's can't tow a boat at the heavy end of the scale legally and the makers' plate on the trailer specifying loads is important.

At the western end of the M27 in Hampshire for instance the police lay in wait for caravans and trailed boats ( they have openly said they're targetting boats on trailers ' as they've got away with bending the rules for far too long ' ) - they then 'escort' said car & boat to a weighbridge.

 

[MagicIsland]

Mac 26x

Thats why a Mac 26x wins everytime, water ballast removed a normal car can tow it but they are a bit like marmite

 

[mrming]

I've recently bought a First 235 which is pretty civilised to tow behind a 4x4. The boat weighs about 1500kg all up and the trailer probably adds another 400.

I actually bought it because of the swing keel (I plan to give this creek-crawling business a shot), but if you want an occasional trailer sailer with a modicum of comfort below (a proper enclosed marine head that also converts into a nav station, and two double berths, no less) then it might fit the bill.

I've been doing a few jobs on mine and haven't launched her yet but I understand the sailing performance is fairly rapid also.

Lots more info here: http://www.beneteau235.com

 

[TSB240]

Now should I start the big mac knocking.



No I think the op would enjoy the ease of trailing so much. It would be dead easy to jump on the Holyhead ferry for an Irish sea adventure.

 

[Frogmogman]

Dragonfly 28

If money's not the issue, then I reckon the Dragonfly 28 has to be the ultimate trailer sailer; smokingly fast, beautiful build quality, small but well thought out cabin, and an all up weight including trailer of 2200kg. I guess as a cheaper alternative an older Dragonfly 800SW or farrier would do pretty well.

 

[wotayottie]

Have a pal who tows a Farrier 31 ft trimaran behind one of those Jap pick up truck thingies. Being a multi and without ballast plus foam epoxy construction it is fairly light. Even then he does tow it far or often.

 

[Lakesailor]

Full size 4x4's can tow 3500kg. Land Rover Defender/Discovery/Range Rover, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes ML, Toyota Land Cruiser, The odd Shogun and VW Touareg. there is also some older stuff, Trooper, Four track etc.

The crop of modern Pick ups look like they can tow a lot but usually have fairly small capacities, even the Isuzu is only 3000kg.

Not forgetting a Hummer H2 or a Nissan Patrol

 

[AngusMcDoon]

If money's not the issue, then I reckon the Dragonfly 28 has to be the ultimate trailer sailer; smokingly fast, beautiful build quality, small but well thought out cabin, and an all up weight including trailer of 2200kg. I guess as a cheaper alternative an older Dragonfly 800SW or farrier would do pretty well.

It's unlikely the OP will want a trimaran, but just for the record the Farriers/Corsairs are better for trailer sailing as they are quick to get from trailer to sea, but are pants in a marina as they cannot be left folded without fouling problems, and the DF's are better for leaving in a marina folded, but are quite a mission to assemble ready for sailing - too much faff for a weekend.

 

[Kelpie]

Just to chip in, my 27ft Vega on trailer is just about at the 3.5t limit. It's a winter storage option, not true 'trailer sailing'.

 

[Findhorn]

My Trailer Combo

Not a true trail/sailer as it takes too long to rig and de-rig but the ability to park it in my driveway over winter saves a shed load of pennies and gives me something to tinker with out of season.

Boat weight-1.6 tonnes
Trailer weight-approx 1.2 tonnes
Total- approx 2.8 tonnes

My old Trooper is rated to tow 3.5 tonnes and has no probs handling the load..

 

[cornell_b]

i would like to know how big a motor and tow limits are for your 4x4 is first, and how big is too big, or too small a boat you might like.

 

[wotayottie]

Been thinking about this for a while. Looks to me as if the practical maximum size is about 26 ft and ideally a bit below that. Which means relatively cramped and fairly basic accommodation aboard. Ok if you dont mind roughing it, but in my dotage I do like a bit of comfort.

So changing from a 35 ft mono to a trailer sailer there seem to me to be pro and cons:

pro:
1/ ability to move sailing ground easily - no long delivery passages
2/ bring the boat home in winter
3/ most trailer boats will dry. Present mono wont. Cheaper moorings.

cons
1/ space and comfort aboard
2/ need for a big 4x4 and associated expense
3/ inability to make more challenging passages

Cant really see the change making sense for someone on the south coast but it may well do for someone like me who, lives in south wales and has to round lands end and the lizard to his summer base.

 

[Lakesailor]

You seem to have summarised the issue.

Now to put it into practice.

 

[Quandary]

Amazing how things have changed; in 1976 we went to Poole with a trailer and a borrowed builders van to collect a 26' Trapper 300, fin keel 5' draught. we took it home to Antrim commissioned it and launched it in time to compete in the Scottish series, including a feeder race from Bangor. We continued to race it and to cruise between Isle of Man and Skye each summer. In winter we took it out and trailed it to Lurgan where there was a good slip and sailed it up Lough Neagh to compete in the Antrim Boat Club winter series which ran over 20 winter Sundays. Back to Lurgan before Easter to tow it home for a couple of weeks for antifouling etc. Then down to Larne to launch in the sea for the summer. We towed it with our Ford Sierra and with all the slipping had to change trailer wheel bearings frequently, sometimes while in transit, but the Police were less interested in us in those days.

When we first picked it up in Poole the guys in the yard read the address on the side of the van, Portglenone (Co. Antrim) they immediately started sticking big Union Jack export posters all over it, they thought we must be taking it to Italy, someone on the ferry took exception to the Union flags and let all our tyres down.

 

[TSB240]

Amazing how things have changed; in 1976 we went to Poole with a trailer and a borrowed builders van to collect a 26' Trapper 300, fin keel 5' draught. we took it home to Antrim commissioned it and launched it in time to compete in the Scottish series, including a feeder race from Bangor. We continued to race it and to cruise between Isle of Man and Skye each summer. In winter we took it out and trailed it to Lurgan where there was a good slip and sailed it up Lough Neagh to compete in the Antrim Boat Club winter series which ran over 20 winter Sundays. Back to Lurgan before Easter to tow it home for a couple of weeks for antifouling etc. Then down to Larne to launch in the sea for the summer. We towed it with our Ford Sierra and with all the slipping had to change trailer wheel bearings frequently, sometimes while in transit, but the Police were less interested in us in those days.

When we first picked it up in Poole the guys in the yard read the address on the side of the van, Portglenone (Co. Antrim) they immediately started sticking big Union Jack export posters all over it, they thought we must be taking it to Italy, someone on the ferry took exception to the Union flags and let all our tyres down.

Love it only in Ireland!

Somebody I know working for JLR has just completed a survey of Range Rover owners.

He has had some very honest replies especially from Irish agricultural equipment owners as to what weight it can tow but not necessarily legally nor very far!

 

[BAtoo]

Been thinking about this for a while. Looks to me as if the practical maximum size is about 26 ft and ideally a bit below that. Which means relatively cramped and fairly basic accommodation aboard. Ok if you dont mind roughing it, but in my dotage I do like a bit of comfort.

So changing from a 35 ft mono to a trailer sailer there seem to me to be pro and cons:

pro:
1/ ability to move sailing ground easily - no long delivery passages
2/ bring the boat home in winter
3/ most trailer boats will dry. Present mono wont. Cheaper moorings.

cons
1/ space and comfort aboard
2/ need for a big 4x4 and associated expense
3/ inability to make more challenging passages

Cant really see the change making sense for someone on the south coast but it may well do for someone like me who, lives in south wales and has to round lands end and the lizard to his summer base.

I was pleasantly surprised by the space on the Bene Spirit 260 I looked at - not too different from my First 310 (it's bigger sister). The Sunfast 2500 was somewhat more cramped.

So the "con" about the tow vehicle is right - unless you can "justify" it for work (I almost can );
the space may well be an issue, but not necessarily so for some boats at the top end of the towing range - but they will be relatively "big beasts" to tow
passage making will be limited again in relation to size

in addition-
if no trailer then another £3-5K for a new one (2nd hand are cheaper but often hard to come by)
also cost of lift-in/out, mast up/down if needed to add to this (almost certainly needed for a 26ft'r)

My Squib mast weighs 17kg (19ft boat), a 23ft boat's mast will be twice that and I expect a 26ft boats mast probably 3-4x (100kg ish ??), my 31ft Bene's mast I can just about nudge the end up when its on a trestle.

 

[Kelpie]

So the "con" about the tow vehicle is right - unless you can "justify" it for work (I almost can );

An old Disco for about £1k might do the trick, especially if you only tax/insure it for half a year. Or hire, if that's an option.

My Squib mast weighs 17kg (19ft boat), a 23ft boat's mast will be twice that and I expect a 26ft boats mast probably 3-4x (100kg ish ??), my 31ft Bene's mast I can just about nudge the end up when its on a trestle.

It'll depend on the boat, but on my 27ft boat the mast is probably <50kg; certainly SWMBO and I can relatively easily move it around. If we had a tabernacle on the boat we would probably manage to raise/lower it ourselves. In fact we have in the past just tipped it off a harbour wall to put it up, rather than get a crane.

 

[Findhorn]

Ditto..ish

An old Disco for about £1k might do the trick, especially if you only tax/insure it for half a year. Or hire, if that's an option.



It'll depend on the boat, but on my 27ft boat the mast is probably <50kg; certainly SWMBO and I can relatively easily move it around. If we had a tabernacle on the boat we would probably manage to raise/lower it ourselves. In fact we have in the past just tipped it off a harbour wall to put it up, rather than get a crane.

I paid £1500 for my old (1998) Trooper..5 years ago.only does about 3k miles per year..cheap insurance and road tax..great tow wagon .

Boat fitted with tabernacle so I can raise/lower the main mast single handed...with guides (crude ones) to ease the boat onto submerged trailer, I can launch and recover single handed, given a suitable ramp.

 

[TQA]

Not so sure if all trailer sailers are happy drying out. I know that the Jaguar 22 in lift keel mode is not and the bilge keel variant often shows sign of keel attachment damage if kept on a drying mooring.