Trailering When Willie Nelson sang "On the Road Again", he had in mind touring the country with his music band and performing concerts. For those of us with trailerable sailboats, "On the Road Again" means getting away from our local area to explore new cruising grounds, or participate in another race. Without a trailer a sailboat is restricted to the local body of water it is kept. With a trailer one can cruise the Chesapeake, the South Carolina Islands, or even San Francisco Bay. One can race at any number of regattas held on coastal waters and inland lakes all over the country. In addition, a trailer is a necessary tool for periodic inspection and maintenance. You will find any number of people willing to help you select the perfect trailer. Everyone you talk to will offer their recommendations, and you will become more confused. One will tell you tandem wheels are required, another will tell you a single axle is sufficient. One will say surge brakes are required, and another will tell you they are not. There are three items that must be met. The other issues involve personal preference along with some give and take. First, the trailer must be rated for the weight of the boat, and gear that will be on the boat while towing. Not all Catalina 22s are created equal. At the 1996 nationals, boats weighed from 2130 Lb. to 2570 Lb. These were racing boats. Cruising boats tend to be a bit heavier. Second, the trailer must be designed for the specific keel of the Catalina 22. There are three different keel configurations. A swing keel boat has a 2' draft with the keel up. A wing keel boat has a 2.5' draft. A fin keel boat has a 3.5' draft. Third, the tow vehicle must be rated for the combined weight of the boat and trailer. The combined weight of our boat and trailer is approximately 3,000 Lb. There are any number of light utility vehicles capable of towing a Catalina 22. We found a good used Jeep Cherokee Country with a towing capacity of 4,500 Lb. It is equipped with a six cylinder, 4.0 liter engine. At highway speed the Jeep pulled the boat with no problem. The vehicle did not slow down climbing the grade on I75 to Chattanooga. It does, however, slow down a bit on hills when driving rural roads. The transmission is the weakest link of any tow vehicle, and heat is the enemy. The tow vehicle should be equipped with a towing package, which consists of additional cooling for the transmission and engine. This can be installed in a vehicle for around $200 to $300. We will be adding this to our Jeep in the near future. Trailers are available in galvanized or painted steel. We opted for the galvanized version. Painted trailers rust and chip after a few years use. Tongue extenders facilitate getting the trailer into deeper water. This is essential, especially with a wing or fin keel boat. Trailers are available with single or tandem axles. In addition to increased load capacity, tandem axles provide additional security incase of a flat. However, tandem axles mean twice the maintenance and maintenance cost. Instead of two tires and wheel bearings to maintain, there are four. We opted for a single axle. Most Catalina 22 trailers I have seen are single axle. This keeps the cost and maintenance down. It also means we will be more likely to check our tires and wheel bearings before starting a trip. We selected a trailer with smaller diameter wheels. We have a wing keel boat. The smaller diameter wheels set the trailer lower in the water, making launch and retrieval easier. Although these tires are perfectly capable of supporting the load they are required to carry, there is one maintenance concern. A smaller diameter tire must turn at a faster RPM in order to travel the same speed as the full size tires of the tow vehicle. The faster RPM means increased friction and heat on the wheel bearings. A final consideration when purchasing a trailer is surge brakes. The tow vehicle requires more stopping distance when towing 3,000 Lb. Surge brakes will help bring the tow vehicle and trailer to a stop. Surge brakes increase the cost of the trailer and maintenance. Our trailer is not equipped with surge brakes. We drive slower and allow plenty of stopping room. Pam and Dennis Slaton met us at the lake the night before our first road trip, to help load our boat on the trailer. This was the first time we had attempted to trailer the boat, and we were in for a few surprises. I expected the trailer to be properly adjusted for our boat. It was not. The bunkers, that support the boat, were about four or five inches too high. The Jeep was backed in so far that there was water on the floor of the back seat. The wing keel guides were also too close together, and set too far back. The keel sat on one guide and the entire boat was leaned over. It was a cold, wet experience. If I had it to do over again, I would have tested the trailer a week before the planned trip, not the night before. However, after making the initial adjustments we have been able to launch and retrieve the boat without incident. Purchasing a trailer has increased the enjoyment of our sailing experience. We have participated in several regattas, made several new friends, and sailed some of the most beautiful waters the southeast offers. We hope you can join us. We can all sing "On the Road Again". It would make Willie Nelson proud. |