Trailer Info.

jaeger

New Member
Does anyone have any documentation on the Catalina official recommendations for the ideal trailer bunk and roller positions and sizes for the Capri 14.2?

I have a Load Rite Lil Rider trailer. The rear bunks seem ok but I am wondering about the front roller. It is located about 2 and a half feet back from the bow water line mark when the boat is loaded all the way on. The roller is only 3 inches wide, so I am concerned about the pounds per sq inch on that area of the boat. The hull is not really pointed that far back. I do get in the boat to rig it while it is on the trailer so I am adding ~200Lbs. I have stopped crawling out on the bow deck to connect the jib becuse of this concern. I am thinking about sliding the winch and stop further back, to move the boat further back so there is more weight put on the bunks . I also think I may slide the front roller forward so it rest on a more pointed area of the hull.
 
That is approximately the same support positioning as on my trailer. I have similar concerns. I have purchased a V shaped hard rubber support block that I plan to install on the V-ed portion of the hull between the fwd roller and the winch stop. I saw a C14 that a sailor was enjoying a month or so ago. I believe he had paid a couple of hundred for the boat with a broken mast. He had spliced the mast with a piece of steel pipe epoxied inside the mast. The hull was very deformed due to poor trailor support positioning and posibly lots of snow and ice load. Even so the boat was still providing enjoyment for a new sailor.
 
I also am concerned about the strap that I put across the boat at the rear to secure it to the trailer. I can see whaere there are stress cracks in that area, on the gunnels from the previous owner. It seems that if you tighten the strap down and the drive a bit that the strap makes it's way aft to the narrower part of the boat and it slackens. Only if you tighten it a littile more than I would like and I think this puts stress on the gunnels and starts to belly in the hull with the bunks , does it seem to stay tight as you ride. I have thought about placing a 1x6 across the boat, that is just as wide as the boat. The strap would run over this and through some notches cut at each end. Then run some lines up to the Jib cleats to hold it forward. Of course some sort of padding underneath to protect the boat.

I think this should alleviate the stress at the gunnel and the slippage to the rear. If this was "beefed" up this may even be a good plas to put a rear support for the mast when trailering or stepping the mast.

Art
 
Swivel trailer bunks for the bow

Well after thinking far too long about how to support the front of the boat with something more than the 2 square inches supplied by a 4 inch spool keel roller, I think I have a winner.

All of the pieces are standard items available from West Marine, with the exception of the 2x4 lumber, some PVC pipe and the "cheap" indoor/ outdoor carpeting. Total cost for the West Coast marine supplied items was $35.00.

West Coast Marine parts:

334375 Roller Shaft $ 9.49
175927 5 and a quarter Keel Roller $ 6.49
408874 Keel Roller Bracket $11.99
Nuts and bolts (I got Stainless) $ 6.80

Home Depot or Scrap:

2x4
PVC pipe that has slightly more than a 5/8 th inch inside diameter and 7/8 th outside diameter
Some 5/8th inch flat washers

I made the bunks (2x4) with 12 inches of length contacting the hull. I slanted the top on the bunks with a circular saw so they mathed the slight slope of the hull. I made the rear of the bunk slightly heavier (Position of the hole) so that they would automatically slant down when the boat was loaded.

I wanted a shaft that was 5/8 th in diameter. The only rollers they sell with this size holes were 5 inch rollers. I used a hack saw to chop out about an inch very close to one of the "spool" ends. I did this to avoid having the v-shape of the bow from squeezing in and contacting the shaft.

I also moved the original roller forward to the area were the hull is V-shaped.

All in all I feel much better about the support. Even if only one of the bunks is actually support the hull, that is 1.5 x 12= 18 sq. inches instead of 2.

I tried loading and unloading today....Perfect!!!

BONUS....The bunks floated when I loaded the boat...auto leveling. Also, I did not need to back the car so far into the water to get the boat on.

See the pictures for a better idea of how it looks.
 

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2nd picture of Swivel bunks

Picture with bunks mounted
 

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Swivel Bunks Picture 3

I attaced the carpeting with wood deck screws and aluminum finishing washers.
 

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