Catalina 22 trailer for Chrysler 22?

Lucky Jack · Post by **Lucky Jack** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:34 pm

Hi All,

I've recently inherited a neglected Chrysler 22 swing keel (on cinder blocks and wood supports) and also snapped up a Catalina 22 trailer in good condition. Any opinions on how well this trailer will match up with the Chrysler? My idea is to use a floor jack to carefully raise the boat up a bit, remove the blocks supporting the bow, and back the trailer under the Chrysler. Once the boat is mostly on the trailer, attach winch cable and crank away. Doable or harebrained?

Banshi · Post by **Banshi** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:47 pm

Trailer should work with minimal modifications just be careful to keep the boat properly supported, it weighs in at 3000 lbs + so an accident could be bad news.

kokezaru · Post by **kokezaru** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:50 pm

Be carefull what you are attached to when you are cranking. You don't want to pull the bow eye out! You might consider a strap around the keel, held up in place with some lines around the top.

Lucky Jack · Post by **Lucky Jack** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:35 pm

Thanks guys. One of the problems with the boat is the bow eye does seem a little "loose". I just ordered a strap to sling around the keel which I think will work.

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:27 pm

If the trailer has just bunks, you will want to get the trailer as far under the boat as possible. Once the boat is in the bunks it will be next to impossible to move with the winch.

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:04 am

I soap and watered my bunks down when I moved my C-22 from the cradle to the trailer. Now would be a good time to tighten the bow eye. I used a come-along a few times to move mine useing the bow eye with no problem.

If the trailer has the stands the get a few floor jacks and a 10 long 4"x4"
I'm sure there is someone here that can give you specs on where and hieght on the stands.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 9:35 am

Be very careful... this boat could shift and crush, kill in a millisecond....

you need this...

www.portableboatlift.com

I have nothing to do with the company or even know if the product is safe... it just is sold as a tool to do the exact thing you are trying to do...

might be worth it and could save you...

parared · Post by **parared** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:16 pm

"Once the boat is mostly on the trailer, attach winch cable and crank away. Doable or harebrained?"

Um, I wouldn't do the 'crank away' part. With a couple of floor jacks, and a couple of stands, you should be able to walk the trailer all the way under the boat. When I was painting my bottom, I had two stands under the stern ( chained together ), and a floor jack forward of the keel. This was enough to raise the boat almost a foot off the trailer, and IIRC I could have worked the trailer out from underneath if I had another floor jack.

If I was going to try this, I'd have a couple extra stands also, to make damn sure the boat didn't shift left or right as I was changing the position of the jacks.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:31 pm

always try and keep three stands on each side , evenly spaced at all times...

these boats are a lot bigger and heavier than a car..... and you would have trouble surviving a car falling on you...

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 1:48 pm

NYCSAILOR wrote:you need this... www.portableboatlift.com ... I have nothing to do with the company or even know if the product is safe... it just is sold as a tool to do the exact thing you are trying to do...

Their literature on the site says it's only rated for 2610 pounds and is only recommended for boats 25 foot or less. Even my C-22 tips the scales at over 3000 pounds.

They have nice section about the math and how, supposedly it's only lifting half the weight of the boat.

Nice idea, and I believe the physics works out right. But at $1895 each I'm thinking I can come up with something just as good for a whole lot less, when the time comes.

Lucky Jack · Post by **Lucky Jack** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:26 pm

Thanks for all the good advice. I'm a bit torn now as to whether to attempt this. Darn these "free" boats. Since the boat is free I'm also hesitant to spend a lot of money on moving her so I'll probably go for the careful but cheap route. Currently the keel is in the up position (may be stuck) would putting one of those hydraulic car jacks directly under the keel and raising the boat there be a bad idea? It would probably only be for a few minutes while I got the trailer underneath. I would also brace both sides of boat while doing this.

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 4:38 am

I wouldn't jack from the keel a few wood blocks just in front is the best place because of the mast poll.

I think the Catalina trailer sould be fine. Congrats on the free C-22 The idea of having the trailer makes it more then worth it.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:02 am

I did email the manuf. a few days ago about the weight ( and the draft of my fixed keel c-26) .. he has yet to get back to me....

but his method and design looked good and safer than car jacks for sure.... I always imagined the boat falling on me ...using this forum's .. car jacks method.. and people reading about my death in the local news paper and on the web and muttering////

" ...car jacks.. and the boat slipped out and killed him.... what a dope..what was he thinking..."

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:22 am

Nah we wouldn't think that. We'd think

" ...car jacks.. and the boat slipped out and killed him.... what a dope..what was he thinking...hope the boat's okay...wonder what they want for it ?"

Hey, NYC my oldest and youngest girls visited up your way this summer, had a wonderful time !

Lucky Jack · Post by **Lucky Jack** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:17 am

I'll wear my running shoes just in case I need to get out of the way in a hurry.

I'm currently trying to beg, borrow, or, as a last resort, buy some boat stands as I think the operation will definitely require at least a couple of them.

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:45 am

Lucky Jack wrote:"free" boats. .

....Free boats, that funny

Free boat is a oxymoron

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 7:34 am

EE.... too funny ... and too true.....

hope your daughters had a good time.. lots to see and it has been a great summer in NYC... we are chock full of european tourists right now...

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:29 am

Ok, got my boat on my trailer and plan on ramp launching her to actually get some sailing in this year ( don't ask...)

it is a professionally manufacuteres painted box beam ( this might be trouble) double axle from SailTrailers in GA...

BUT...get this.... I am now learning that you should NEVER dunk a painted trailer in saltwater...one dunk and you can start saying goodbye to your prized and expensive trailer...

Others say.. nonsense.. just hose it off right away and real good...

Others say... you need to modify it with drain holes .. flush ports... replace the hubs every year and get some rust preventative inside the box beams...

I don't want to save a few bucks every year on launching and lose a very expensive trailer to rust ( or worse have it structurally fail and come apart with the weight of the trailer on the road!)

but if I don't use it to launch her.. the trailer is pretty much a waste since the yard includes launch and retreival in winter storage and dosen't like storing boats on trailers anyway...

can I ramp launch a painted box beam trailer and still have it araound in a few years...

Lucky Jack · Post by **Lucky Jack** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:53 am

This might be a good spot for me to mention that the Catalina 22 trailer I had didn't work at all well for this particular Chrysler 22. I managed to muscle the boat on with help from a friend with truck, crane, and winch, but it's only touching the trailer on the keel and bow. That is, there's about a 3 to 6 inch gap between the hull and bunks all around. The boat is also heeling over about 10 degrees atm. I plan to move it back on to stands this weekend then see about modifying the trailer by raising the bunks, etc. I saw a movie years ago about these guys who were moving some nitro across a rickety bridge without blowing themselves up. I felt a bit like this on the trip home expecting any second to watch the boat fall off the trailer.

mga1951 · Post by **mga1951** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:55 pm

Lucky Jack,
I fitted a v-hull powerboat trailer w/ parts from Trailer Depot (on line). It works like a champ. Dual axle, hydro brakes, all the goodies. My original c-22 trlr I sold for $800.
Good luck, it will work. I tow this one all over with no problems.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:14 am

Upon more careful exam... my boat is a "C" channel NOT box beam construction... but IS painted steel.

I get both advice... "no problem launch it from the trailer and then just hose it off.".. and ..." no way, it is a great trailer and you will kill it..pay the few hundred ( about 500) each time to lift it off with a travel lift.. or fork lift... it is much cheaper than having to buy another trailer in a few years...:

I am also wondering what is the best paint to use to protect the trailer from salt water and rust?

kokezaru · Post by **kokezaru** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:50 am

I plan on using my box frame trailer in salt water. It is an older painted trailer that has been used in the ocean many times in the past. It does have rust spots that I have cleaned up and then I used a rust converting primer on it, that is supposed to protect it for 5 yrs, called Rust Destroyer, which I picked up at Home Dumpo. I then just used some Rustoleum professional grade spray paint to cover that. I also replaced most of the bolts with galvanized ones.

I have not used it yet, but my plan is to hose it down after each launch/retrieval, and then inspect it often - especially where parts meet, as that is where water is usually trapped and rusting will start.

I have seem many trailers that are parked near the water that use the lift for launching and are dangerously rusted. So no matter which launch method you use, inspection is the best way to prevent rust. Plan on repainting, or spot painting, at least once a year.

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:55 am

You can paint a steel trailer with Por 15 and never worry about it again.

Lucky Jack · Post by **Lucky Jack** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:17 am

mga1951 wrote:Lucky Jack,
I fitted a v-hull powerboat trailer w/ parts from Trailer Depot (on line). It works like a champ. Dual axle, hydro brakes, all the goodies. My original c-22 trlr I sold for $800.
Good luck, it will work. I tow this one all over with no problems.

Thanks Jeffrey. I just ordered some parts from them which I should be able to bolt on with a few modifications.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:14 pm