30 feet on trailer

[dupek]

I am looking for 28-30 feet boat. The question I have: can I put 30 feet boat on trailer to haul to water? Does those range boats have folding mast.

[CapTim]

Well, obviously not all 30 foot boats can be easily trailered... but some of them certainly can. The hobie 33 is trailerable from the factory and sets up in about 2 hours.

When you say 'folding mast' I assume you are thinking of some form of deck-stepped mast that can be raised and lowered without the use of a crane/bridge etc. And there are a bunch of deck-stepped 30 footers out there.

The problem you'll run into, if I can be so bold as to make a gross oversimplification, is that any trailerable boat gives up a fair amount of draft and displacement. So, again - this is very general - a trailerable 30' boat will be more tender and have somewhat less windward performance than a non-trailerable 30. Of course, there are a zillion other factors that apply, but in the balancing game of sailboats, having an easily trailered boat means having less draft and lower ballast ratios.

But it's certainly possible. Most of the bulk producers make something in that range.

[JimsCAL]

In most cases no. And the truck you would need is going to be large. There are a couple of trimarans with folding outer hulls that are possibilities.

[puddinlegs]

Originally Posted by CapTim

So, again - this is very general - a trailerable 30' boat will be more tender and have somewhat less windward performance than a non-trailerable 30. Of course, there are a zillion other factors that apply, but in the balancing game of sailboats, having an easily trailered boat means having less draft and lower ballast ratios.

But it's certainly possible. Most of the bulk producers make something in that range.

...unless it's something like a Farr 30 or Melges 32

[sailingdog]

Most of the trailerable boats stop at about 26' LOA. There are exceptions, but most are trailerable trimarans, like my Telstar 28. Most boats don't have a good mast-raising system, certainly nothing as easy as that on the Telstar, which uses a single line run back to a genoa sheet winch to raise the mast.

Stepping the mast on a boat over 28' LOA becomes a bit of an issue, as the mast is too heavy to easily step without either multiple people or a really good system.

[dupek]

I tough about using 12v winch. When I was young, I was part of crew on small sailboat (Omega) and we had to lay down the mast before bridge and raise after we past it. I never learn the sailing and navigation secrets. I would like to go trough intercostal, but there are some low bridges.

[rgscpat]

Dupek, the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway (ICW} should be just fine for most boats up to about 40 feet long with masts up to about 50 tall and still leave room for a radio antenna just above the mast (and many of the bridges are 65 feet tall). Some of the bridges swing or raise on certain schedules and you will want to get a guidebook that has information on the bridges and navigation of the waterway. Sometimes you call the bridge tender on the VHF radio to get the bridge to open, or you may be able to call a telephone number, or you may have to wait for the bridge to open at certain scheduled times.

A few ports have self-service mast-raising cranes that you and a couple of helpers could use to step your own mast. In other places you might be able to use a " gin pole " to step a mast for boats about 25 to 33 feet LOA. And for really large boats with tall masts that are keel-stepped you may have to pay a boatyard to step and rig your mast.

There are many ways to learn sailing and navigation. Classes, books, and videos are good. So is learning on a small boat; that is a very cheap and quick way to learn basic skills that are good for all sizes of boats.

Most yacht and sailing clubs have lists on their websites for people who want to crew on racing or cruising sailboats. This is a great way to learn. Of course hanging around marinas, looking at bulletin boards at boat supply stores, and joining an inexpensive sailing club, cooperative, or one of the less formal, less expensive, and more water-focused yacht clubs would also be good.

Some states require that younger boaters complete a boating safety class. These are good for all sailors. The classes usually are for one day (or can be taken on the computer) and teach the basic legal requirements for boat safety equipment, registration, and basic safe operation. They teach a little bit about buoys and navigation aids, reading nautical charts, navigation lights, and sound signals. The US Coast Guard and US Power Squadrons teach more extensive classes; these may meet for one evening a week for a couple of months or for a couple of weekends.

Once you have some more sailing experience, you might be able to get a crew position on a boat that is in a long-distance race or being delivered to a new location.

[puddinlegs]

Originally Posted by dupek

I tough about using 12v winch. When I was young, I was part of crew on small sailboat (Omega) and we had to lay down the mast before bridge and raise after we past it. I never learn the sailing and navigation secrets. I would like to go trough intercostal, but there are some low bridges.

Some boats are rigged with a 'tabernacle' mast which is designed to help drop and raise the rig relatively quickly.

[denverd0n]

The short answer to your question is that, with a big enough truck, just about ANY boat can be trailered!



The real question is, how much hassle do you want to deal with in order to be able to trailer your boat? Do you have a big enough vehicle to tow a good sized sailboat? Why do you think you need a trailerable boat? And why do you think you need a 30 foot boat?

I've owned and trailered boats ranging from a 14-foot daysailer up to a fairly heavy, 25-foot weekender. All things considered, the daysailer was more fun and got used a LOT more! My advice is, if you really MUST have a trailerable boat, then instead of thinking about the very biggest boat you can manage, you should be thinking about the very smallest boat you can get by with.

Good luck.

[rgscpat]

Maybe it would be useful to think of trailering in this way...

Ordinary Trailering -- Something we do frequently, maybe every other weekend, usually for relatively short distances (no more than a few hours), and with boats that two people can rig in less than an hour.

Heavy-duty Trailering -- Towing boats cross country on multiple-day trips and towing heavier loads that require powered trailer brakes and full-sized pick-ups or SUVs with heavy duty hitches and "towing packages"; towing weights 3500 - 10 000 lbs.

Large boat self-transport -- Moving and rigging a large, complex boat that requires a gin pole, mast pole, or rental crane and may take half a day to rig and launch, usually only done a few times a year at most. This might be for a 27- to 35-foot keelboat that "summers" in the Great Lakes and "winters" in Florida, for example. It might also be done for a racing keelboat that usually is in a marina slip but is taken on the road for major regattas a few times a year. Most of these boats require wide-load signs and permits. Typical towing vehicles are 250/2500 or 350/3500 dually one-ton large pickups to mid-sized (5500/6500 etc.) commercial trucks; typical towing weights are 10 000 - 20 000 lbs.

Large Yacht Relocation -- Moving a boat that is so large that it requires the professional assistance of a boat moving company or for a do-it-yourself owner to have an equivalent amount of training and equipment. Requires wide-load permits, route planning, and most likely requires a commercial driver's license. Might require pilot vehicles and over-length/over-weight permits and/or utility guidance and re-location (over-height) or specialized low-boy trailers. Might require keel and rudder dis-assembly and re-assembly as well as removal of some deck structures.