Towing a CP 25...any advice?

[Dogboy]

I've towed many boats, and each seems to have its quirks on the road in terms of what to put where to keep it from flopping and destroying things.  I have a new to me CP25 that I'll be towing home (200ish flat windy miles) next week.  My tow vehicle is a 2500 suburban with a 7.4L v8, so I'm not concerned on that end, more the boat specific...make sure you remove this, tie this here type things.

New boat has a bimini and the frame is on the boat now.  Should I remove the frame for towing or will it be okay?  Does anyone have a checklist of things to review on the magic-tilt trailer before going besides brake fluid, bearing grease and tire psi?  Do you disconnect all the shrouds and lead them down into the cabin, leave them attached and bungee them off the deck?  There is no furler so just the head-stay.

I realize there are not many of these boats out there, but I'm hoping at least a few have experience towing these things.

[relamb]

I towed my CP23 over 6,000 miles the first year, several 1200 mile trips.
I always left the bimini on and tied the frame down, with a zipped on cover over the canvas.
Make sure it's padded if it rubs anything, and can't touch anything sharp that could cut it.
I also left the shrouds on deck attached to the mast and to the chainplates, just carefully tied them where they would not rub on things.
I had a CDI furler and tied the drum so that it was suspended off the deck and couldn't bob around too much and kept the extrusion straight.
Zip ties are useful for tying up shrouds and lines, you can cut them off when you arrive at the destination.
Also useful, rolls of electrical tape.  Use the tape on backwards so the sticky side is OUT, not sticking to your rigging or boat.
As you wrap it will stick to itself.  If you don't want the sticky side out to collect bugs and dirt, twist the tape over and wrap the last outer layer with the sticky side in.  When you get where you're going, cut it off with a pocket knife.
I use about two rolls when I trailer my CP27 and wrap the shrouds to the mast every 3 -4 feet and wherever they could move around and touch anything.
I use rags for padding sometimes, but they get wet and hold water.  Lowes sells pink foam insulation that's about 4" wide and maybe 1/8" thick wrapped in a roll maybe 18" diameter.  Kind of like carryout container styrofoam, only much more flexible.  Doesn't seem to soak up water. Sometimes I'll wrap a few layers of that around the rails where the mast would be sitting on the railing, and secure it with electrical tape for padding.  I wrap it around any wood blocks I use on the deck to support the mast to keep the wood from scuffing the deck.

As far as the trailer - check your tires, bearings, lights, and brakes. I always carry two spares, when I run over something on the road I have more than once blown two tires.  I hit a wiper arm lying in the road that pierced the front tire, flipped up and went into the 2nd tire.  You can travel slowly on 3 wheels if you have a short chain to tie up the axle that's missing a wheel.  I've had to do that twice as well when a bearing went out.
Rick

[Dogboy]

I always left the bimini on and tied the frame down, with a zipped on cover over the canvas.
Make sure it's padded if it rubs anything, and can't touch anything sharp that could cut it.

The fabric is removed, its just the frame.  I think I may just secure it with tape to be sure it doesn't come apart.

I also left the shrouds on deck attached to the mast and to the chainplates, just carefully tied them where they would not rub on things.
I had a CDI furler and tied the drum so that it was suspended off the deck and couldn't bob around too much and kept the extrusion straight.
Zip ties are useful for tying up shrouds and lines, you can cut them off when you arrive at the destination.
Also useful, rolls of electrical tape.  Use the tape on backwards so the sticky side is OUT, not sticking to your rigging or boat.

I used to do this.  But with the Sunday Cat it generated a lot of trash when you get to your destination.  I switched to cable clamps  and bungee cords and sail ties.  I suppose there will be a significant difference in the frequency of trailering a Sunday Cat vs. a CP 25.

I use rags for padding sometimes, but they get wet and hold water.  Lowes sells pink foam insulation that's about 4" wide and maybe 1/8" thick wrapped in a roll maybe 18" diameter.  Kind of like carryout container styrofoam, only much more flexible.  Doesn't seem to soak up water. Sometimes I'll wrap a few layers of that around the rails where the mast would be sitting on the railing, and secure it with electrical tape for padding.  I wrap it around any wood blocks I use on the deck to support the mast to keep the wood from scuffing the deck.

I have used towels and they always get soaked if there is rain.  I will be headed to Lowes before my trip!

As far as the trailer - check your tires, bearings, lights, and brakes. I always carry two spares, when I run over something on the road I have more than once blown two tires.  I hit a wiper arm lying in the road that pierced the front tire, flipped up and went into the 2nd tire.  You can travel slowly on 3 wheels if you have a short chain to tie up the axle that's missing a wheel.  I've had to do that twice as well when a bearing went out.
Rick

I'm stuck with one spare for now.  I hadn't thought about two tires going bad, so I didn't pursue another spare.  Can you link me to an explanation of how you chain up an axle?  I've not heard of this but it seems it may be a useful tip.

Thank you for the feedback.  It aligns with most of what I knew (making me feel better) and you provided me with some new tips.  Much appreciated!

John.

[relamb]

this post has a picture of what happens when you lose one wheel on a two axle trailer.
http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=7745.msg56979#msg56979

If you have a flat, or take off the wheel, the spring will force the axle down until it or the brake backing plate drags on the road.
The solution is to carry a short (3-4') piece of chain and some quick links.
Put the jack under the axle by the missing wheel.  Jack up on the axle as high as you can get it, to the point you're taking all the weight off the other tire and onto the jack.
this compresses the spring, as all the weight is on it.
Carefully (make sure your jack is on solid footing) wrap the chain under the axle and around the frame, connect it with a quick link as short/tight as you can.
Now lower the jack.
The chain is now holding the axle up, tied up to the frame, and the axle or backing plate won't drag on the road.  ...although it might be close.
Carefully and slowly proceed to where you can make permanent repairs.

Some notes:
1.Be careful with chuckholes, obstructions, and etc, because it could be easy to catch the brake backing plate on things and tear it up. Its hanging out there unprotected.    You could take it and the brakes off if you want to get more road clearance.  Don't let your trailer be bouncing up and down or it will scrape.
2. if this is the brake axle and you lose the hub (assuming drum brakes) you have no brakes.  If you take off the hub/drum, you have no brakes.  Even if you have the brakes and hub intact, you have no tire and thus no brake on THAT SIDE. but you could on the other side, so when you brake the trailer can pull to one side, so be very careful when braking.  If your problem is a blown tire and not a wheel bearing, move the good tire to the brake axle and chain up the one with no brake, which is usually the following (rearmost) axle.
2. You now have the weight on that side of the trailer riding on one tire instead of sharing it between two tires.  So that second tire had better be in good shape.  Be careful not to hit anything, make sure the tire pressure is correct, and drive slower so that it will stay cool.  It's quite possible you could be overloading and damaging this tire if it's not rated for half the weight of the load.

I've used this method twice.  The first time I had a bearing go out, about 2 miles from home.  Chaining up the axle got me off the road and to my house where I could fix it.
The second time had a bearing fail on Sunday afternoon in the middle of nowhere, the wheel actually came off, and I didn't want to leave my boat setting alongside the road.   I was about 1000 miles from home,.   I drove over 150 miles  to my destination on the interstate at around 50mph with a chained up axle and a good tire on the 2nd axle, no problems.  I was just careful to watch for chuckholes, planned ahead for braking, and drove relatively slowly.   

[Dogboy]

Successful trip.  Avoided most of the rain and got in before the wind picked up.

Here's a pic on the road and as she sits in the driveway.

[Tim Gardner]

Beautiful!