How long is a Sun Cat on the Trailer

[ontarioSuncat]

I found a house for sale with an 8 foot high garage door, the depth is 20 feet, will the boat fit? or will I need to modify the tongue? My boat is up north so I can't measure it.
If this all works out I will be able to store the boat at the house!!!
Thanks
John

[Tom Ray]

That's a good question, and any Com Pac dealership site should have the answer right on their web page.

I put that opinion into practice when I worked at one.

The answer is 21' 6". That would be without an outboard or rudder blade, but with the rudder head and outboard bracket. I do not remember whether I measured one sitting on an old Performance trailer or a newer one on a Magic Tilt trailer. I do remember that I was trying to be accurate, but can't swear that it's within a tenth of an inch. Maybe an inch or two of error, I'd guess.

It probably will just barely not work, but if my measurement was wrong and yours is not right either and you remove the hitch thingy from the trailer tongue... maybe. If you remove the hitch thingy and the rudder head and the outboard bracket, almost certainly.

Edit to add: I would put a swing hinge on the tongue before removing the outboard bracket. By doing that you can certainly fit the boat in the garage. I think Captain Nemo has one.

[ontarioSuncat]

thanks Tom!!!
You are right as a trailer boat the dimensions on the trailer should be part of the specs!
I will get a tongue hinge
All the best
John

[Tom Ray]

The number should probably come with a disclaimer. Like I said, I don't know which trailer the boat was sitting on, and that makes a difference. Trailer setup also makes a difference. It could be that the new ones on Magic Tilt trailers are a few inches longer. Someone who bought a boat counting on the dealership website number being precise could be sorely disappointed, maybe even disappointed enough to hire a lawyer to help sort it out. We all know how helpful they can be.

[ontarioSuncat]

lawyers can always straighten things out. But as the lenght is close and the garage is a three car garage with the single door at 20 feet deep and the double door at 16 feet deep I may be able to slip it in at an angle and make it fit. That will give me some time to sort out the hinge. Any idea how hard it is to cut the tongue of the precission trailer with a hack saw?
Or am I beat before I start and shold look for a shop to do the work?
I guess I should see how hard it is to drill before I cut. That way if the cutting is easy but the drilling proves too hard then I am really in deep.
things to ponder before I start.

[capt_nemo]

ontarioSuncat,

Don't have a measurement for you but I'm sure this info will help.

My garage is 19' 8" to the door but only 19' 4" is usable due to the aluminum reinforcing hurricane beams on the inside.

I have absolutely no problem backing my 2010 Sun Cat on trailer straight into the garage (with rudder and outboard bracket on the stern) and storing it WITH A TONGUE HINGE POSITIONED AS FAR AFT AS POSSIBLE. The hinge is located right in front of the upright beam that holds the winch and bow roller. The jack was moved aft JUST BEHIND THE SAME UPRIGHT BEAM.

Here is a photo of the tongue hinged back.



And, here is the close fit by the door with winch and spare tire in place. I remove the spare tire and the winch-bow roller bracket to get around the bow to my workbench with the door down. This is for long term storage or boat work requiring protected storage. I normally store outside under a white polytarp covering the entire boat.



If possible, recommend you have your local boat trailer guy install one for you - he has probably done one before, and he's got all the right heavy duty tools.

capn_nemo

[Tom Ray]

To answer your question about a hacksaw, yes, but you do not want to do it. Here's how I know:

The owner of Gulf Island Sails has had a number of interesting jobs, one of them building trailers. I think this was during the Cretaceous Period, but it may have been slightly more recent. Anyway, he made this contraption to saw the large parts of trailers. It's basically a motorized hacksaw, and the hacksaw part was made with... an ordinary hacksaw, but with a heavy duty blade. This ancient machine is still working today, and we had occasion to use it.

So I have not personally done it, but I have seen an ordinary hacksaw go through thick trailer parts. Let's just say you want the motorized one.

[JTMeissner]

John, I had a similar question regarding my CP-16, facing the same dimensional limitations on the garage.  With a tilt trailer, an option that was proposed was just to put it in, use jack stands on the apex of the trailer, and remove the whole tongue assembly.

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=4802.msg33414#msg33414

I didn't get a chance to try it out, but if it's longer term storage/work, that looks like it's a viable option.  It should give me a few feet of clearance all around as the boat now becomes the longest dimension.

-Justin

[skip1930]

OMG!! capt_nemo,

Who has a garage floor as beautiful as yours?

I'm so embarrassed with mine. Thumbs up.

skip.

[fawsr]

I missed the floor ... I was looking at the OTHER boat!

[capt_nemo]

fawsr,

You mean this one? Everything built from scratch with plans over a one year period.



A couple of close ups follow. First one at the Traditional Small Craft Festival in Cortez, FL where she won The People's Chioce Award - Best in Show.





And, under sail at the Cedar Key Florida Messabout a few years ago.

[ontarioSuncat]

Thanks everyone the pictures and info are what I need. I will use your advice and take the boat to a trailer shop to cut and install the hinge.

[fawsr]

Very nice looking boat!

[Tom Ray]

I'm pretty sure you have mentioned it before, but what design is Highland Lass again?

[capt_nemo]

Highland Lass is a Selway-Fisher (UK) design called the Highlander 12.

capt_nemo