transporting

[mibrinn]

Anyone have any input on how to safely transport a cd27?
I am especially looking for information on how to prep the boat for an over the road trip.
Does the prop shaft need to be disconnected at the flange areas.
Does the engine need any special prep for a trip?
Do any of the electronics need to be packaged out of the boat?
etc..



mibrinn@aol.com

[John MacArthur]

Anyone have any input on how to safely transport a cd27?
I am especially looking for information on how to prep the boat for an over the road trip.
Does the prop shaft need to be disconnected at the flange areas.
Does the engine need any special prep for a trip?
Do any of the electronics need to be packaged out of the boat?
etc..

I've already towed my CD-30 thousands of miles on its trailer, and launched and retrieved it several times. I have not done anything to the prop shaft. I antifreeze the motor and remove the radios and small electronics if the boat will be in freezing conditions. The biggest problem I've had is the battery mount box screws coming loose. It probably would be better to remove the batteries, but we stay on the boat when we are on the road (expensive camper!). As you know, these are tough boats--they don't need babied.



jmac@laplaza.org

[SteveZ]

John,
I currently own a 25D, but am considering moving up. However, I don't want to give up the ability to occasionally trailer the boat other areas or trailer the boat home for the winter.
I am curious about your trailering setup. What do you tow with? Where did you find a trailer to fit a CD-30? Is getting oversize load permits a problem?

I've already towed my CD-30 thousands of miles on its trailer, and launched and retrieved it several times. I have not done anything to the prop shaft. I antifreeze the motor and remove the radios and small electronics if the boat will be in freezing conditions. The biggest problem I've had is the battery mount box screws coming loose. It probably would be better to remove the batteries, but we stay on the boat when we are on the road (expensive camper!). As you know, these are tough boats--they don't need babied.

[John MacArthur]

I am curious about your trailering setup. What do you tow with? Where did you find a trailer to fit a CD-30? Is getting oversize load permits a problem?

I tow with a Ford 1-ton (dual wheel) diesel pickup. I have towed it over two 9000 + foot passes, and that is a pretty fair strain. I have started going around, if the distance isn't too much further. Going down hill is more nerve-wracking than going up. A Dodge diesel would do just as well, but I think that dual wheels are important. You wouldn't want a blowout with that kind of weight on single wheels. I modified a 24' (deck length, not total) construction gooseneck to carry it--I made a dropped channel in the center, so that the keel rests just above the axles, and the boat doesnt' sit too high. I built a frame and set of stanchions to support the hull, and a vee for the bow. It tows quite a bit better than my Catalina 27 did on a bumper pull trailer. The boat and trailer together weigh around 16,000 pounds, and the trailer is rated for it, so I feel quite safe. I haven't bothered with overwide permits--at 9' it's not necessary in most places--and with the wide part of the beam so much higher than the trailer it's not even very evident that the boat is wider than the trailer bed (8' 6"). I towed the boat to NM from FL, and then have towed it to San Carlos, Mexico, and back, and noone bothered me. I don't want to put this trailer in the salt water, and have hade cranes do the launching at the ocean, but at my lake I ramp-launch.



jmac@laplaza.org