Tornado catamaran tilt trailers could one be adapted to carry a 14' beam trimaran?

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Corley, Oct 4, 2013.

  1. Corley
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Corley epoxy coated

    I've seen a few of the Tornado catamaran tilt trailers doing the rounds the Tornado is 10' beam IIRC. I'm wondering whether I could do the same trick for my 14' beam Kraken 25 trimaran. I've done a rough calculation and it should fit within the trailering limits which are 2.5 wide by 4.3m high if the boat is on an angle (the hypotoneuse is about 4.9 metres obviously you would need some ground clearance but there should be sufficient) it would seem the greatest problems are practical i.e. making a decent cradle that's strong enough to carry the boat while tilted but not too heavy and the windage of the boat being carried on a fair angle. I've even wondered whether you could make a launching dolly for the boat and use that as the frame to tilt. Does anybody have any experience with the tornado trailers?

    The obvious advantage is that it would save demounting the boat each time It is trailered but the cons might outweigh the pro's.
     
  2. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    Sure. It is all a matter of cost versus benefit.

    I don't know anything about trailering requirements down under, but I think you are looking at the primary concerns.

    Wind load.

    Weight.

    Can you use the frame tilt for the launch dolly.

    The only question left is cost.

    Of course, the luckiest thing would be to find someone selling one just like you want.
     
  3. Richard Woods
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    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    well as you probably know, I've done something similar with a much bigger boat

    Check your route. Powerlines, low branches, traffic lights. If you do it without a police escort at 5am you may think the roads will be deserted, but I've found that is the time everyone else is moving illegal loads.

    I'd use someone who normally takes old cars to the breaker yard, or a farmer used to take combine harvesters etc. The furthest I've taken an illegal wide load is 40 miles. This load had a police escort BTW but we did cut a telephone line that was fitted too low, just after this photo was taken. So not our fault

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs

    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     

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  4. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    Bringing out the criminal element are we?

    :)

    That was a feat of driving. I know some drivers can drive tight loads with ease, others cannot.

    I think I may be in the middle and chose not to even try. I have never been a real dare devil.

    But, I do gotta ask, if it really is an 'illegal' load, would you have 'insurance' to cover repairs to the boat, power lines, and buildings?

    Or, would you have to run from the scene? If so, that would not be a method I could use.

    wayne
     
  5. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    bruceb Senior Member

    Wide loads

    Corley, one of my friends is regularly trailering and launching a Nacra 20 (I think a 12' beam?) on a "lift/tilting rig, and hasn't had any issues. He does try to avoid high cross winds, but that boat is quite light.
    B
     
  6. upchurchmr
    Joined: Feb 2011
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    I built a tilt trailer for an early Tornado. Put the pivot high enough so that the lower hull still has clearance to the ground when you are at the right angle.
    Then figure out the force required to pick up the other side of the frame. Its going to be a ball buster for two if you try to do it manually. Then you have to have vertical support posts ready to insert to hold it in place while you are holding the frame in place.

    Your best bet is to rig up a "gin" pole with a set of pulleys so you can do it without a panic and strained muscles. Perhaps even a powered winch off the car battery.

    Once you get the frame up and braced you need to strap the frame down tight so the verticle supports will not bounce out of your sockets.
    Now you are not yet done, run a rope or strap cross brace from the fwd corner of the tilt frame to the aft corner of the trailer frame, and again from aft to fwd.

    Windage can be a serious issue. I suggest being able to remove or strap up the trampoline. With my Tornado I got hit with a quick moving storm. The boat was pushed sideways (with the trailer) until I could not see it in the rear view mirror. It was streaming out 45 degrees from the direction of travel. Luckily the wind stopped just for a few seconds, when I needed to clear a bridge abuttment. I have never felt more helpless in my life.
    Luckily also the downside hull was to windward, so the gust did not just flip the boat at 75mph. Even better, it would have landed on the guy passing me.

    How tall will the total height be? My 10' Tornado ended up 10' in the air while at a 45degree angle, due to the clearance of the down hull to the ground.
    At 14' I expect you to seem to be almost vertical. At the required angle the height of the ama will affect how much angle you require.

    I would take off the crossbeams. 10' was barely viable in my mind. Special fittings to make a quick removal might be worth the money.

    Richards boat pictures probably made one trip in its life and it looks like a special wide load, not a normal occurrence like a tornado.

    Do you plan on trailering often?

    BTW, the trailer frame member on the high side of the boat was solid steel. ~2" x 4" in order to try to prevent tipping if the wind came from that side.

    other than all that it worked just fine, and still took quite a bit of time to set up.

    I know you want the boat "restored" but have you seen the "quick folding" tri at diy-tris.com ? (this is not a serious suggestion after following your build).
     
  7. outside the box

    outside the box Previous Member

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  8. Corley
    Joined: Oct 2009
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  9. upchurchmr
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    What did I miss? I don't see anything on trailering a 13' 6" wide cat while sitting level.

    Richard Woods has a cat he shows all the details, but how will either help with a trimaran?
     
  10. Corley
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  11. outside the box

    outside the box Previous Member

    Tilt information

    I have some graphics we went back and forward with and what dimension hulls would work etc I can send you when I get out of Hospital if it would help in any way.
     
  12. Corley
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Thanks, I'd be interested to see what you discussed.
     
  13. buzzman
    Joined: May 2011
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    buzzman Senior Member

    Another idea might be to have the typical 'cup' nests mounted to a rectangular frame that had semicircular sliding pivots mounted to it just to one side of the centreline....

    So you'd load the boat onto the trailer at the boat ramp (easier), and then push/pull/hoist the boat attached/strapped to the frame.

    So basically a curved slot in a transverse sheet of steel/ply, with a bolt/roller running through the slot fore to aft, so as you push/raise the frame tilts and moves sideways at the same time.

    Sorry if that's not clear.....

    [Edit: typos]
     
  14. El_Guero

    El_Guero Previous Member

    Would you use Kurt Hughes' design in such a way that all the heavy moving parts stay with the trailer instead of the trimaran?
     

  15. Corley
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    That's the idea, since the floats are quite lightweight it should not be difficult to drop them down into position.
     
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