Trailering a nor’sea 27 or Pacific seacraft Orion

[austinsailor]

Either of these is technically trailerable. Is it practical?

1. Can you reasonably step the mast without outside equipment?
2. Can you launch and retrieve from the trailer - realizing not every ramp is even possibly?

I know I’ll never get another big blue water boat, I’m now doing trailer boats. I’ve been toying with the idea of a boat like either of these as a compromise.


There are several of each, on trailers, available for sale. Is this even a practical idea? Would I really just be traveling from travel lift to travel lift?

I’m intrigued with the idea and am wondering if it is remotely reasonable.

[john61ct]

Well as a complete noob of course it would be daunting.

Once you've become an old pro and have the right gear, it'll be a piece of cake.

Just like learning to sail these boats, just like any such skillset, you can in the early stages, hire people with experience to help you gain confidence.

Set a goal to practice several times per month and soon you'll be an expert too.

Relevant thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ts-193354.html

Others
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...e-trailer-boat

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruisi.../topics/303266

[acem]

I have a catalina 27 on a trailer.

It takes a very deep ramp to load or float it. I loaded mine on a steep deep ramp with a long tounge extension /dolly. It took me some time with the help of several people.

the previous owner removed and replaced the mast with an a frame made with 2x4s. I didn't get to remove my mast, a tornado did it for me...

My boat and trailer is very heavy but with care I haul it with a heavy 3/4 ton truck.

I realize my boat is different but I hope my experience helps.

Thx-Ace

[Dennis.G]

I trailered my Pacific Seacraft Dana 24. The Orion is quite a bit larger than the Dana or the Nor'sea and would require an oversize permit due to beam over 8.5 feet. I launched several times from the trailer - a bit of a hassle requiring a deep ramp. I used a cable and a special wheel on the tongue. Retrieving was harder yet as I need to get boat positioned just right on the support pads. Took a bit of planning to rig up a mast raise/lower system but doable. Always planned on spending a full day either way (including all the rigging and loading gear). The Dana with trailer was about 10,000 pounds and I towed with a Dodge 2500 diesel pickup no problem. The Orion will be over a ton more than that I think, but the Nor'sea is about the same. You need a good trailer with good brakes. Most boat trailers are designed to drive across town, if planning on across country need upgraded axles, wheels, tires, brakes (we towed to Canada and Mexico from USA). If launching from trailer into salt water count on spending some quality time on trailer maintenance (brakes and bearings).

[john61ct]

Dana is a sweet and sturdy little boat.

The Orion's bigger than I'd want to trailer across multiple states more than a few times a year.

Even 8.5' as a hard dealbreaker beam width, you'll still need to arrange permits, restricted to only certain routes in some areas.
http://www.greatharbourtrawlers.com/...resources.html
https://oversize.io/regulations/over...y-restrictions

[canyonbat]

Several of the Montgomery guys brought a Norsea 27 to Lake Havasu a few years ago and launched it one of the steepest ramps. They stepped the mast without a crane but the whole set-up took the better part of a day and the actual launch was a bit exciting, more due to the ramp than the boat. You would probably want a 1 ton tow vehicle.

[Vingt-Knots]

I tow a Catalina 270, it is the wing-keel version so a draft of just under 4’. My trailer has a tongue extension of some 10’. I only use one ramp to launch in the Spring and pull it out in the Fall. The boat weights about 10,000 Lbs and the Trailer 2,000. My tow truck is a Chevy 2500HD with the V8 Diesel and a tow rating of some 14,000. Towing is not an issue, just make sure your trailer brake set up is top notch and gets checked with regularity. I hire a local crane company that takes less than an hour to actually raise the the mast and about 3 more to fully rig the sails/lines etc. Folks have done a self stepping system that I have seen pictures of that looks pretty good. But since I only do it twice a year I just stick with a crane. I am 10’ wide so I do need an oversize permit, I only tow it about 50 miles in BC Canada now and I get the oversize permit over the phone for 15 bucks. I do not need signs just flags at the widest point, I do not do any night towing. Oversize permits can be a pain if you plan on doing much multi-state driving as each State/Province has there own set of regulations. I am usually the biggest boat at the launch ramp and as such get lots of viewers but so far no YouTube Videos of me in the Boat Launches Gone Bad section.

[roverhi]

A guy here used to launch his sailboat using a stout line to haul the trailer in and out of the water. He'd back the trailer into the water, unhook the hitch and push the trailer further into the water till the boat floated off. Would pull the trailer hitch out of the water and hitch up the trailer on retrieval. Seem to remember he had wheels in the hitch area to make it easier to launch/retrieve.

The Nor'Sea 27 claims an 8' beam, the Orion 9.25' beam. Design displacement on the Nor'Sea is 8100#, the Orion 10,000#. With the right tow rig the Nor'Sea 27 is towable without with typical tow issues. Long distance road towing an Orion would be a project. Know that some of the Nor'Seas were regularly towed to places as far as Mexico and were designed with that in mind.

[CaptainJohn49]

This is a great topic. I have a Flicka 20 on a trailer and a Dodge 3500 with a Cummings. The trailer brakes are drum brakes and get very hot on down hill runs. I keep the sped down to 25 miles per hour on passes. Towing is not a problem but stopping is. I keep the speed down to 60 mph. Ramp launch is OK if you have 2 or 3 people. I wouldn’t launch it by myself because I insist on having someone in the cab with their foot on the brake. If I’m alone I use a boat lift. Just my 2 cents worth.

CaptainJohn49

Ps: I was looking at the PSC Orion yesterday, just thinking

[john61ct]

Flicka's are so popular if it's in good shape you could probably upgrade to bigger for free, or at least very little cash outlay.

Same cannot be said for most classic plastic anymore

[Hardhead]

If you could rent a truck from something like Home Depot, and had a place to park the trailer - there's probably no cheaper option for boat ownership. Being able to avoid buying the big tow vehicle, and just renting for occasional haulouts or launches would save quite a lot in the equation. If you are planning on just a few extended trips a year, it could work great. Cheap on the off season.

[CaptainJohn49]

The Home Depot trucks are 1/2 ton- too light. You could rent a U-haul truck but it wouldn’t work on the ramp. That’s the reason I had to buy my Dodge. What you need just isn’t available to rent. I’m certain different areas are different but I haven’t seen a good boat hauler for rent.

CaptainJohn49

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by CaptainJohn49

Thee Home Depot trucks are 1/2 ton- too light. You could rent a U-haul truck but it wouldn’t work on the ramp. That’s the reason I had to brought my Dodge. What you need just isn’t available to rent. I’m certain different areas are different but I haven’t seen a good boat hauler for rent.

CaptainJohn49

That's a good point. In Maryland at least, Home Depot has Ford F250's for rental think.

[sanibel sailor]

Best term for these boats is transportable rather than trailerable. Plan a full day to prep, launch, rig, commission and then deal with the truck and trailer. Consider ramp launch and travelift retrieval as a compromise. I love the Orion, there's one nearby on a trailer for sale, but it just isn't reasonably manageable.

[mvweebles]

I brought at Catalina 22 with swing keel down Baja in mid 1990s. Had an extended tongue on trailer. Still a PITA and this with a small boat with swing keel. Ramp in Bahia Angeles was shallow and long. Ended up tying a line to extend into deeper water. In hind sight, probably best to launch at low tide and let tide do the work.

Bottom line: possible, but not for the feint of heart. I'd happily pay a few hundred bucks for a travelift if at all possible.