While that would be very cool with some simplified accommodations in thh front, there's no way I would consider hauling a trailer like that around without at least a 2500/250 truck...and with gas prices low like they are right now truck prices in the south are INSANE. INSANE. My 1500 will be in my possession for a while.

I suspect the issue with keeping the trailer at 8'6" max width is that the reinforcement needed for the sides/ceiling would impinge upon the interior width, so your 8'6" cat wouldn't fit.

Unless you "jake-i-fied" the trailer so your cat slides out from the side where there would be no supports needed.. They'd be on the four corners or just ahead/aft of the hulls and crossways along the ceiling.

So maybe an 8'6" width by 22 ft. to accommodate the frame members and a roll-up door on the side? And maybe rails (or an overhead gantry type thing) to slide the hulls out laterally (where the beach wheels would be sitting).

Oh yeah, it all works out great in my imagination....

8'6" is maximum legal vehicle width in most of the US and to be within that, the interior space will be a little narrower due to the width of the trailer walls. The A-cat is only 7.5' wide so it would work within a trailer like that.

Any wider than 8'6" will require a wide load permit and, in some places like the Florida Keys, a hired police escort and only in the middle of the night.

I've had previous, road haze driving for daze induced, thoughts of a sliding rack/hoist system where a rod extension on rollers would slide out the back of the trailer, hook up a lift one side of an F18 putting it in the air sideways and slide it into the trailer like a tie rack in a closet.

There is at least one tall trailer in use for hauling F18s on their sides, hung from the ceiling. But it results in a very tall and expensive trailer.

If you want to completely avoid trailers, install a eye-bolt to the very top of your mast. Then with a long cable and a helicopter, you can fly your cat to the regatta. The eye-bolt should cost less than $5.00 at the hardware store!

OK...but where do I sleep??

In the helicopter, duh.

Test fitting the mast upright support and figuring out where to cut it. My welding is getting considerably better thanks to some useful advice from a friend. I was a little nervous about this weld since a weld failure on the mast upright weld would be pretty dramatic at 80mph. There's an angled brace and another u-bolt not shown in the last picture yet. The coupling brace thing on the bottom of the tongue is smashed and got in the way of that last u-bolt until I cut it off later.


20160221_171752 by Jake Kohl, on Flickr


20160221_153144 by Jake Kohl, on Flickr


20160221_163535 by Jake Kohl, on Flickr

Hi Jake,

the welds look good! What kind of technique and tech are you welding with?


About trailers, your question jogged my memory with a blast from the past.

ref:
http://www.catsailor.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=113350&page=1

Sadly the pics are gone, but some of the pics are still available:

http://malena64.blogspot.no/2007/04/back-on-track-hkans-pudas-projekt.html

Not exactly what you asked for, but pretty close I think.

It's a relatively inexpensive 110V Century 140 wire feed MIG welder that I picked up on ebay for about $300 or $400 with a cart a few years ago. I upgraded it with a spindle adapter so I could run a big 10lb spool of wire (which lasts an impressive amount of time!). I then added a gas pack so I wouldn't need to use the flux core wire and am running an Argon/CO2 mix. I was pretty frustrated with this machine out of the box (actually, I thought my struggles were due to bad technique and a lack of skill) but I recently discovered that the distance between the wire tip and the end of the copper gas shroud was too far apart. After reducing the shroud length to get the tip closer to the opening of the shroud and closer to the material, it functioned properly and I could finally start refining my technique. This unit only has enough power to weld up to 12 gauge material but is suitable for most of the things I need it for. It would be nice to have a 220V model, though.

As far as technique, around that inside corner where the post and the plate met, I "walking the tip" which is something I learned from a youtube channel. This guy can do unbelievable things when melting metal and shares a great deal of knowledge on his channel about all kinds of welding. https://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks




20160130_164537 by Jake Kohl, on Flickr

Walking the tip, or walking the cup?

I fool around with a 220V MIG myself

Aaa! cup! see?, I'm no expert.

I just remembered that I forgot to see if I can lower my tailgate with that mast post where it is. I bet I can't. Crap.

Minor details... Looking good, Jake!

As for windage/mileage, just drag your trailers behind an RV. You won't get more than 7 mpg anyways, and you'll have a place to sleep!

Mike

meh, just cut out a section of your tailgate to clear the mast post.

This will work Receiver Hitch Extension

No need for that. I built it movable and attached with u-bolts in case it ever needed to move (and that's how most catamaran trailers are setup). I'll just rearrange the mast post, spare tire, and mobility wheel. I might re-evaluate the height of the mast post because it's moving further back - thankfully I haven't finished the top of it yet and it needs to get a little shorter as it moves back.

The mast is always a pain in the rear. We should just get rid of them and mount motors. WAY easier.

BLASPHEMER! (rent garments) OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!