Largest cruiser that can go on a trailer at a boat ramp?

[Augi]

Originally Posted by Augi

An idea is find a dry storage location that allows the boat you chose to be stored on it's trailer with the mast up. So the dry storage location would have to have a boat ramp or have a lift to launch, retrieve the boat. That way you don't have to raise and lower the mast each time you go sailing. That means you will sail a lot more. If the dry storage location has a lift and a tractor to tow the boat on it's trailer to the lift then you don't even have to hook the trailer up to your car or truck and do the launching, retrieving yourself. That again reduces the hassle factor which means you will sail more.

For your use if you have no need to trailer the boat on a public street or road then you don't need a permit if the beam of the boat is greater 8.5' and a solution like the above will work well.

Or maybe the optimal solution(close to your house), is a dry storage place that does not have a boat ramp or lift and requires to go a short distance on a public street or public road but allows the mast to be left up . Then you decide if going with a boat with greater than 8.5' beam is worth having to have a permit to be street legal. Or maybe in J-Ville, Fl. close to the water the 8.5' beam is not enforced if you don't have a permit. Check carefully what is permitted at whatever dry storage place in terms of size boat they will take on and what size, spec of sailboat they will launch and retrieve with their tractor using a ramp or their lift. or maybe you don't mind lowering and raising the mast each time and you decide to keep the boat at your house. They also may not be willing to launch and retrieve a trimaran using their lift or maybe even their ramp if they are using their trailer. If you are only going to trailer on public roads in Florida only and you have a semi truck maybe the need of having to have only a permit for Florida permit and the hassle of having a slightly oversize width is no problem for you. Everyone has different needs, wants and desires and the trade offs work differently for each individual. For me going as small a boat that will work for me for a specific use with the least hassle is always my choice. As you add length, in general, the expense, hassle factor, and difficulty to sail single or short handed goes up exponentially. I love to sail but don't like boats much, if you can follow that logic. Unfortunately, a boat is a necessary evil to be able to sail. I would never be willing to raise and lower the mast each time I go sailing. Others are different. The other end of the spectrum are the people love to always be working, tinkering on their boat but don't sail much.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by Peconiceast

I trailer beneteau 311 swing keel
Takes about 4 hrs to step mast
With at least three people.

Just to step the mast? Or does that include the rigging and sails?

[valhalla360]

With a semi and only 2 miles, the limiting factor is likely to be the draft and available ramp depth.

If you can get the boat onto the trailer, you have enough power to get it out of the water.

Flybridge power boats are problematic due to height clearances, so a sedan style would be better. Assuming you can keep the draft under 4ft, you can probably get well into the mid 30ft range or larger. Plenty big enough to cross to the Bahamas.

If you aren't worried about permits, a power cat could be a nice option. You would probably need modify the trailer but really not that complicated. They are wide but the shallow draft can make the boat launch easier (you will likely take up 2 slots while launching).

Problem with sailboats is much above the mid-20ft range, managing the mast starts becoming a project by itself. Once you have to arrange to have the mast pulled, may as well have them haul the boat and set it on the trailer.

[Lepke]

Originally Posted by sailnow2011

I need to be able to pull the boat out a ramp, without a travel lift

A boat ramp is where a lot of professional boat movers load/unload the boat.

[OS2Dude]

Island Packet now makes the Seaward line of sailboats. Their largest tailorable sailboat was a Seaward 46RK with a retractable keel. In theory it only took one or two people to raise/lower the mast.

[Lost Horizons]

Lots of inappropriate comments above about unstepping masts and limitations of the keel draft in a powered boats section.

OP: you are limited mostly by the beam, 8’6” without a permit and 10’ or whatever permit you can get if you don’t mind going the permit route. This puts you in roughly a 30 foot length territory. One of the most popular cruisers in this category is a Ranger Tug 31. If you want to explore alternatives, it would probably be better to check with brand specific cites, such as a Sea Ray owners forum.

[Augi]

Originally Posted by OS2Dude

Island Packet now makes the Seaward line of sailboats. Their largest tailorable sailboat was a Seaward 46RK with a retractable keel. In theory it only took one or two people to raise/lower the mast.

A seaward 46 RK has a beam of 13' and a displacement of 23,000 lbs. You can trailer a Saturn V booster but it is not "trailerable".

A Seaward 46 RK is not considered "trailerable".

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

Lots of inappropriate comments above about unstepping masts and limitations of the keel draft in a powered boats section.

OP: you are limited mostly by the beam, 8’6” without a permit and 10’ or whatever permit you can get if you don’t mind going the permit route....

Too funny.

You called out others for not fully comprehending the original post...then responded with a comment ignores the original post.

Quote: I own a semi truck, and understand oversize load permits.

[Lost Horizons]

What part of the original post I have ignored?

[Montanan]

Wait for it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q4uuQjeLBw

[David Mathis]

My 43' Express cruiser is regularly hauled by a local boat mover using a tractor trailer rig. It's 14'6" wide and about 28,000 pounds with a 3'9" draft.

[OneBoatman]

Perhaps a Hake Seaward 25 would do what you want. Below is a link I found for one that has both tandem axel trailer and an inboard diesel. You don't need a semi to tow it just a good strong truck. The boat with its swing keel up draws just over 2 ft.
https://www.shoppok.com/kalamazoo/a,...Seaward-25.htm

[rmhutch59]

My bet would be on a Seward 26 or Corsair 31.

[wackerb]

Originally Posted by out42

Corsair 31. Easy to launch and trail, sails brilliantly, circumnavigated the North pole. No contest for me.

+1 for F-boats, but you won't really need a semi, just a medium SUV. Also designed for easy mast lowering.

[fleetwise]

I keep my Cruisers ~30 foot Sea Devil on a trailer. The trailer is 3 axles rated at 10500lbs. Pay dry storage and launch when I go out using my 3/4 ton dodge. But if I have to move it on a public road then I have to permit it and use a bigger truck