Sailboat falls of trailer on the 401 (Highway in Canada)

[hamburking]

A sailboat blocked traffic on the 401 near Toronto, Canada today.

Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/SonnyHeavy/...38903309507722

I'm wondering what make/model of sailboat this is. To me it looks like around 25 feet, and quite solid, but I don't recognize it. Any guesses?

Also, I'm wondering why this might have happened?

Personally, I definitely would have removed the outboard and put it in the tow vehicle...or at least below in the boat. As I understand it, weight aft when towing is very bad.

If anyone finds any more links to additional info, please post. As a former trailer sailor, those pictures are awful. Although....looks like very little actual damage to the boat.

[kmacdonald]

Looks like the trailer has a flat tire. Boat wasn't strapped down.

[NaClyDog]

Not just a highway, the busiest highway in Canada.

[Mirage35]

Originally Posted by NaClyDog

Not just a highway, the busiest highway in Canada.

Yup, if he was looking for Solitude (check the boat name) the 401 in Toronto is not the right place.

[fatherchronica]

I grew up in Los Angeles so the busiest highway in Canada is not unlike the most densely populated city on the Dark Side of the Moon to me. If it did not snow there I would illegally immigrate there though. As it is I got as far north as possible and not live in the snow ever, I hope.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

I grew up in Los Angeles so the busiest highway in Canada is not unlike the most densely populated city on the Dark Side of the Moon to me. If it did not snow there I would illegally immigrate there though. As it is I got as far north as possible and not live in the snow ever, I hope.

Funny, because the 401 is one of the busiest highways in North America.

The Busiest Highway in North America

[acem]

That poor keel pivot is probably worse for the wear.

There is no traffic in LA at rush hour. It is just a big long parking lot. Unless you are a HOV. At least that's how it was last time I was there.

Thx-Ace

[JoeRobertJr]

Oh, that is just horrible! I trailer mine routinely, and it is always with some worry. But I have ensured sufficient hitch weight, and that the boat is tied well to the trailer.

[OS2Dude]

When I had my O'Day 23, I always removed the outboard and rudder. The problem with too much weight aft (More precisely not enough on the tongue) is the trailer is prone to sway back and forth, sometimes rather violently. A trailer with too much weight balanced over the axle(s) will not want to track behind the tow vehicle. Don't even talk about a trailer with the balance aft of the axle(s)…

That could have been what happened in this case. A violently swaying trailer and a boat not strapped down well could easily have tossed the boat off.

[tkeithlu]

Thanks for the post, Hamburking. That was a guaranteed OH, S**T moment. FYI, negative tongue weight means that the heavier back end of the trailer tries to replace the lighter front end. It's unstable and fishtails. You can protect yourself by putting your boat on the trailer, and then winching it forward or aft until it balances on the wheels. Mark that spot (it's your CG) and always make sure that it is in front of the axle when you tie the boat down.

[rslifkin]

Trailer design and the proportions of the load matter as well, not just percentage of tongue weight. The less weight is any significant distance behind the trailer axle(s) and the longer the trailer wheelbase from the hitch to the axles, the more stable the trailer will be, and the less tongue weight you'll need to get good stability.

Ideally, the trailer should be long enough that most of the weight can be over or forward of the axles with as little as possible behind them (axles fairly far back on the trailer), but enough length forward of the load to keep tongue weight reasonable. For example, adding a foot of length to the tongue will reduce tongue weight and shift more weight onto the axles (by putting the load proportionally closer to the axles) but with no stability reduction (and maybe a small stability increase).

Unfortunately, due to the shape and weight distribution of a boat, practical limitations, cost constraints, and such, boat trailers are often not as well designed as they could be, especially for smaller boats. And many are designed with too little tongue weight in an attempt to advertise usability behind a smaller tow vehicle.

[NPCampbell]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Funny, because the 401 is one of the busiest highways in North America.

The Busiest Highway in North America

I was kind of surprised to see a population of 6+ million in Toronto + burbs. 1/2 million cars every day is a lot of traffic for any city, especially when towing a blimp. Before the pandemic, I had to commute on two different highways with slightly more traffic than that in Dallas every day (75 & 635) ... I don't miss it.

[gulfcoastsailor]

I have witnessed so many boats in the middle of I 75 in Florida I have lost count. Usually it’s a case of not strapping it down or the tow vehicle is too small.

[fatherchronica]

Well I have taken 3 hours to drive from 2224 Athens Ave, Simi Valley, California to work in West Los Angeles, California probably at least seventy five times on a bad day, a good commute, and I left no later than 5:15 a.m. was over an hour, 1 1/2 hours home leaving at 3:30 usually.. so I may be wrong, but for many years the 405 going over the Sepulveda Pass was said to be the most congested freeway in America. We sailed away in 2013 and haven’t been back.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by gulfcoastsailor

I have witnessed so many boats in the middle of I 75 in Florida I have lost count. Usually it’s a case of not strapping it down or the tow vehicle is too small.

Or the big one, roller trailers. Easy on-easy off.