Shark cat trailer repairs

[John 44]

Hi
Looking for advise on the method of loading shark cats on trailers. I'm having work done on my existing trailer that holds a 18ft Bruce Harris sharkcat. The bloke doing the work has done some reaseach and is keen to try fitting 6 wheels to the centre of the trailer (3 each side). The wheels will bare the weight the cat. there will be no wieght on the bottom of the twin hulls ( the old trailer set up was the tradition rollers under each hull). The wieght of the whole set up as it stand is a little shy of 2 tonne with full tanks (im considering electric contol brakes)

Has anyone had experience with fitting the wheels so that the wieght is bared on the upper outside corners of the roof of the tunnel. Obviously my concern is wether the roof of the tunnel can support the weight while sitting on the tires.

I have looked for threads that may help me but with not much success if you know of any please let me know

Thanks

[Fed]

I'd stick with rollers.

[Lovey80]

I think supporting the weight of the cat on the tunnel would be a disaster waiting to happen. Either sick with the rollers or replace them with Teflon skids.

You certainly don't need a triaxle trailer under a 2 ton cat. Double axle is plenty.

[John 44]

Thanks going with slide and a couple of 10inch wheels mounted horizontally to act as guides as the boat comes onto the trailer

[cormorant]

Don't make it complicated with extra stuff to maintain. Just use teflon material on the middle guide rails as as soon as you get it lined up it self alighns and there is no friction so wheels are no benefit. On all my cat trailers the middle guide rails extended behind the trailer a good meter so your tunnel was always locked in well behind your trailer before powing up to drive on perfectly centered

The tunnel supported by wheels would have been a real problem so lucky you didn't go that way in my opinion. Not sure I like the sound of your cat trailer bloke but throw some photos up when it's done and tell us how it works.

The original sharkcat trailers work a treat for drive on.

[Noelm]

yep, as mentioned, leave the rollers (not skids) under each hull, makes little difference what you use to guide it on, a strip of teflon, some plastic tube around the pipe, some even use nylon rope bound around the pipe (me) once you get the hang of it, a Sharkcat is the easiest boat of all to launch and retrieve.

[The Woo]

What Noel says.
I also used the nylon rope bound guide rails on our 23' Sharkcat. Better than telfon strips as it completely covers the steel rail rather than just the expected contact side, and is far more durable than plastic tube.
Set up right, even large cats are the easiest in the world to get off/on, even in strong wind or current, even single handed.
I too am pleased you didn't go down the route of supporting the boat via the tunnel, would be courting disaster.

[cormorant]

I'll add one bit more. You dunk a cat trailer so it is well worth looking at a ally trailer to keep weight down but moreso maintainance down. Make the parts at the rear of the trailer bolt on bolt off and that way as they degrade you can remake and get new ones galvanized up.

We used white rubber hose with many holes stitched together and it was also good and stored less water than the rope but used rope for years as well and it was a lot cheaper.

If you are doing anything but your local ramp consider planning into the design a drawbar extension if considering beach launches.

What suspension are you considering and what brakes / size wheels?


Fisher have made some nice alloy trailers and the sailfish ones have been around for a few years as well..


Do a search for cat trailers - images and see all the good , bad ugly for ideas
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...m-or-Gal-steel.

http://www.barracudaboats.com.au/Sha...20Trailer.html

http://www.sealinktrailers.com.au/TwinHullTrailers.htm

http://www.trailercity.com.au/Automo...0/details.aspx

http://www.lifetimetrailers.com.au/s...p?gallery=boat

[John Buoy]

2 points i will add after agreeing pretty much with Noel and Co.
Forget the rope binding rails of yesteryear as this will only corrode the tunnel rails quicker
i use dedicated teflon skids for the rails and most importantly make the tunnel rail width as tight
as possible with no more than 30-40mm cover over all !!
2nd point Have the entry guide protrude at least a metre out also fitted teflon and braced
and slightly poiting downwards approx 15 deg to stop bow crash!!
Regads Frank

[John Buoy]

Nothing special but very effective this one has HD Land Cruiser hubs/bearings rated to 2T
All bolt on bolt off !!




Regards frank

[Noelm]

I might just add, on the older Sharkcats, unless you add a couple more crossbeams on the trailer, do not use teflon strips, it is just too hard on the boat, I have seen a few that needed repairs because of rollers being replaced, and too few beams to carry the load, old rubber rollers seem to be OK, I guess they are soft and do not damage the old glass, newer models are fine, I reckon you could just about run them up on the bare steel!

[cormorant]

Another thing with cat trailers is that is possibly easier to put a light bar on so you can actually see the lights. We used a light bar attached to motor legs and also the trailer lights so we could be seen as we left the motors pretty well down when trailering to stay within 1m odd overhang limits . I like double pivoting rollers on the back to take extra weight of motors on hull and always preferred the curved rollers to the flat ones bar the back couple as the boat rode on them alighned and never touched the tunnel when loading ( except beach recoverys where teh tunnel did a lot of work. ) Lots of different ideas out there

[lee560]

I reckon use skids under the hulls,rollers are just another bit to seize up and can become grippy for launch/retrieving if they don't roll!