TOPIC: 61 PowerCat 18DC and trailer questions.

Let me know, or move it, if this should be in the trailer forum.

I just bought Brian's 2010 shoreland'r Trailer and got a free PowerCat.

Sometime on the way home (drove from Ravena NY to Castile NY to Hellam, PA) 4 of the lag screws worked their way out of the bunks. No major damage that i can find, in the middle bunk the hull was sitting on the bunk support for a while.

From one of the pictures below it looks like this may have happened before, or the Cat scraped something on the trailer or in the water after Brian finished it.

I want to make sure this trailer fits the boat well. Does anyone have pics of their PowerCat trailer bunks? I'm thinking of rebuilding the bunks 'cuz i just don't trust bolt heads (from the u- bolts) an inch from my hull.

The other question is just basic 'glass. It looks like he filled her pretty well after the scratch, as you can see. Just fair it and paint for now?

Cheers,

Dan

As you can see in this one, i can't even get the bunk back around between the support and the hull. The weight of the Cat is too much for the thin bunk supports, i think.

If it were mine i would certainly remove what is there now. And go with something like the pic I have here. www.floridasportsman.com/files/2010/09/ameracat_24.jpg
When i get to my 63' 14-C concept of trailer shown is what I'm looking to do. I've also seen trailers with sheets of plywood flat on trailer that option also works. But basically up to the owner.

Travis

Do you have a good picture of your new setup. From the one shown looks like tires are pretty small?

I'll get a better pic tomorrow. They are 20.5 x 8-10 tires.

Thanks, I'll have a look at the link.

There is so much wrong with the way that it is rigged I am surprised you got it home without ripping a hole in the hull

groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/PowerCatBoat/info

1 The angle of the bunk is so far from the angle of the hull.

2 the brackets that are holding the bunk are really too light for the boat. If you load this boat with items and hit a hard bump in the road the hull most likely will bottom out on the trailer.

3 may be a bit over kill, however with a boat that size and how far the cross members are I would not use anything less than treated 2 X 6

I would make me a cardboard cut out of the hull, and then off load the boat. I would bend the brackets where a 2 X 6 would fit on both side bottoming out on the trailer and the hull will fit in between.

Then for insurance I would cut out some triangles and bolt them to the trailer behind the bunks as to keep them from moving because of the light brackets

I modified my trailer to have flat carpeted platforms since the sponsons have flat bottoms. I built it with 4ea. 2X8X8....2 on each side.I put angled 2X4 bunks outside of the platforms to guide the boat as it slides on. They do not support the boat, just guides.. I guess the 18 DC is pretty heavy...I think my 15T is around 475 lbs bare.

I know that boat well! I was Brian's mechanic with those old 40s! Take good care of her!

TallTexan

I was in too much of a hurry that day to get all around NY and back to PA. I'm lucky there was no major damage. I'm not happy with the bunks or their supports at all. I was able to bend the supports with a short piece of cheater pipe.

If 2x6 is overkill what does that make the 2x8 or 2x10 lumber i was thinking about using?

I think i'll remove those brackets completely. They are only on by U-bolt.

oldskier

do you have any raised bunks on the inside channel between the sponsons? I was looking at Mackay Trailers for ideas. Looks like a great trailer, rollers under the sponsons and bunks under the channel.

I might have to think about a new trailer... The 2 motors i plan on installing are 600 pound total, give or take. The trailer has about a 2000 pound capacity. 2 full 6 gallon fuel tanks will be about 80 or so pounds. May be close but should be fine.

Here is what i was looking at: www.mackaytrailers.com/boat-trailers/powercat

The only problem Going wider on the boards is the friction that they will have when pulling the boat up onto (and launching) the trailer. If you set their angle a bit wider then the Vs of the hull then there will be no problem

Good to know, hadn't thought about the friction during loading/launching. I'd like to do rollers but with all the other projects my budget will only allow bunks. My holsclaw has rollers and i like them.