2008 Chaparral Signature 310 Trailering

Mcguiver

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I saw a post where someone was asking if the radar arch could be lowered/tilted for trailering but he didn't get a reply, only assumptions & guesses. Has anyone had any experience with it?

I'm also looking for dimension of the boat to order a trailer. Does anyone have these dimensions or know where I could locate that information?

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briangcc

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Umm....over 10' beam right? That's overwidth/overwide in my state meaning permits and most likely escort vehicles to get that on the road....let alone a vehicle capable enough of pulling it.
 

Mcguiver

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I checked the requirements for each state we plan to trailer it and 10'7" beam doesn't trigger having an escort for width. Just need a permit, "Over Size Load" banners and corner flags during day light and corner lights after dark.

My main concern with the boat I'm purchasing is the height because it has a radar with anchor light that adds an additional height of approximately 2" and there's speakers mounted on the radar arch so wanting to hear from anyone who has lowered/tilted their radar arch to trailer their boat in lea of removing & reinstalling the speakers, anchor light & radar off every time we go anywhere. If I didn't lower the arch or remove speakers & radar, it would require escort for exceeding the height. However, even if the planned route for permitted loads says the bridge clearance is adequate, power lines droop over time and their height isn't documented/checked often, so I'm trying to get the height down as much as possible.

Murphy's law - if something bad could happen it'll happen to me.

Thanks for the reply!
 

Scott Danforth

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Most have the radar arch removed for transport
 

tpenfield

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You might try the Chappy forum or Chaparral themselves for the trailer dimensions. Odds are that a trailer does not have to be exact and it will still fit OK.

My boat is 10' 10" wide and sits at 12' (to the arch) on the trailer.
 

Mcguiver

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For whatever reason Chaparral decided to increase the radar arch height on this model 310, making the bridge clearance 11' 2" so adding 22" for height on the trailer plus accounting for draft gets it over the 13' 6" legal height for highways (W/O the radar or speakers attached).
 

Earl Cordova

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You might try the Chappy forum or Chaparral themselves for the trailer dimensions.
That forum is absolutely worthless. That is why I ended up here.

And I know from experience that if you ask the factory a trailer question
they will advise you to contact your dealer.
 

tpenfield

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I have trailering dimensions for my Cruisers 338 and the keel to the arch is 10' 5" . . . sitting on the trailer the top of the arch was 12' 0". So, on the trailer the keel is about 1' 7" off the ground.

I would expect the boat (Chap 310) to be under 13' sitting on an appropriately fitted trailer. Often the arch on the boats can be unfastened and lowered for travel.
 

Mcguiver

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We bought the boat but haven't removed the arch or put it on the trailer yet, but it will exceed the height limit. Does anyone have the Signature 310 with the factory installed hinged arch option and willing to share photos with it tilted to see if mine can be retrofitted if they still sell the hinges?
 
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Scott Danforth

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your local Chap dealer can get that information from the Chap customer service department
 

Mcguiver

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Thanks Scott, spoke with him about 30 minutes and wasn't too reassuring the parts would be available given the year and fact that this was an option so I probably going to have to try to reproduce something and it would be terrific if I could see the internals of the radar arch base to know how it was configured.
 

Mcguiver

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FYI - if anyone was wondering if were possible to retrofit the arch with a hinge (without having to purchase original parts), I succeeded in doing it for <$300 and all you need is access to a table saw & handheld grinder. It isn't motorized but 2 people can raise or lower it OR 1 with the aid of a portable gantry lift system (<$75 and you can purchase everything at the hardware store or "big box" lumber store.
 
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