Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

[lakeserenity]

Hi, we are new here and could REALLY use a little help. We just bought a 28' Islander Sailboat here in MI, we have been sailing her the last 3 weeks or so, but are really looking for an inexpensive trailer to get her home this winter to do a little work on her. We are not having any luck finding one without it running way more then the boat herself. We are handy and could modify or change one around if it was long enough and could handle the weight of 8000 lbs. Or if anyone could help with some blue-prints or measurements on how to make a trailer to handle the hauling of this sailboat we would GREATLY appreciate it. Thank you very much.

 

[ghamby]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

At 28' w/ a 9' beam and that displacement, you have crossed into big boat
territory. Trailers run as high as 5 to 6 grand. I guess you already have quotes from yacht transport companies, hence the cry for help.
There just isn't a cheap, jury rig way to move a boat that big.
Check the Trailing forum on this site. I found these guys I am not sure they can help, but it's a start.
Good luck, keep us posted. If I dredge something up I'll post it. GH
http://www.kitboattrailer.com/
www.sailboats.vikingtrailer.com
http://annapolis.craigslist.org/boa/1927087925.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/1956326824.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/1895564676.html

 

[Mark SF]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

Quite honestly I'd be looking for a boatyard that would pull the boat and dry store it, and then allow you to work on it there. I think your problem is that anyone with a trailer will be using it this winter to store their boat. Good luck anyway.

PS how is the Islander? That's on my shortlist for next year, along with Cal 29, Catalina, and Ericson.

 

[lakeserenity]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

thank you SO much for your replies and greatly appreciate any info. The Marina will pull her out and store her there for the winter, which is most likely what will happen this winter, but we are still determined to find something we can modify or just build one ourselves....so any help there would be GREAT.

On the Islander....we REALLY like her, this is our first boat but we have sailed with friends on Catalina's and Tanzer's, nice boats too, but really like our Islander for how she sails, how she looks and all the room inside. We got an awesome deal from some friends on her, just really would like to get her home for some minor work this winter.

Thanks again everyone for any and all information.

 

[emoney]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

Look for a DIY Yard somewhere on the lake. They normally will pull her and
set her on stands to allow you to do the work and charge a fee for the storage, removal, re-launch. Lots of folks go this route from what I've heard.

That's a mighty, mighty big trailer and something that I"m sure would need
to be, at minimum, a triple axle. More than likely, it would need to be along
the "low boy" type. There's a possible angle; look at heavy equipment
operators. This economy may have them willing to look at other avenues for
income? Good luck.

 

[tommays]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

Well a new one from a sailboat place like Triad runs 8K as powerboat trailers dont lend them selfs well to the mod as the boat needs to have 98 % of its weight on the keel with the stands just keeping it balanced

If your determined to build one then you need to find a lowboy type Construction trailer as most sailboats stand kind of high and you may snag wires and traffic lights

I bring my boat home and at least here its a LOT of money to have it loaded and unloaded on the trailer as they really want to keep the boat in the yard and price the work as such

I would look into thoses costs before buying a trailer as on my 24' we step are own mast and its only about 700.00 to load and unload each season

On my 29' it runs into MUCH more money as the mast is a bit big to DIY

The sailboat moving trailers are special split units that alllow the boat the the keel to be blocked and the jackstands placed as the trailer pulls out

 

[Link]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

Well first welcome aboard IBoats forum!
You will find good advice here.

And I agree pretty much with all posts here as I would NOT want to take on building a trailer.

However if you are willing to do the research between your 28' Islander and a 27' Buccaneer and "if" they are approx the same (size and weight) + keel size I do have a friend who built his own trailer for his 27' Buccaneer.

Should you decide to do it I would be willing to call him to see if he would mind giving you advice.

I'm sure he would but would like to ask him first.
If memory is still working correct I think he used steel I beams for the frame and supports. Northern Tool for the axels and surge brakes.

Once again this not I would try.
Contact linkjackman1 AT msn.com

 

[lakeserenity]

Re: Please help.....28' Islander Sailboat

Thanks again very much everyone for all your help and information. We just bought a 26' tri-axle heavy equipment trailer....yeah....now we are looking for some sailboat stands to weld onto this trailer, if anyone has any for sale or knows of a place to get them, we again would greatly appreciate the help. We have found a couple of places here online but are hoping (of course) to get the best price we can. Thank you