Trailer Rear Mast Support: Ideas?

I am currently using a rear mast caddy that rests on the rear cross bar (shown below). The problem I have is that I have to remove the rudder assembly when transporting because the rudder cross bar cannot ride below the mast - and above the mast, the rudders want to point downward and drag (I've got flattened rudder tips to prove it!)



I've looked at this:



..... but it has to be mounted on the trailer rear cross bar and, on my trailer, that's a good 4 feet in front of the back end of the tramp (it's hard to appreciate in the above picture) ....additionally I have the Hobie "Toy Box" which is in the way.

Anybody have a good solution to this?
thanks

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Adam
e-mail: ab at medjet.net
H17S, Hobie Bravo, A cat
Fleet 444

I have a mast support similar to the product you showed. It has about a 30 inch horizontal for about 20 inches of reach (it slides on top of the middle trailer beam rather than clamping) and the mast sits about 18" above the crossbar. It keeps my mast up, but I still wouldn't be able to leave the tiller on as the upright is right behind the rear crossbar with a an angled bumper that helps keep everything from moving back.

I suppose I could push the boat forward a bit and make room for the tiller, but I wouldn't want to. Five clevis pins and two quick clips are a small price to pay for keeping my rudders safe. I get nervous backing the boat down a launch with the rudders up and someone on the boat holding them.

That said, if you're set on leaving the rudders on, I would just extend your existing mast support upwards. Add some foam, reshape to the crossbar, and lift the mast high enough to leave room for the tiller.

Good luck.

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Bill
H20 #433
Southeast Iowa

The cheapest, easiest solution is to remove the rudder assembly. Why must you keep them on when trailering? There have been discussions on this forum about the wisdom of trailering with the rudders attached, and many opinions tend toward removal of the rudder assembly.

If you've got the lowers castings tuned just where you want them, then an option is to unbolt the rudders from the lower castings and remove the tiller cross bar, leaving the lower castings on the boat and secured with a line to the rear crossbar, but that might be going too far.

Another option is to build a custom mast caddie which holds the mast higher off the cross bar. Fashion one out of wood and old carpet for padding, use the current caddie as a template for the crossbar.

If you do not care about making sure the rudders stay in good shape why don't you modify the one you have so you can keep the rudders on.

Just cut on dotted line and insert what you have available. Maybe a 2X4 piece of wood or re-fiberglass with the space inserted.

Thanks for all the feedback. I wasn't aware of the opinion against trailering with the rudders on. I'll have to search for posts on this subject and get informed. If I decide to keep the rudders on, sounds like I'll need to custom create some kind of contraption to keep the mast up higher (a la Dan's idea above).

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Adam
e-mail: ab at medjet.net
H17S, Hobie Bravo, A cat
Fleet 444

Check out other mast support ideas at this post: http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=32763&highlight=#32763

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John Latimer
'79 Hobie18 - Magnum
Sail#4854

I use one of those mast cradles like the one the guy showed and suggested that you modify and I haven't had any problem with the rudders dropping. I wonder what I am doing wrong (right)

I have a stand like that which is pictured and it pivots down in order to take the boat off- I just have a bolt and wingnut which keeps it up, plus I always strap a bungee to it to keep it from wobbling.
I also bungee my rudders from the end of the tiller crossbar to the rear pylons and then one bungee over the rear crossbar and the tiller crosbar. I have never had my rudders drop. I keep the outside bungees on untill I have the boat in the water and then pull them off and strap them across the rear laces of the tramp.
I Love bungees!!
John G.

If you want to keep the rudder/tiller assembly attached, the key is to raise the cradle above the level of the tiller crossbar. Then when you bungee it, it doesn't bend the crossbar, and wrapping bungees around the crossbar keeps the rudders from swinging.

Based on the advice of Bill C. (aka "The Seller"), I built a mast caddie from West Marine trailer parts. It's very secure and almost no flexion in the crossbar. The red line indicates the bottom of the crossbar.

It's basically a 3" trailer bow "Y" stop sawn in half w/ a 4" roller sandwiched in between, all held together with a long bolt, washers & nylock. Holes were drilled in it for bungee attachments. Hooking the tramp lines and wrapping the mast eliminates the need for the holes. I put them there just in case.

Nice!!!

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Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

clarsen123 has ended the discussion.