Steel Cradle Specification for a 1999 Catalina 34 Mk11, Wing Keel, 4.3" Draft

[frank]

Would be interested in hearing from any member who can provide specifications and advice re the building of a steel cradle which can be used to both transport (on a hydraulic marine transport trailer) and store a 1999 Catalina 34 Mk11, Wing Keel.
frank
Hull# 1446 Name; Swan Song
NB, Canada

[Stu Jackson]

I don't have or need a cradle, but you could start here:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,3845.0.html

Do a search on "cradle" and find some more.

[Ralph Masters]

The owners manual shows all spec for a stowage cradle.

Ralph

[tonywright]

These guys have built a number of them for MKII C34's:

http://www.cradleridetrailers.com/Products.page?CategoryID=5149&CurrentPage=1&ItemID=20627

It is the six post version that you want.

Tony

[Ron Hill]

Frank : As mentioned your owners manual has a diagram. 

Call Catalina and I'm sure that the factory can send you a "blue print". 

[tonywright]

Keep one important fact in mind:  The factory says the boat weighs less than 13,000lb. The original factory specs probably reflected this design weight.

Most wing keel MK II C34's seem to weigh more than 16,000lb. (Average measurements on mine are 16,300lb). Make sure that your cradle builder knows this. The keel needs good heavy support - it should be supporting about 60% or more of the weight. More pads distribute the reamining support better around the hull: I have seen some owners crank a pad so that the hull goes concave around it. It is easily done when you have fewer pads.  Probably not good for the hull in the long term.

The picture shows an airborne C34 with a couple of C34 cradles on the ground below.

Tony

[frank]

Thanks to all for your responses todate.

The C34 Mk11 Owners Manual I have shows only the Lifting Recommendation diagram for the standard fin keel model.

Catalina have now sent me the diagram of the Wing Keel and the Cradle plans for the 34/36 Wing and Fin versions. However the channel/pipe schedual specs appear to be for a storage cradle only and would not meet the more rugged requirement needed for also transporting the C34 on the cradle.

Tony Wrights suggested link to the Cradleridetrailer Company resource, his recommendation for a 6 post version plus his photo of Vagabonds cradle will I think prove most helpful to me in finalizing a cradle plan.

Any additional info and comments most welcome.   Frank

[Ron Hill]

frank : Catalina ships MOST of the C34/36s to their destinations by truck.  By Catalina's own addmission to the east coast from California.

I would call that a "shipping" not a storage cradle !!! 

[Ralph Masters]

About six months ago there was a series of notes on here from a group who bought a Katrina boat, a C34 and built a custom trailer to move the boat to California.  He then had that custom trailer up for sail.  do a search on that and see what you come up with.  I even saw the trailer listed on Craigs List here in San Diego.

Ralph

[Stu Jackson]

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6150.0.html

If you do a search on the word "Kelowna" you'll find more.  Thanks for jogging my memory, Ralph, since I remembered where they took ex-Mariposa and so could find their posts.