Just Imported 2001 26x from LA to New Zealand

[tewharaunz]

Hi Guys,

I've been lurking for months and this website is a fantastic resource. This is my first post but I've used the pics from here to convince the shipping agent a 26x could fit in a 40' Container and have already used your tips and tricks to rig the boat and make the trailer legal (not yet, but getting closer)...

I've documented the search, purchase, import, lots of tracking the container, the unpack, rigging, and hopefully our first day on the water tomorrow. The blog is charterisbayprogress.blogspot.com. I did it mostly so family and friends would stop asking me when the boat was arriving but if you are going to do some importing, it might be useful and I'm happy to answer any questions.

I'd be happy to help with a New Zealand Special Interest Group if there are any other active NZ members. New Zealand is the Wild West when it comes to water craft. No boat registration, not boating licensing, no lighting requirements, no boat testing, no fishing license needed for saltwater fishing....you get the picture.

Also, here are some things that I've found or still trying to solve.

- I had to replace the trailer tyres and bought Hankook RA08 215/75R14 that are 8 ply rated. Each will take 1,120 kg (2,500 lb) at 42psi. They look a lot better than the nearly rotten bias ply tyres it came with. The tyre guy said they can be pumped up to 65psi for more load but haven't read that anywhere...

- The inspector doesn't like USA couplers but is happy with the trailer's drum brakes. He wants me to put on a Trojan or ALKO surge brakes but I don't want to give up tongue length (the Titan goes well past the tongue). Has anyone modded the MacGregor 26x steel trailer with a telescoping tongue?

- The trailer lights need to be at the back of the boat so most trailer sailers here use light boards. Unfortunately the outboard gets in the way... Any suggestions?

Cheers, TeWharau

[mastreb]

- The trailer lights need to be at the back of the boat so most trailer sailers here use light boards. Unfortunately the outboard gets in the way... Any suggestions?

Cheers, TeWharau

Install tail lights permanently on the port and starboard stern of the boat, run wires to the bow through the hull, and put a waterproof perko plug in the chainlocker on the bow so you can plug the boat into the tow vehicle instead of the trailer? Might look a little funny, but you'll avoid dunking your lights and replacing them about every year.

[Nautek]

LED lights on the trailer will fix that problem

Allan

[yasrkasem]

Hi
congrats for your new boat, wish you to enjoy it, Your blog is very informative for me as I'm planing to do the same soon.

[tkanzler]

I put all new lights (LED) on my trailer, but for highway and bad weather driving, I added a light bar to the outboard, as it's the furthest thing back, and a rather long way behind the normal (for North America) trailer lights.







You can't even see the trailer lights under the boat when sitting high and/or close, so I wanted lights right in the eyeballs of whomever thinks climbing up my ass will make me go faster. It's also a requirement in most states to have a light on, or close to, the end of a load hanging off the back of a trailer at night, but boats seem to get a little slack (just from what I've read here) due to the nature of the beast.

It's made of scrap 2x4's, some scrap ply, Harbor Freight LED lights with side markers (super cheap Chinese imports), some bunk carpet so it doesn't scratch the motor, and a bungie. 4-conductor trailer wiring by the foot, and a plug. When I wired the trailer, I used a junction box at the winch post and hung a short pigtail with the car end (receptacle) that came with the lights, so I just plug the long wire in if I'm going to use the light bar.

Not too elegant, but quite functional. Others here have made much prettier light bars, usually mounted to the stern rail, but I wanted them aaaalllll the way back.

[tkanzler]

Couldn't post four images in one post, so here's a side view. The white light up high in the middle is a street light.

[tewharaunz]

Install tail lights permanently on the port and starboard stern of the boat, run wires to the bow through the hull, and put a waterproof perko plug in the chainlocker on the bow so you can plug the boat into the tow vehicle instead of the trailer? Might look a little funny, but you'll avoid dunking your lights and replacing them about every year.

I like the idea but I'm not sure if I am ready to drill holes ... yet.

[Crikey]

A couple of long-burning flares ought to be good for a few K! Can't get over the much lighter regulations compared to Oz (or here for that matter!)...

[tewharaunz]

The light boards they sell here come in various widths (to a max of 2.5m) and they have license plate, brake and turn signal lights and reflectors facing the back. If the boat is more than 2m wide, they have running lights on the front near the ends.

They look like this:



The inspector didn't like the original trailer lights because the boat blocks the view of the original trailer lights up close (as tkanzler mentions above).

I was considering hanging the lightboard on the rudders, or on the outboard (like tkanzler) or any ideas?

Cheers

[tkanzler]

A lightboard on the rudders, with the plate and ID lights (3 markers, centered, 6 to 12" spacing) and side markers, was my first choice, for a lot of reasons. Like never dunking them, great visibility, and not worrying about them getting stolen when stowed in the tow vehicle. I would have fabbed a mount on the trailer for towing with no boat, too.

But I needed to get this rig on the road (just got it last summer), so I installed conventional 'over 80' tail lights (requirements for over 80" wide are greater than a narrower trailer here), side markers, amber clearance lights on the front of the fenders (red rear clearance lights are part of the tail lights, which is what makes them different from the 80" and under variety), and amber side markers near the tongue, and just made the engine mounted lightboard to keep the overhang legal as well as put them in drivers' eyes.

For around town use, like trips to the Erie Canal launch ramp, I don't bother with the extra light board. If I'm taking the highway, or at night, then I slip it on and roll out the cable.

[Buell_S1W]

Welcome Tewaraunz. I often sail to Charteris Bay (when the tide's high enough!) so I'll probably see you out there. If you can borrow a mooring for a few hours what I'd do is tie the boat up & take just the trailer with the light board attached for your first WOF. They are inspecting the trailer & not the boat after all When you get it legal & in the system, just hang the light board from the stern rails as low as you can but just above the engine, that's what I do. Strictly this puts the lights above the 1.5m max height rule but not by much. I've only ever had one inspector query it & I got around it by asking him "OK, so where would YOU put the lights?" After looking at the rudders & engine sticking out he agreed there wasn't an easy answer so he just turned a blind eye. As for the law, you'd have to be pulled over & have some really on to it cop with a grievence or something to prove to actually bother measuring the height. When towing the rig on the road the very slight extra height of the lights isn't noticeable. If someone wants to follow you THAT closely that they have to look up to see them, then they're almost inside your cockpit!
As for the USA towing tongue, there is no requirement to change it for a trojan or anything else. So long as its in good order, the surge brakes work & you use the correct matching 2" towball on your vehicle everything is sweet. The inspector's personal preference has no bearing on the legality of it.
Fair winds & no more earthquakes!

[tewharaunz]

Thanks for the ideas Buell and tkanzler (and Crikey?),

I think I'll have to put it on a mooring so I can get the trailer down my impossible driveway so I can weld the mudguards back on. (They were too wide for the container). I might as well get the warrant while I've its off the trailer.

I think the inspector saw the break away brake and didn't believe that it had surge breaks as well. Might try another inspector? I'd love to have a telescoping tongue but haven't seen anyone put one on so there must be a reason...

We were out yesterday for the first time and although it was grey and cold Northeasterly, we had a blast. No wind at first so we motored around. Light wind so we sailed with the jib. We wanted to go faster so we put the main up. By the afternoon there were 20 kmh gusts and we were heeling 25 degrees.

Cheers everyone.

[tkanzler]

I think the inspector saw the break away brake and didn't believe that it had surge breaks as well. Might try another inspector?

Print out a catalog cut sheet or manufacturer's online listing of it as proof. If it's old, it's probably a Dico model 60 and welded on, but the same one a little newer would say Titan on it. My OEM coupler was the Dico, and when I bought a new coupler for it, I could have transferred the new parts to the welded box on the tongue, but elected to grind it off and bolt the new one on to make service easier down the road.

You could also grab a 2x4 and, using one of the safety chains, demonstrate the surge brake function (you guys call them 'override' brakes or couplers?).

The Titan couplers, by the way, can accept 1-7/8", 2", and 50mm balls by adjusting the captive nut, per the manufacturer's listing.

I'd love to have a telescoping tongue but haven't seen anyone put one on so there must be a reason...

There's no good reason you couldn't extend it. The pole tongue is 3 x 3 x 3/16" wall tube, and will accept a 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 3/16" or 1/4" wall tube inside it. Pin it through the sides (use two of them if you want redundancy), but you'd have to pad out the sides of the smaller tube to accept the coupler. The bending moment is greatly reduced where it exits the larger tube, so structural integrity is not likely to be a concern. You'd also have to put a long piece of flex brake hose to the coupler.

But I'm guessing nobody does that because it's pretty much not needed. That boat sits so low on the trailer that you don't have to go up to the hubs of the two vehicle to float it on and off. I don't usually even get the tow vehicle tires wet.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Coupler/Titan/T4332900.html