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Sail Box
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=51587
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Author:  mattsails247 [ Tue Jun 10, 2014 9:00 am ]
Post subject:  Sail Box

I have read a few threads about homemade sail boxes. I don't want to spend money buying a fiberglass one. The one on my trailer now is wood and is on its last legs. I was thinking about framing and building a new wood one, not hard at all. But then I got to thinking that a box with an angle iron frame and diamond plate steel skin would be pretty beefy, and mildly priced. Has anybody tried this? Are there any big problems with this?

Author:  paragon1970 [ Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

I used 12" corregated plastic tubing with homemade end caps. The pipe is smooth lined inside making it easy to slide sails, rudder bar with rudders attached, hiking stick etc into the tubes.

My previous post on the subject.
http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=49004

Picture of tubes on trailer. Note I have removed the extending roller bars from the trailer, also employing two types of end caps when this picture was taken one made from fibreglass the other is wooden. I had not completed making the four fibreglass endcaps at the time this picture was taken.
Image

Picture of H14 and H16 side by side the H16 (rightside) has the tubes installed on the trailer.
Image

Regards,
SRG

Author:  turbofan [ Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

A steel box would certainly be substantial, but would be enormously heavy! A steel box large enough for sails, boom and other gear might even overload some lighter trailers. Aluminum would be the metal of choice, but would probably be extremely expensive. Corrosion on either would stain sails, gear etc. All, in all, I don't think metal is a viable alternative. Smooth interior CPP such as paragon's is the best choice for a do-it-yourself storage system.

Dave

Author:  sxrracer [ Mon Jun 16, 2014 7:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

I built a wooden box last year. Lets just say it is heavy. Does not keep stuff dry. I keep my sails inside the basement of our clubhouse now.

Plan to remove the box and place on saw horses to make the trailer lighter!

Author:  mattsails247 [ Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

Well, I guess I am going the wooden box route. If I can get 10 years out of it for about $150 ill be happy. Our old box had a little bit of room between the top of the box and the boat so we decided to make it a little taller (1' 5"), and put a shelf in the middle of it so we could put the rudders on top and sails on the bottom. I plan on getting all the joints real tight and then putting liquid nails or some waterproof caulking on all the edges to seal it up well. I will then put a little plastic circular air vent on either side of the box to let all the equipment dry if put away a little wet. In the end I will cover the entire box in a latex paint to seal it up. Does anybody have any good ideas of how I could fasten the box to the trailer? Right now there are some 2x2's screwed to the bottom of the box and then metal tie strapped to the trailer, not very secure. I would attach some pictures, but have absolutely no clue how to do that. Thanks!

Author:  sxrracer [ Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12357&start=45

Go to page 4, you can see some pics of the one I made.

I think I used 4 sheets of 1/2 exterior plywood, had to extend the length.

Author:  mattsails247 [ Thu Jun 19, 2014 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

sxrracer,
Does the weight of the box affect the trailer at all? What did you use to seal all the joints on the box? How do I post pictures? i'd like to show what I have started building.

Author:  dorienc [ Sat Jun 21, 2014 10:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

I built a wooden sail box for my H-17 years ago. I had a hinged front and back cover that I opened, and removed everything for launching and recovering. I do the same with my fiberglass Hobie toy box. I found a closed sail box made my trailer float! Harder to launch and recover the boat when the trailer is floating.

Author:  sxrracer [ Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

mattsails247 wrote:
sxrracer,
Does the weight of the box affect the trailer at all? What did you use to seal all the joints on the box? How do I post pictures? i'd like to show what I have started building.

As far as man handling the trailer. Yes. A huge difference. Liquid nails. You do not want the box totally sealed. Needs to breathe.

Author:  mattsails247 [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

Image

Image

Image

Author:  hobiesrock [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

Cool box so far! Show us the finished pics!
Graduation boat?? Awesome!

Author:  paragon1970 [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 1:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

I started to make one out of ply in fact here is the picture of it below, but it turned out a lot more heavier than the tubes and will end up costing more once it is treated. To do this properly one needs to use marine ply which is even more expensive and then you need to treat it ever year or you may find the ply starts to peel and chip away.

Oh and another benefit of the tubes is that since I sail in freshwater I back the trailer in and out of the lake to launch and recover.
I remove stuff from the tubes first, they fill with water which stops the trailer from lifting / floating.
Once done pull away and the water drains straight out and they dry pretty quick too.

Not sure if I would attempt this with a wooden fabricated sail box.

Currently using it as a storage unit in my messy loft come office! (it's crap though! I am no carpenter that for sure, can't sing either!)
Here is half of it buried amongst a load of stuff! Really need to do a spring clean wife is moaning about it, lol!
Image

Cheers
SRG

Author:  mattsails247 [ Tue Jul 01, 2014 7:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

Here is my finished wooden sailbox. I have already used it once and I am very happy with it.
Image
Carpeted shelf in the middle makes loading and unloading sails and rudders easy and smooth.
Image
It is a bit heavy. I towed the boat about two hundred miles and this did not seem to be a problem at all. In fact it seemed to make the ride smoother, trailer didn't bounce as much.
Image
In the end for about $200 I expect to get 10 years out of it.

Author:  turbofan [ Tue Jul 01, 2014 8:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sail Box

Decent looking box! Seal those raw ends of the ply and the frame, though. They'll wick water quickly and delam the ply and/ or wet rot the frame. Paragon- is that a cabinet grade ply?. I still think CPP is the best DIY solution...Also should note that I'm in construction and have (relatively) ready access to the material!

Dave

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