Wave Trailer

I have a 2007 Carnai trailer for a Bravo. I am purchasing a 2007 Wave and would like to keep the same trailer if possible. Can you please advise of what i need to do to convert the Bravo trailer? Or do I need to buy a new trailer? Thank you.

I think all you need to change is the crossbars.

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

I just realized I never posted pictures on this site of the trailer I "built" for my Wave; I only put them on the Wave Class page at Catsailor.com. Maybe someone else will find this useful here.

I purchased a small 4x8 open utility trailer from Menard's for $500 and put four 7 foot planks of wood decking across the top of it (front, back, 1/3 and 2/3 way between). Actually, to match the slight rocker of the hulls, I put a double thickness on the front. And I put one plank vertically across the back edge, to give the boat something better to run into. Then I used cheap marine carpet (also from Menard's) to cover the "arms" that stick out beyond the trailer. The boat slides easily onto the planks, and rides nicely above the trailer. Just to make sure to boat couldn't move sideways, I cut up the leftover deck pieces to make 45 degree chock-blocks and attached them to the planks, at the inside of the hulls. I used one big bolt on each side of each plank, so they're easily removed, for use as a utility trailer again. The trailer has a mesh floor, so I can bungee down my rudders, sail bag, life jacket, etc... The comp-tip slides in from the front, so Bob is over the tongue, and the metal mast section gets bungee'd to the planks between the hulls. The Wave is balanced on the wheels, so it's as easy to move as if it were on cat trax. Works Great! And my little Hyundai wagon pulls it just fine.

[img]http://www.catsailor.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=8615&filename=147562-WaveTrailer.JPG[/img]
[img]http://www.catsailor.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=8616&filename=147563-WaveonTrailer.JPG[/img]

The image posting feature doesn't seem to be working right tonight. Sorry.

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

That's pretty cool.

I have a 4x6 trailer just like your 4x8. Do you suppose a shorter trailer would work okay?

I would think the length of the trailer's tongue will be your only issue. It's a bit short on mine, so I have to be careful not to let it jack-knife, or I could get a bow through a back window. But if yours is long enough to get it comfortably far behind the car, the 6 foot span should be plenty to support the boat.

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What - Me Worry?


2006 Hobie Wave 7358
"Ish Kabibble"

Yup. I thought long and hard about the same thing since I already own a similar 5x8 util trailer, but my problem is that the tounge is too short. With 2.5' of bow extending beyond the front deck, it would interfere when when turning anything but the slightest amount as Indy pointed out (it needs to be about 3' longer than the tips of the hulls extending past the deck). IMO, w/ the shorter 4x6 bed, you may need to have the tounge extended to allow that critical turning clearance.

But I finally broke down and bought a new Karavan bunk trailer ($625) from my local powerboat dealer, and purchased the catamaran conversion kit directly from karavantrailers.com online parts sales. Comes with mast stand, rollers, brackets, hardware, crossbars, lighting pieces, everything you need to convert just about any common bunk trailer to catamaran use.
Total cost fro trailer and kit was just under $1100, about same as Carnai Wave trailer(w/ optional maststand), but with the added bonus of larger 12" wheels, a winch, rollers, and the larger frame to accomdate a Getaway if I wanted to upgrade in the future. My crossbars are spaced about 6' apart, so the span your are looking at with the 4x6 trailer is fine.

Check out the gallery in a thread posted by Sailfast24, http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=10776 my trailer is basically identical, same model and kit, with the exception of all the cool stuff he added to trick his out. Oh, and with mine, I mounted the crossbars UNDER the frame, lowering the whole cat 5". Plenty of clearance for fenders in case you were wondering.

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

Thanks for the replies and photos.

So, if I remove the coupler off my 4x6 trailer, can I extend the tongue the two to three feet necessary for turning, etc?

Is there a sleeve adapter that can join the two parts to extend the tongue?

Thanks

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Hobie Wave 2006
Hobie Getaway 2004

I think your best bet would be to bring the trailer to a welding/fabrication shop. Not all tongues are the same dimention, but probabaly 3x3?. They would be able to cut a piece of material (4x4?) to make a sleeve to bolt on or weld (best). If it were me, I would cut the tongue about 1' from the trailer bed, and sleeve it there, rather than right at the coupler. I think this would easier. Most couplers are designed for 3" wide material. So if you need another 3' (longer is better), get a 5' sleeve to allow 1' of overlap.
Then you would need to extend your wiring. Of course before you cut the tounge, pull the existing pigtail back thru. Just splice in a new longer pigtail.
Maybe someone else will chime in w/ a source for a bolt on extender. But I have never seen one.

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Jim

2007 Hobie Wave

Looks great! I'm modifying a Carolina Skiff J16 trailer to haul my new Bravo, and will build something very similar to what you have. The only difference will be that I'll make it on a self-supporting frame that I bolt to my existing bunks so that I can easily remove it, have a place to store the Bravo, and still be able to use the trailer to bring my Skiff home when hurricanes threaten. Now I'll just have to see if I have room for a mast stand between the winch and trailer coupler. If not, the roof rack on my Jeep Cherokee will probably do OK.

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Bob Reeves
Lake Livingston, Texas

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