Dart 15 Forums

Happy Season everyone! Thanks to Jonathan for kicking out the spammers.

It looks as though I'm going to have to get a box for my trailer this season, so I'm starting my research early. I was going to get a West Mersea one at ?198! However they seem to have been taken over by Dixon-Bate and aren't being advertised. Does anyone have any suggestions for a slightly lower cost but easy solution?

Happy New Year Robert,

If you use the Chat Pages Search facility, and enter trailer AND box you'll get a list of Chat messages that include both words trailer box.

Those started by Kevin (North Wales) seem to be the latest useful suggestions, but there are others that you might want to check out.

Thanks George, I'll try that. Are you going to Draycote? If so I hope to see you there.

Best wishes

Hi Robert on the subject of trailer boxes, I've been waiting for Steve Sawford to go into production of his new all singing and dancing super amazing GRP trailer box.....I'll lay this on a bit thick because I've been waiting for a year or two now....

Steve has made the plug, but needs a little "off peak" time to complete the job..... perhaps you could express an interest and get him to hurry up . Steve made an excellent job of fixing my boat so am sure the box will be worth the wait.

Hi Kevin!

Thanks for the tip. I had wondered about Steve's box, I'm sure it will be very good when he's done it. This thread seems to have had a few viewings - I wonder how many other people would be interested?

In the meantime I'm trying to think of very cheap substitutes. I've even wondered about the possibility of using building site materials - does anyone know how wide sewage pipes are? As far as ski-ing top boxes are concerned, the Thule "Ocean 700" looks big enough, but cheap it isn't.

I'll try and contact Steve, but I'm not very good at that particular trick.

Regards

Robert.

Hi Robert, It could be a long wait if you wait for Steve Sawford to make one. Last time I spoke to him he had more work than he knew how to complete. Mostly just boat repairs. That was a few weeks ago so he might have got on top of it. Quite a lot of us have made our boxes out of exterior grade plywood. It is quite a nice winter project if you have got the time, but the box still costs >?150 by the time you have bought all the materials
Happy New Year

I would have bought a box by Steve if in production, but as it was I took the measurements (I think provided by Bob in an old thread) and asked a sheet metal/ducting factory in effect to make me an 8-foot coffin out of galvanised ducting sheet.
It is quite heavy, but very sound and was a bit less than Bob's estimate of a plywood one.

Thanks for the advice folks. There's a trailer maker up the road so I might just go and see him sometime with the dimensions and the trailer. For the time being I'll continue to chuck everything into the car. I am slightly tempted by the "build my own option" - can one get hold of ready-made foam sandwich, I wonder? If so it might be possible to glass some into a box shape, perhaps.

Food for thought, at least.

Hi Robert
Does that mean we will see you at Draycote with all the stuff in the back of your car?
NO PRESSURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Bob

No pressure needed, Bob, I'm looking forward to it - unless there's a hurricane of course. I hope that low pressure has cleared off by Saturday.

I had hoped to get to Beaver but I'm afraid I'm not made of the same stuff as Erling and his mates.

I hope I don't forget to put something vital into the car - like the sail!

See you

Robert

Hi

We do a lockable galvanised trailer if you are interested (please have a look at the website for photos www.cat-bitz.co.uk)

We also intend producing a fibreglass one in the near future, probably mid March


Regards

Andy Morse

Andy

Could you do larger boxes? 8'x2'x1' would just about get the bits in for the cat, but not for assorted sailing bags, bits for the the kids' Oppi, windbreaks, beach gear, etc, etc.

My current box is aprox 8'x3'x2'

Thanks

Charles

For everyone's information, Bob and I spoke to Steve Sawford at Draycote yesterday. He is definitely on course to start production of trailer boxes in the spring time and already has 5 orders from interested members. If anyone is wanting one it would be a good idea to let him know in case the queue gets long. He said he intends to build one so that people can see what it is like and therefore there is no obligation involved.

Drowned Robert

Robert
Yes the box project will be in production with the first 2 boxes arround mid April ..........2007...
The boxes 9`Lx2`wx16"h(SS Marine Sail Shuttle) will fit on the trailer under the boat with a lockable main hatch in the top and lockable access hatches at the front or back to use when the boat is on the trailor.all your sails,rudders,tool box and sprint tiller ext. will be safely stowed with plenty of room for the wet kit and beers.
looking slightly like a flat Intercity 125 they will be very smart and shiney.
Built to order in any colour you wish (even purple glitter Charles)and orange for me when the mad rush eases.
I wil put the photos of the 1st on www.sailingforall.com in the spring.
cheers
Steve

RESULT!

Great Stuff Steve. Too bad about time out for marathon training as this thread keeps getting looked at. I reckon Charles should buy two boxes - one for his trailer and one for the roof of his family carrier?

Can you do Thomas the Tank Engine ones as well as inter-city?

I think you sailed pretty good last Saturday too (not that I could see that far ahead). It was fun for the tail-enders as well, though.

I should have bought one of these boats at least ten years ago.

Robert.