Trailer Yacht Information

The Canterbury Trailer Yacht Squadron is based at Naval Point Club Lyttelton. For those interested in trailer yachting, membership of the CTYS and Naval Point Club provides access to facilities including clubrooms, launching ramp, jetties, rigging area, boat storage areas, tractor, cradles and haul out facilities for trailer yachts and keel boats. A full programme of racing, cruising, and off water activities is produced each year for members and crews.

Trailer yachts, as we know them today, began in 1958 with the design by Richard Hartley of the "Hartley 16". This small boat was built originally from plans and later on from kitsets and by 1979 some 4,800 had been constructed. This little 16 footer provided comfortable sailing for several people on a day basis, with bunks for two when cruising. With a towing weight of 454 kg including the trailer it could be towed by a small car and was easily handled.

In 1962 the Hartley 14 and the 18 came off the drawing board as the recreational sport of Trailer Sailing became popular. The Noelex 22 appeared in 1968 and by the 1970's many other designs were evident with sizes up to 26ft long. During the 1970's the move was from timber or ply construction to glass reinforced polyester (GRP) and by the mid 70's female moulded GRP boats were the norm. This production method enabled boats to be built faster with better consistency in hull shape, yet still allowing the owners to finish off the boat interior at home if they wished.

In 1979 the National Government imposed a 20% sales tax on boats and caravans, being classed as pleasure items, and this move effectively killed the booming trailer yacht production. Since then trailer yachts have been produced at a much slower pace, most being constructed as 'one offs' with very few GRP moulded boats being produced. During the 1980's most of the moulds fell into disrepair or were purchased and moved to Australia.

It was also during the mid 1970's that the New Zealand Trailer Yacht Association Inc. was formed and design parameters were formalised. Because the yachts were designed to be towed on the highway the towing regulations ensured that they be no wider than 2.5 metres

Many of the trailer yachts that you see today were "production" fibreglass boats built during the boom years in trailer yachting from the mid 1970s until the early 1980s. There are now very few production boats produced in New Zealand.

Trailer yachts have a huge advantage. The boat is stored out of the water. This is a big saving in cost for mooring or marina berths. The boat is stored in a place less exposed to the elements, meaning less maintenance, and you can work on it much more easily. You can get somewhere on the road in a matter of hours, when it might take several days by sea, or might be practically impossible. (Not many people take their keelers to the Southern Lakes for a holiday). Other advantages are that most have fully lifting (or swinging) keels or dagger boards and are able to be "dried-out" on the tide in a sheltered area, or run right in to a beach to pick up or set down passengers, and shallow enough draught to explore estuaries and lagoons not accessible to larger - or fixed keel vessels.

The new road transport regulations mean that boat/trailer combinations up to 2.5 tonnes should be able to be towed legally on the road, as long as certain reasonably straight forward criteria are met.

If you are considering buying a trailer yacht make sure that the outboard is up to the task. The Safety Rules for Trailer Yachts state a 25 foot boat will require a 10 hp minimum, a 20 - 22 foot boat 6-8 hp and an 18 foot boat 4 - 6 hp.

Racing is an excellent way of learning about the ability of you and your boat to handle conditions at sea, and for you to learn to have the confidence to tune the boat to its optimum for the conditions that are thrown at you. When the boat is trimmed correctly, not only is it faster, but it is far more pleasant to be on board.

While involvement in racing should help to teach you the skills of trimming the boat for the conditions, the rules of the road, and give general confidence in the abilities and limitations of the boat and skipper, it will probably not teach you how to select an anchorage, find your way in the dark, fix an outboard, or rescue a man overboard. Some club organised on the water activities are however designed to practise these skills, but also the Coast Guard offers courses ranging from basic "Day Skipper" through to "Ocean Yachtmaster" qualifications.

Data from the MSA suggests that 75% of boating fatalities could have been prevented by provision or wearing of life jackets. Many of the 25% of remaining accidents also relate to lack of - or inappropriate - equipment. The Canterbury Trailer Yacht Squadron has minimum standards for equipment on vessels involved in racing - and it is noticeable that most Trailer Yacht crew wear buoyancy vests / life jackets when cruising.

Today, for a trailer yacht design to gain NZTYA approval it must meet the criteria set down in Yachting New Zealand's Safety Regulations, Part V - Trailer Yachts. In essence the main requirements are that it must:

-          Be a monohulled cabin yacht.

-          Be propelled principally by the use of sails and suitable for family participation in recreational yachting activities.

-          A maximum beam of 2.5m.

-          Be fitted with at least two internal berths.

-          Be fitted with a retractable centreboard.

-          Have a maximum draught of 760mm with the centreboard retracted.

-          Have an internal cabin length of not less than 40% of the length of the boat.

-          Have an auxiliary motor.

Since its formation the NZTYA has granted approval for some 158 different designs. Today, most of the boats produced in the 70's are still being sailed and many active Owners Associations still exist for the popular designs.

Over the years the NZTYA has developed an efficient system which rates each design to its potential when racing. This enables fleets of mixed designs to compete against one another with their race results being adjusted according to their rating. This provides interest and excitement at Club level for all yachts no matter how large or small.

There are now a lot of boats, which are up to 8.0m in length, boasting a spacious comfortable interior, which is capable of sleeping five or six people when cruising. These same boats are also highly developed using modern construction methods and the latest materials, providing exciting sailing for the enthusiast when racing.

An important factor in a purchase decision is to consider the Self Righting Index (SRI) of a boat. This gives a purchaser a guide the ability of a boat to self right.

If you are contemplating the purchase of a trailer yacht we would suggest that you contact a nearby Club and ask to have a look over the types of boat within your budget. There are many design variations depending on whether you are a Racer, Cruiser, or a combination of both. Be sure to also consider the all up weight of the boat complete with trailer, equipment and personal items as you will need to consider your towing vehicle as well.

Members of the Canterbury Trailer Yacht Squadron will be happy to take persons interested in getting into trailer yachting for a sail, Just give us a call.