shipping containers

[cuisto]

I am looking into purchasing a used shipping container .
does anyone know if a 99 on original trailer will fit in one of these inside width is 7' 9"
height and width are not a concearn.
Thanks guys

[hart]

Two X's are supposed to fit in a standard shipping container - that's one of Roger M's design criteria to help keep the cost low.

We looked into buying a couple for storage purposes last year and my father in law is still toying with the idea of turning a container into a hurricane shelter.

[cmeperform]

good idea,

[PatrickS]

The boat will fit, but not on the trailer. The trailer is too wide. And you can't fit both the boat and trailer in the same container (at least not without disassembling the trailer nearly completely, and possibly not even then).

I found all this out when I shipped my 26X from the US to Finland. It was in the end cheaper to send it Roll-On-Roll-Off on the trailer than paying for all of the special handling that would have been required to get the boat into the container (custom cradle, special forklift and knowhow, etc.) and the trailer separately (or sell and buy another there).

I expect that may be one of the reasons why Macs in the UK, Australia, etc. all have local trailers.

[Mistral]

My 26M was shipped in a 40ft container with mast dropped on the deck and trailer disassembled (wheels and fenders removed). I did not see it in the container, so I can't tell you how it was stored. As far as I know all who have imported 2nd hand Mac's had theirs transported like that.

[Hamin' X]

The resident expert on this subject would be, Phillip. His business is importing used Macs into Australia for resale. You might want to shoot him a PM.

~Rich

[Phillip]

Mistral is correct.
Axel/wheels/fenders must be removed....so must the brackets holding the tail lights and goal posts. Then you can just get enough height and width to slide the boat in.
Once you know what you are doing, they are simple to load and unload.
You need the container in a position you can fold the door right around.
You will only fit 1 per container.
Do not get them off-centre when loading....causes big damage when unloading (they bounce along the ribbed wall).
There are other important tips but that's irrelevant here.
Containers are a very simple and cheap (about 25%) means of transporting these boats overseas.
Cheers
Phillip

[J.Teixeira]

I have some knowledge about this.

Mi boat traveled around the world a container.

The Boat was sent from California to Macao (former Portuguese city in china near Hong Kong) in a container in 1997. It traveled around the Pearls River and China sea islands.

In 2000 it was sent in the container from Macao to India (former Portuguese city of Goa) were it traveled along the northwest coast of India.

In 2003 it was sent in the container from Goa to Mozambique (Lake Malawi) were it traveled all along the lake.

In 2005/2006 It was sent also in the container from Mozambique to Portugal.

Because we took it out from the factory container bi ourselves the fist time in Hong Kong and kept the container with us, it was not difficult to pack it again.

The trailer is prepared for that because it has a pair of small wheels under and after removing the axis it moves easily anyway. You only need to remove the complete axis part without disassembling it (only 8 bolts). The mast will go lower in a support (in short containers).

To load and unload we learned that the best is to create a pair of U shape metallic 8mt rails to fit in the small wheels. This way the boat will move smoothly with precision and no obstacles (like the edge of the container).
We put the boat pointed to the container with precision (bi the rear), lift the trailer, remove the axis without dissembling it, measure the exact position of the rails, lower the trailer and slowly push the trailer that will go into the container guided with precision bi the rails.
On the end to move the rails just lift the trailer one inch and move the rails along the container.

- We kept the rails inside the container

- The container we have a short model 32ft?

- Do not try to do this in a harbor or truck terminal. It takes time, must be done carefully and those people don't have time or patience to a Mac owner loading is precious "treasure"

- It is not practical to store the boat for winter. It is virtually impossible to make mods or any maintenance

- Painting inside the container can be very dangerous.

JT

PS: It seems that mi work is now in a more stable base so the container as become a gear storage and craft work area for the boats... I hope for a long time...

[Mistral]

Woooow, JT.

Your Mac must be the most traveled Mac in the world, even it wasn't under its own sails all the time.

[The Mutt]

We found that the packers in the US can be a bit rough, the stainless steel hand rail posts on both sides level with the mast step had the screw heads cut off, the starboard stainless hand rail where the cabin and cockpit meet was cut through with an angle grinder, all because they thought it was a bit of a tight fit going into the container.

Shame they didn't look inside an unscrew the nylock nuts from the bottom of the screws!

Oh well, a bit of stainless weldings and some new screws and nuts and all's well again.

Glenn

[J.Teixeira]

this is an interesting picture



A arriving to Australia

[The Mutt]

this is an interesting picture



A arriving to Australia

That's our boat, note the missing posts on the forward sections of the cabin, what is hard to see is the cut verticle post that has the GPS connected.

I'll fish out more pics and post them.

Glenn

[puggsy]

PatrickS said " expect that may be one of the reasons why Macs in the UK, Australia, etc. all have local trailers.
Not quite accurate...We do have to modift the USD trailer somewhat, with the tow hitch, like mine is, but apart from that, its all US steel, wheels, bearings, etc. I managed to get it passed by the traffic mob. Puggsy

[PatrickS]

PatrickS said " expect that may be one of the reasons why Macs in the UK, Australia, etc. all have local trailers.
Not quite accurate...We do have to modift the USD trailer somewhat, with the tow hitch, like mine is, but apart from that, its all US steel, wheels, bearings, etc. I managed to get it passed by the traffic mob. Puggsy

I stand corrected.

[PatrickS]

- Do not try to do this in a harbor or truck terminal. It takes time, must be done carefully and those people don't have time or patience to a Mac owner loading is precious "treasure"

This is precisely why I chose not to go that route (though I would have preferred to have had my boat in a container). I didn't have time or inclination to do the loading and logistics myself, and all of the quotes for that level of special handling put the cost alot higher than Roll-On-Roll-Off. Of course, the route/destination also counts for alot, I think. Quite a bit of Roll-On-Roll-Off traffic from the US to Europe.