Where can I find a Sail box or sail tube? I know hobie sells one but I dont really care for it. I would prefer a box so I could put my jackets and such in it. I have searched online but have not found anything.
I guess it would be. What is everyone building them out of? Treated wood? Also does it need to be water tight or allowed to breath? I know you can build it out of pvc pipe but I would rather have a box.
I found a locale truck box manufacturer that built me a custom box. It is 8 feet long, two feet wide and 15 inches high. The door is 5 foot long. With the boat on the trailer three feet of the box is under the tramp. The door is just in front of the beam and opens up. The box is long enough to hold the sails.
I also have a 10 foot piece of 10 inch pvc for a sail tube. A 5 gallon bucket makes a perfect lid.
You can buy a used aluminum truck box and cut out the end. Have an aluminum extension made and rivet/weld to the box. You want the box to be rain tight but allow it to "breathe". This will let damp things dry.
What type box you need depends on what you need to carry. Boardless boats don't need as much room and Hobie 16's can get away with a basic tube for the sails and boom.
If you want more storage you can get a nice professionally done box with easy access lids at Sailboxes.com
The Sailbox boxes are the Cadillac of all sailboxes. I don't think there is a better one out there (hence the price).
If security isn't an issue you can make one with 1/4" or 3/8" exterior grade plywood, spf (spuce,pine,fir)2x2's for an interior frame and decking screws.
Cut the boards to size (normally 24" wide by 18" tall by 8 ft long because the plywood can only be bought in 8 ft lengths). You should cut up 2 sides 18" by 8ft, one bottom 24" by 8ft 2 ends 24" by 18" and 2 top pieces which will be 4 ft long by 25" wide, one top piece and one end piece will be the doors.
Screw 2x2s along the perimeter of the 2 sides. Attache the bottom to the sides and run 2x2s accross the bottom and top at each end and half way for reinforcement. Screw half of the top and one end to the sides to make a partial box. Use strap hinges and a gate hasp to put and end cover and top opening on the box. Paint the outside so it won't rot.
That's a really simple one that will be relatively light and as long as you use full 8 foot pieces it should hold up for quite a few years. I would screw every 6" along the 2x2s with 1.5" decking screws and and it wouldn't hurt to use construction adhesive for extra stiffness.
I just built one out of treated wood for about $120.00 two days about 8 hours. I made a 10 foot box using 12 1X6 treated wood 3 on each side, I also used 1X4 treated wood across one on either end and 2 others equally spaced apart with one across the beam on the trailor and used liquid nails and screws then I drilled 6 holes to through the wood and through the frame of the trailer it made a nice bench. Then built the two sides on my driveway used 3 galvenized "L"brackets to hold the sides and also screwed it to the bottom along with the liquid nails and the top similar way. For the ends I cut treated plywood for the ends put hinges on each side and with a lach and was done. I did this all while the boat was in the garage and the boat on the trailor. It works perfectly for 4 tightly rolled sails and a couple of other sailing equipment. At the beach it makes a nice table and a place to set your equipment and if you have chicks they can lay out on it. I didn't make it air tight because I always store it in the garage, but to make it airtight you could claulk it and paint it. :)