Posted: Jul 20, 2011 - 08:45 AM
I am not aware of any really nice organized commercially built cat boxes like that. Best suggestion is to build your own.
Looking at that link however I think that a slightly different approach would be better. One major consideration and a good reason why the commercially build cat boxes are made of fiberglass is weight. Generally the boats are around 300-400 lbs and therefore Cat Trailors are pretty light duty or cobbled together jobs and most people tow using their car (usually with a 4 cylinder engine). Therefore weight has to be a major consideration. In addition, to fit your daggers/rudders/boom/blocks etc. relatively securely they need to be long and are often cantileverd over the or back part of the trailor. So you need stiffness also. Using 3/4" plywood will work but it is very heavy and will likely sag over time and humidity. What I would do is follow the same basic pattern but build an interior frame out of ceder 2x2s (rip a 2x4 in half), screwed and glued with steel angles to reinforce each joint. Then skin the box using 3/8" plywood, preferably pressure treated, although you could use exterior grade plywood if you paint it with oil primer and 2 top coats Again use a construction adhesive (PL Premium) and screw the plywood to the frame. This will stronger than the 3/4" plywood version but maybe 1/2 the weight.
If you have 6 cylinder and a good trailor however the 3/4" plywood approach is probably as good as anything.
Regards,
Dave
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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