prairie height

I have been looking at a 1978 29' prairie but would need it trucked to a new location. Was wondering if any info. on the total height of the boat. Also what is involved in removing the bridge if needed.
Thanks Curt

Have a 29' and had it trucked in 2010. Did not remove bridge. However height from keel to bridge top is 12'. We removed the wind screen, the throttle/clutch, the wheel,etc.


John

So I am looking at possibly having a Prairie 29 trucked.

Does anyone know the precise height (from bottom of the keel to top of bridge) of the vessel?

If possible, can anyone who has such a boat measure from the waterline upward?
I am assuming the waterline is 4'...correct?

Thanks.

Tim

Also, has anyone had a P29 trucked/hauled?

I do not want to remove the bridge; so is there a possible method to haul this vessel?

Just trying to explore all options and learn.

Thanks.

Tim

Send SORTIE an email or PM which will go through the site and ask directly.
Same for MILT.

Click on their names and the option should appear in a drop down menu.

I wanted to truck my 1983 Atlantic/Prarie 30 LRC, but I could not get the screws that hold the windshield together to budge, so I could not remove it. Even with the windshield removed, according to my measurements it would be about 14’ High & when loaded on a low bed truck15’, the maximum possible height. You would need special escorts, etc. and the price exorbitant. Looking at my boat, removing the bridge would be a MAJOR job, not practical to do.

John,
How did you remove the windshield? Is the Prarie, before Atlantic took it over lower?

1Sailor;
Prairie was the brand name before Atlantic took over
I understand the same molds are used.

So, after much searching and all,,,it seems the height of a Prairie 29 is 14'6".

Thanks.

Tim

Oddly enough, I've got numbers on the Prairie 36 showing 14' air draft with the mast and Bimini down. I know it'll clear a 17' bridge with the Bimini up. There was a discussion on one of these forums on the best way to measure air draft. It's harder than you'd think, even out of the water.

I couldn't even find an accurate length on my 36. Again, hard to measure precisely when it's in the water.

Tim:

Now that you know the Prairie's height, I would first look at removing the windshield and helm wheel which might get you under the critical height. I would then encourage you to talk to Paul at Triton Yachts in Oriental. Sometimes an over height load can be made to work with a special routing. For example at low interstate bridges, you can often pull off before the bridge, go around the bridge and reenter the interstate. Definitely time consuming and more expensive though.

David

David;
Thank you. I am talking to Paul and he is VERY helpful. Being 500 miles away from the boat and trying to do this is NOT easy!

Removing windshield and any other odd thing sticking up might work.

Tim

I measured my boat from the ground to the top of the front of the bridge,which is the highest point. The windshield would have to come off to get it to 14’. That is the problem I have. There are no visible screws that hold the windshield down to the bridge coming. I figured that The screws that hold the windshield together have to come out to take it apart and expose the bottom track that is screwed down to the bridge coming. Those screws have been there since 1983 and will not come out. After using the antifreezing oils, etc. I could get only one to budge. Then the grab bar (if you have one), the Morse engine controls, and anything else up there would have to come off.
I decided to take a cruise to my new destination.

Paul at Tritan Yachts in Oriental, NC gave me a fair and good quote. Competed with what a hired capt would cost.

He was kind, helpful and quick in the response.

I have decided not to pursue this boat, but if I were moving her I would talk seriously with Paul.

With the boat out of the water and waiting for launch, I finally had time to do some measurements on my 1980 Prairie 36.

It wasn't easy. I measured from the ground to the waterline in several places, then from the waterline to the top of the gunwale, then transferred that to the top of the crown on both forward and aft trunk cabins. From there I could measure height.

I was helped by the fact that the top of my rails on each side were exactly level with the top of the aft trunk cabin top.

I also dropped a string to the ground fore and aft to measure length.

I got some surprising results, and some I expected. Length of the hull is 36'3". Adding the swim platform gives me a LOA of 37'1". NOTE: I'd removed the pulpit to fit in my slip, so unless you mutilated yours the same way, you'll need to add that for your LOA.

It turns out the alleged draft of 3'3" or 3'6" that I've seen published is wrong. It's about 44 inches, or 3'8". Admittedly, the ground could be uneven by an inch or so, but it was still a bit of a surprise.

Air draft was also different from what I've read. Waterline to the top of the mast is 18'11". Add on 3" for my masthead light and total is 19'2". Pretty close to what I thought, since I always check when going under at low bridge.

The top of the Bimini is about 15'10". The top of the windscreen is about 12'9". I thought I read somewhere it was more like 14'.

Anyway, I figured I'd post this here for posterity, in case someone else always wondered this stuff about their Prairie 36.

Not disputing what Tom has posted above, just another set of measurements for our Prairie 36 that I took recently. I also found a brochure that has some measurements that are here, http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s34/prairie-36-improvements-25815-11.html#post667124 at post #217.

My findings were as follows:
Length Overall - 40’7”
(this includes 29” of bowsprit + 7” of rail beyond the bowsprit and a 24” swimstep)
Draft - 3’7”
Beam - Rub rail to Rub rail = 13’9”, Sheer = 13’4”, Waterline = 12’1”
Freeboard Forward Top of Bowsprit to Waterline - 7’1”
Height Above Waterline to Top of Mast - 19’2”
Height Above Waterline to Top of Windshield Rail - 13’9”
Height Above Waterline to Top of Bimini- 16’9”

Thanks FOG! Another set of measurements is very helpful.

Turns out measuring these beasts isn't an exact science. Maybe things like the length of the swim platform are different, not to mention I butchered mine by removing the bow pulpit. Then there's finding a reference point, given potentially uneven ground in the yard, things not being level and trying to add up multiple segments to get a total in any direction.

Mine was shipped to me with the flybridge unscrewed and put on the trailer in front of the boat.

Actually I kind of like the look of Cadillac's boat without the bridge , wonder how improved the roll would be without it . I guess i would miss the view from up there though.

Without the bridge it has an ugly flat roof so I trimmed mine down so it can still be used for sunbathing or storage. I did it for a few low bridges I didn't want to wait for.

Well, the height for my Prairie 29 is official.

I just had my vessel hauled from Georgia to NC and I was told it was right at 15'.

I removed all instruments and the bimini on the flying bridge, but did NOT remove the bridge.

Thank you for all your help in this.

Tim