Aquarius Sail Owners

If you are looking for a good quality Gear Box to attach to your cat-trailer and/or back of your truck, here ya go:

TSC Heavy-Duty Poly Utility Storage Box, 44 inch

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/t ... st-toolbox

Very sturdy, full-body interior (no molded ribs et-al), double security latches (unfortunately not stainless), with a 'tall' lip hatch that fits way up under the lid to keep water out .. on Sale for $79.99

Yep, I bought Two (2)!

Franklin Viola
ARC 21.01

Hey Franklin,
I don't mean to sound like a smart ass, as I occasionally do, but my honest question is, what can you put in a 44" box?
I guess light gear and such, but my beams and sails and assorted poles are 9' minimum.
Again, don't take it the wrong way, I just want to know? Maybe I'm missing an idea. Something I find a lot of on this forum, from time to time.

This morning I was thinking about your box, in an attempt to figure out possible uses.
That's when I realized that you have a 21, and a 17, which are both great boats.
I'm interested to hear how the dagger board location on the 21 effects it, but that's a different subject.
So I guess today's question is, do they make a 12' box?
I thought of joining two of your boxes together, sort of, but I'm sure there's a better way.

Any thoughts?

"J"
Apologies for not replying sooner. I am in the middle of re-modeling my home that my folks 'physically' built (Mom mixed the mortar and Dad set the cinderblocks) in 1954. I stayed here during Hurricane Ike as we are the highest natural point on Galveston Bay. Spent three (3) weeks without power (ran my Honda EU3000is) and cut down trees with Stihl chainsaw every day, but no real damage.

Anyway, my use for the 44 inch box as you mentioned is for the 'light gear': pfd's, trapeze harnesses, main-sheet, small sea-anchor, collapsable oars (yes, I have paddled my ARC21 ) and the other incidentals that support a successful beach campaign.
Some of our Texas City Dike sailors mount similar boxes forward on their trailers, while others simply slide them in back of their truck or SUV. I have also found this HD Poly Box to be a great 'rinse tub' for all my light gear as they do not 'bow outward' when full of water like my Rubbermaid Tuff Boxes. I can also close the 44 inch Box's sturdy lid and let the light gear soak a few days if clean up time is against me. An extended fresh water 'soak' does wonders to dilute salt-water 'in' the gear and will make things last many many more years!

Not sure about a 12-foot 'cat-box', though mine is 10 feet long .. aluminum and 'unwieldy' with the ARC21 on the trailer My plan this winter (as a 'break' from re-modeling the house ) is to add two (2) sets of appliance rollers (Ace® 32 Wheel Aluminum Appliance Roller Item#: 3676352) under my cat-box, and a thin sheet of aluminum (or SS) to the trailer (covering cross-framing) so I may 'roll' the cat-box out from under the ARC21 Two (2) pieces of aluminum angle (each 8 feet long) on either side of the cat-box will act as alignment 'rails' to keep the cat-box rolling straight. Simple nylon lashing at either end will tie-down and secure the cat-box during travel .. though I am sure I will 'over-engineer' and design some kind of locking-pin system

44 inch HD poly box will ride in bed of truck.

Last, Roberts-designed "Shared Lift" concept is
"In conjunction with low drag, high lift daggerboard and rudder designs that not only improve the ARC-21's windward capabilities but also produce a balanced helm off the wind even when flying a spinnaker. Coupling the ARC-21's "Shared Lift" daggerboard design with its high-efficiency and powerful sail plan produces a combination that will sail higher and faster to windward than any other 8.5ft. wide beachcat on the market. No other beach cat is designed like this, the daggerboard is forward of the main beam and is smaller in area than the rudder, thus the basis for "Shared Lift". Sailing the ARC-21 you find a feather-light helm as you step out on the trapeze and head to windward."

Or to put it more simply, sailing the ARC21 is like 'dancing' with a full-figure woman who at the end of the night can slide comfortably into bucket seats of a Corvette (ie, trailer) and get on down the road to the next beach campaign!

Thanks
Franklin J. Viola
ARC2101

Franklin,
You explained all of it very well. Plenty of food for thought. Good luck with the house.
Thanks
John