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Author Topic:   SPORT 13 Hard to Unload From Trailer

Foulweather Jack posted 09-04-2008 12:05 PM ET (US)
When launching my Sport 13 at the local boat ramp, I backed my wife's Toyota Highlander as far as I could to the water without submerging the exhaust pipe. Even so, the trailer wasn't far enough into the water to float the boat off, and it took the help of a good Samaritan to pick up the front of the boat and push it off the trailer into the water. Had he not helped, I couldn't have launched the boat.
Afterwards, I thought about what I would have done differently had I not had any help. Two alternatives spring to mind:
1) Detach the trailer from the hitch, and roll the trailer into deeper water to float off the boat, all the while holding onto the trailer with a rope.
2) Back the car into deeper water with the trailer. I was afraid that submerging the tail pipe would cause the engine to stall, not a good thing at a boat ramp.
Any suggestions?
brisboats posted 09-04-2008 12:11 PM ET (US)
#2 definitely not #1.
Tohsgib posted 09-04-2008 12:23 PM ET (US)
If fresh water you can get the pipe wet..it will bubble out and no way for water to enter the engine. Salt water forget about it unless a lease ;)
Does your trailer break or tilt? Does it have rollers?
TransAm posted 09-04-2008 12:53 PM ET (US)
I agree with Tohsgib, salt water will kill your car in short order. I you are backing far into the water on a ramp, you better know the boundaries of the ramp. Backing off the end of a ramp may park your truck in the water for a while. If your boat is close to floating (you and one other were able to push it off?), I would try backing down the ramp with a little momentum and some slack in the main winch line with the safety unhitched. Or unhitch the winch line all together and attach a dock line to the bow cleat and the winch stand. Hit the brakes abruptly and dislodge the boat using its own weight.
Chuck Tribolet posted 09-04-2008 01:03 PM ET (US)
Longer tongue on the trailer?

A winch on the truck to pull the trailer out? (I've seen it
done).
And if you need to shove the boat off, turn around, put your
back against the boat, and push with your legs. And if it's
a bunk trailer, spray the bunks with silicone.

Chuck
NorthShoreWhaler posted 09-04-2008 01:05 PM ET (US)
I am with Chuck. You need a longer tongue on that trailer. Your ramp probably does not have a very steep grade.
Casco Bay Outrage posted 09-04-2008 02:08 PM ET (US)
Jack -
Shoot some photos of the boat/trailer hooked up and post them.
Is the ramp pitch very shallow?
pglein posted 09-04-2008 02:37 PM ET (US)
I wouldn't suggest detaching the trailer from the boat. It'll be more work to pull that trailer back up to the vehicle than it is to push the boat off. And what happens if the rope breaks? Not to mention all the people who have to wait to launch/retrieve while you go to all this hassle. No way. Don't do it.
If you find yourself at a ramp where you can't get the boat to float free, I suppose you can back in a little farther than you otherwise might. But you certainly don't want this to be the norm. I avoid, whenver possible, dunking anything more than the tire. I use my boat almost exclusively in saltwater, so getting it on the brakes, exhaust, or frame on a regular basis is unacceptable.
It sounds to me like you need to adjust your trailer so the boat floats more readily on what I'm sure must be a very shallow ramp. There are two ways to achieve this.
First, is to increase the distance between the vehicle and the boat. I have a trailer designed for a 17' boat under my 13'. In all but the shallowest ramp, it floats on and off easily. The tradeoff, of course, is that it is harder to park and maneauver. Many trailers have adjustable tongues. Perhaps you can extend yours.
Second, is to lower the height of the boat. This can be done a number of ways. Most adjustable trailers allow you to change the height of the bunks and rollers. If you lower them, you will be surpised how much of a difference this makes. Also, most trailers allow you to change the height of the suspension. By moving the leaf springs to a higher bolt hole, you can lower the ride height of the entire trailer. If clearances allow, you may be able to flip the axle to the top side of the leaf springs, which will lower the ride height considerably. This is an old trick from the lowerider crown.
Another thing to look at is the ride attitude, forward and aft. This is determined by the type and configuration of your trailer hitch. A drop hitch can be configured to either raise, or lower the tongue of the trailer. Raising the tongue may make it easier to slide the boat off. Although, lowering it may also get more of the boat submerged at the ramp. This is something you'll just have to play with. Keep in mind, of course, that travelling down the highway, you want the boat and trailer to ride as level as possible.
SpongeBob posted 09-04-2008 02:42 PM ET (US)
Another concern is the size of your trailer. Is it to large? 13's do not need a large, high trailer. Can your rollers and bunks be lowered?
Jeff
filthypit posted 09-04-2008 02:46 PM ET (US)
a.) most trailers you can adjust so that your boat is a little farther back (on the trailer)...
b.) back into the water as far as you're comfortable then, goose the gas pedal (put the hammer down) and you'll be suprised how quickly boat & trailer doth part!
i can unload a boat on dry land using the latter method!
you don't wanna back so far down that you enter the slime zone either ~ mother ocean will suck you, your truck & your boat into the briney deep blue (whilst your wheels spin).
68_WhaleR posted 09-04-2008 02:56 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the info guys. My 13 has been easy so far loading and off loading where I boat but last week the lake was getting pretty low and I had to back in the water more than I had before and had to push the whaler hard off the trailer and use the winch to get it back on. I almost forgot about the tilt on the trailer as I had never had to use it. I still have the 1968 Cox trailer with the 68 13 Whaler so far so good eveything is working for me. Me being a novice at boating it is nice to hear some good info that is routine to some but us newbies.
later
erick
sternorama posted 09-04-2008 03:43 PM ET (US)
Another solution I have seen at the ramp was a secondary and much longer draw bar that a guy had made up. He would carry it in the bed of his truck, and exchange it with the normal length one once he got into the yard. Good idea for small boats.
frisco pete posted 09-04-2008 03:46 PM ET (US)
You need to get the trailer as low as possible, another slant on the above methods are to go with smaller wheels. You don`t need large wheels for a 13 footer. try 8" wheels and tires from Walmart. they are cheap. And yes you can run at highway speeds. Don`t forget to carry a spare, no matter what size.
rich
ivansfo posted 09-04-2008 04:24 PM ET (US)
If I were you, I'd just get a hitch extender to use during launch. I personally don't like submerging any parts of vehicle during launch.

http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=E& Category_Code=EXTENDER
RandyV posted 09-04-2008 06:38 PM ET (US)
So what is the big deal if the tailpipe or brakes touch salt water? As long as you don't submerge the differential and allow it to be filled with salt water, you should have no problems. In the Northern US, we have salt on under and in our vehicles for about 4 months of the year and if you live in the south, an occasional dunking of the rear of your vehicle up to the axle is not going to cause any major problem - spray your vehicle off when you get home and don't worry.
That all being said, don't drop your rear vehicle wheels off the end of the ramp - you will be embarassed and people waiting to use the ramp will not be pleased.
pglein posted 09-04-2008 06:57 PM ET (US)
Randy, I disagree. Water, fresh or salt, will damage hot brakes. You don't want it getting into your drums. And yes you can rinse your truck off if you're retrieving, but when you're launching, your rig will usually be sitting there in the sun all day while you're on the water before it gets rinsed. In that amount of time, corrosion can set in. I'm not saying that it can't happen from time to time, but it should be avoided if at all possible. We've all seen what our trailers look like after only a few seasons, even with meticulous attention to rinsing after each use. I wouldn't want my truck looking like that.
The hitch extension to be used only while launching are a great idea, but adjusting the trailer will easier in the long run if it can be done.
I wouldn't recommend small 8" wheels on a trailer unless you never drive farther than a few miles to launch. Here in the northwest "highway speed" means 80mph+. Those little wheels are spinning VERY fast at that speed. I'm pretty sure if you look at the specs, it will say to keep it under 55 or even 45.
jimh posted 09-04-2008 08:27 PM ET (US)
When a classic Boston Whaler boat is properly set up on its trailer, the chine line will be just an inch or so above the top of the fenders if the beam of the boat is wider than the fenders. If the beam of the boat is narrower than the fenders, the hull can be set even lower.
contender posted 09-04-2008 08:37 PM ET (US)
Try to tell everyone in a previous thread you need a TILT trailer as Tohsgib has stated. When you have a shallow ramp you need a tilt trailer, You can try purchasing/changing your tongue for a longer one. Another though, look at the axle on the trailer if it is on top of the axle you can remove the axle and turn it upside down and place the springs on the bottom of the axle, Little bit of work but will give you about 5 inches closer to the water. Do not do what Frisco Pete suggested, those tires are crap and you will have other problems and they are not highway tires. Pglein is correct you will damage the brakes (warp the brakes/discs/pads)...good luck
TransAm posted 09-04-2008 08:46 PM ET (US)
Was there an exceptionally low tide when you launched? Since the 13 foot Sport is not a heavy rig, I think the hitch extender is the ticket. Seems they make them up to 4 feet. Wouldn't necessarily want to do that with a 7,000 lb rig though.
Foulweather Jack posted 09-05-2008 10:49 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll take a look at my trailer and try to make some modifications. The ramp does indeed have a shallow pitch.
Martman posted 09-05-2008 11:01 AM ET (US)
I have the same ramp situation. Whenever I get a new to me boat/trailer, I always lower the bunks down as low as possible. I install the pvc bunk slicks and usually get smaller and wider tires/rims. I don't trailer more than a few miles at the time, but if I can get the rear of the boat touching water...I just push the boat and it slides right off.
Riptide23WA posted 09-05-2008 11:15 AM ET (US)
An extension is the way to go. For that ramp, it sounds like the trailer isn't long enough, as everyone has stated.
But I would NOT extend the hitch, as another poster recommended. I would extend the tongue of the trailer instead. Not sure how to do it, but it would not seem too hard.
Another option might be to fit one of those folding hitches, without cutting the tongue back.
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=6879&categoryID=215
That would give you the added length, with improved trailer handling, without a storage issue...
Pat
contender posted 09-05-2008 12:27 PM ET (US)
An extension is an easy fix, First ou will need to have the hitch end cut off with enough steel left to have an inside sleeve to fit in the end, cut it before the trailer dolly so you have something to hold the trailer up., Now have the same thing made but about 3ft long,also with and inside sleeves on both ends. It would work like this, stop and unhitch the trailer, Jack the trailer up with the dolly, remove the hitch side, and slide in the extension, now replace the tongue end, and hitch back to the vehicle. You just leave one of the inside sleeve on the trailer at all times, basically you are just sliding a piece of steel with one female end and one male end in the center of your trailer tongue...Cut Straight..
RandyV posted 09-06-2008 08:11 AM ET (US)
C'mon, get real guys. The point I am trying to make about salt water is that it is certainly not worse than during the winter when you drive 70 (or 80) mph on a wet salt soaked road with periods of slush for 4 months of the year. The salt gets literally everywhere, forced in at high pressure. And how often do we wash our vehicles in the winter?
I am not saying salt is not bad - it certainly is. I am just trying to put the times you will dunk a little of your drive train into the water during a launch or retrieve in perspective. Is not that much of a concern. And if your rear brakes are really that hot after prepping your boat when you back it into the water, you already have a break problem or a driving problem (riding the brake with your left foot).
Tom Hemphill posted 09-06-2008 04:47 PM ET (US)
From the original poster's description, his boat ramp was probably unusable for anyone but the few who had small boats and were willing to apply some brute force launching and retrieving. It's unknown if a longer trailer tongue or backing up further would have gotten the boat much deeper in the water. Because of the significant risks involved, I would neither unhitch the trailer nor submerge my tow vehicle farther than is comfortable (which in my case is the rear wheels submerged six inches or so). When I encounter a ramp without sufficient incline, often I have been able to improvise by finding a nearby place with more slope.
Should it help, my classic 13-foot Whaler lives on a trailer with keel rollers and bunk boards to stabilize it (generally as described in the reference section of this site). The keel sits roughly 18 inches above the ground. This requires me to trailer with the motor tilted up, as there is only an inch of clearance between its skeg and the road. The end of the trailer is about two feet beyond its wheels, with the boat transom another foot aft. My trailer's tongue measures about 5 1/2 feet from the boat's bow eye to the hitch. Mine is a tilt trailer, but I rarely use that feature, because it's difficult to use and the advantages seem to be minimal.
The eight inch (nominal) tires on my trailer have served me well for over a dozen years of short and long distance towing, so I wouldn't discount their use.
contender posted 09-06-2008 11:51 PM ET (US)
Ivansfo, nice site I like the idea, just like what I was trying to explain, did not know there was a company out there making the products, Thanks
jenkinsph posted 09-07-2008 10:12 AM ET (US)
When I purchased my 150 Sport the trailer had a tongue made from 3x3 tubing that was 10 feet long. After using this set up a few times I changed it to a heavier wall 4x3 tubing that is 14 feet long. Much easier to backup and keeps the truck out of the water. The more important reason for this change was that the bow was rubbing my truckcamper in tight turns.

Steve

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Author	Topic: SPORT 13 Hard to Unload From Trailer
Foulweather Jack	posted 09-04-2008 12:05 PM ET (US) When launching my Sport 13 at the local boat ramp, I backed my wife's Toyota Highlander as far as I could to the water without submerging the exhaust pipe. Even so, the trailer wasn't far enough into the water to float the boat off, and it took the help of a good Samaritan to pick up the front of the boat and push it off the trailer into the water. Had he not helped, I couldn't have launched the boat. Afterwards, I thought about what I would have done differently had I not had any help. Two alternatives spring to mind: 1) Detach the trailer from the hitch, and roll the trailer into deeper water to float off the boat, all the while holding onto the trailer with a rope. 2) Back the car into deeper water with the trailer. I was afraid that submerging the tail pipe would cause the engine to stall, not a good thing at a boat ramp. Any suggestions?
brisboats	posted 09-04-2008 12:11 PM ET (US) #2 definitely not #1.
Tohsgib	posted 09-04-2008 12:23 PM ET (US) If fresh water you can get the pipe wet..it will bubble out and no way for water to enter the engine. Salt water forget about it unless a lease ;) Does your trailer break or tilt? Does it have rollers?
TransAm	posted 09-04-2008 12:53 PM ET (US) I agree with Tohsgib, salt water will kill your car in short order. I you are backing far into the water on a ramp, you better know the boundaries of the ramp. Backing off the end of a ramp may park your truck in the water for a while. If your boat is close to floating (you and one other were able to push it off?), I would try backing down the ramp with a little momentum and some slack in the main winch line with the safety unhitched. Or unhitch the winch line all together and attach a dock line to the bow cleat and the winch stand. Hit the brakes abruptly and dislodge the boat using its own weight.
Chuck Tribolet	posted 09-04-2008 01:03 PM ET (US) Longer tongue on the trailer? A winch on the truck to pull the trailer out? (I've seen it done). And if you need to shove the boat off, turn around, put your back against the boat, and push with your legs. And if it's a bunk trailer, spray the bunks with silicone. Chuck
NorthShoreWhaler	posted 09-04-2008 01:05 PM ET (US) I am with Chuck. You need a longer tongue on that trailer. Your ramp probably does not have a very steep grade.
Casco Bay Outrage	posted 09-04-2008 02:08 PM ET (US) Jack - Shoot some photos of the boat/trailer hooked up and post them. Is the ramp pitch very shallow?
pglein	posted 09-04-2008 02:37 PM ET (US) I wouldn't suggest detaching the trailer from the boat. It'll be more work to pull that trailer back up to the vehicle than it is to push the boat off. And what happens if the rope breaks? Not to mention all the people who have to wait to launch/retrieve while you go to all this hassle. No way. Don't do it. If you find yourself at a ramp where you can't get the boat to float free, I suppose you can back in a little farther than you otherwise might. But you certainly don't want this to be the norm. I avoid, whenver possible, dunking anything more than the tire. I use my boat almost exclusively in saltwater, so getting it on the brakes, exhaust, or frame on a regular basis is unacceptable. It sounds to me like you need to adjust your trailer so the boat floats more readily on what I'm sure must be a very shallow ramp. There are two ways to achieve this. First, is to increase the distance between the vehicle and the boat. I have a trailer designed for a 17' boat under my 13'. In all but the shallowest ramp, it floats on and off easily. The tradeoff, of course, is that it is harder to park and maneauver. Many trailers have adjustable tongues. Perhaps you can extend yours. Second, is to lower the height of the boat. This can be done a number of ways. Most adjustable trailers allow you to change the height of the bunks and rollers. If you lower them, you will be surpised how much of a difference this makes. Also, most trailers allow you to change the height of the suspension. By moving the leaf springs to a higher bolt hole, you can lower the ride height of the entire trailer. If clearances allow, you may be able to flip the axle to the top side of the leaf springs, which will lower the ride height considerably. This is an old trick from the lowerider crown. Another thing to look at is the ride attitude, forward and aft. This is determined by the type and configuration of your trailer hitch. A drop hitch can be configured to either raise, or lower the tongue of the trailer. Raising the tongue may make it easier to slide the boat off. Although, lowering it may also get more of the boat submerged at the ramp. This is something you'll just have to play with. Keep in mind, of course, that travelling down the highway, you want the boat and trailer to ride as level as possible.
SpongeBob	posted 09-04-2008 02:42 PM ET (US) Another concern is the size of your trailer. Is it to large? 13's do not need a large, high trailer. Can your rollers and bunks be lowered? Jeff
filthypit	posted 09-04-2008 02:46 PM ET (US) a.) most trailers you can adjust so that your boat is a little farther back (on the trailer)... b.) back into the water as far as you're comfortable then, goose the gas pedal (put the hammer down) and you'll be suprised how quickly boat & trailer doth part! i can unload a boat on dry land using the latter method! you don't wanna back so far down that you enter the slime zone either ~ mother ocean will suck you, your truck & your boat into the briney deep blue (whilst your wheels spin).
68_WhaleR	posted 09-04-2008 02:56 PM ET (US) Thanks for the info guys. My 13 has been easy so far loading and off loading where I boat but last week the lake was getting pretty low and I had to back in the water more than I had before and had to push the whaler hard off the trailer and use the winch to get it back on. I almost forgot about the tilt on the trailer as I had never had to use it. I still have the 1968 Cox trailer with the 68 13 Whaler so far so good eveything is working for me. Me being a novice at boating it is nice to hear some good info that is routine to some but us newbies. later erick
sternorama	posted 09-04-2008 03:43 PM ET (US) Another solution I have seen at the ramp was a secondary and much longer draw bar that a guy had made up. He would carry it in the bed of his truck, and exchange it with the normal length one once he got into the yard. Good idea for small boats.
frisco pete	posted 09-04-2008 03:46 PM ET (US) You need to get the trailer as low as possible, another slant on the above methods are to go with smaller wheels. You don`t need large wheels for a 13 footer. try 8" wheels and tires from Walmart. they are cheap. And yes you can run at highway speeds. Don`t forget to carry a spare, no matter what size. rich
ivansfo	posted 09-04-2008 04:24 PM ET (US) If I were you, I'd just get a hitch extender to use during launch. I personally don't like submerging any parts of vehicle during launch. http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=E& Category_Code=EXTENDER
RandyV	posted 09-04-2008 06:38 PM ET (US) So what is the big deal if the tailpipe or brakes touch salt water? As long as you don't submerge the differential and allow it to be filled with salt water, you should have no problems. In the Northern US, we have salt on under and in our vehicles for about 4 months of the year and if you live in the south, an occasional dunking of the rear of your vehicle up to the axle is not going to cause any major problem - spray your vehicle off when you get home and don't worry. That all being said, don't drop your rear vehicle wheels off the end of the ramp - you will be embarassed and people waiting to use the ramp will not be pleased.
pglein	posted 09-04-2008 06:57 PM ET (US) Randy, I disagree. Water, fresh or salt, will damage hot brakes. You don't want it getting into your drums. And yes you can rinse your truck off if you're retrieving, but when you're launching, your rig will usually be sitting there in the sun all day while you're on the water before it gets rinsed. In that amount of time, corrosion can set in. I'm not saying that it can't happen from time to time, but it should be avoided if at all possible. We've all seen what our trailers look like after only a few seasons, even with meticulous attention to rinsing after each use. I wouldn't want my truck looking like that. The hitch extension to be used only while launching are a great idea, but adjusting the trailer will easier in the long run if it can be done. I wouldn't recommend small 8" wheels on a trailer unless you never drive farther than a few miles to launch. Here in the northwest "highway speed" means 80mph+. Those little wheels are spinning VERY fast at that speed. I'm pretty sure if you look at the specs, it will say to keep it under 55 or even 45.
jimh	posted 09-04-2008 08:27 PM ET (US) When a classic Boston Whaler boat is properly set up on its trailer, the chine line will be just an inch or so above the top of the fenders if the beam of the boat is wider than the fenders. If the beam of the boat is narrower than the fenders, the hull can be set even lower.
contender	posted 09-04-2008 08:37 PM ET (US) Try to tell everyone in a previous thread you need a TILT trailer as Tohsgib has stated. When you have a shallow ramp you need a tilt trailer, You can try purchasing/changing your tongue for a longer one. Another though, look at the axle on the trailer if it is on top of the axle you can remove the axle and turn it upside down and place the springs on the bottom of the axle, Little bit of work but will give you about 5 inches closer to the water. Do not do what Frisco Pete suggested, those tires are crap and you will have other problems and they are not highway tires. Pglein is correct you will damage the brakes (warp the brakes/discs/pads)...good luck
TransAm	posted 09-04-2008 08:46 PM ET (US) Was there an exceptionally low tide when you launched? Since the 13 foot Sport is not a heavy rig, I think the hitch extender is the ticket. Seems they make them up to 4 feet. Wouldn't necessarily want to do that with a 7,000 lb rig though.
Foulweather Jack	posted 09-05-2008 10:49 AM ET (US) Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll take a look at my trailer and try to make some modifications. The ramp does indeed have a shallow pitch.
Martman	posted 09-05-2008 11:01 AM ET (US) I have the same ramp situation. Whenever I get a new to me boat/trailer, I always lower the bunks down as low as possible. I install the pvc bunk slicks and usually get smaller and wider tires/rims. I don't trailer more than a few miles at the time, but if I can get the rear of the boat touching water...I just push the boat and it slides right off.
Riptide23WA	posted 09-05-2008 11:15 AM ET (US) An extension is the way to go. For that ramp, it sounds like the trailer isn't long enough, as everyone has stated. But I would NOT extend the hitch, as another poster recommended. I would extend the tongue of the trailer instead. Not sure how to do it, but it would not seem too hard. Another option might be to fit one of those folding hitches, without cutting the tongue back. http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.prodInfo&productID=6879&categoryID=215 That would give you the added length, with improved trailer handling, without a storage issue... Pat
contender	posted 09-05-2008 12:27 PM ET (US) An extension is an easy fix, First ou will need to have the hitch end cut off with enough steel left to have an inside sleeve to fit in the end, cut it before the trailer dolly so you have something to hold the trailer up., Now have the same thing made but about 3ft long,also with and inside sleeves on both ends. It would work like this, stop and unhitch the trailer, Jack the trailer up with the dolly, remove the hitch side, and slide in the extension, now replace the tongue end, and hitch back to the vehicle. You just leave one of the inside sleeve on the trailer at all times, basically you are just sliding a piece of steel with one female end and one male end in the center of your trailer tongue...Cut Straight..
RandyV	posted 09-06-2008 08:11 AM ET (US) C'mon, get real guys. The point I am trying to make about salt water is that it is certainly not worse than during the winter when you drive 70 (or 80) mph on a wet salt soaked road with periods of slush for 4 months of the year. The salt gets literally everywhere, forced in at high pressure. And how often do we wash our vehicles in the winter? I am not saying salt is not bad - it certainly is. I am just trying to put the times you will dunk a little of your drive train into the water during a launch or retrieve in perspective. Is not that much of a concern. And if your rear brakes are really that hot after prepping your boat when you back it into the water, you already have a break problem or a driving problem (riding the brake with your left foot).
Tom Hemphill	posted 09-06-2008 04:47 PM ET (US) From the original poster's description, his boat ramp was probably unusable for anyone but the few who had small boats and were willing to apply some brute force launching and retrieving. It's unknown if a longer trailer tongue or backing up further would have gotten the boat much deeper in the water. Because of the significant risks involved, I would neither unhitch the trailer nor submerge my tow vehicle farther than is comfortable (which in my case is the rear wheels submerged six inches or so). When I encounter a ramp without sufficient incline, often I have been able to improvise by finding a nearby place with more slope. Should it help, my classic 13-foot Whaler lives on a trailer with keel rollers and bunk boards to stabilize it (generally as described in the reference section of this site). The keel sits roughly 18 inches above the ground. This requires me to trailer with the motor tilted up, as there is only an inch of clearance between its skeg and the road. The end of the trailer is about two feet beyond its wheels, with the boat transom another foot aft. My trailer's tongue measures about 5 1/2 feet from the boat's bow eye to the hitch. Mine is a tilt trailer, but I rarely use that feature, because it's difficult to use and the advantages seem to be minimal. The eight inch (nominal) tires on my trailer have served me well for over a dozen years of short and long distance towing, so I wouldn't discount their use.
contender	posted 09-06-2008 11:51 PM ET (US) Ivansfo, nice site I like the idea, just like what I was trying to explain, did not know there was a company out there making the products, Thanks
jenkinsph	posted 09-07-2008 10:12 AM ET (US) When I purchased my 150 Sport the trailer had a tongue made from 3x3 tubing that was 10 feet long. After using this set up a few times I changed it to a heavier wall 4x3 tubing that is 14 feet long. Much easier to backup and keeps the truck out of the water. The more important reason for this change was that the bow was rubbing my truckcamper in tight turns. Steve