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Author Topic:   Trailer ball height vs. launching

contender posted 06-29-2010 03:40 PM ET (US)
While I was driving to the marine store today I was thinking about the problems people have stated on this site about launching their boats.(having to back down farther than normal) I was thinking how much difference would the height of the trailer ball make? Since the boat trailer fulcrum point is/are the tires on a trailer by making the trailer ball higher or lower would this help in launching your boat? (I have a 6 inch drop tongue below level, if I reverse it, now it's a 6 inch above level) I understand that the angle of the ramp also plays a large part on launching the boat...Any thoughts
sternorama posted 06-29-2010 05:36 PM ET (US)
That reminds me of an old trailer that I had that was a "tilt" trailer. It had a pivot/breaking point a few feet back from the coupler. You could dump the small boat off similar to the way a dump truck works. I never used the function though, as it just wasn't ever necessary.
jimh posted 06-29-2010 05:45 PM ET (US)
Because my trailer hitch coupler contains a surge brake unit, I have the trailer set up so that the frame is level. This helps to prevent binding in the surge brake mechanism.
Because I have a tandem axle trailer, I have my trailer set up so the frame is level. This helps equalize the loading on the axles.
Tom Hemphill posted 06-29-2010 06:33 PM ET (US)
Only three feet of my 13-foot Boston Whaler is aft of the trailer wheels. And the trailer has a long tongue, so it would take a huge difference in the trailer hitch height to have any effect on my launching and retrieving. Mine is a tilt trailer, and I've only used that feature a couple of times (in more than 15 years), when I've had to improvise in the absence of a boat ramp.
The motor vehicle regulations in my state say that the trailer should be more or less level, so that's what I do.
Chuck Tribolet posted 07-01-2010 04:04 PM ET (US)
I found that when I raised the hitch ball, the skeg would
scrape a bit on the ramp as the boat was coming off the
trailer. This was admitted on a ramp where the top half is
too steep and the bottom half not steep enought.
Chuck
sternorama posted 07-01-2010 06:11 PM ET (US)
Try airing down your tires next!
Jefecinco posted 07-01-2010 06:37 PM ET (US)
Everything I've read on towing says tow with the trailer level.
Launching may be another matter. You should not have to adjust your trailer to launch or recover from most ramps. If your local ramp won't work for you perhaps you should seek another ramp, if possible.
I find launching to be the least challenging aspect of trailer boating. I tilt the motor to the maximum height and back down the ramp until the boat stern floats. Then, a slight push is all that is required to get the boat off completely.
Recovering is the most difficult aspect of trailer boating for me. Frequent crosswind and/or cross current situations at the ramp can make it difficult. To compound the difficulty my closest ramp requires a 90 degree turn in a narrow channel to line up the boat and trailer. But, as to the trailer attitude, that is never a problem if the trailer is towed level. I simply back down the ramp until the trailer reaches the depth that practice has shown to be optimum. On some ramps that requires the tow vehicle tires to be in the water but usually not. My preferred trailer depth is to have about two inches of the tops of the fenders above the water. That keeps the bunks raised sufficiently to allow the boat to center itself while power loading or while being winched onto the trailer.
If launching and retrieving your boat at the ramp is difficult I believe a lot of practice will make it much easier.
Butch
JLW posted 07-01-2010 06:47 PM ET (US)
Contender, I changed my level hitch to a 6" rise and it enabled me to unload my boat unassisted wheras before I had to have help. When I tow it any distance, I change back to the level hitch. A better solution is to install slick stix on your bunks-makes it very easy. jlw

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Author	Topic: Trailer ball height vs. launching
contender	posted 06-29-2010 03:40 PM ET (US) While I was driving to the marine store today I was thinking about the problems people have stated on this site about launching their boats.(having to back down farther than normal) I was thinking how much difference would the height of the trailer ball make? Since the boat trailer fulcrum point is/are the tires on a trailer by making the trailer ball higher or lower would this help in launching your boat? (I have a 6 inch drop tongue below level, if I reverse it, now it's a 6 inch above level) I understand that the angle of the ramp also plays a large part on launching the boat...Any thoughts
sternorama	posted 06-29-2010 05:36 PM ET (US) That reminds me of an old trailer that I had that was a "tilt" trailer. It had a pivot/breaking point a few feet back from the coupler. You could dump the small boat off similar to the way a dump truck works. I never used the function though, as it just wasn't ever necessary.
jimh	posted 06-29-2010 05:45 PM ET (US) Because my trailer hitch coupler contains a surge brake unit, I have the trailer set up so that the frame is level. This helps to prevent binding in the surge brake mechanism. Because I have a tandem axle trailer, I have my trailer set up so the frame is level. This helps equalize the loading on the axles.
Tom Hemphill	posted 06-29-2010 06:33 PM ET (US) Only three feet of my 13-foot Boston Whaler is aft of the trailer wheels. And the trailer has a long tongue, so it would take a huge difference in the trailer hitch height to have any effect on my launching and retrieving. Mine is a tilt trailer, and I've only used that feature a couple of times (in more than 15 years), when I've had to improvise in the absence of a boat ramp. The motor vehicle regulations in my state say that the trailer should be more or less level, so that's what I do.
Chuck Tribolet	posted 07-01-2010 04:04 PM ET (US) I found that when I raised the hitch ball, the skeg would scrape a bit on the ramp as the boat was coming off the trailer. This was admitted on a ramp where the top half is too steep and the bottom half not steep enought. Chuck
sternorama	posted 07-01-2010 06:11 PM ET (US) Try airing down your tires next!
Jefecinco	posted 07-01-2010 06:37 PM ET (US) Everything I've read on towing says tow with the trailer level. Launching may be another matter. You should not have to adjust your trailer to launch or recover from most ramps. If your local ramp won't work for you perhaps you should seek another ramp, if possible. I find launching to be the least challenging aspect of trailer boating. I tilt the motor to the maximum height and back down the ramp until the boat stern floats. Then, a slight push is all that is required to get the boat off completely. Recovering is the most difficult aspect of trailer boating for me. Frequent crosswind and/or cross current situations at the ramp can make it difficult. To compound the difficulty my closest ramp requires a 90 degree turn in a narrow channel to line up the boat and trailer. But, as to the trailer attitude, that is never a problem if the trailer is towed level. I simply back down the ramp until the trailer reaches the depth that practice has shown to be optimum. On some ramps that requires the tow vehicle tires to be in the water but usually not. My preferred trailer depth is to have about two inches of the tops of the fenders above the water. That keeps the bunks raised sufficiently to allow the boat to center itself while power loading or while being winched onto the trailer. If launching and retrieving your boat at the ramp is difficult I believe a lot of practice will make it much easier. Butch
JLW	posted 07-01-2010 06:47 PM ET (US) Contender, I changed my level hitch to a 6" rise and it enabled me to unload my boat unassisted wheras before I had to have help. When I tow it any distance, I change back to the level hitch. A better solution is to install slick stix on your bunks-makes it very easy. jlw