Solution for insufficient trailer tongue extension

[greg_m]

Do you think that one of these might help?
Adding a second swivel point might be tricky when backing up, but if it was added close to the ramp and used to back straight down the ramp, it might be easier than using a chain to lower the boat into the water. Also, the double wheel assembly might be more effective than using the single wheel on the trailer tongue.
What do you all think?

Shared from Flipp: 600 lb Dual-Pull Trailer Dolly in the Princess Auto flyer
https://share.flipp.com/flipp/items/218947302/share?locale=en_US

Our local dam, Theewaterskloof Dam, is now down to only 28% full. To launch boats we have to use one of these extensions. Having said that a few short months ago we could 4x4 across the dam, it's level was so low! Keel boat sailing was all but impossible and dangerous because of tree stumps so its mostly Hobie cats or small dinghies now! They now have a trailer to take the boats down to the "new" waters edge - dolly is useless" and the other photo shows the red line where the water should be. The actual launch slipways has had to be extended. Mostly to retrieve keels boats from their moorings that were getting to shallow!

Wish I had some video of it being used... there is definitely a knack to using this kind of trailer hitch extension. The one at the dam is about 6 meters long!

 

[CloudDiver]

Do you think that one of these might help?
Adding a second swivel point might be tricky when backing up, but if it was added close to the ramp and used to back straight down the ramp, it might be easier than using a chain to lower the boat into the water. Also, the double wheel assembly might be more effective than using the single wheel on the trailer tongue.
What do you all think?

Shared from Flipp: 600 lb Dual-Pull Trailer Dolly in the Princess Auto flyer
https://share.flipp.com/flipp/items/218947302/share?locale=en_US

That's actually a really good solution for my specific situation. Because of the way my tongue is built and the size tubing it uses (2" x 4" on its side), there is no really good way to build a tongue extension without re-fabricating the entire front end of the trailer. I like the design of that Dual Pull Dolly, but I will say right away that it needs to be fabricated from stronger material. I have a hand dolly from the same company and although it worked on my boat trailer I actually almost crushed it moving my Toy Hauler, and my toy hauler is only 3300 pounds dry (checked on a scale). So the Toy Hauler isn't much heavier overall than the C22 plus trailer but it had significantly more tongue wieght. If I am using such a device to launch my boat on a ramp I would design it to handle at least 3 times the maximum expected tongue weight.

 

[CloudDiver]

Ok.. after taking a look at the pics a little close, I think this is a bad idea. Such a set-up is fine for moving around an empty trailer with an ATV, but launching a boat not so much. The most dangerous part is the boat tongue resting on the ball of dolly needs to exert constant down force there by keeping downward pressure of the coupler that rests on the tow vehicle's hitch. If you don't have the angle of the dolly right and the trailer lounge weight shifts causing the dolly wheels to push ahead that makes the dolly arm go up... up with force, and if you are near it and the coupler isn't locked on the tow vehicle hitch ball, the whole thing goes up in your face while your boat goes for a ride down the ramp. This could kill you so you wouldn't have to worry about the embarrassment of losing your boat.
Back to the drawing board.