What to do with trailer tongue extension?

Jun 8, 2004
10,027
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Emmott;
Noticed the trailer tongue extension. Should the rear of that extension be bolted in as another hole is showing just forward of the secured portion to the trailer. Would make it a little stiffer which would be good for launching and retrieving. Are you lubricating the swivel tongue jack?
 

emmott

.
Nov 11, 2018
5
Halman 20 Halman 20 albany
Emmott;
Noticed the trailer tongue extension. Should the rear of that extension be bolted in as another hole is showing just forward of the secured portion to the trailer. Would make it a little stiffer which would be good for launching and retrieving. Are you lubricating the swivel tongue jack?
Dave, I slid the extension temporarily to take the pic. it goes back into the second part ans is bolted to both locations...so yes... and yes i have lubed the swivel tongue jack..
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,027
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Emmott;
I have seen so much as a former dealer over the years and generally suggest what I see but do not know. Thank you for advising.
 
  • Like
Likes: emmott
May 4, 2018
23
Catalina 25 SV Colorado
Here's my extension. Its better than the extension I had on another boat. This extension is solid and separate from the towing connection.

I would never hook up the extension while on the ramp unless I cannot get over the hump of the ramp top without dragging the extension. I disconnect the trailer, pull forward, extend and reconnect to the trailer.
 

Attachments

Sep 25, 2018
258
Catalina Capri 22 Capri EXPO 14.2 1282 Stony Point
Tried something new taking the 23.5 in for the winter. I pumped the water ballast out at the dock while I prep'ed the boat for haul out. This allowed the boat to float about a foot higher and avoided having to pull it out partially on the trailer, dump the water ballast and re-set the boat on the trailer. Used a drill pump. Still extended the tongue to keep from inundating the rear wheels too much. Much easier than in years past.
 

Dougxn

.
Aug 10, 2020
1
Catalina Capri 22 Boston Harbor
So are folks putting a wheel under the tongue when they are using the extension? I rencently brought up a trailer from Portland and when I got to the boat launch the extension just kept sagging downward when I lowered the swing jack. As it is or was, I hadn’t experienced this before, so I jacked it back up and backed the trailer down the ramp with the swing jack down. This is obviously not optimal, but it worked.

What I am thinking is to find a trailer dolly to support the mid section?‍♂

Any other thoughts? thanks
 
Aug 2, 2005
1,155
Pearson 33-2 & Typhoon 18 Seneca Lake
Hello emmott,

Just an observation from me before you attempt to launch your boat using the long extension......

There seems to be far too little contact between the extension and the solid part of the trailer. Leaving the trailer jack wheel on the pavement will grind the wheel to smitherines in a short time. I know that because my wife and I drag our Celebrity (800 pounds) about 30 feet across a level macadam parking lot to launch using a crane. Our wheel is "toast" after one season. Second, without support of a wheel the long tongue is suspect. It might bend sideways, not support the weight of the boat on the tongue due to the long distance from trailer wheels to the ball hitch, or the U bolts might not hold the weight. Push the extension back into the larger tube far enough to pin the tubes together using the holes in each of the tubes. Picture #1 and #2 look scary! That is a big boat.

I would like a tongue extension on the trailer for our CD Typhoon, but the design you show is not how I would expect it to work safely even though our boat is much lighter.

A note added later: I did not read all the responses prior to giving my thoughts or in this case "airing my laundry". I read that my concerns were not founded in fact.
 
Last edited: