Hauling/Launching Trailered Boats with a Strap or Rope

[victorhoisington]

Yes add trailer and all added items to the total weight for your tow to determine tongue weight requirements.

We use a 25,000 lb strap available at the local farm store. Do not use a dock line or anchor line. Their breaking strength isn't near enough for even a moderately sized boat.

In the picture from jim26m you can see his spare tire. We set that up as a mount that allows the tire to roll and you have your tongue wheel. I agree the hand held trailer dolly just looks too flimsy.

The procedure is as follows:
1. back down the ramp till trailer is at waters edge
2. block trailer wheels on BOTH sides
2a. Attach dock lines to boat
2b. detach boat from trailer (straps, bow eye, etc.)
3. unhook trailer from tow vehicle
4. connect tow strap to tow vehicle and trailer - DO NOT just loop the tow strap over the hitch ball. This shoudl be a positive connection that won't slip or come undone.
5. Move the tow vehicle ahead until the trailer starts to move bringing tension on the tow strap.
6. unblock trailer wheels
7. back down slowly until the boat floats off.

You can actually steer the trailer as needed with the tow vehicle just as normal but with larger moves or by pulling sideways on the strap as you back down. Retrieval is pretty much the reverse. In over 30 years of launching this way I don't believe we've ever lost a boat or trailer.

 

[JRacer]

So much for Kermit!

 

[JRacer]

J24 drill for one of the guys (Fred) was back the boat and trailer down close to the water, tie the tow strap to the trailer and the truck hitch, lower his front trailer wheel, crank the trailer off the hitch ball and let her go. Boat would accelerate into the water and the trailers drag in the water would slow it down. Boat floats off when the trailer got to the end of the tow strap. Then he would just drive up the ramp towing the trailer by the tow strap. Was quite entertaining! We did one of those drills here about a month ago with one of my buddy's J24, worked like a charm. We call it doing "A Fred Launch"

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Fred launching is dangerous. Once arrived at a ramp which was closed. A Fred launch had been performed with the boat and trailer going off ramp sideways hitting another boat tied off to a dock. Strap broke. A couple of folks injured with one child killed. Body bag was seen. Very dangerous on any style Fred Launch

 

[agprice22]

The first thing you said: my 2wd truck was slipping. Perhaps you could use a different truck?

 

[Project_Mayhem]

The first thing you said: my 2wd truck was slipping. Perhaps you could use a different truck?

Renting a different truck would be an ongoing expense and a pain every time I need to launch/haul. Here's my to do list for this project:

• Move the bow support forward to get the weight moved towards the hitch. The tongue went flying up when we disconnected it and took 300-400lbs to pull it down
  
• Install larger trailer winch (probably electric because I already have one). I bent the current one
  
• Lower pressure of rear truck tires
• Use drop hitch to pitch the boat's weight forward slightly
  
• Attempt to bribe harbor staff with tacos in hopes they can have a forklift on standby. Will recruit marina friend with 2wd Trailblazer in the unlikely event tacos dont work.

We set that up as a mount that allows the tire to roll and you have your tongue wheel

Do you have a pic of the mount or hub that you used?

 

[agprice22]

Do you have a friend with a 4x4 pickup? Sailors are a helpful lot! I have launched my friend’s boat for 5 years now, and we are 50 miles from the ramp.
If not, do not forget the sand bags too!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

A pick up truck is front heavy with the bed area being lighter. In addition on a standard frame with two rear wheel drive, you do not have the weight to pull out. Suggest loading up the bed of truck with at least 500 pounds to get traction. Otherwise you will generally need four wheel drive. I recall four cars tied together pulling out a sunk car with trailer attached. It was full of water. I saw that car submarine, dive/dive/dive. It was my car and funny to me now but at the time, ugh.

 

[DougM]

Stating the obvious again, you have to get at least 150 pounds of weight on the trailer tongue.
If you cannot move the boat forward, is the trailer designed so that the axle(s) can be moved back?

Since you have a 2 wheel drive truck, another idea to consider is to mount a class 3 hitch on the front of the truck, keeping the drive wheels on the dry part of the launch ramp. You could fabricate a longer extension to slide into the hitch receiver in order to keep the front end of the truck out of the water. I’ve seen it done... You still might need to put some weight in the bed though.

 

[rgranger]

... It was my car ...

Inquiring minds want to know.... more!

 

[Project_Mayhem]

To clarify I have a Nissan Xterra so it's got a bit more weight back there than a pickup. I can toss a bunch of sandbags in the back.

For once this boat didn't throw five more problems at me last night. I managed to move the bow support forward about 5" and adjust the bow "bumpers". I believe the boat moved forward about 8" in total. It went from needing 300-400 lbs to keep the tongue on the ground to me only able to lift it a 1/4" (150-200lbs?). I'm much more confident towing it down the highway now. So we have a significant improvement in tongue weight but in theory the trailer now needs to be backed up an additional 8" to get the boat on/off. The water was already up to my hitch last weekend. Can't go much further without dunking electrical connectors. I'm guessing I need a tongue extension...

I called a supplier yesterday and the metal for an extension is more affordable than I thought it'd be. Now comes the question of dimensions and mounting. The tongue is 3x5 (see pics for exact dims). If the extension pulls out from inside it my first question is what size tubing should I get? The trailer is over 40 years old so it's bound to have nicks and dents on the inside.
External mounting is also an option. I don't use the trailer very often so I don't have a problem bolting it on when needed. I'm guessing I'll run into fewer fabrication/installation issues but the cost is a little bit higher due to the extra hardware. Also, does this really need to be as close to 5" as possible for strength? I'm interested in hearing opinions from those who've created or used similar extensions

 

[JRacer]

Most of the "factory" extenders that I have seen that come with the trailer are retractable and stay on the trailer retracted when not in use. They have square steel brackets welded to the side of the center frame member and to the first cross member. (or to the angled trailer steel frame - wherever they can fit to be close aboard the centerline). Those brackets have a hole in their side (or top to bottom) for a hitch pin to fit. Into those square brackets fits the square tube that is the extender. That tube has a hitch on its front and a few strategically placed holes along it's length for a hitch pin to fit. To use, pull the hitch pins holding it in its retracted position and slide it forward to the proper set of holes in the extended position and pin it in place with the hitch pins. Size of the square steel tube would be dependent on how much weight it has to carry but remember you will have your front trailer wheel on the ground carrying the tongue weight so the tube shouldn't have to bear all that much weight. I've seen them in the 2X2 inch variety. Hope this makes sense. will try to find a picture if I can. You might look at the factory trailer sites to see if there are any pictures (Triad would be one to look at).
I'll be out at the club this evening and I'll look to see if there are any in the boat yard. If so, I'll take some pics and post.

See the pictures here: https://maloneautoracks.com/MicroSport-TM-XT-w-Alum-Wheels-Fenders-and-Retr.-Tongue.html

Same concept but the ones I have seen have the extendable part along side the fixed hitch (slightly off to the side of it).

 

[Meriachee]

Here's the trailer extension on the 270. It's a 15' aluminium tube that's 2" square. The requirement, and it's an absolute requirement, the aluminium will NOT perform very well as it gets off centre, so the alignment of the trailer on the ramp is critical. Having said that, it's been used for six years and it's performing very well. The advantage of this tube, is that it was cheaper than steel, half the weight, and won't rust.

 

[wing15601]

Your trailer tongue weight should be 9 to 15% of the trailer and load. The way to adjust that is by moving the trailer axle. I would take it to someone who sells and services trailers to have it done properly.

 

[Meriachee]

The way to adjust that is by moving the trailer axle

You do realize that more often than not, the mounts are welded on, and if the trailer is galvanized, doing something like this will quite possibly destroy that finish?

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Here's the trailer extension on the 270. It's a 15' aluminium tube that's 2" square. The requirement, and it's an absolute requirement, the aluminium will NOT perform very well as it gets off centre, so the alignment of the trailer on the ramp is critical. Having said that, it's been used for six years and it's performing very well. The advantage of this tube, is that it was cheaper than steel, half the weight, and won't rust.
View attachment 168031

Wow that's a long extension! It's impressive that you can launch a 27' boat at a ramp.

Wouldn't the ball prevent the aluminum from bending or twisting if the trailer was off center? I dont think I follow what you're trying to say

I'll have to take a look at the price of aluminum. Do you know what the wall thickness is?

I'm thinking of sliding the extension inside the existing tongue. So basically pull up, chock the trailer wheels, pull a pin, drive forward to pull the extension out and put the pin back in. Only one coupler needed and there's no need to buy an additional tube or hardware for the extension. Aluminum sounds awesome but i'm not sure how comfortable I feel about having my one and only coupler bolted to aluminum unless it had like a 1/4" wall

You do realize that more often than not, the mounts are welded on, and if the trailer is galvanized, doing something like this will quite possibly destroy that finish?

On both of my boat trailers they are bolted on. I thought about doing this but didnt feel like dealing with alignment issues. I know it's not hard but moving the bow support was much easier

 

[Meriachee]

I am not suggesting the use of aluminium for a push bar. Once you get into a length like that, there are a whole different set of problems that can bite you in the butt. The ball will not prevent the bar form being subject to side forces, the dolly wheel is at the front of the trailer, and if it's out of line with the truck, it will try to bend. Being a very soft metal, it is far, far more subject to that than steel would be, but if it does bend, it's pretty easy to persuade it to get back in line. Lesson learned way back when.

 

[wing15601]

Never saw an axle welded to a boat trailer. Wouldn’t buy a trailer on which you can’t replace an axle.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I was thinking about ordering an 8' tube for the extension. I think I will go with steel unless the price of aluminum is cheap enough to get something beefy. Now I'm wondering what height and width I should use to avoid any deformations, knicks or leftover garbage from factory welding. 3/8-1/2" smaller than the inside of the tongue?

Never saw an axle welded to a boat trailer. Wouldn’t buy a trailer on which you can’t replace an axle.

My cargo trailer has a single welded torsion axle. It's taken a beating and a half and still looks like it should (they have a slight bend that flattens when loaded). Grinding and welding wouldn't be that bad. Measure twice, weld once

 

[Meriachee]

Never saw an axle welded to a boat trailer.

Lots of torsion axles are welded right to mounts on the frame. Anything over a utility, maybe class 1, wouldn't be and certainly not anything with more than 1 axle, and even less with a "real" boat trailer.