Looking for ideas and how too's on trailer extensions.

[caguy]

I have a couple of boats that are going to need extension.
First of all how do you determine the length needed? Trial and error or is there a way to calculate this?
Distance from where my tires just touch the water's edge to the point on the finger dock where the water depth is 5-2 the height of the boot-line on the trailer is 30'. The distance from the front set of tires on the trailer to the tires on my truck is 22'.
Secondly what do you use. I have seen everything form chains and cable to elaborate telescoping extensions. I have considered using 2' square tubing with a coupler on one end and a ball on the other end.
It has been suggested that the two flexible joints might be too uncontrollable.
I mostly solo sale so their will not likely be anyone to control as I back down.
Just trying to keep it simple.
Thanks as always,

 

[txtowman]

I made a 20 footer

it is 14 guage square tubing 1" and 1.25" telescoping.
it is pretty limber so I am going to use 1.5" to replace the smaller one.

it works, but is a little hard to back up so since I already have a hitch on the front of my truck I use it.

you are going to need to practice. I think it was just as easy to use the boat on a rope method.

mounting a tire on the tongue so the trailer tracks straight down the ramp really helps.

if your trailer is a tandem axle it will track ok with the jack wheel.

 

[Sumner]

I mounted my spare on a piece of square tubing and it mounts......

....into a receiver up high, but there is also a receiver down low. You can see it at the bottom of the frame above. I can move the square tubing with the ...

....spare on it to the lower receiver where it supports the tongue. As you can see I also made it so that you can steer it if needed with the removable bar.

I did this when we first got the boat and wanted to take it to the local lake where the ramp is actually the old road that went through the valley before it was flooded. The road/ramp is not steep at all, so to launch you have to back way out into it. The plan was to also make a long bar with a hitch on one end and a ball on the other end, but we have never sailed on the lake yet and might never sail on it. It is really small and even though our boat is small I think it is too big for the lake.

One thing I would definitely do if I was launching with bars and all of that would be to mount a ball on the front of the vehicle so you can see what is happening with all of that. That might save a lot of grief at some point.

I was going to wade out with the trailer and steer it while Ruth drove the tow vehicle. On a steeper ramp with a situation like yours I would fix the wheel/tire on the tongue just straight ahead and use the extension bar between the tongue and the tow vehicle.

Good luck and the build info for what I did is here....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/trailer-mods-2.html

I guess it is not too long now before you head east for the one boat?

c ya,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

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[Joe]

I've seen this method at many launch ramps. Just keep a little grease on the extension. I'd take Sumner's advice and mount a raised guide at the aft end of the trailer.

http://captainslog.janktheproofer.com/trailerextension.htm

 

[RichBone]

Try this-
http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

 

[novelman17130]

I have a couple of boats that are going to need extension.
First of all how do you determine the length needed? Trial and error or is there a way to calculate this?
Distance from where my tires just touch the water's edge to the point on the finger dock where the water depth is 5-2 the height of the boot-line on the trailer is 30'. The distance from the front set of tires on the trailer to the tires on my truck is 22'.
Secondly what do you use. I have seen everything form chains and cable to elaborate telescoping extensions. I have considered using 2' square tubing with a coupler on one end and a ball on the other end.
It has been suggested that the two flexible joints might be too uncontrollable.
I mostly solo sale so their will not likely be anyone to control as I back down.
Just trying to keep it simple.
Thanks as always,

caguy,
The xtend-a-hitch looks good. I wonder if it will work on my 25' Lancer?
novelman

 

[caguy]

The extenda hitch does look good as well as the telescoping tongue. The question remains how long does the extension need to be?

 

[Sumner]

Frank read Joe's advice here..............

http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=115893

Maybe that will answer the question.

One other thing I would for sure look at is what is your tongue weight and tell any of these manufactures of these extensions what it is and will it work with their product. If you have very little, just a guess under 150#, I might not sweat it, but if it gets up there then the extend hitch has to deal with it and you don't want it bowing.

Personally for what you are doing, especially if you don't have the money to spend put a receiver under the tongue like I did. Mount a used wheel/tire (you probably have one) on a spindle and hub welded to some square tubing that will slide into the receiver (very cheap solution). Make it so it is fixed straight ahead, don't do the "turn deal" that I did. You won't need it. Then take a long bar and mount the hitch on one end and a ball on the other. If the bar proves to not be long enough make it longer. I'll bet you could throw all of this together for under a $100.

You could probably use the same setup for both of the boats you will launch and the only additional cost is for the short length of square tubing to use as the receiver under the tongue.

c ya,

Sum

 

[caguy]

Frank read Joe's advice here..............

http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=115893

Maybe that will answer the question.

One other thing I would for sure look at is what is your tongue weight and tell any of these manufactures of these extensions what it is and will it work with their product. If you have very little, just a guess under 150#, I might not sweat it, but if it gets up there then the extend hitch has to deal with it and you don't want it bowing.

Personally for what you are doing, especially if you don't have the money to spend put a receiver under the tongue like I did. Mount a used wheel/tire (you probably have one) on a spindle and hub welded to some square tubing that will slide into the receiver (very cheap solution). Make it so it is fixed straight ahead, don't do the "turn deal" that I did. You won't need it. Then take a long bar and mount the hitch on one end and a ball on the other. If the bar proves to not be long enough make it longer. I'll bet you could throw all of this together for under a $100.

You could probably use the same setup for both of the boats you will launch and the only additional cost is for the short length of square tubing to use as the receiver under the tongue.

c ya,

Sum

Sum, I did that and it looks like 8' extension for at the front axle. It just does not intuively feel right. I guess I could start with 15' and shorten as able. I'll have to buy a 20' piece of tubing anyway. I may have to put on the dive gear and take a look at that bottom for the rear edge.

 

[Sumner]

I'll have to buy a 20' piece of tubing anyway. I may have to put on the dive gear and take a look at that bottom for the rear edge.

Since the tube is not in compression it doesn't have to be that large or strong. I assume you are talking about a system with a wheel at the tongue. I'd probably make it out of 1 1/2 inch galvanized conduit. Of course that presents the problem of welding to it for the end pieces if you went that route. If so be very careful and do it outside with really, really good ventilation.

The other alternative is two short pieces of steel tubing that would either go inside of or outside of the conduit. These pieces could then be welded to easily for the hitch and ball parts with no fumes and then painted and pinned to the conduit. If you wanted to have the end that goes in the water powder coated, but paint and a touch up now and then would suffice.

Find a welder that will sell you scrap or a scrap yard. Do you have a welder or access to one? If not PM me and we might be able to work something out. We will be in the Long Beach area the end of this month.

Good luck,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

 

[caguy]

Thanks Sum, I have a place here that sell all kinds of square tubing. I can buy it at scrap prices. If they have ss then I will go that route. I can get that at 1.65/lbs. About the same for T6 aluminum. I am still considering telescoping in the frame. I would have to reroute brake lines out side frame but not a problem. I'm not sure if the tongue on it will take 10 or 12'. It might its pretty long. There a possibility of cutting through the cross member and getting more length that way. I would have to reinforce with straps on each side of the cut so as not to lose strength.
The tongue weight is pretty nominal. I would guess less than 200#s. Two of us were able to lift on to the ball. The tongue stands about 15" off the ground without support. The load as mentioned earlier is balanced over the three axles. I'll take a side view and close measurements so I can diagram and guess where the boat will float at. The telescoping tongue would be a lot more convenient to launch although initial setup will be a little more work.

 

[rod1029]

I have a factory set up, check out my pics of the trailer extension , if you need more info let me know.. good luck

 

[caguy]

I have a factory set up, check out my pics of the trailer extension , if you need more info let me know.. good luck

I checked your album but did not see trailer extension. Am I missing something?