Trailering my 96 Hunter 26 to Kentucky Lake, I experienced a considerable amount of fishtailing above 60 mph. I have lowered the ball in order to shift the weight forward and short of taking off the 9.9 outboard (which would be difficult to do, not sure how else to adjust the ride to improve this. I would like to be able to trailer at 65 - 70 mph. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
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A few things based on experience
Mark, I had the same issue when I trailered mine the first time - thankfully it was a short run from the dealer to the marina. (Talk about taking my lane out of the middle!
) Some things I learned (mostly from here...verified by experience) Get the weight off the stern - yes, the engine probably has to be moved. Make sure that the stern berth isn't filled with stuff (put it in the v-berth) Move the gas tank to the car or make sure it's empty (fill up when you get there...) The second time I trailered I had the motor and gas tank in the back of the Jeep, nothing in the stern berth and no water in the porta-pottie or the water tanks and I was able to maintain 60-65 mph with no problems. Dave Crowley s/v Wind Dreamer
Mark, I had the same issue when I trailered mine the first time - thankfully it was a short run from the dealer to the marina. (Talk about taking my lane out of the middle!
) Some things I learned (mostly from here...verified by experience) Get the weight off the stern - yes, the engine probably has to be moved. Make sure that the stern berth isn't filled with stuff (put it in the v-berth) Move the gas tank to the car or make sure it's empty (fill up when you get there...) The second time I trailered I had the motor and gas tank in the back of the Jeep, nothing in the stern berth and no water in the porta-pottie or the water tanks and I was able to maintain 60-65 mph with no problems. Dave Crowley s/v Wind Dreamer
Trailering Advice
Lots of stuff in the archives on this subject. Experts recommend 8-10 percent tongue weight. Dave has good advice about shifting weight forward but I'd never remove the engine -- too much work. If you have not weighed your vehicle and trailer/boat combination you should. There are three weights involved: Vehicle alone, Trailer/boat and tongue weight. This will give you an idea of what to do and give you confidence that you are not exceeding the GVW of your vehicle. For what it's worth, my H260 weighs 5740 on the trailer, with a 600lb tongue weight and I still get sway over 60mp without a equalizer hitch. Check this link out: http://www.equalizerhitch.com/why.html
Lots of stuff in the archives on this subject. Experts recommend 8-10 percent tongue weight. Dave has good advice about shifting weight forward but I'd never remove the engine -- too much work. If you have not weighed your vehicle and trailer/boat combination you should. There are three weights involved: Vehicle alone, Trailer/boat and tongue weight. This will give you an idea of what to do and give you confidence that you are not exceeding the GVW of your vehicle. For what it's worth, my H260 weighs 5740 on the trailer, with a 600lb tongue weight and I still get sway over 60mp without a equalizer hitch. Check this link out: http://www.equalizerhitch.com/why.html
Bow Suppport
Mark, If you can move your bow support foward, even an inch or two, this would also help move weight forward. I was able to do this and not have any effect on the way the boat sits on the bunk boards. What do you use to tow? I used to use a Dodge Durango to tow my '94 23.5 but now have a 1/2 ton Dodge Ram 1500. The combination of moving the bow support and towing with my truck made a lot of difference. Naturally your not going to rush out and buy a truck if you don't already have one but the towing vehicle does make a difference. Also as Dave said move your stuff into the V berth to add weight to the bow rather than the stern. I was able to eliminate the problem without removing the motor and gas tank but again Ihave a 23.5. Hope this helps. Jonathan Costello
Mark, If you can move your bow support foward, even an inch or two, this would also help move weight forward. I was able to do this and not have any effect on the way the boat sits on the bunk boards. What do you use to tow? I used to use a Dodge Durango to tow my '94 23.5 but now have a 1/2 ton Dodge Ram 1500. The combination of moving the bow support and towing with my truck made a lot of difference. Naturally your not going to rush out and buy a truck if you don't already have one but the towing vehicle does make a difference. Also as Dave said move your stuff into the V berth to add weight to the bow rather than the stern. I was able to eliminate the problem without removing the motor and gas tank but again Ihave a 23.5. Hope this helps. Jonathan Costello
Seaworthy article
Mark You're getting a little bit of conflicting advice, so I'll just chime in with what I read last night in the BoatUS Seaworthy magazine: "Too little weight on the ball and the trailer is prone to fishtailing—excessive swaying from side to side. (Fishtailing can also occur when tires are too soft or the trailer and the boat are too heavy for the car.)" Sounds to me like your tongue weight is too low, your trailer tires might be low, or the whole rig is too big for you vehicle? In those cases, moving weight off the stern is not going to help. Check out the Seaworthy online articles for more information (I added the link separately). Take care, Ron Vanderveer
Mark You're getting a little bit of conflicting advice, so I'll just chime in with what I read last night in the BoatUS Seaworthy magazine: "Too little weight on the ball and the trailer is prone to fishtailing—excessive swaying from side to side. (Fishtailing can also occur when tires are too soft or the trailer and the boat are too heavy for the car.)" Sounds to me like your tongue weight is too low, your trailer tires might be low, or the whole rig is too big for you vehicle? In those cases, moving weight off the stern is not going to help. Check out the Seaworthy online articles for more information (I added the link separately). Take care, Ron Vanderveer
Trailer
I have a GMC Sierra 1500 that I tow with and I have never had any problems. Here's what I do to make sure. 1. I never take them motor or gas tank out 2. I make sure the tires on the trailer are full inflated to the correct pressure 3. I make sure and put the coolers and other heavly stuff down as low as I can as far forwared as I can. I don't have an equalizer hitch but it has never seen to be a problem for me. I normally pull at about 65 becasue that is where the truck seems to run the best. Jason
I have a GMC Sierra 1500 that I tow with and I have never had any problems. Here's what I do to make sure. 1. I never take them motor or gas tank out 2. I make sure the tires on the trailer are full inflated to the correct pressure 3. I make sure and put the coolers and other heavly stuff down as low as I can as far forwared as I can. I don't have an equalizer hitch but it has never seen to be a problem for me. I normally pull at about 65 becasue that is where the truck seems to run the best. Jason
Tow Vehicle and Thanks
My Tow Vehicle for this Boat is a Chevy Tahoe ( V-8 - Tow Capacity (as I understood the manual) is 6500lb. Thanks everyone for the advise. More weight forward seems to be the best first step.
My Tow Vehicle for this Boat is a Chevy Tahoe ( V-8 - Tow Capacity (as I understood the manual) is 6500lb. Thanks everyone for the advise. More weight forward seems to be the best first step.
Towing my 23.5
My first tow was a fish tail experience,ie not enough weight on the ball. Runing away from IVAN, the motor was off (in a friends garage), spare tire inside near the portapotty, etc. & tongue weight was 250 lbs and when pulled behind my 93 grandmarquis rode rode like a champ at 55-60 with no fishtailing. Ended up in tupelo then drove to westminster sc where she is now parked while the adjusters replace our mfg home. Looking at Lake Hartwell as possible permanent relocation site. Any warm weather sites you would reccommend??
My first tow was a fish tail experience,ie not enough weight on the ball. Runing away from IVAN, the motor was off (in a friends garage), spare tire inside near the portapotty, etc. & tongue weight was 250 lbs and when pulled behind my 93 grandmarquis rode rode like a champ at 55-60 with no fishtailing. Ended up in tupelo then drove to westminster sc where she is now parked while the adjusters replace our mfg home. Looking at Lake Hartwell as possible permanent relocation site. Any warm weather sites you would reccommend??
For those of you that leave the motor on..
Do you tilt it up or leave it down when you tow? It seems to me that tilting it up would place more stress on the bracket.
Do you tilt it up or leave it down when you tow? It seems to me that tilting it up would place more stress on the bracket.
Leave it down
Ashley, you are correct that it creates additional stress on the bracket. With the motor up you are creating a lever of sorts which exerts force on the mount every time you go over a bump, dip, etc.
Ashley, you are correct that it creates additional stress on the bracket. With the motor up you are creating a lever of sorts which exerts force on the mount every time you go over a bump, dip, etc.
Shift Weight Forward
Adding twenty pounds to the bow is good; moving twenty pounds from the stern to the bow is better. You should not need to remove the motor. To check your tounge weight get a bathroom scale that will read up to 300# level out a board across the scale and a block of some sort and with the tounge cenered on the board and the trailerer level read the scale multiply by two and that is pretty close to your tounge weight. If it is between 550# and 600# your problem lies elsewhere like the tires on you trailer or truck. Make sure you have trailer tires on your trailer and truck tires on your truck. Passanger car tires have too soft a side wall and will wallow around with the trailer.
Adding twenty pounds to the bow is good; moving twenty pounds from the stern to the bow is better. You should not need to remove the motor. To check your tounge weight get a bathroom scale that will read up to 300# level out a board across the scale and a block of some sort and with the tounge cenered on the board and the trailerer level read the scale multiply by two and that is pretty close to your tounge weight. If it is between 550# and 600# your problem lies elsewhere like the tires on you trailer or truck. Make sure you have trailer tires on your trailer and truck tires on your truck. Passanger car tires have too soft a side wall and will wallow around with the trailer.
I had the same problem
The first time I pulled my 260 I had the same problem. I moved the fuel tank, a spare 5 gallon tank, and a 5 hp aux motor to the bed of my pickup and that fixed the problem. It has never happened again even though I dont now move the fuel. I think it is because my wife has put so much stuff in the boat...
The first time I pulled my 260 I had the same problem. I moved the fuel tank, a spare 5 gallon tank, and a 5 hp aux motor to the bed of my pickup and that fixed the problem. It has never happened again even though I dont now move the fuel. I think it is because my wife has put so much stuff in the boat...
Multiply by Two
The weight of the tounge is being shared by the scale and the block. In a perfect situation they are supporting the same amount of weight. Another way you could look at it is if you were using two scales you would simply add the two readings to get the weight on the tounge.
The weight of the tounge is being shared by the scale and the block. In a perfect situation they are supporting the same amount of weight. Another way you could look at it is if you were using two scales you would simply add the two readings to get the weight on the tounge.
I see
Duh, I hadn't understood/read the description well enough. I thought the board was on the scale which was on the block IE to make a high enough point to have the trailer level... I see what you mean now. Good trick to measure 600# on a scale that goes only to #300! ...RickM...
Duh, I hadn't understood/read the description well enough. I thought the board was on the scale which was on the block IE to make a high enough point to have the trailer level... I see what you mean now. Good trick to measure 600# on a scale that goes only to #300! ...RickM...
One more thing to check
Use a tire pressure gauge to make sure your tow vehicles rear tires are fully inflated. Being just a little low (too little to see) can make a noticeable difference. Oil change places are notorious for improperly inflating tires. I tow my 96 H26 with a Jeep Liberty (V6). I have towed it over 3,000 miles so far in the past 2 years including Pensacola to Michigan . I seem to have equal results putting luggage in the V-berth or under the table where it is down low. If the roads are smooth and the wind is not excessive I can tow at about 70 mph. I frequently tow at 65 though to save on gas. If road conditions are less than ideal you may have to slow down to accommodate them. The biggest problem I noticed when towing at lower speeds (55 mph) was being passed by semi-trucks which were going significantly faster. That induced a lot of sway as they passed. With the speeds closer together it is much less of an issue. I also think that as you get used to the boat's towing characteristics you quickly learn to subconsciously correct for the sway before it becomes noticable.
Use a tire pressure gauge to make sure your tow vehicles rear tires are fully inflated. Being just a little low (too little to see) can make a noticeable difference. Oil change places are notorious for improperly inflating tires. I tow my 96 H26 with a Jeep Liberty (V6). I have towed it over 3,000 miles so far in the past 2 years including Pensacola to Michigan . I seem to have equal results putting luggage in the V-berth or under the table where it is down low. If the roads are smooth and the wind is not excessive I can tow at about 70 mph. I frequently tow at 65 though to save on gas. If road conditions are less than ideal you may have to slow down to accommodate them. The biggest problem I noticed when towing at lower speeds (55 mph) was being passed by semi-trucks which were going significantly faster. That induced a lot of sway as they passed. With the speeds closer together it is much less of an issue. I also think that as you get used to the boat's towing characteristics you quickly learn to subconsciously correct for the sway before it becomes noticable.
Towing
Just to add a comment or two. I bought a 2000 260 last month and had to tow it from Las Vegas to central Texas. Plan to tow it from Texas to Florida after the hurricane season. I left the motor on and in the down position, all tanks empty and checked the tires. No problems at 65-70 for 1300+ miles. I used a Mercedes M320 with no trouble.
Just to add a comment or two. I bought a 2000 260 last month and had to tow it from Las Vegas to central Texas. Plan to tow it from Texas to Florida after the hurricane season. I left the motor on and in the down position, all tanks empty and checked the tires. No problems at 65-70 for 1300+ miles. I used a Mercedes M320 with no trouble.
Something else to check
Something else to check on your trailer is the brakes. I experienced the same problem you describe on my h23. After moving the boat forward on the trailer,and storing anything heavy,coolers etc. forward in the boat all of which helped somewhat, I discovered that the brake on the passenger side had been dragging off and on causing the trailer to sway. I Repaired the brakes and have had no more trouble. Dave Noack "Wind Dreamer"
Something else to check on your trailer is the brakes. I experienced the same problem you describe on my h23. After moving the boat forward on the trailer,and storing anything heavy,coolers etc. forward in the boat all of which helped somewhat, I discovered that the brake on the passenger side had been dragging off and on causing the trailer to sway. I Repaired the brakes and have had no more trouble. Dave Noack "Wind Dreamer"
Launching 260 At Sanibel
Does Anyone Have Information on the Public Ramp at the Causeway in Sanibel Fla. If so, is there enough clearance in the parking area to raise the mast on the Hunter 260 and enough ramp and water depth to launch without a trailer extension? I am planning to trailer down to the area in April and sail for a week. Thanks Mark Cave Run Lake, Kentucky
Does Anyone Have Information on the Public Ramp at the Causeway in Sanibel Fla. If so, is there enough clearance in the parking area to raise the mast on the Hunter 260 and enough ramp and water depth to launch without a trailer extension? I am planning to trailer down to the area in April and sail for a week. Thanks Mark Cave Run Lake, Kentucky
Take the rudder off
It ways about as much as the outboard. I re-did the plugs on my outboard to make it easier to remove. I put the female end of a trolling motor receptical on the port side of my fuel well to the battery and put a male end going to the motor. I mounted a female, flush mount trailer receptical next to where the motor remote cables go into the stern and the male to the motor cable. Now to remove the motor I just unplug the two cables and remove the the throttle and shift cables.
It ways about as much as the outboard. I re-did the plugs on my outboard to make it easier to remove. I put the female end of a trolling motor receptical on the port side of my fuel well to the battery and put a male end going to the motor. I mounted a female, flush mount trailer receptical next to where the motor remote cables go into the stern and the male to the motor cable. Now to remove the motor I just unplug the two cables and remove the the throttle and shift cables.
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