Hi, I just purchased a 1987 Capri 18, the boat is in good shape but the trailer is a bit rusty. In particular, I cannot get the trailer extension to work. Am I going to have a really hard time launching it without the extension? I will be sailing in the California Delta near Stockton.
Rusted Trailer Extension
- Thread starter ddox
- Start date
You might be alright. I had a 19' shoal keel boat that I launched without an extension. The trailer takes weight off of the front wheels but your drive wheels will stay dry. When launching with my SUV, I usually back up until the bottom of the rear rims touch the water. I have RWD.
Sailing in murky waters can make it difficult to align your boat on your trailer when loading it back on
Sailing in murky waters can make it difficult to align your boat on your trailer when loading it back on
If it were me, I would not be comfortable without a trailer extension. Can you launch without it? Depending on the ramp, absolutely. Can you float the boat back on the trailer without the extension? Yes, depending on the ramp, it shouldn't be a problem. I would however, recommend that once you float the boat, you tie her off at the dock and then liberally apply rust remover, naval jelly etc. and make it a priority to free up that stubborn extension.
George
George
That's a wing keel right? So an extension might be needed on shallow ramps. Steeper ramps might be OK. A centerboard would be easy peasy.
You can try it and accept you might have to abort. Don't get your vehicle's axle in the water. Keep the front wheels on dry pavement, sometimes ramps have slimey weeds well above the water level, especially in tidal areas. If the boat floats easily off the trailer, you're fine. If it doesn't budge, don't force it, fix your extension. You can probably get your extension unstuck with a bit of work and your favorite rust buster.
You can try it and accept you might have to abort. Don't get your vehicle's axle in the water. Keep the front wheels on dry pavement, sometimes ramps have slimey weeds well above the water level, especially in tidal areas. If the boat floats easily off the trailer, you're fine. If it doesn't budge, don't force it, fix your extension. You can probably get your extension unstuck with a bit of work and your favorite rust buster.
Well, first attempt did not work, though it was close to low tide. I tried launching at Brannan Island State Park. The ramps were not terribly steep, but felt like it was not even close to being deep enough. I'm going to take it into a trailer shop and see if they can either fix the extension or replace it. Is using a hitch extension a bad idea?
In my opinion, yes, bad idea. That could put some unusual stresses on your hitch system.
I use an extension to launch and retrieve. I can't see how it puts any more strain on your vehicle. There is less hitch weight with the extension. But it's not meant for towing on the road. I can't even connect my lights with the extension.
The lever works the other way. There is 300 lbs on your regular hitch which might be 10 ft from the fulcrum (wheels). You make that lever 15ft and you reduce the weight on your vehicle.
"Give me a lever long enough and I can move the world."
You can probably free up the extension by yourself.
First loosen up the winch strap. Sometimes this bends the tounge a bit and binds it up. Then spray the extension wherever there are openings you can get to with PB Blaster or whatever flavor of rust loosening spray you like. Next put some straight tension on the tounge. You can secure the trailer to a tree attach your car and pull a little bit or ratchet straps between two trees or two cars that sort of thing. Now that it is tensioned and sprayed bang on it with hammers, mauls, 4X4s or whatever you got. It won't happen straight away; it may not happen at all. If you talk sweetly to it and bang the hell out of it so it knows who is boss, it'll free up more likely than not.
First loosen up the winch strap. Sometimes this bends the tounge a bit and binds it up. Then spray the extension wherever there are openings you can get to with PB Blaster or whatever flavor of rust loosening spray you like. Next put some straight tension on the tounge. You can secure the trailer to a tree attach your car and pull a little bit or ratchet straps between two trees or two cars that sort of thing. Now that it is tensioned and sprayed bang on it with hammers, mauls, 4X4s or whatever you got. It won't happen straight away; it may not happen at all. If you talk sweetly to it and bang the hell out of it so it knows who is boss, it'll free up more likely than not.