Season 2 -bonehead move number 1

[Ken Koons]

The wife and I were able to get onto the water Wednesday night. Unfortunately in the hurry to get onto the water for a quick splash and dash I made my first boneheaded move of the year.In extending the tongue to launch I neglected to unplug the surge brake connection at the head. The truck won the tug of war with the brake line. My coupler female part is fine. The male part pulled away from the brake hose and the hose kinked and broke at the first support loop.How big of a job is repairing the lines? Thanks for the advice. Is this a handyman type job or should this be left to the pros?

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

I dunno...

...but I've seen a lot worse bonehead moves, including people who put gasoline in their deisal tank. Don't beat yourself up. Life is defined as experience. Just enjoy the ride, ie. the sailing.

 

[Pops Landing]

Is the boat OK?

and I hope the wife is too. As long as the sailing is good, put that trailer negative thinking away and have the guy at the trailer place fix it. Just an idea... next time tie the painter around the brake line when you attach the brakes to the trailer.

 

[John]

Try ir this way

I had a 25 and never extended the tongue even once. And I never had a problem at the ramps after launching at many places around the Great Lakes.Lots of effort and it probably isn't necessary.

 

[mmsailor]

brake line

Ken there were lots of posts last year about people replacing the brake lines, some were splicing short lines to make longer ones, on my h23 with Kens welding trailer there is one long rubber type hose with a fabric covering I had a new one made completely it was in the seventy dollar range, putting it on is not a problem , it sounds like you just need a new fitting put on the end of your hose, the problem I ran into when taking it to people like napa was a dot certification , you can email me if you happen to need the name of the place in columbus Ohio where I had mine fixed , if the hose is in good shape you could send them theline and they would most likely put a new fitting on , you can email me at mmsailor@aol,com if I can be of any further assistance, good luck , btw , my line is long enough that i can extend the tongue with out unhookng anything , good luck Mike Bacome

 

[Guest]

Ken, Don't even think about re-using or repairing

the broken hose. The enternal wall damage to the line will make it prone to rupture at the pressures occuring inside brake lines. To repair the line is quite simple. Any good auto parts store (the best for this are stores that deal with the farming comunity)will probable have an off the shelf replacement hose. The cost should be less than $30. The brake system will need to be bled to remove all air. This is done with low pressure. If you have never done this then I would recommend taking the trailer to a good auto or brake repair shop. This should NOT COST more than $75 hose and all. If the quote is above this send an E-mail and I can walk you thru this no problem. Besides, you will be working on the trailer rather than sailing and that would make this ice bound northern boy feel real good!!!!!Good luck, this really is a minor problem.RayS/V SpeedyPS. Only extend to retrieve the boat when the tank is full, if needed, to get enough depth. Launching should not require this unless it is 300 yards out into the lake before you reach 5 feet of depth. Well maybe 200 yds.