[Rhodes22-list] Long details re: a trailering experience

Mon May 4 15:26:17 EDT 2009

As usual there are many good answers for and from our fellow "Rhodies". 
However, I did not see any reference to the height of the trailer hitch 
on the towing vehicle. Not only do the hitches differ in height on the 
vehicle, the hitch can be straight, dropped down or curved up from the 
receiver. This does make a difference, even on a single axle trailer 
and a BIG difference on a dual axle trailer.  Good Luck, Jim J

Quoting Claude  Cox <ccc974 at comcast.net>:
> Thanks everyone who responded to my post.  I did manage to find me way into
> the archives, and the pertinent posts I read confirmed what all of you have
> said about getting the boat far enough forward on the trailer.  I am
> puzzled, though.  I did not have the fish-tailing problem when I last pulled
> the boat and towed it 50 miles, and a smooth tow at 60 mph.  The boat was
> positioned on the trailer using the port-over-the-wheel reference.  I'm
> guessing that I had a poor load distribution this time.  I don't remember
> what I had stowed in the cabin before, but probably less than this time. 
> Thanks, again, all. 
>
> Claude
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Culp" <dculp at hsbtx.com>
> To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 2:33 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Long details re: a trailering experience
>
>
> > Claude:
> >
> > My first trailering experience was with a Ford Explorer also and I faced
> > the
> > same issues as you.  I don't know about a "sweet spot" but I learned that
> > you must move the bow stop all the way forward before putting the trailer
> > in
> > the water to retrieve the boat.  You then make sure that the boat bow is
> > winched all the way to the stop before pulling the boat out of the water. 
> > Once out, you will notice that the bow is no longer against the stop and
> > now you must move the bow stop back to the bow.  The boat is in the proper
> > position when I do it this way and I never had any further problems in the
> > Explorer or my Frontier truck now.  I never go any distance with the motor
> > or rudder attached and that helps too. 
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> > Date: Sat, 02 May 2009 21:23:35 -0400
> > From: Mary Lou Troy <mtroy at atlanticbb.net>
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Long details re: a trailering experience
> > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Message-ID: <A1.45.32096.012FCF94 at BL-206>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
> >
> > Re the sweet spot. We marked the moveable metal arm to which the bow
> > stop is a attached with a painted line that indicated when the boat
> > was properly on the trailer. With the boat properly positioned, we
> > could move the bow stop up against the bow and the line would line up
> > with the support for the bow stop arm. Not that we seem to trailer
> > much any more. 
> >
> > Mary Lou
> > 1991 R22  Fretless
> > Rock Hall, MD
> >
> >
> > At 09:08 PM 5/2/2009, you wrote:
> >>Claude,
> >>
> >>It is amazing how fast you can travel with your boat and trailer if
> >>the tongue weight is just right.  The position of the boat on the
> >>trailer affects tongue weight.  The further forward the boat sits on
> >>the tongue trailer, the more tongue weight you have, the
> >>less  fishtailing you would get.  The further back the boat sits on
> >>the trailer, the less tongue you have and the fishtailing begins at
> >>slower speeds, and gets worse as you accelerate. 
> >>
> >>Mark the position of your boat as it sits on the trailer, and when
> >>hauling it out of the water next time, ensure that it sits about 6
> >>to 12 inches further forward and your fishtailing will be reduced,
> >>if not eliminated.  I understand that a 10% of the weight you are
> >>hauling should be tongue weight ball park figure.  There are those
> >>on the list who can give you more precise information.  Bottom line:
> >>if you are fishtailing your tongue weight is too light, and moving
> >>the boat forward will increase tongue weight and decrease fishtailing. 
> >>
> >>When you find the "sweet spot" please tell us. 
> >>
> >>Caesar
> >>
> >>--- On Sat, 5/2/09, Claude Cox <ccc974 at comcast.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>From: Claude Cox <ccc974 at comcast.net>
> >>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Long details re: a trailering experience
> >>To: "Rhodes22 list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >>Date: Saturday, May 2, 2009, 2:18 PM
> >>
> >>
> >>Rummy (and anyone else who wants to respond);
> >>
> >>I pulled celtic Lass to L. Lanier a couple of days ago, in
> >>preparation for a re-launch.  The trip was unforgetable, for all the
> >>wrong reasons.  Trouble began at anything over 45 mph
> >>--fish-tailing mainly.  I had the OB in the back of the tow vehicle
> >>(Ford Explorer), and after several scary miles, I stopped and
> >>mounted it on the back of the boat.  I thought that would solve the
> >>problem, as the tow vehicle was sitting level.  NOT!  Still had to
> >>stay at 45.  The harriest moment was when the boat began to fish
> >>tail, and was on the verge of going out of control.  I managed to
> >>slow down enough to correct the problem, and had no more scarry
> >>moments.  The friend with me, and I held our collective breaths
> >>until we   stopped at West Marine to get an item.  Before we left WM
> >>we stood around discussing the situation.  Standing at the stern, we
> >>were talking and looking at the rudder.  Then it hit me.  The rudder
> >>was cocked to stbd, allowing several inches of it to extend beyond
> >>the boat.  I  thought I knew what the problem was.  With the rudder
> >>hanging out, it was catching the wind, and insisted on tacking the
> >>boat to stbd,
> >>  causing the fish-tailing.  Comments....... 
> >>
> >>Claude
> >>
> >>s/v celtic Lass, 1986 R22, Lake Lanier, GA
> >>
> >>Life is too short to own an ugly boat. 
> >>
> >>
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