[Rhodes22-list] Getting the weight off the tires for winter storage

[Mike Riter]

Roger, Thanks for the excellent tutorial! I have seven trailers
(boat-camper-equipment) ranging from single axle to triple axle and I'm
constantly changing degraded tires. I've considered nitrogen before, but
have not ever heard a convincing reason other than potential improved
mileage to do it. Your post is very compelling. Thanks again for putting it
up.

Michael Riter
SV Emma B



On Sun, Jul 12, 2020 at 1:28 PM ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:

> Hi Jessie,
>
> While getting the weight off the trailer wheels in the winter and covering
> them with tire covers to limit UV exposure will both help extend trailer
> tire life, unfortunately the big tire killer is oxygen exposure.  Oxygen is
> the 2nd most reactive element (behind fluorine) and the rubber polymer
> chains in the tires are vulnerable to its effects.  One other thing you can
> do is fill your tires with nitrogen or argon vs. air.  Yes, I know this
> sounds silly.  But, oxygen degradation is a diffusion limited process.  All
> else being equal, having an inert gas inflating the interior of the tire
> will slow down the diffusion rate by a factor of at least 4X due to
> switching oxygen diffusion from a 2-way process (outside in + inside out)
> to 1-way (outside in only).  Actually, the inert gas may extend the tire’s
> life even more because the elevated oxygen partial pressure inside the tire
> increases the diffusion driving force favoring oxygen diffusion into the
> tire from the inside out by the ratio of the [absolute inflation air oxygen
> pressure psia]/[absolute ambient oxygen partial pressure].  For example,
> suppose you inflate your tires to 40 psi (40 + 14.7 = 54.7 psia).  Air
> contains ~21%vol oxygen.  So, the partial pressure of oxygen in the ambient
> air is 0.21 * 14.7 psia = 3.09 psia.  The partial pressure of oxygen inside
> your tires is 0.21 * 54.7 psia = 11.5 psia.  11.5 psia / 3.09 psia = 3.7 X
> times more diffusion driving force for oxygen from the inside out when the
> tire is inflated with air.  I would recommend nitrogen vs. argon because
> it’s cheaper and the thermal conductivity is about the same as air.  The
> thermal conductivity of argon is ~40% less than air, which will cause the
> tire to run somewhat hotter on the road, which is not good for tire life.
> But, this is not a big factor.
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows 10
>
> From: ROGER PIHLAJA<mailto:roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
> Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2020 11:53 AM
> To: daysails at aol.com<mailto:daysails at aol.com>; The Rhodes 22 Email
> List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Getting the weight off the tires for winter
> storage
>
> Hi Jessie,
>
> Yes, having the rear jacks will absolutely stop accumulated water in the
> stern from causing the bow to rise up.  It also allows you to have as many
> people in the cockpit as you wish when you are camping.
>
> Unfortunately, a lot of my Rhodes 22 cruising gear is locked up and
> inaccessible at Johnson Mini Storage.  MDOT is working on putting in a
> temporary M-30 bridge over the Tittabawassee River in Edenville.  However,
> they must first clear the debris from the river channel.  This includes the
> pieces of the Wixom Dam powerhouse, turbines, and generators.  MDOT crews
> have built a wier just downstream of the wrecked M-30 bridge.  This wier
> restricts the flow of the river upstream of the bridge and makes it deep
> enough for a work barge.  The work barge is gathering debris from the river
> channel and stacking it on the south river bank.  On shore, another tracked
> vehicle with a hydraulic claw is scooping up the debris and loading it into
> dump trucks.  I’m sure they will remove the wier when the job is finished.
> However, right now there is a class 3 waterfall/rapids where the river
> spills over the wier.  The work barge is operating < 100 yds upstream of
> the wier.   So, it’s very dangerous work.
>
> MDOT’s crystal ball is calling for the temporary M-30 bridge to be in
> place by early October.  I will have no access to Johnson Mini Storage
> before then.  We have no cruise planned on S/V Dynamic Equilibium this year
> because so much of my gear is locked away.  However, in August, I have two
> water related adventures planned.  I am going to lead my Boy Scout Troop on
> a High Adventure shipwreck SCUBA diving trip in the Straits of Mackinac.
> Then, later in the month, my two sons, my brother-in-law, and I are going
> to attempt a west to east voyage on Lake Superior thru the Pictured Rocks
> National Lakeshore from Munising, MI to Grand Marais, MI by sea kayak.
> This will be a 4 day, 3 night trip along one the most exposed stretches of
> Lake Superior coastline!
>
> Other than that, my summer is dull!
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> > On Jul 12, 2020, at 9:49 AM, Sling via Rhodes22-list <
> rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> >
> > There is another benefit of having these rear jacks.  A number of years
> ago I pulled my Rhodes 22 and left it on the trailer at the marina while I
> was working overseas. The drain holes in the cockpit became blocked up with
> leaves and a spring rain storm filled the cockpit with rain water.  The
> weight of the water tipped the bow up and the water submerged the motor
> lift.  The marina eventually got around to clearing the water out but the
> motor had to be replaced.  The jacks would have prevented all this.  Of
> course so would cleaning out the cockpit drains.  Joe Riley "Sailing on a
> Second Wind"  Lake Hartwell,  SC
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jesse Shumaker <jesse.laten.shumaker at gmail.com>
> > To: I wishThe Rhodes 22 EmAail List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Sun, Jul 12, 2020 9:14 am
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Getting the weight off the tires for winter
> storage
> >
> > Roger, thanks for the tips and the photo of your trailer setup.  It's
> funny
> > that you should mention the rear jacks since I just did something similar
> > on Friday and the inspiration was from a photo of your trailer that I had
> > stumbled on awhile ago on rhodes22.org (
> > http://rhodes22.org/rhodes/pics/jack1.jpg).  I had two tongue jacks, one
> > that was on the trailer when I got it (but the wheel didn't turn very
> well)
> > and another one on the other side that I added last year when I got the
> > trailer - however that one didn't want to turn very well either.  I had
> > left on the old one as a backup.  Since I was taking care of a few things
> > on my trailer already, I put on a new double wheel tongue jack that is
> more
> > stout.  I moved the two jacks that had been on the tongue so that there
> is
> > one on each side of the rear of the trailer, so it serves a similar
> purpose
> > to the jacks you mentioned in terms of stabilization.  Since all these
> > jacks are on wheels, chocks are still needed to prevent the trailer from
> > moving around.  I like your setup where you put the wheels up on a board,
> > putting chocks on top of the board, and take off most of the weight by
> > using the jacks.  Where I park for the winter, there can be some
> occasional
> > standing water or snow so it would be good to have the tires up off the
> > ground a bit.  I might use a couple of jack stands on either side as well
> > to spread the load out when I store it for the winter.  Tire covers claim
> > to provide some UV protection and are a minimal expense so I'm going to
> put
> > those on.  Hopefully all this leads to tires that stay in good shape for
> > longer.
> >
> > As you mentioned, having the jacks on the front and rear should make for
> a
> > stable platform when working on the boat on the hard, or for
> accommodations
> > in campground en route.  With the pop top enclosure, and the mosquito
> > netting over the bimini to enclose the cockpit, it really meet the the
> pop
> > up camper criteria!
> >
> > I will take a look at getting a come-along as well.  It sounds like that
> > would be a good addition to my growing list of trailering gear.
> >
> > Given the difficult circumstances at your place with the failed dams, do
> > you intend to trailer your boat anywhere else this season?
> >
> >> On Sat, Jul 11, 2020 at 3:08 PM ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi Jesse,
> >>
> >> Nice photo!  It reminds me of my favorite anchorage called the Church
> Camp
> >> Cove on Sanford Lake prior to the flood this spring.  I won’t be
> anchoring
> >> there anytime soon.
> >>
> >> You can certainly use jack stands as per the recommendation of your
> >> automotive gearhead friends.  However, you might consider what I did.
> The
> >> attached photo shows a screw-type jack welded onto the trailer frame.
> >> There is one of these jacks port and starboard.  They each have a
> >> quick-release pin.  They swing up for trailering and come off for
> >> launch/retrieval, so you never immerse them.  Using these two jacks and
> the
> >> tongue jack, one can get the weight off the tires for the winter.
> However,
> >> you can also use these jacks to change a tire by the side of the road.
> You
> >> can also use them to level the boat on it’s trailer, so you can use the
> >> Rhodes’ cabin as a sort of travel trailer for overnight stays in
> >> campgrounds.  The Rhodes 22’s cabin is way more comfortable than a tent,
> >> there’s a full galley, potta-potti, and you’re way up high so the
> critters
> >> can’t get to you.  Some campgrounds don’t allow tent camping, so you
> simply
> >> register your Rhodes 22 Pop-Up Camper!  I find it comforting to wake up
> in
> >> the morning looking down on my fellow campers.  You will never have to
> >> carry an extra bottle jack again!  However, you might consider throwing
> a 2
> >> ton come-along into your bag of trailering gear just in case you get
> stuck
> >> on a launch ramp again.  The come-along + a stout anchor rode will
> rescue
> >> you from many sticky situations.
> >>
> >> One of Stan’s beliefs is that everything on the Rhodes 22 should do
> >> multiple duties.  I think that philosophy should extend to the trailer
> as
> >> well!
> >>
> >> Roger Pihlaja
> >> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium[cid:image002.jpg at 01D6579D.86263060]
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> >> Windows 10
> >>
> >> From: Chris Geankoplis<mailto:chrisgeankoplis at gmail.com>
> >> Sent: Friday, July 10, 2020 8:29 PM
> >> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] first road trip with R22
> >>
> >> Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. I enjoyed the tale and lesson
> >> too!  Bottle jack, don’t leave home without it.
> >>
> >> On Fri, 10 Jul 2020 at 16:40, Jesse Shumaker <
> >> jesse.laten.shumaker at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Last weekend, a couple of friends and I took my Rhodes 22 to Rathbun
> Lake
> >>> in Iowa.  It's about 10 times as large as Lake Manawa, where I normally
> >>> sail.  Preparation and getting there turned out to be more of an
> >> adventure
> >>> than expected.  The week before the trip, I realized the brake line on
> >> the
> >>> trailer had rusted through and had to be replaced.  Fortunately, one of
> >> the
> >>> guys going on the trip is a mechanic and took care of that.  We tested
> >> out
> >>> the brakes on the trailer the night before leaving, which resulted in a
> >>> broken bunk.  I saw that right before we were going to load the boat on
> >> the
> >>> trailer.  Much better to have that happen without a boat on it!  We
> >>> replaced the bunk, got a spare bunk for the other side (more on that
> >> later)
> >>> and loaded up the boat.  For the first time, I used the mast lowering
> >>> system on the water and that worked well.
> >>>
> >>> I picked up a bottle jack and jack stand just before we left the next
> >> day.
> >>> An hour into the trip, the driver side tire on the trailer blew.  We
> >>> quickly pulled over since the tire was completely shredded and the
> >> trailer
> >>> was resting on the rim since this is just a single axle trailer.
> >>> Fortunately the rim was not damaged.  The tires were 8 ply from 2017.
> >> They
> >>> made the trip from Florida to Iowa a year ago with no problem but
> >> appeared
> >>> to have developed flat spots from sitting over the winter.  The
> shredded
> >>> tire took out a minor side light on the trailer and knocked off a
> trailer
> >>> guide bar on that side.  I'm lucky it was not more serious.  Anyway,
> >> after
> >>> putting on the spare and getting back underway, I found a tire shop a
> few
> >>> miles away so I went ahead and got all new Power King 10 ply tires.
> They
> >>> got us in right away and it was only $100 a tire installed, so I'm
> >> probably
> >>> lucky the blowout happened close to that shop.  The trailer runs
> smoother
> >>> on the new tires.
> >>>
> >>> Upon arrival, we were moved to a larger slip than we had reserved since
> >>> that is where they had availability.  Instead of the small boats for
> >>> company, we were the tiny boat in these slips.  Imagine my surprise to
> >> see
> >>> sailboats up to 40' in Iowa.  Some of these bigger boats seem to be
> used
> >>> more as floating condos with a mast rather than getting out and
> sailing.
> >>>
> >>> There was a ramp right next to the slip that we were assigned and we
> saw
> >> a
> >>> couple of powerboats launch and retrieve there, so we figured we would
> >> use
> >>> that ramp.  We got the mast up on land and proceeded to back down the
> >> steep
> >>> ramp with the trailer extension in use.  After we were fully off the
> >>> trailer, the truck couldn't get back up the ramp.  Uh oh.  It turns out
> >> we
> >>> backed off the end of the ramp.  Fortunately, we had taken the new
> spare
> >>> bunk with us and had removed it from where it was strapped to the
> trailer
> >>> just before launching.  We used that as a giant lever placed under the
> >>> frame in front of the wheels to pop up the trailer and then the truck
> was
> >>> able to pull the trailer out.  Whew!  We later learned that we used the
> >>> high water ramp (the water was not high).  Unfortunately there was not
> >>> signage to identify it as the high water ramp and there was no mention
> of
> >>> this by the staff.  Oh well, we came out unscathed other than feeling
> >>> embarrassed.
> >>>
> >>> I was also surprised to see two R22s at Rathbun: one from 1976 (which
> had
> >>> been recently for sale) and a 2000.  Unfortunately, I did not see the
> >>> owners there.  It would have been nice to meet another Rhodie in
> person.
> >>>
> >>> The knot meter read 22NM after a full day of sailing on Friday which is
> >> the
> >>> furthest that I've gone on my boat in a day.  We anchored out on Friday
> >> and
> >>> Saturday night.  We used the Fortress FX7 anchor that came with the
> boat
> >> on
> >>> the first night and on the second night we used a 13lb Mantus M2 that I
> >>> recently bought.  In time I'll be following up with some questions on
> >>> anchoring now that I've got a chance to try out a few things.  I've
> read
> >>> the anchoring threads in the archives but I'm really curious to see how
> >>> Peter's new anchoring setup (described at https://youtu.be/VeL_3Ir0yQ4
> )
> >> is
> >>> working out in practice.
> >>>
> >>> I slept in the cabin on the extended settee and my friends each slept
> on
> >>> top of cockpit cushions on a bench.  I had made cockpit filler planks
> but
> >>> they were content to each sleep on a bench.  It wasn't buggy and we
> >> didn't
> >>> even end up using the netting or pop-top on the second night anchoring.
> >>>
> >>> Returning was a lot easier.  We used the normal ramp to retrieve and
> >> didn't
> >>> have any problem.  I waded out to check the water depth first to be on
> >> the
> >>> safe side.  Mast lowering and raising was easier since we all had been
> >>> through the processes together a few days earlier.  Trailering was
> >>> uneventful on the way back.  My trailer is at the trailer shop for a
> few
> >>> minor repairs to make sure it's ready for the next adventure.
> >>>
> >>> I definitely learned some lessons about trailering, ramps, and got used
> >> to
> >>> camping on the boat for a few days with a couple of friends.
> >>>
> >>> My friends (both are automotive guys) recommended taking weight off the
> >>> tires by using some jack stands when the boat is on the trailer for the
> >>> winter.  Does anyone else do this?
> >>>
> >>> I attached a photo from the anchorage on the last morning before
> leaving.
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