[Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer

Tue Sep 15 15:59:01 EDT 2020

Tom,
I tow with a Grand Cherokee and did experience trailer sway at about 55-60mph.  It's maddening and frightening.  I found that if I inflated the trailer tires to the correct air pressure (60psi) the trailer sway went away and I can now tow at 65mph.   - Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of Tom Van Heule
Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 3:49 PM
To: Scott Andrews <sea20 at verizon.net>; The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer

I agree this has been valuable. Thank you everyone.

 I wonder about the track geometry.  My trailer has a wider track than the
grand cherokee.  After about 55 I get some wagging.   But from the 10%
tongue weight math I am still missing 150#. Probably exposing my great depth of knowledge... I will look at quick release tiller so the rudder+ can travel ahead of the axle at least... I'm not too exited , although it's cool and functional, of the idea of remounting the outboard as the connections stand.

Aside, Does anyone have resources or tips on welding repairs for the galvanized trailer? I understand to grind away all zinc and use a cold galvanized paint.

On Tue, Sep 15, 2020, 2:21 PM Scott Andrews via Rhodes22-list < rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:

> I am glad to read this exchange as I am hoping to get to Stan’s next 
> month and bring home a winter project. I haven’t done any highway 
> towing for a long time. The last thing I need is swaying at those speeds. Thanks all.
> Scott A.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Sep 15, 2020, at 9:48 AM, ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Graham,
> >
> > I just measured my tongue weight at 343 lbs using a digital bathroom
> scale under the tongue jack.
> >
> > Remember, if you build some sort of bracket for your outboard on the
> tongue and stow it up there, you will get a much greater increase on 
> tongue weight vs. just removing the motor from the transom.  Just this 
> one change would get you pretty close to where you should be.
> >
> > Roger Pihlaja
> > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> >
> > Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows 10
> >
> > From: Graham Stewart<mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca>
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 9:41 AM
> > To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> >
> > Roger:
> > I am going to remove the motor and check the tongue weight again to 
> > see
> what
> > the difference is. I am thinking that the standard old Rhodes 22, 
> > motor
> and
> > trailer would weigh about 3200 lbs so the tongue weight should be at
> least
> > 320 lbs - which seems like a lot to me.
> >
> > If anyone knows their tongue weight it might be helpful to me and 
> > others
> if
> > they post it to da list.
> >
> > Graham Stewart
> > gstewart8 at cogeco.ca
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of
> > ROGER PIHLAJA
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 8:54 AM
> > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> >
> > Graham,
> >
> > Given everything you've tried that didn't work, I am left with 
> > suggesting your bunks need to be moved forward.  It doesn't need to 
> > be much,
> probably
> > only a couple of inches.  By any chance, could you move the bunk 
> > supports from the aft side of the trailer crossmembers to the front 
> > side?  If the bunk supports are already on the front side of the 
> > crossmembers; then,
> you
> > will have to fabricate spacers and use longer grade 8 bolts to move 
> > the bunks forward.  The general rule of thumb is that you should 
> > have => 10%
> of
> > the trailer weight on the tongue for high speed stability.  Your 
> > trailer
> is
> > way short of that.  My wife won't let me have the excitement of 
> > having
> the
> > boat & trailer start to wag the tow vehicle on the expressway!
> >
> > Some other solutions would be to remove weight from the stern, like
> removing
> > the outboard and stowing it on the tongue.  You could always tow 
> > with a
> full
> > water tank &/or move everything from the lazarette compartment to 
> > the V-berth.  But, all these solutions add time and royal PITA 
> > factor to
> rigging
> > and unrigging.
> >
> > Roger Pihlaja
> > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> >
> > Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows
> > 10
> >
> > From: Graham Stewart<mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca>
> > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 10:29 PM
> > To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> >
> > Now that I compare the picture of my boat with that of Optopian it 
> > seems that it is just as far forward so maybe it isn't as bad as I thought.
> >
> > Graham Stewart
> > Agile, Rodes 22, 1976
> > Kingston Ontario
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of
> > Graham Stewart
> > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 9:45 PM
> > To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> >
> > I am one of those who has never been able to get my boat 
> > sufficiently forward on the trailer. When I winch in the boat at the 
> > launch ramp the
> bow
> > eye goes under the bow brace even when it is fully retracted. As a
> result I
> > can't pull the boat in all the way.
> >
> > After leaving the ramp on to level ground of the boat the bow moves 
> > up putting enormous pressure on the front of the boat. If I relieve 
> > the
> strain
> > on the winch the bow of the boat moves up and back. I took a picture 
> > of
> the
> > winch and brace after retrieving the boat today and attach it here. 
> > I
> also
> > weighed the tongue with the motor still on the transom. I think it
> should be
> > heavier that 140 lbs.
> >
> > Any suggestions would be welcome.
> >
> > Graham Stewart
> > Agile, Rodes 22, 1976
> > Kingston Ontario
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of
> > Lowe, Rob
> > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 11:43 AM
> > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> >
> > Tom,
> > First off, sorry about your mishaps.   I've done the same thing sort of.
> > Set the keel down on the guide bunks and broke one.
> >
> > Your need to get the support welded.  Make sure they weld it at the 
> > same angle as it was.  I think they angle out a bit and the guy who 
> > welded
> mine
> > made it vertical, which meant the keel no long would fit between the
> boards.
> > I ended up replacing the 2 inch boards with 1 inch boards so the 
> > keel
> would
> > fit.
> >
> > Now to get the boat centered, I 'think' it was Stan that shared this
> wisdom.
> > Leave your centerboard down when retrieving.  The centerboard will 
> > help guide the boat into position on the trailer.  Once centered and 
> > winched
> in ,
> > PULL THE BOARD BACK UP.  Does anyone else do it this way? It sure 
> > works
> for
> > me.
> >
> > Rob
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf 
> > Of
> Tom
> > Van Heule
> > Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2020 12:31 PM
> > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> >
> > Today I went to the up a launch lane to practice retrieval and 
> > launching
> our
> > boat Octopian. In the morning I had about negative 80lbs tounge 
> > weight,
> the
> > aft port window centered above the axle.  Rudder and 8hp 4 stroke on 
> > the back. Mast down on the crutch and attached to the bow pulpit. 
> > Single
> axle.
> >
> > Now see where the aft port is related to the axle.
> > We have about 120lbs of tounge weight now! Pulled remarkedly better.
> >
> > You may ask yourself.... Why almost perfect then?
> > We cracked one of the keel alignment bunks :(
> >
> > Let's share our tips for getting her just right in the bunks? I 
> > don't
> see a
> > lot of retrieval or launching threads on the archive.
> >
> > I found that winching her tight before de-floating, with the stem 
> > crotch full retracted worked perfect.
> > Just make sure you give her time to settle in the bunk, it's not a
> tractor
> > pull...
> >
> > Hope everyone had a great weekend.
> > Tom
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