A little nervous about this...

[Daremo]

So I'm a 1st time boat owner. Been around boats most of my life, have helped pull in and out a few times with my dad and step brother when down on the vineyard, but I'd say less than 2 dozen times total.

I have a 14' Bayliner Reflexx. Small boat, really light. I believe its 1500lbs trailer and boat, so approx 150lbs tongue weight on my car. Yes, I said car. I have a 1995 Audi A6. Put a trailer hitch on it and yes someone makes them for them . (no laughing please, only some slight smirking allowed... ) The car can handle the load, its rated by Audi for 200 lbs tongue weight.

What I am nervous about is putting the boat in the water and taking it out and putting the rear of the car in the water. I have lower ground clearance than most trucks and jeeps, which is what I have used in the past with dad and step-bro. Should I get a receiver hitch extension to give me a couple more feet or am I just getting overly worried about nothing?

Thanks!

Rob

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: A little nervous about this...

these work very well. http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

 

[CATransplant]

Re: A little nervous about this...

Try to choose your ramps well. Long shallow ramps will not be best for your rig. Also, if you have a tilt trailer that can help, too. A roller trailer will be a must for you, I think.

 

[Squid Billy]

Re: A little nervous about this...

If you look on the web page the link points to, it says that the car in the picture is a Ford pinto ... Hmmm Pintos were long gone when that car was made, maybe an Escort, but definitely not a pinto.

It looks like it wold work great but .... it does lower your ground clearance quite a bit to me.

Just my 2 cents worth

Bill

 

[reelfishin]

Re: A little nervous about this...

You can't knock a Pinto for a light tow vehicle, I used a 1980 for years to launch my bass boat. It towed and launched that boat better than my truck did.
The short overhang and low gear ratio made it perfect. The more tongue weight, the more traction it had. I only towed about 10 miles to the ramp, and my trailer was about 4' longer than it needed to be and it would tilt if needed.
The only drawback to the long tongue was that the bottom of the tongue would sometimes scrape the crest of the ramp on very steep launches. My only concern with that rig was that the boat came close to outweighing the car, I could always picture the boat being already on the trailer and the current pulling the car in before I got in and drove it out of the water. There was one ramp where I would often get water in the truck on windy days but luckily it was fresh water. It was a $20 car that lasted 22 years, so I had no complaints.

 

[INJUN]

Re: A little nervous about this...

Daremo: IMO
I'd only worry about getting the brakes wet, or if you have them, the aluminum wheels. Especially salt water. It'd depend on the steepness of the ramp.