boat won't float off trailer anymore.

[gtochris]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Drain plug in?

 

[Grandad]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

No one listed wd-40?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!?:facepalm:

I hope you're just kidding. Otherwise, please don't launch near my waters. - Grandad

 

[CPTom21]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Drain plug in?

Yes. lol

 

[CPTom21]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

I dunk my boat into canandaigua, skaneateles, owasco, Oneida, Ontario and the Seneca river. Often times my muffler tip is submerged, it just bubbles and burps. Hopefully you've figured it out.

I've been told by some it's ok, and by some NEVER do it. IDK. I don't see another option though.

 

[CPTom21]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

I dunk my boat into canandaigua, skaneateles, owasco, Oneida, Ontario and the Seneca river. Often times my muffler tip is submerged, it just bubbles and burps. Hopefully you've figured it out.

I've been told by some it's ok, and by some NEVER do it. IDK. I don't see another option though.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

If you got far enough into the water far enough for water in the tailpipe to be a problem you would probably be floating away. I would try to avoid it in salt water as much as possible to keep your vehicle from rusting and hold on the ramp for a min to let any water that did get in the exhaust to drain before parking on level ground.

 

[rentprop1]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

soak the bunks at the house with the water hose and a little bio-degradable soap , take the straps off and drive to the ramp, I'd bet it will slide right off

 

[BonairII]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

It obviously seems to be an issue of not getting the trailer deep enough. I launched my boat a few times over the past week or so (Oneida Lake, Syracuse) and the water level does seem low. My muffler is gurgling water. My trailer tongue isn't very long though, so that doesn't help.

Can you back in and tap the brakes to 'bump' it off the trailer?

 

[idahodrifter2002]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

CPTom21,
have no fears, you can dunk your exhaust tips in the water and not worry about it. as long as your engine is running, you will just see bubbles coming from it. it will not harm your vehicle. in my younger days, i did alot of off roading, and i have submerged vehicles(jeep grand wagoneer) until the water came around the bottom of the doors. never had a problem with the engine, just keep it running to keep water from backing up into your exhaust system. if the water laps at your doors and the boat still doesn't float, then you have a BIG problem!! hope that puts you at ease a bit.

 

[CC245]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

I launch there all the time, it's the water level. When it's low back it in a little more, don't worry about your exhaust. Do be carefull not to drop your trailer tires off the end of the ramp.

 

[dgiles]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Just be careful you don't submerge your rear axle breather tube. It should be routed to the top of the frame rail, so no deeper than that.

 

[jbetzelb]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Just be careful you don't submerge your rear axle breather tube. It should be routed to the top of the frame rail, so no deeper than that.

Bingo, this is exactly how far you can safely back the tow vehicle into the water. Stick with water no more than half way up the rear wheels and you are likely safe and wont fill your rear axel with water.

 

[Randybeall]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Perhaps the water is low enough that the ramps are flat at the bottom and your not actually as deep as you expect. I judge where I am in launching by where the water is on the trailer fenders. Sometimes the back of the truck is over the water sometimes further forward. If the water is low enough that you can't launch perhaps mother nature is trying to tell you that there may be shallow things out there your boat will hit.......just thinking.

 

[sschefer]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Just be careful you don't submerge your rear axle breather tube. It should be routed to the top of the frame rail, so no deeper than that.

And people wonder why us off road truck guys jack them up and run 35-40" tires... LOL.. There really is a logical reason for it, and it's not just so we don't get our tootsies wet.

 

[Robbo22]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Last Summer every time I launched the boat, she would simply begin to float off the trailer. Sometimes we would still have to give her a push, still it always went smoothly. The last time I used her was in November. That day and yesterday, I could not get her off the trailer it's like she is glued to it. I weighed the trailer and boat and they are still the same weight as when I bought them(give or take 5 pounds). Yes, my straps were off. I have a 1964 Starcraft Bahama with 40hp evinrude, and 1964 holsclaw trailer. Any gusses as to why it's not coming off?

Thanks,
Tom

I smiled when I read your post, as it happens all the time during the early months here in Canada....

OK how was the weather during that November when you tried to launch......If you had any sort of cold temps then your boat was clearly stuck to the bunk carpet because of ice...

I live in Canada and during any early launch expeditions our boats are usually firmly glued (frozen) to the carpet on the bunks...we just back the boat into the water then you wait....and wait.....suddenly the boat will release on its own ...Believe me its a common occurence here, Ive waited 10 to 15 mins before mine releases, its just a normal part of the procedure during any cold weather launch for us here.

Whatever you do DO NOT start trying to lever the boat off with a length of lumber or any form of crowbar.....you just hafta wait until water seeps between carpet and boat and melts that thin layer of ice.....sometimes there no visible sign of the ice but believe me its there and thats whats glueing your boat firmly to the trailer bunks

Hope that helps

 

[CPTom21]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Thanks for the replies everyone. A week ago at Skaneateles lake she floated right off. (I had to wait 45 minutes for a new boater to line up the rollers with his keel though. lol)

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

Thanks for the replies everyone. A week ago at Skaneateles lake she floated right off. (I had to wait 45 minutes for a new boater to line up the rollers with his keel though. lol)

So do we know what the original problem was ???

 

[CPTom21]

Re: boat won't float off trailer anymore.

I'm guessing it was the water level. I'm going to try the launch I originally had the issue with(Emerson Park, Owasco Lake). I'll post whether it works or not.