Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

[tpenfield]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Your boat might be sitting too high on the trailer, making the launching more difficult.

If you can lower the boat a couple of inches, it might make the difference.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

I have a 25' boat too but I back into the water until the boat floats, have the wife fire her up and then I disconnect the chain and strap and were off, sure I get my feet wet but big deal. Not sure why yours is so difficult.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

I have a 25' boat too but I back into the water until the boat floats, have the wife fire her up and then I disconnect the chain and strap and were off, sure I get my feet wet but big deal. Not sure why yours is so difficult.

This is why you have no issues: 2006 Dodge CTD 3500 4X4 Bighorn Edition

He's launching with a BMW X5, which puts his trailer hitch about a foot from the rear tires and the entire vehicle too close to the ground and water.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

BMW's are made for picking up latte's at starbucks, not for hauling a 25' cabin cruiser. Sorry, I'm just sayin........!! Get a boat haulin rig!!

 

[laserbrn]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

This is why you have no issues: 2006 Dodge CTD 3500 4X4 Bighorn Edition

He's launching with a BMW X5, which puts his trailer hitch about a foot from the rear tires and the entire vehicle too close to the ground and water.

Is anyone else imagining a 25' cuddy cabin being pulled behind an X5? I'm glad he said that this lake is 20 miles away. Go get a real truck, that SUV is for looking good and pretty not towing and launching boats.

I'm fairly certain that thing can't be rated for more than 6,000lbs and that's if it's more stout than I give it credit for. Your rig with all of your gear has to be more than that. Add in the steep incline of a launch ramp and I think you're asking for it. I never exceed 80% of the rated towing capacity on a vehicle. I am reasonably certain you are exceeding your towing capacity altogether.

Maybe I'm off, but I'm just imagining an X5 towing my 24' skipjack down the freeway and thought scares me.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Is anyone else imagining a 25' cuddy cabin being pulled behind an X5? I'm glad he said that this lake is 20 miles away. Go get a real truck, that SUV is for looking good and pretty not towing and launching boats.

An X5 is actually a decent tow vehicle - nice strong diesel, tows around 6000lbs. Friend of mine has one, just not set up real well for dunking boats.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

This is why you have no issues: 2006 Dodge CTD 3500 4X4 Bighorn Edition

He's launching with a BMW X5, which puts his trailer hitch about a foot from the rear tires and the entire vehicle too close to the ground and water.

Why are people always tellin me my trucks to big!!

 

[Shark_bait99]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Power winch comment gave me a idea. My next plan will be to use the trailers winch, wrapped under a cross member of the a frame, then attached to the bow eyelet. When winched it should pull the boat back far enough to float off. add some Teflon spray and we should be off. The ram is next on the list though. Hope wifey is okay with trading in her x5.

 

[Shark_bait99]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Is anyone else imagining a 25' cuddy cabin being pulled behind an X5? I'm glad he said that this lake is 20 miles away. Go get a real truck, that SUV is for looking good and pretty not towing and launching boats.

I'm fairly certain that thing can't be rated for more than 6,000lbs and that's if it's more stout than I give it credit for. Your rig with all of your gear has to be more than that. Add in the steep incline of a launch ramp and I think you're asking for it. I never exceed 80% of the rated towing capacity on a vehicle. I am reasonably certain you are exceeding your towing capacity altogether.

Maybe I'm off, but I'm just imagining an X5 towing my 24' skipjack down the freeway and thought scares me.

I have checked the scales and at 4950 I am right around your 80% figure for a vehicle rated at 6008lbs. I also have a equalizer wdh and sway control hitch for good measure. The Four winns trailers towed like a dream before the wdh, now she is even better. Her 4.4l v8 doesn't break a sweat on the ramp. Just astonished looks from the haters. unfortunately the issue I have is the shorter distance from the rear wheels to the hitch which does not allow me to float as easily as I would like.

 

[64osby]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Get a tongue or trailer extension kit. Get to the ramp, extend the tongue or trailer, back it in and launch.

 

[Shark_bait99]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Get a tongue or trailer extension kit. Get to the ramp, extend the tongue or trailer, back it in and launch.

This looks reasonable:
http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

 

[laserbrn]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

I have checked the scales and at 4950 I am right around your 80% figure for a vehicle rated at 6008lbs. I also have a equalizer wdh and sway control hitch for good measure. The Four winns trailers towed like a dream before the wdh, now she is even better. Her 4.4l v8 doesn't break a sweat on the ramp. Just astonished looks from the haters. unfortunately the issue I have is the shorter distance from the rear wheels to the hitch which does not allow me to float as easily as I would like.

Okay, then your boat is significantly lighter than mine! My 24' boat is 5500lbs without fuel (and it holds nearly 200 gallons) + gear and the trailer and I'm right in around 7000-7500 lbs. I figured if I shaved off a 1000 lbs even it'd be pushing it in that boat.

I guess I saw your initial comment that it was a 5000lb boat and added a decent size trailer and fuel and yeah, way over 6000lbs or certainly too close for my comfort.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

I would still back in until the boat floats. the electronics on the BMW's will fail soon (first the HVAC control, then the nav, then the radio) so why not just dunk the backup sensors and float the boat.

 

[jestor68]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

This looks reasonable:
http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/

Problem solved!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

Oh dang, I posted before I say jestor68's post.
Oh well, here are some photos.

http://www.xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com/



You can launch almost anywhere with this.

Check it out. Bolt on retractable trailer tongue.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

That extension is pretty slick.

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

That's the one, boats weigh next to nothing when afloat compared to their dry weight.

The boat weighs the same whether it's on the trailer or floating. Of course if it's floating there's no weight on the bunks.

Dry weight doesn't mean the weight of the boat out of the water; it refers to the weight of the boat dry i.e. without any fuel, water, etc on board.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

That extension would work well, as long as the ramp isn't too steep and the extension bottoms out while the Beemer is still on flat ground!

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

how much time do those take to lengthen out? I'm just thinking about the line behind the guy with this apparatus.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Trouble Launching - would like to avoid powering off

I think the only issue I see with an extension like this is the crest of the ramp, your probably going to have to collapse the extension before you get to the crest or you are likely to high center the trailer, of course you run that risk anyway with the BMW seeing as how it looks like the extension is under the tongue so it may not be a viable solution either way but an interesting idea none the less, I have seen a similar idea with sail boat trailers.