trailer tongue extender

[jimbo]

What is recommended to extend my trailer tongue to make launching and pickup easier?

[Scott_S]

Jimbo,
When I owned and trailered a Catalina 22 it had a telescoping tongue. The up side is you maintain control of the trailer and you can get the trailer deeper. The downside is it added time in the parking lot because you had to chock the  trailer tires, extend the tongue, line up the holds to insert the pins. This is difficult for one person; really requires two people.

With my Compac 16, I tow with a front wheel drive vehicle, so I don't mind getting my back tires wet at the ramp (fresh water). I am concerned that I might blow a fuse if a wave hits my trailer light plug under the rear bumper. But that has not been a problem so far. To get the trailer a little deeper, I use an insert that extends my trailer hitch ball another 12 inches further behind the tow vehicle. This is enough for me at the ramp I normally use. Since the trailer is well below weight limits, I tow with the extension in place. This method does not require time to extend and contract in the parking lot. (I often sail single handed.)

This may not work at shallower ramps, but is good enough for my situation.
Happy trailer sailing. :-)

[kickingbug1]

 my catalina has a telescoping trailer tongue which is really not a problem, i also use a 40" receiver made of 2" box steel. that gets the boat in the water leaving the rear wheels of my truck on the dry. i never could figure out why some guys have so much trouble rigging and launching. im 70 and can have the boat on the ramp in 30 minutes or less. two guys to handle the tongue extension? you must be kidding

[Scott_S]

I preferred two people so one could extend the tongue while a second person slid the pin in when the holes lined up. I don't see how one person could do that quickly unless you had spring loaded pins to snap in when the inner and outer holes lined up. I did not have spring loaded pins, but that would be preferable when choosing a telescoping tongue.

Happy Sailing. :-)

[kickingbug1]

 made a mark on the extention so i knew when the pins were aligned.

[jimbo]

Thanks guys.  Winter time will be ending soon and I'm thinking about getting the boat in the water again.

[Bob23]

Ain't we all Jimbo! Ain't we all!!