trailer extension

[jb]

I'd like to add about 3-4 ft to the length of my C-16 trailer for an easier launch/retrieve. Any suggestions ?

thanks in advance for any responses

j

[skip1930]

If welding is involved, cut the hitch end off and fit a square tube in a tube. Two drilled holes and a pin with a keeper.
Otherwise a bolt on [spacers required].
A swing a-way was built by a few guys here.

Three to four foot addition is about all that can be added [maybe not even that much] and still have a functional tube in a tube

skip.

[jb]

Skip, could you explain " Otherwise a bolt on [spacers required]."

thanks,

j

[JBC]

Might not meet your needs, but I add a trailer HITCH extension to my 2" hitch receiver.  Several lengths are available (up to 18" for my hitch).  One could probably cobble together several just for launching/retrieving.  Anyway, a 1 foot extension works well for me at shallow ramps.
Jett

[atrometer]

It's a little work and cheaper, BUT I just use a line tied to the trailer and a few wraps around the hitch - push the trailer out/pull it back in.  Hope this helps.

[Salty19]

A bolt on can be either loose (i.e. you secure to trailer via U-bolts, place forward when needed, aft when not) or via a bolt on carrier.

I have the Extend a hitch on our CP19 trailer.

There are some pics in the thread about it over in the boat modifications area:

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6778.0

Extend a hitch:  http://xtend-a-hitchnorthwest.com

If you only need 2 feet, I would say definitely get the hitch extension JBC mentioned.  So much easier to deploy, lightweight, no mods needed, and cheap.Might need to get one custom made from a local shop because 18" is about all they come.

Unfortunately I needed a whole lot more room than 2 feet to dunk the 19 without REALLY getting the vehicle down into the water, so the bolt on seemed to be the best idea.

[Pacman]

In 2007 I modified my Magic Tilt trailer and wrote a short feature describing the process that appeared in the March/April 2007 issue of Good Old Boat Magazine.

The short article on pages 76 and 77 was titled "Slippery Tongue" because I used graphite/epoxy to reduce the friction so it was easy to use.

I imagine that it can be found using a Google search.

It was easy and it works wonders when launching at low tide.

[Tadpole]

Hi guys,

Consider this your prototype test.  I just built an 8' tongue extension out of a 10' long heavy wall 2" x 2" steel tube.  I built a similar one several years for my Seaward Fox.  Same problem, small keel, and extremely shallow ramps.  It worked very well.

I welded a short piece of 3" x 3" heavy wall steel tube to the bottom of the trailer tongue (about 2 ft. back from the hitch).  I had to add some spacers to the bottom-inside of the 3 x 3 so the ball on the extension would just clear the existing hitch, and take out some of the slack in the 3 x 3. 

The extension has a new receiver attached to the front of it, and a ball about 2 ft. from the other end.  To use the extension, slide the back end (the end away from the tow vehicle) into the 3" x 3" tube until the new ball matches up with the original receiver.  Lift the ball into the receiver and lock in place.  Now, hook up the new receiver on the tongue extension to the ball on your tow vehicle.  Raise the jack & back down the ramp.

I'll send a report and some picture in a couple of weeks. 

Tadpole

[jb]

Tadpole, pictures would be appreciated.  Thanks,   j


SLIPPERY TONGUE
BY DAVE AULTFATHER
Slippery tongue: Dave Aultfather comes up with a way to make a trailer tongue extension slide in and out with ease using graphite powder and colloidal silica mixed with epoxy.

Article Number: 3311
Issue: 53 - March/April 2007
Page No: 76-77
Read Online: Not Available Online

[Pacman]

I just checked.  The article is not available online but what I did was really simple:

I cut off the original tongue and used it as a receiver for a long square tube that fit inside the cut-off tongue.

The trailer jack was reattached at the forward end of the original tongue to reinforce it.

The long square tube that was used for the extension was inserted into the original tongue (now the receiver tube).

The only reason the article was published is that I found the friction between the original tongue and the sliding extension tube was a bother.

To correct that I made some slippery bushings from epoxy/graphite mix and fiberglass cloth that reduced the friction so it was easier to slide in and out.

That said, I really like Tadpole's solution better.

[Greene]

Sounds similar to the one we built for our 23.  There are pics in this thread:   http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6564.0

Mike and B

[Beckeresq]

Not elegant, but works and is inexpensive.

Two of these assembled together and used only at ramp "when needed":

http://www.harborfreight.com/hitch-extender-with-step-97685.html

You can usually find 20-25% off coupons, and the steps are useful.

[Pacman]

Greene has it exactly.

The photo on his link shows what I think is the best and easiest solution I have seen so far.

It is kind to the hitch on the tow vehicle and it provides a long expension for easy launching.

My sliding tongue extension works well but I like Greene's set up better.  

[hinmo]

Not elegant, but works and is inexpensive.

Two of these assembled together and used only at ramp "when needed":

http://www.harborfreight.com/hitch-extender-with-step-97685.html

You can usually find 20-25% off coupons, and the steps are useful.

Good deal here, ran to my local HF and picked one up for $24. I launched at my ramp w/o any extension, but this little extension will make it all the easier

[Pacman]

It's a little work and cheaper, BUT I just use a line tied to the trailer and a few wraps around the hitch - push the trailer out/pull it back in.  Hope this helps.

This can be an excellent way to deal with long shallow ramps.

However, nylon rope is stretchy under load and it could spring back like a big heavy rubber band if it ever cane loose at the boat end during launching.  That could be very dangerous indeed!

I once used a log chain that I had in the shop to launch my Catalina 22 on a beach ramp that was far too long to use even a tongue extension.

One could also use low stretch dacron rope to do this safely.