Boat and trailer length

[Rebelwork]

I bought a 1977 Lowe Line aluminum boat on a Roloc trailer. When loading and unloading my trailer has to go pretty far in the water and my 1/4 ton 1995 nissan d21 tailpipe is almost in the water. I would say I need new shocks and it would Rais a couple inches. The boat isn't much weight

Question how far off the trailer does the boat sit? What's the max from end of trailer to end of boat. It there a quid line or is it just random depending on boat?

 

[Alumarine]

Shocks will not raise the height of your vehicle.
It's ok to get the tailpipe in the water. Depending how deep you go in it might be best to not shut the motor off.
Do you have a roller or bunk trailer?

 

[Rebelwork]

Shocks will not raise the height of your vehicle.
It's ok to get the tailpipe in the water. Depending how deep you go in it might be best to not shut the motor off.
Do you have a roller or bunk trailer?

It will on a d21. The trucks shocks are 25 years old and wore out. The truck usually sets higher in the back than front. Over the years it's almost completely on the leaf springs.

This is a fact. Shocks are rusted out

Bunk except for the center rollers..

 

[Rebelwork]

It will on a d21. The trucks shocks are 25 years old and wore out. The truck usually sets higher in the back than front. Over the years it's almost completely on the leaf springs.

This is a fact. Shocks are rusted out

Bunk except for the center rollers..

I'm also thinking this is a short neck trailer..

 

[Rebelwork]

.....

 

[matt167]

For whatever trailer you have, the boat sits from the transom on the edge of the bunks forward, to wherever the winch post needs to be, and then the axle can be slid to adjust tongue weight. It sounds like you might be more comfortable with a modern trailer with a longer tongue.

 

[poconojoe]

Can you take a picture underneath showing how far the bunks extend toward the stern? The stern should not extend too far past the end of the bunks.

I don't see any rubber roller or any form of a stop at the bow in the second picture. I don't think it should be just sitting there loose. It seems it will just bounce around. Shouldn't the bow be winched up against some type of rubber bumper or roller?

And why are you driving a vehicle with rusted out shocks? Shocks are not hard to replace, nor are they expensive.
That must be one bouncy ride!

If your truck is sagging, it's not the shocks, it's the springs. That's a fact.
Shocks just dampen the ride. They dampen the bouncing.
Think of the old stagecoaches. All they had was big springs, no shocks to absorb the motion and they bounced all over the place.

If you install new shocks and your height increases, it's still your springs. There will be a lot of pressure on those new shocks since the springs are sagging, which will give the impression that the shocks have raised the height.

 

[Rebelwork]

It's an old truck I've had for almost 20. Years. I never really used it to get back and forth to work. Now it's becoming a truck to carry about about 10 miles on old road that's 55.

The boat pulls really easy. Boat seems to be really centered on the boat axle. Doesn't take much effort to load..

Truck sat for two years... I just put a new thermostat and water pump on. Needs a new battery. I do one thing at a time..

1/4 nissan trucks aren't like 1/2 ford 150's. I'm not higher and I only have a 6' bed.

Part of the problem is I don't have the 9.5 evinrude sportwin on the boat yet to assist with load and unload. The motor is good but sat for many years. I need to go through it..

 

[Rebelwork]

It's just an aluminum 16' boat. I've had ot out for about 10 hours. Undecided CV on making cjanged yet so I havent tecarpeted it yet.

 

[poconojoe]

That boat needs some work, but has a whole lot of potential!
Aluminum hull is a plus.

It all takes time and money, no matter if it's a boat or a truck. You'll get there.

I had a 16 foot Alumacraft jon boat that was so easy to launch/retrieve. I only had a trolling motor, no outboard. It was perfect for fishing.

My current boat is an 18 foot bow rider which is also very easy to launch and retrieve.
As long as your trailer is setup properly and you have a good routine, launching and retrieving should be easy peasy. I can do it alone and all it takes is a few minutes to clear the ramp.

 

[Rebelwork]

I cleaned the carpet out. Wired it. There is 10 guage coming off the trolling motel to 6 guage and to the battery switch which I s 4 guage. I put a switch panel in the from. It's wired 14 guage and has a bilge , lights, radio, aerator, and accessory switch for 12v, etc... two batteries 27 class , one only for the front trolling motor. Recovered the seats but next winter might move up to adjustable stands and maybe some conversions.

I was a fulltime furniture maker in KC before I got put on disability/ retirement. So converting it to have rod and storage isn't a problem..

 

[poconojoe]

I cleaned the carpet out. Wired it. There is 10 guage coming off the trolling motel to 6 guage and to the battery switch which I s 4 guage. I put a switch panel in the from. It's wired 14 guage and has a bilge , lights, radio, aerator, and accessory switch for 12v, etc... two batteries 27 class , one only for the front trolling motor. Recovered the seats but next winter might move up to adjustable stands and maybe some conversions.

I was a fulltime furniture maker in KC before I got put on disability/ retirement. So converting it to have rod and storage isn't a problem..

Wow! That's an amazing photo!

 

[Rebelwork]

When hobbies turn into yard ornaments. ..

 

[JimS123]

Its a dinky little boat. Launching and retrieving should be a dream. If you can't walk behind the car on dry land when launching, you are backed in too far. If your tailpipe is under water, you need to read the "trailer boater's guide book".

 

[Rebelwork]

I cant. I stop when the boy tells me. But it is a dinky lil truck too. My first boat, I'm figuring it all out.

 

[matt167]

My dad launched and retrieved a 21' Starcraft Chieftain with a 1993 D21 pickup. Actually that truck and trailer/ boat combo traveled 300 miles every weekend through the summer for 3-4 years. It was technically legal, as the dry weight was within the legal limit but fuel and fishing gear did put it over. It was the late 90's, and it did get weird looks, and no it wasn't the best tow rig but it was the little truck that could, and did... My guess is a 1977 Lowe will be just fine as long as the D21's frame is still good. They have all split in half here in NY.

I remember the exhaust being under water during launch. If you upgrade to a modern trailer with a longer tongue, your truck will be better off.

 

[Rebelwork]

My dad launched and retrieved a 21' Starcraft Chieftain with a 1993 D21 pickup. Actually that truck and trailer/ boat combo traveled 300 miles every weekend through the summer for 3-4 years. It was technically legal, as the dry weight was within the legal limit but fuel and fishing gear did put it over. It was the late 90's, and it did get weird looks, and no it wasn't the best tow rig but it was the little truck that could, and did... My guess is a 1977 Lowe will be just fine as long as the D21's frame is still good. They have all split in half here in NY.

I remember the exhaust being under water during launch. If you upgrade to a modern trailer with a longer tongue, your truck will be better off.

This is the reason I was trying to find out if the boat is maxed for the trailer or can it goes back some. Next time I'm going to look how far for myself to see when it starts to rise. My boy is 200 lbs and 6'4 and if he's in the back it's that much further back...

 

[poconojoe]

This is the reason I was trying to find out if the boat is maxed for the trailer or can it goes back some. Next time I'm going to look how far for myself to see when it starts to rise. My boy is 200 lbs and 6'4 and if he's in the back it's that much further back...

Is your boy sitting in The boat when you are launching?
If so, tie a rope to the bow and have your son stand on the shore holding the rope with plenty of slack. There will be less weight without him in the boat and it will float quicker and easier.

As you're launching, (backing up) look back and when the boat just starts to float, hit the brakes pretty hard. The boat will slide off and you can drive away while your son guides the boat from shore using the rope.

 

[matt167]

This is the reason I was trying to find out if the boat is maxed for the trailer or can it goes back some. Next time I'm going to look how far for myself to see when it starts to rise. My boy is 200 lbs and 6'4 and if he's in the back it's that much further back...

It's maxed

 

[poconojoe]

No one is in my boat when I launch.
If someone is with me, they hold a tag line to guide the boat when I pull away.
If I'm alone, I tie the tag line to the trailer, get out and guide the boat to safety, then drive away.