need more tongue weight ?

[canman]

hi everyone . i finally got my used calkins trailor finished that i have been working on . i took it down to the boat ramp and loaded my boat on it and brought it home . i unhooked the trailor from my truck , and i can lift the front of the trailor up with no sweat at all . i am thinking that the wheels have to be moved further back . anybody know how far back i should go ? the axle is about 3 feet from the back of the trailor . thanks

 

[CATransplant]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

What kind of boat is on that trailer? What's the total weight?

A lot of times, redistributing weight will solve the problem. If that's possible, that's the easiest way to go. You should have about 10-15% of the total weight of the rig on the tongue, at least for smaller boats. Once you get over a certain trailer weight, that might change things.

Your axle is already pretty well back, but give us an idea of what you have and we should be able to help.

 

[canman]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

the boat is a 17 foot larson senza , i cant bring the boat ahead anymore ,because the transom of the boat is even with the roller now .

 

[CATransplant]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

I'm not talking about moving the boat. I'm talking about moving stuff around inside the boat to redistribute weight.

If your axle is just 3' from the rear of the trailer, then you've got quite a rear-heavy boat there. What's hanging on the transom?

If you can redistribute weight inside the boat, you're going to get a couple of additional advantages. As rear-heavy as you appear to be, you'll get quicker planing, a more level ride below planing speed, and more.

If your trailer is typical, you're going to run out of space for the springs pretty quick if you plan to move that axle back any further.

Can you post a photo of the rig on the trailer? That'd help. I can't visualize it exactly.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

OK, here's a 1991 17' Larson Senza on a trailer. Does this look like your rig?

If so, it's a rear-heavy boat to start with. Anything you can shift toward the front will be helpful.

 

[canman]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

hi iam sorry i cant post any pictures , i dont own a camera . on the back of the boat is a 140 horsepower johnson . the only thing in the boat are 4 lifejackets and my fishing line . it has a 15 gallon built in gas tank at the back of the boat which is empty right now .

 

[CATransplant]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

OK. Well, if your rig looks like the one I posted the photo of, I have a quick suggestion. It's a workaround, but it'll do the job.

You're somewhere up in the great white north, so head to the nearest farm supply store and ask for a 100 lb. weight bag. These are long skinny fiber-reinforced heavy plastic sand bags. You'll need one or two. Crawl up into that bow area and lay one or two of them up against the hull, near where it curves up and partially over that front keel roller.

They're heavy enough to stay put and will mold themselves more or less to the shape of the hull. You'll get an additional 100 or 200 lb. of tongue weight and you can just forget about them. It'll also give you that faster planing, etc.

Some folks might give you another idea, but my suggestion is fast and easy, and will do the trick for you.

 

[canman]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

my boat is sitting a little high in the front end on the trailor , i can adjust the front rollers up or down . i am going to drop the front rollers about 3 inches and see if that helps . the boat is a 1986 larson senza bowrider.

thanks.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: need more tongue weight ?

That won't make a lot of difference, actually. But, since it's a bowrider, I suppose you can't use the weight bags. You may have to move the axle back, I guess. Bummer.