Re: Reducing hitch weight
Sorry for dropping out for a while, but it looks like all have been having a good time - and good ideas in my absence.
I like the bucket idea too and that is about what I had planned with putting my two deep cycle battery at the stern, and I though too about some pumping iron weights... but I don't pump iron any more so doubt I could round up more that 50 pounds of iron.
In any case, I discovered why the hitch was so much heavier than I remembered when I brought the boat home - last November or thereabouts. I backed the trailer onto some of my "side" property away from the house. The area has field grass (not a lawn) which has been moved, so lawn-like. It has a slight slope to it and my two wheel drive (locking differential) couldn't get enough traction to push the trailer/boat back to where I wanted to park it. So, it has sat there all these months.
Yes, the drain plug is out, I've learned that lesson on my previous boat which just has/had a tarp thrown over it. The new (second-hand) boat came with a nice cover and drains water well. I also visit the boat after any rain or snow and remove any puddles on the cover within a day or two. The fact that the few low spots that accumulate water hold the water for days, suggesting the cover has good water resistance.
Today I went out with my truck to move the boat to its planned parking spot and found I simply could not lift the hitch, I had to back the truck hitch ball up to be exactly under the hitch... took about three tries but I got it without driving the hitch through the rear license plate. I again concluded there must be some water in the boat to make the bow so heavy, it was indeed (to the eye) lower than the stern - but I'll guess no more than 4 or 5 inches. I backed the trailer into the parking spot taking care to be sure it was level so the trail could be left with the stern slightly lower than the bow. I walked back and looked at the drain and water was pouring out, I then raised the cover and switched on the bilge pump and a solid stream of water came pouring out the pump port. I can only guess and my guess is 10 gallons of water - that's about an extra 100 pounds on the front.
After the water stopped I unhitched from the truck, and l found that I could move the trailer hitch by hand.. suppose 50 or 60 pounds.
Thanks.
