Trailer tongue weights and moving boat

Stever00

Been adjusting, redoing this EZ Loader trailer since I bought boat. Boat was dry docked most of its life and put on this trailer to sell. Not sure if it's one that came with boat but I do know the bunks were not fitted to boat when I got it. Today i made the 4x4 post 4 to one ratio bathroom scales tongue weighing device. By my calculations I only have a 132 lb tongue weight doing 10 % of 5,339 total boat weight. Yes, it's really light! I can lift it up by myself . I should have about 554 lbs on tongue. Specs say 4800 lb empty, 60 gal gas 378 lbs, 5 gal water 41 lbs,  stuff on boat 120 lbs, swim platform hanging off back estimate 200 lbs. I'm going to try and move boat forward 1 foot next time I get to the water. Not sure this will shift enough weight to the tongue. Anyone had experience with this? Think that may be limit of how far I can move boat forward.  Never thought about till now but that big platform I installed this winter hanging off  back of boat has to be multiplying its weight.
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Another thought! Keep people off your swim platform when engine is running or you may find them dead from carbon dioxide. Just read the link where the 17 year old girl died from this. Be Safe!

rasbury

So, welcome to the forum. Your correct, position of the boat is everything- a few inches can change the while dynamics at the right  point. It's a process and sounds like your on to of it. Lots of savy boaters on here so ask the questions as you go along. I'm not sure there are a lot of members that trailer but @212rowboat knows a lot about trailers and always there to help.

212rowboat

loosen the tower and move it a couple inches closer to the coupler... it's amazing what difference a couple inches makes (is that what she said?)....

put it this way: if i crank the bow all the way into the winch, there is no teetering on the stern when i climb aboard and when it's unhitched... when there is an inch or more because i didn't pull it all the way in, I can teeter simply by climbing on the swim platform.  

go watch a video of a trailer improperly balanced- especially with weight too far rear... it's dangerous- a couple bumps in the road and you'll lose control of that thing as it swims behind you.  the only thing, really, you can do when that happens is stop.  by the time you realize you're swimming it, the very next second it is out of control.  

if you list your model i'm sure someone here trailers one and will be happy to provide you measurements.  again, you'll be amazed at the difference an inch or two makes.  it doesn't have to be 10%, but 10% is a really good target to aim at. 

PickleRick

I tow with an suv so i have less coupler to bumper clearance than trucks that dont run a camper top. IE the bow will take out my rear glass.

2 of my trailers have axles that can be moved forward and back.  With good jacks and jack stands this can be done but measure/mark twice before doing so to keep alignment

Moving a tower would be much easier.  I like having extra tongue weight as I often find myself with 20 lbs or more of ice plus drinks, beer and food on the transom.

mattie

As above, move the bow stop forward if possible. Simplest solution.

Tongue weight for boat trailers should be 10% to 15% of trailer weight.

ALSO be sure you are towing level with the correct drawbar. That makes a big diff with tongue weight too.......

HUGE pet peeve of mine when I see peeps towing with the wrong drawbar.

boatman37

10% is harder to get with boats since the engine is hanging off the back. We have a 2016 Venture trailer that was new when we bought our boat and assume it was set up by the marina. There was hardly any tongue weight. I moved the winch tower forward about 12". Because of my main rails and where they angled back I couldn't do anything in between that. Took it to a local scale and got about 8%. I think it was about 700lbs. Boat and trailer weighed 8700lbs with empty tanks. Either way it tows fine.

As was said, many boat trailers have moveable axles too so that is an option if you can't move the boat forward far enough.

Stever00

My winch post is angled so I am going to drop the winch down which will allow me to move boat forward some. It was already higher than bow hook. Axels are not moveable.  Doing so the boat will be forward over rear bunks some. Like someone said ok if trim tabs are up. I'm curious as to how much weight it will transfer moving it forward 8 to 12 inches. Is that too much?  This a 240 Rinker. Not many anywhere I've looked. It has 60 gallon  gas tank which is full and a 110 lb swimplatform hanging off the back.

212rowboat

8 to 12 is a tremendous adjustment... if moved four you'll likely be in the range that is acceptable by most.  

Stever00

Yea, I was thinking same thing. I may try moving it less and see what happens.

boatman37

Mine was light enough I could lift the front by hand and this combo is 8800lbs. After I moved mine forward about 12" I had about 700lbs tongue weight as per the certified truck scales.

I moved my bunks forward the same amount I moved my post.

mattie

Hey Steever, one of your adjustment goals should be to get the transom at least onto the bunks.

Generally, not good to have the transom edge hanging off the back bunk rails.

Stever00

Transom is forward bunks few inches now.