Re: TONGUE WEIGHT

Ted Duke (tedduke@usa.net)
Sat, 07 Aug 1999 21:13:18 -0400


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Tim, Bill and all,

Tim, I have heard 5 to 10 % on the tongue. Bill has the
engineering figures, sounds logical to me (I guess)<g>. Right
now, without the motor on the back or the anchor on the front
I can BARELY lift it. Since I am just of average strength and
know what a 100# sack of cowfeed weighs, I would estimate
about 120 to 130#. I couldn't lift it if it didn't have a big
handle <BG>.

Mine towed okay before from Annapolis to here, about 4+ hours,
but the first time I unhooked it from my Ford F150 and climbed
the ladder it reared up and scared a years growth out of me.
And I am already over the hill and shrinking. I then lifted
the tongue and could do it with ONE hand. NOT GOOD. So, I
looked at it and realized the boat was way back on the
boards. I moved the winch support forward by eyeball the next
time I had the boat in the water and it seems about right.
The boat appears to be sitting better on the bunkboards.

Bill Combs wrote:
>
snip
>
> >> The all-up weight of your trailer, boat, and gear ought to be about
> >> 1,700-1,800#. Thus, you want about 170-180# at the tongue.
>
> OK, assume 1800 lb for the boat, trailer not included (Ursa Minor
> measured over 2300 lbs, loaded), and assume the distance
> axle-centerline to hitchball-centerline is 143" (as I just measured
> on my Shoreline trailer): each inch that you move the boat forward
> will increase the tongue weight by approximately 12.6 lbs. Converting
> this to a dimensionless case, each inch forward will increase tongue
> weight by approximately 0.7% of boat weight. This assumes (1) that
> trailer weight has a negligible impact, (2) that the trailer remains
> horizontal, and (3) that you move the boat, not the axle (either is
> possible, but the former is easier).
>
> FWIW, I'm familiar with the 10% rule-of-thumb for tongue weight and
> often advise others to use it, but I have carry only about 5% and
> experience no sway at all -- over about 25,000 miles. This may,
> however, be because I tow with a full size van, which for a number of
> reasons is an ideal tow vehicle. I did have to move the boat a bit
> forward in the early days to achieve this weight.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bill Combs
> WWP 19 #439 (Aug 1987) "Ursa Minor"
> Fort Walton Beach FL
> ttursine@gnt.net