TOPIC: Towing delimma

Haven't been on here in a while, but looking to finally get started working on my boat soon. Its a 1967 cobia trihull with a merc tower of power on the back. So my delimma is this, my truck I used for towing got totaled, and I'm now driving my 88 firebird. I'm not going to sell my car for a truck and can't afford a beater truck or anything. So I can't even move my boat to work on it. So my only option is out a hitch on my bird or boat will never move. How much do you think a 18' fiberglass trihull with tower of power on back weighs? Is there any way to sit the boat on the trailer to lighten up the tongue weight? Right now I can't even lift the tongue it feels so heavy. My car is a 305 v8 auto. The same drive train as many 80s trucks. I think if I can get the tongue weight down, get a tranny cooler I would be able to do this. I know its about stopping too, the lake is about only 15 min flat roads from me, so slow and steady for me. What do you guys think.

If your outboard is in place, about the only way to decrease tongue weight would be to move the trailer axle forward. On some trailers, it's easy to do. On others, it's impossible. The only other option I can think of would be to set the boat back further on the trailer. OK...I confess. There is one other option. Ask a couple of fat chicks if they'd like to see what it feels like to ride in the back seat. Have plenty of chocolate on hand for bait.

If I set the boat father back on the trailer will the boat move around when towing? Can anyone give me a guesstimate of 18' fiberglass trihull with outboard and trailer weight? Anyone ever towed that big a boat with a car?

hi, i would assume a tri -hull of that size with 6cyl. would be around 1,000lbs. your going to have trouble pulling it out of the water, on a wet ramp, without 4wd. my 6cyl, front wd malibu will spin the tires on a wet ramp and my rig weighs around 700lbs. good luck, ron

well in the early 80s we towed a 77 glastron ssv176 with a 78 olds cutlass with 260 v8...porpused horribly with neutral tongue weight....moving the boat forward helped that but the sidesway was almost scarey.

My other option is my 65 dodge coronet sedan 318 auto. Hmm the firebird would look tacky towing but towing my 1967 cobia with my 1965 coronet? Hmmm...

The '65 Dodge would be good, it also has a frame underneath that would support a stronger hitch. I agree with Jan, Most trailers have adjustable axles, either holes predrilled in the frame or axles attached with "U" bolts. Jack the trailer up under the main frame and block it so the tires are off the ground, loosen up the bolts/nuts that hold the axle to the frame and start smakkin' with a big hammer or 2x4. You want a little weight on the tongue otherwise it will rattle on your hitch. When moving the axle keep using a ruler to make sure you move both sides the same otherwise your trailer will go down the road looking like a lost dog. //

If you set the boat back a little on the trailer and strap it to the trailer with two of those heavy duty jacking straps, it's not going to go anywhere. Be sure to move the trailer winch mast back to fit the bow. However, the best plan is to move the wheels forward if you can. Try 6" first and see how the tongue weight is. A wet boat ramp will be a problem with a rear wheel drive car but the more tongue weight you have, the more traction you'll get. Everything is a trade-off. Of course, there's always snow chains!

Actually the coronet is unibody(unibody is nothing new as most people think) but there are 2 framerails that support the rear bumper in the rear that I'm sure I could get a hitch made for that. And also looking at my trailer the axle looks to be unmoveable, I will have to get some pics soon. But there's a long platform along both sides of the trailer with cutouts for fenders and fendrs in the cutouts. If I was to move axle there would have to be lots of cutting. If the trailer was divided into 1\4s the axle is under the last 3\4 of the trailer with the tongue carrying most of the weight it looks like. I tried lifting the tongue by hand and I'd say it has to be 2-300 lbs at least. So I decided I want to use the coronet to give the car a purpose, she's just a driveway queen right now. Pros are tranny was recently rebuilt and already has tranny cooler. I just need to beef up rear suspension to handle that heavy tongue weight, air shocks?

Look your boat up in a NADA guide and it will give you the weight of the boat and then you can look up weight of engine and add the two. I do this all the time for bigger boats and its pretty close.
As to towing, shouldnt be a issue with either car. A good hitch is the key to safe towing. I use to pull a 205 Mastercraft on a single axle trailer with a front wheel drive pontiac grand prix with a 3.8 L engine. And I pulled it everywhere. I just recently sold our 38" searay that I trailered everywhere behind my 02' Dodge 3500. Oversize load everywhere it went.
in the meantime, a friend, neighbor, relative, friend of a friend with a pickup would be worth paying some gas and beer or food to get it hauled to the house or where ever you will work on it.
Hope this helps.
Also, call hitch sellers and see if they make a receiver hitch for your car. that will tell you if even viable.

So I tried looking up my body in Nada and I couldn't find it. The year doesn't go back far enough. Its a 67' cobia is all I know unfortunately. They do make a tow hitch for the firebird its rated 100lb tongue and 1000 lb load. Not strong enough. I'm assuming someone could make me a custom hitch for the coronet? Doubt I will find a factory hitch for it.

Maybe check J C Whitney. They sell Ridgid and Curt brand receiver hitches. You are going to want a 2" receiver to get a heavier tongue weight. Or maybe your local U-Haul service center. Just a thought.
Bill

Don't take too much weight off the hitch. I would bet my tongue weight is only 40lbs, but I do have a sterndrive. Nice for tucking the boat in the garage by hand but it's a mess when I hit bumps on the road. Sticking the anchors and a full cooler in the bow helps.

I would suggest a snowplow place for a hitch but I see you are in Texas. As stated above maybe try U-haul or a truck accessory place.

Try going online and searching Hitch Classes for an in depth analysis as to type and selection. I believe that a Class II hitch will be sufficient for you purposes but let the mfg's. make a recommendation, they have the engineering background. With regard to tongue weight I would think that moving the boat back on the trailer a few inches should make it possible for you alleviate some if not all of your over weighted tongue. Just make sure you don't get rid of it all. Generally you want between 5 & 7 percent of GTW. In addition to proper hitch you need to investigate Shocks. For your Bird I would suggest Air Shocks as they allow you to compensate for the tongue weight's depression of your vehicles suspension system thereby allowing you to maintain a level ride height.
Jack

Get a friend to haul it somewhere with a set of scales and weight it. It might cost you a few bucks.

Unfortunately no one I know has a truck so just have to wait now for the tow hitch for my car.

Here is my 2 cents:

Move the boat back on the trailer until you get a tongue weight of 50 pounds. This must be done with the motor on the boat (as the balance point changes once the motor is installed. Like others have said, be sure to move to winch tower back to the new position, and add a bow chain for safety when towing.

My rig will weigh close to yours, so guestimate 1,000 pounds.

My front wheel drive Chrysler Town and Country minivan (3.8 V-6 automatic) pulls it like it isn't even there. No issues on ramps, no issues pulling, no issues stopping. You should be fine with a class 2 or 3 hitch, so do not overspend - just buy a good brand name hitch.

Good luck. Once you get the tongue weight right, it is so easy to move around the garage and driveway.

OK just spoke with a place that could do a custom hitch for my coronet and they said they could only do a class 1 hitch rated for 1500lbs and 150 tongue on my car since it's unibody. I think I'll be OK with the overall weight but I need to move the boat further back on the trailer to get under 150. What's the furthest back I could put the boat, how do I know when its too far back on the trailer? I'll be getting done pics shortly of boat trailer and tow vehicle.

Is there any way you could post a picture of the boat/trailer?
You have to be careful not to move the boat back too far on the trailer, you don't want the transom hanging over the bunks or rollers. Ideally the bunks should be several inches past the transom for support.

I checked to see if any of our vintage Draw-Tite brand hitches were correct, but unfortunately, we do not have the one listed for the 1965 Coronet.
fergusonpoolemarine.com/trailerpartshitches.html (about 65% down from the top of the page)
Possibly this listing might help someone else.

Regards,
Joe

I was going to get some pics today but ran out of time will try and get done tomorrow. I appreciate all e the help guys.I'm so behind on my projects right now just ready to get this boat on the water for the first time this summer. My blazer towing vehicle was recently rear ended by a drunk driver, but my wife got me a motorcycle for Christmas;). So between my motorcycle, boat and 2 project cars that had to take daily driving duty BC of totaled truck, my hands are pretty full.

Motorcycle? No problem....

63 Sabre wrote:

Motorcycle? No problem....

Is that for real??

Has to be real. Got it off the internet. Google motorcycles towing boats.

Here is the boat on the trailer, doesn't look like I can move the boat back any, as any further the transom would be hanging off the bunks.

And here is my to be tow vehicle.

...so install longer bunks.

I installed the longer bunks as suggested. Worked great. I always want bunks to extend beyond transom for better support. I have towed with my uni-body 1981 318 smog Mopar for 35 years and over 20,000 miles...car has 127,000 on it. My trips used to be 400 miles one way often 3-5 times per year. I presently tow a 20' Hydrostream Voyager (about 950 pounds) with a 2.4 liter 200 V6 merc (likely mid 300's) and trailer weight...so maybe about 1500-1600 pounds? I have a factory class 2 hitch with 2" ball...been on since car was one week old. This is the 4th family boat to tow (been towing this one for 19 years). I win NO drag races, but the mid-size (now as big as full size) tows steady, stops good...just NO pulling out and passing like my Dad could do with the 440 Super Commando Big Block Torque Monster. I always keep quality tread safe tires and keep breaks in good check. A slime covered concrete launch could be tricky...but if you have a well built boat stop, you could always "motor assist" on the way out (but I didn't say that...Dirty Harry always said "a good man knows his limitations" lol). Your '65 should easily out-pull mine!

Dr.Go! Sorry to hear about the truck...most important if no one was hurt. Good luck

Hmm so I need to get boat off trailer to install longer bunks correct? And thanks Dr go hearing your 81 unibody Mopar pulls just fine is awesome news!! I just need to find a place that could get me a class 2 hitch, the only place I've called so far said they could only do class 1, so I will keep on searching. And yes my mother in law was driving my truck when rear ended by a drunk driver doing 60+ mph. Everyone involved was OK thank the Lord.

Not really. You can jack the boat up on one side and replace the bunks one at a time. When done, tie or chain the rear of the boat to a tree and have someone pull the trailer forward slowly in order to re-position the boat further back on the trailer. Have one foot on the gas and one ready to mash the brake. Sometimes the boat can be stubborn getting started so you don't want to suddenly pull the trailer out from under it...which is why you should set the length of the winch hook to the bow eye to stop at where you think you want it, just in case. I've actually done this several times. No problems.

Awesome guys thanks for all the info, I'll keep things updated as I go, it will be a slow process, a little at a time when the money comes hopefully before summer