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Santiago
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Registered: 8-27-2003
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Using spare tire to help launch?
I've seen set-ups where the spare tire is on a hub and can be flipped over to act as the front wheel and the entire trailier is pushed in to float the
boat, then pulled out by rope. This was with a 22-23' foot aluminum boat.
Allowed the vehicle never to get in the water.
I can't seem to find one ready made - probably just need to have it custom made for the boat/trailer combo?
Anyone have one of these?
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SFandH
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I have something like that and it works great with my 14 foot aluminum boat on Baja beaches. It doesn't use the trailer spare tire, it has its own.
Custom fabricated, it came with the boat when I bought it. Connects to the trailer with a hitch ball. Launching is easy, it's usually downhill a bit.
A rope can be tied to the handle for recovering using the tow vehicle. It also makes it real easy to move the boat around when it's on the trailer and
disconnected from the tow vehicle. A real back saver. My truck never gets backed into the water.
[Edited on 8-10-2013 by SFandH]
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MMc
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This is one style.
http://www.pacifictrailers.com/pivoting-hub-spare-carrier
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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woody with a view
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might have to invest in one for my second spare. i hate it bouncing around in the boat whilst on the road.
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larryC
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I made one for my trailer. I used the front trailer jack so I can raise the the wheel and tire while towing the trailer short distances. works great.
The one in the link also looks like a really good setup.
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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Santiago
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The one from Pacific Trailers is the one I've seen.
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bill erhardt
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I had a spare tire mounted on such a device on the trailer under a 17' McKee Craft FG boat I brought to Baja when I retired in 2002. I think I got it
at Aros Trailer in El Cajon. It worked well. Until I bought a place in Loreto, I probably launched over the sand more than at a ramp. It took
seconds to pull the pin and flip the tire down to launch or retrieve. I used 100' of 1" rope to pull the three wheeled trailer up on the beach and
keep the truck out of the salt water.
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Skipjack Joe
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Hmmmmm ..... Very interesting. It could be very useful for a large boat (>15').
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Barry A.
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What a truly GREAT idea!!!
Barry
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Santiago
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Hmmmmm ..... Very interesting. It could be very useful for a large boat (>15'). |
The one in camp is on a trailer carrying a 23' Westcoaster Bayrunner with a 135 hp motor. The guy can easily launch and retrieve it himself; although
he is pretty studly.
Our ramp, and I use that term loosely, is very shallow except at the high end of the tide. I've seen trucks with all 4 tires up to the hubs - done it
myself once or twice.
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Doug/Vamonos
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Hey bud. The one I use is from Pacific. Very heavy duty. Very heavy!! But it definitely works. I'm heading down the week of Labor Day. U gonna be
there?
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Skipjack Joe
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One of the issues it seems to me is that you need to launch and retrieve the boat stern first. This can cause waves to break over the stern and into
the boat. You get around the need for a launch ramp but perhaps not, because ramps are built in protected areas. Most days start out flat as glass but
there is a chop by noon and retrieving the boat at such times could be challenging with this setup me thinks.
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4baja
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we built all ours back in the mid 90s and there still being used today. heres a tip, use the same spindle and bearings as the trailer uses and youll
always have extra bearings and a spindle not to mention allso a spare tire. also it doesnt hurt to have a trailer extension because pushing the boat
and trailer over rocks(camp gecko) even with the drop down wheel isnt very much fun. one last tip if your going to build one, make sure that the
trailer jack that you have will raise it high enough to drop the tire down, a jack that cranks higher is very usefull. keep a long rope handy to pull
out the boat trailer when time comes and especialy if theres waves.
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Doug/Vamonos
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Exactly. Like Steve says, the hub assembly on the pacific unit can be removed and used on the main axle if necessary. Also the tongue extension is the
same material used on the tongue of the trailer so it can also be used in an emergency. But it is heavy. Nowadays I rarely use the extension because
it only gives me 8 more feet. I find that if I need the spare to be flipped down in order to launch I need to go much further than 8 feet out,
especially at Gecko. So I push and shove and send it out to sea! On a side note, you probably wouldn't want to do this if your trailer has brakes
because the master cylinder would be swimming in salt water at that point. That cannot be good. Three days to go...
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Pacifico
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I have a question about the Pacific model.....it says it "flips down". Since it is square tubing, it appears that it would not simply flip down after
removing the pin. It looks like you would have to slide the whole thing out, flip it to where the tire is down, and re-insert it and put pin back. It
this the case or am I missing something here? Thanks!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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Barry A.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
One of the issues it seems to me is that you need to launch and retrieve the boat stern first. This can cause waves to break over the stern and into
the boat. You get around the need for a launch ramp but perhaps not, because ramps are built in protected areas. Most days start out flat as glass but
there is a chop by noon and retrieving the boat at such times could be challenging with this setup me thinks. |
This perhaps would be a big problem on the Ocean side, but not so much on the gulf side. Seldom are the waves so big that it is a serious problem in
my experience. Yes, water gets into the boat, but if you hurry you can get the boat and trailer out of the water before too much gets into the boat,
and then it just drains out after you pull the plug-------done it lots of times with small boats-------perhaps big boats would be lots harder!?!?!?!?
It ain't perfect, but usually works.
It is very helpful if you have verticle 'boat-guides' on the trailer, tho.
Barry
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Santiago
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Thanks for the tips Steve and Doug/ I've ordered the one from Pacific Trailer and will take it down in October.
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wessongroup
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
might have to invest in one for my second spare. i hate it bouncing around in the boat whilst on the road. |
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Skipjack Joe
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Keep us posted on how it works out Santiago. I'm really curious because I'm fairly familiar with the launch situation a camp gecko.
One thing that I've noticed about the waves slapping the stern is that usually the trailer will raise the boat while it's in the water and in some
cases (when I use the balance wheels) the wave will roll right under the boat while in the water.
It really doesn't take very large waves to slap over the side. It's not the water inside that I don't like as much as the weight it adds to
everything. I like to pull it out of the water entirely before looking for ropes.
Have fun.
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
might have to invest in one for my second spare. i hate it bouncing around in the boat whilst on the road. |
And don't forget your 3rd spare. Sometimes referred to as "love handles".
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