[Rhodes22-list] Retrieval of Boat

Wed Oct 10 12:08:28 EDT 2007

Hi Alan;

For this trip, I was able to find a speed at which there was no 
fish-tailing.  I did retract the bow chock, but only after hitting the road 
and needing to stop to do some adjustment.  And I will leave less of the 
bunks showing the next time I pull.

I left the motor and rudder attached to the stern, but secured them well, 
and had no problem with tail-gaters.

I'm probably a couple of years away from replacing my tow vehicle, but I 
will be getting a heftier engine to be sure.  Thanks for your post and the 
useful suggestions.

Claude
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Robertson" <bigal_61 at msn.com>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 10:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Retrieval of Boat

> Claude,
>   We trailered from '83 to '04 using the GB -Triad single axel trailer and 
> found that about 400 lbs. of tongue weight is needed to keep trailer from 
> "fishtailing."  Also back your trailer in the water further than you 
> stated and retract the bow chock, do not extend it to get Rhodes centered 
> fore and aft. We found that center cabin window should be over the trailer 
> wheel for horizontal balance and proper weight on the hitch; aft window 
> over the axel if you transport boat with outboard still on the transom 
> which I would not advise because of harmonic effect if rig starts to sway 
> a little. Don't go over 55 mph; this is what Stan Spitzer advised. If ramp 
> is steep, raise rudder blade before pulling forward so it does not hit the 
> ramp surface when bow is "up" and stern of your boat is "down." A good hit 
> on a concrete ramp can damage the rudder or at best make it jump off the 
> gudgeons ( i.e. the brackets on the transom).
>
> Take the rudder off and lay flat in the towing vehicle if you can. If some 
> tailgating A H rear ends you and takes a chunk out of the rudder blade, 
> it's darn expensive to replace although Stan can do it; at last he did it 
> for us about 12 years ago.
>
> Finally, with the weight of the boat, trailer and equipment you carry in 
> either one  gets up to 3500 lbs. your towing vehicle is somewhat 
> underpowered for highway speed unless you stay in next to highest gear 
> selection on the AT. We trailered with a 5.3 liter V-8 on a big Buick 
> Station LeSabre wagon which was just about adequate. Went to a 5.7 
> Suburban with trailer towing package which handled it effortlessly on road 
> and ramps with gas saving rear wheel drive! Good Luck!
> Alan & Barbara Robertson - "Thor IV"
>
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Claude Cox<mailto:ccc974 at comcast.net>
>  To: Rhodes22 list<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>  Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 8:39 PM
>  Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Retrieval of Boat
>
>
>  Hello Everyone;
>
>  I'm mostly a lurker on this list, but occassionally I have something to 
> say---like now.
>
>  I pulled my celtic Lass today, for the first time; it started out well, 
> and went up from there.  Following the Commodore's instruction manual made 
> the experience an awesome one!  I drove the boat onto the trailer, and it 
> centered just like the instruction's say it will.  Because of the shallow 
> water at the ramp, I used the 10' tongue extension, and backed into the 
> water until there was about 2 1/2 feet of bunk above water.
>
>  The trailer is a 1988 Trailmaster, single axle, which I purchased from 
> Peter Thorn this past spring.  I replaced the bunks, recovered the bow 
> stop bunks, and, at PT's suggestion, installed what WM calls "Trailer 
> Sliks (P. 757 in the catalog).  They worked beautifully, as they provide a 
> slick surface, for an extended time, on which the boat can move.  I 
> installed a 5,000 # winch strap, which worked like a charm; as I pulled 
> the boat out of the water, it held the bow eye close, even as the angle of 
> the strap changed when the stern settled onto the trailer.  The bow eye 
> came up "eye-to-eye" with the winch, but the boat didn't move as I pulled 
> up the ramp, which was a challenging ramp because of its somewhat severe 
> grade (at least for this boat retrieval virgin, it seemed to be severe). 
> The tow vehicle is a 2000 Ford Explorer, 2WD, 4.0L V6 engine.  My 
> son-in-law helped with this adventure, and with the two of us in the 
> vehicle, along with "stuff" one accumulates on a boat, we w
> er
>   e at the limit of this vehicle, however.
>
>  The bow stop is on an adjustable arm.  It was extended all the way toward 
> the stern of the trailer as I retrieved.  Leaving it there, once we hit 
> the road the trailer began fish-tailing at about 45 MPH.  Moving the winch 
> toward the tongue, I winched my 3000 # Rhodes forward (a real tribute to 
> the trailer sliks) until the edge of the rear port was over the axle of 
> the trailer (another PT-suggestion).  That gave me another 10 mph, which 
> was plenty for the roads over which I was towing.
>
>  Several of you on the list are in the decision-making process about how 
> to equip your Rhodes.  If you get nothing else, GET THE MAST HOIST 
> SYSTEM!!!  At least for me, it is worth its weight in gold.  Lest I seem 
> too fulsome about this experience, there was a slightly down 
> side--preparing for the road.  We were going just 40 miles, so how we 
> prepared didn't seem as critical as preparing for 400 miles.  Still, 
> getting all the shrouds and loose lines secured presented a challenge. 
> I'm sure finding a satisfactory way to prepare for the road will come in 
> time, however.  What we wound up with was a pretty messy bundle, but when 
> we got to the end of the trip, it was still all just where we had put it.
>
>  When I returned home at the end of the day, I celebrated my success with 
> one of those drinks Rummy talks about all the time--what's it called 
> Rumster?  I had one....then another....then another.  And as I have come 
> to the end of my post, I'm going to have another.
>
>  Peace ya'll.
>  Claude
>
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