[Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer

Lowe, Rob rlowe at vt.edu
Tue Sep 15 16:20:20 EDT 2020 

Jesse,
I've got a 1999 Grand Cherokee with a V-8 and factory installed tow package rated at 5,000 pounds.  It's adequate. - Rob


-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of Jesse Shumaker
Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 4:00 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer

Tom, do you find that the Grand Cherokee to be up to the job of towing?
What kind of engine / trim level do you have?  Eventually I may get a used tow vehicle and the Grand Cherokee was on the list of candidates.  We live in a condo and have limited parking space in a garage so a Grand Cherokee would probably fit better than a truck.

Thanks,
Jesse Shumaker
S/V Zephyr

On Tue, Sep 15, 2020 at 2:49 PM Tom Van Heule < tom.vanheule at intrinsicprograms.com> wrote:

> I agree this has been valuable. Thank you everyone.
>
>  I wonder about the track geometry.  My trailer has a wider track than the
> grand cherokee.  After about 55 I get some wagging.   But from the 10%
> tongue weight math I am still missing 150#. Probably exposing my great 
> depth of knowledge... I will look at quick release tiller so the 
> rudder+ can travel ahead of the axle at least... I'm not too exited , 
> although it's cool and functional, of the idea of remounting the 
> outboard as the connections stand.
>
> Aside, Does anyone have resources or tips on welding repairs for the 
> galvanized trailer? I understand to grind away all zinc and use a cold 
> galvanized paint.
>
> On Tue, Sep 15, 2020, 2:21 PM Scott Andrews via Rhodes22-list < 
> rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
>
> > I am glad to read this exchange as I am hoping to get to Stan’s next
> month
> > and bring home a winter project. I haven’t done any highway towing 
> > for a long time. The last thing I need is swaying at those speeds. Thanks all.
> > Scott A.
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > > On Sep 15, 2020, at 9:48 AM, ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Graham,
> > >
> > > I just measured my tongue weight at 343 lbs using a digital 
> > > bathroom
> > scale under the tongue jack.
> > >
> > > Remember, if you build some sort of bracket for your outboard on 
> > > the
> > tongue and stow it up there, you will get a much greater increase on
> tongue
> > weight vs. just removing the motor from the transom.  Just this one
> change
> > would get you pretty close to where you should be.
> > >
> > > Roger Pihlaja
> > > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> > >
> > > Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> > Windows 10
> > >
> > > From: Graham Stewart<mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 9:41 AM
> > > To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> > >
> > > Roger:
> > > I am going to remove the motor and check the tongue weight again 
> > > to see
> > what
> > > the difference is. I am thinking that the standard old Rhodes 22, 
> > > motor
> > and
> > > trailer would weigh about 3200 lbs so the tongue weight should be 
> > > at
> > least
> > > 320 lbs - which seems like a lot to me.
> > >
> > > If anyone knows their tongue weight it might be helpful to me and
> others
> > if
> > > they post it to da list.
> > >
> > > Graham Stewart
> > > gstewart8 at cogeco.ca
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> > Behalf Of
> > > ROGER PIHLAJA
> > > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 8:54 AM
> > > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> > >
> > > Graham,
> > >
> > > Given everything you've tried that didn't work, I am left with
> suggesting
> > > your bunks need to be moved forward.  It doesn't need to be much,
> > probably
> > > only a couple of inches.  By any chance, could you move the bunk
> supports
> > > from the aft side of the trailer crossmembers to the front side?  
> > > If
> the
> > > bunk supports are already on the front side of the crossmembers; 
> > > then,
> > you
> > > will have to fabricate spacers and use longer grade 8 bolts to 
> > > move the bunks forward.  The general rule of thumb is that you 
> > > should have =>
> 10%
> > of
> > > the trailer weight on the tongue for high speed stability.  Your
> trailer
> > is
> > > way short of that.  My wife won't let me have the excitement of 
> > > having
> > the
> > > boat & trailer start to wag the tow vehicle on the expressway!
> > >
> > > Some other solutions would be to remove weight from the stern, 
> > > like
> > removing
> > > the outboard and stowing it on the tongue.  You could always tow 
> > > with a
> > full
> > > water tank &/or move everything from the lazarette compartment to 
> > > the V-berth.  But, all these solutions add time and royal PITA 
> > > factor to
> > rigging
> > > and unrigging.
> > >
> > > Roger Pihlaja
> > > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> > >
> > > Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> > Windows
> > > 10
> > >
> > > From: Graham Stewart<mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca>
> > > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 10:29 PM
> > > To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> > >
> > > Now that I compare the picture of my boat with that of Optopian it
> seems
> > > that it is just as far forward so maybe it isn't as bad as I thought.
> > >
> > > Graham Stewart
> > > Agile, Rodes 22, 1976
> > > Kingston Ontario
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> > Behalf Of
> > > Graham Stewart
> > > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 9:45 PM
> > > To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> > >
> > > I am one of those who has never been able to get my boat 
> > > sufficiently forward on the trailer. When I winch in the boat at 
> > > the launch ramp the
> > bow
> > > eye goes under the bow brace even when it is fully retracted. As a
> > result I
> > > can't pull the boat in all the way.
> > >
> > > After leaving the ramp on to level ground of the boat the bow 
> > > moves up putting enormous pressure on the front of the boat. If I 
> > > relieve the
> > strain
> > > on the winch the bow of the boat moves up and back. I took a 
> > > picture of
> > the
> > > winch and brace after retrieving the boat today and attach it 
> > > here. I
> > also
> > > weighed the tongue with the motor still on the transom. I think it
> > should be
> > > heavier that 140 lbs.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions would be welcome.
> > >
> > > Graham Stewart
> > > Agile, Rodes 22, 1976
> > > Kingston Ontario
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> > Behalf Of
> > > Lowe, Rob
> > > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 11:43 AM
> > > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> > >
> > > Tom,
> > > First off, sorry about your mishaps.   I've done the same thing sort
> of.
> > > Set the keel down on the guide bunks and broke one.
> > >
> > > Your need to get the support welded.  Make sure they weld it at 
> > > the
> same
> > > angle as it was.  I think they angle out a bit and the guy who 
> > > welded
> > mine
> > > made it vertical, which meant the keel no long would fit between 
> > > the
> > boards.
> > > I ended up replacing the 2 inch boards with 1 inch boards so the 
> > > keel
> > would
> > > fit.
> > >
> > > Now to get the boat centered, I 'think' it was Stan that shared 
> > > this
> > wisdom.
> > > Leave your centerboard down when retrieving.  The centerboard will 
> > > help guide the boat into position on the trailer.  Once centered 
> > > and winched
> > in ,
> > > PULL THE BOARD BACK UP.  Does anyone else do it this way? It sure 
> > > works
> > for
> > > me.
> > >
> > > Rob
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf 
> > > Of
> > Tom
> > > Van Heule
> > > Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2020 12:31 PM
> > > To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Almost perfect as can be - trailer
> > >
> > > Today I went to the up a launch lane to practice retrieval and
> launching
> > our
> > > boat Octopian. In the morning I had about negative 80lbs tounge 
> > > weight,
> > the
> > > aft port window centered above the axle.  Rudder and 8hp 4 stroke 
> > > on
> the
> > > back. Mast down on the crutch and attached to the bow pulpit. 
> > > Single
> > axle.
> > >
> > > Now see where the aft port is related to the axle.
> > > We have about 120lbs of tounge weight now! Pulled remarkedly better.
> > >
> > > You may ask yourself.... Why almost perfect then?
> > > We cracked one of the keel alignment bunks :(
> > >
> > > Let's share our tips for getting her just right in the bunks? I 
> > > don't
> > see a
> > > lot of retrieval or launching threads on the archive.
> > >
> > > I found that winching her tight before de-floating, with the stem
> crotch
> > > full retracted worked perfect.
> > > Just make sure you give her time to settle in the bunk, it's not a
> > tractor
> > > pull...
> > >
> > > Hope everyone had a great weekend.
> > > Tom
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