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i.e. how much water do you need to launch?

We have an especially shallow community ramp (1" per 1') 7 blocks away. My boat seemd to sit very high on the trailer. Keel was 24.5" off the pavement.

I have been trying to maximize my launching abilities by adding a tongue extension and lowering the trailer through smaller wheels (8" versus 12") and axel/spring configurations. The lowered boat now sits 17.5" off the ground while on the trailer.

I don't have a whaler, but have similar designed 15' Henry O. It is similar to the 15' smirked hull design, maybe a little heavier than the whaler. I read the two whaler forum because the size and construction of the boats are more similar than the majority of boats on other forums.

The trailer is an old "Long" trailer with keel rollers and short 3-4' bunks at the stern. It has a slight tilt feature.

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Find yourself another trailer. I'm having the same issue with mine. I've toyed with extensions, and lowered keel rollers as much as I can, but until some other projects get done on the boat, I'll continue to get my Suburban a little wet when launching.

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Does the hull sit inside the fenders? Both my Montauk and Outrage 17 do this. This helps get the boat lower. How low?, so low I have to tilt the motor 1/2 up to tow. Think my personal page shows the trailer.

A longer tongue will help greatly. Don't be shy on length. I added 4 feet LOA to my Royal with a new 12' tongue.

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The ramp I use is pretty shallow too. Right now, I have to literally back it in as far as my front wheels touching the water. I haven't lengthened the trailer tongue yet, but plan too.

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I have a shorelander 1988 and I stop when the water is at the top of the wheel fender. I wish the trailer tong was longer to get around the truck. I have thought of putting smaller wheels on it, but it works ok but not the way I would have made the trailer. I have also thought about removing the trailer hitch and adding a swing away type hitch which would make it longer, which would make it easier to get to the back of the truck.

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A longer tongue adds stability on the freeway also.

I would avoid going to smaller wheels because their rpm goes up accordingly. That means higher bearing speeds and faster tread wear. I don't think I've ever seen an 8" wheel on the freeway.

Are your springs already mounted beneath the axle?
Can you cut and weld? (You could lower it that way. A pain on galvanized steel though.)

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Lol, I have 8" wheels on mine and run about 75mph on the highway. I check the bearings and tire temp regularly and the bearings are usually warm but never hot to the touch. We're talking extended drives to like from Dallas texas to Fort Lauderdale or Atlanta, Ga.

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I only have 7 blocks to launch; hence I didn't have concerns with going to 8" wheels and the bearings. The 8" tires are load rated higher than the 12" I replaced.

The boat is above the fenders and I did alter the axel/springs so that the axel is now above the springs- that's how I got 7" out of going to the smaller tires.

I have an extendable 6' tongue (8' 2.5" tubing) that extends with two pins.

I guess I have done all I can unless most boats are already lower than 17.5" by being between the fenders and having v shaped cross beams????

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If your boat sits inside the wheels, you can install a 3" drop axle, and lower the boat and trailer frame by 3 inches

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His boat doesn't sit between the wheels and his trailer does not have V cross members.

The only way to get it lower is to redo the entire trailer or buy a new one.
KurtG boat and trailer

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Swap trailers when you can, trying to modify the you have is not good. Look around for a good used one with a wide axel so the boat sits between the fenders and is lower to launch.

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Thanks for putting me straight on this one. I stand corrected. (a familiar place for me! :D)

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I guess it depends on your skill level. Sure, if you're loaded just go get a different trailer. But I can't just run out and drop half a thousand for the convenience of not getting my feet wet at the boat launch.

I can, however, call on my own ingenuity, expertise, and experience and maybe come up with a modification that will work safely. Not everyone's cup of tea, but not worth dismissing either.

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Thanks everyone. We have a large trailer distributor not too faraway. I guess I need to take a rainy day drive out and look at a few trailers to see if the 17.5" clearance I have now is about par. I can't imagine that I'd be able to pick up more than a couple inches with a trailer swap, but then I have no clue how low most small whaler-like boats are really sitting.

It seems like some of your boats may be even lower.

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Check out aluminum float on trailers. They sit low because they have torque axles and no springs. they have to be low to be able to float the boat on and off, without a winch.

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I have friends that use a spray for the bunks that makes them slick. Or use of strips that make it easier to unload. The strips are mounted on the top of the bunks, very slick.BG

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Not trying to put you in your place theo....just laughing because I can't see anyone with a boat bigger than my 13' running 8" wheels on thier trailer.

KurtG, check out this PP. He has a lower trailer that might work for you. I'm sure that with you living in MD, there are a ton of trailers like this one all over the place.

http://www.whalercentral.com/infusion...er_id=8165

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Cliff, seriously, thanks for letting me know that 8" wheels aren't a problem at freeway speed. I'm happy to get a heads up like that.

KurtG, Binkie's suggestion of a torque tube axle is worth looking into. Might be a little expensive but it's a project you can do at home. A good friend of mine sold truck and trailer parts for years and feels they are a solid alternative. I don't have personal experience with them.