BeachCat trailering & tongue weight

I trailered a Nacra 5.5 from Michigan to Dallas behind a Ram 1500 pickup. With this configuration, the more tongue weight, the better. The class 4 hitch will actually support more weight than the boat and trailer combined and the payload of the truck far outweighs the weight capacity (1000 lb tongue weight) of the hitch.

Unless you are towing with a Smart car or other golf cart it shouldn't be an issue. Just make sure that there is enough weight forward to avoid trailer sway. The front end of the tow vehicle isn't likely to get light unless you are towing a very big cat (X-40) with a very small car.

I usually put as much tongue weight as I can but still lift the tongue when connecting to my car without being to difficult. So probably around 100 pounds.

I think my H16 had less then that but I ran into the problem with axle location on the trailer. By the time I got the boat far enough forward to have a heavy tongue the hulls were to close to my vehicle.

Unless you have a very small car I don't think you can really get to much tongue weight to impact front tire contact.

Normal rule of thumb according to most towing guides is 10-15% of the total weight of the trailer including load

[You can have to much tounge weight but not normally with out beach cat and trailer. If you are towing a heavy load and have an excessive amount of tounge weight it will make the car or tow vehicle very light in the front which can cause steering problems.quote=smfinley]I usually put as much tongue weight as I can but still lift the tongue when connecting to my car without being to difficult. So probably around 100 pounds.

I think my H16 had less then that but I ran into the problem with axle location on the trailer. By the time I got the boat far enough forward to have a heavy tongue the hulls were to close to my vehicle.

Unless you have a very small car I don't think you can really get to much tongue weight to impact front tire contact.

I guess I should have mentioned the issue about a really small car. It's not a "smart car" but rather its a Saturn! I'm just joking, I actually like my Saturn quite a bit, its a machine designed to get 38 mpg and its made from tupperware so it can never rust! But unfortunately its not much of a tow vehicle. The total curb weight is 2300 lbs and it does have a class 1 towing rating.

To give a little perspective, when I installed the receiver, it came with a backing plate and it mounted through 3 layers of sheet metal on the unibody.

So I agree that too much tongue weight usually never hurts when your vehicle is designed for it, but in this case I'm trying not to over estimate.

Wind resistance is a bigger issue than weight when towing a beachcat since the boat is much wider than the car.

With a lightweight tow vehicle that doesn't have "tow package" items like an transmission cooler and larger radiator, keep your max speed down, especially in hilly areas. It would be worth your while to install a real temp gauge before the trip if your car just has a warning light.

As far as the tongue weight, just make sure you can still pick up the tongue with the boat fully road ready.

I tow my Nacra 5.2 with a 4 cylinder GMC tracker, without a problem. Never had a problem with overheating but I haven't towed through significant hills.

For a significant trip I would go with Damon's advice and get a temp gauge installed if you don't have one (I have one). Overheating your car will ruin your whole day (can you say head gasket replacement). It probably won't be a problem but better spend $50 for the gauge so you know rather than the $2000 bill later.

I push my boat as far forward as possible without interfering with turning, and so I can still lift it onto my tongue. Make sure you have lots of compression straps around the hulls to keep them in place. I use 3-4 on each side with a couple on the cross bars to keep the boat from moving front or back. I definitely prefer the buckle type compression straps used for canoe`s like these ones:

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442630915&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302700901&bmUID=1260162301306

over the hook and ratchet type. These simply never loosen and cannot come undone. I've had a few bad experiences with the ratchet type straps.

D.

I tow my P18 with a 1.8L automatic Pontiac Vibe. Have done several hundred miles at a time at 70+ mph with no problems in August in the south. I have installed an aftermarket transmission cooler to help prevent trans. damage, but in this weather you probably wouldn't see any benefit from it. To increase tongue weight without shoving the boat forward I bolted a large storage box to the trailer in which I carry all my stays, sheets, blocks, hardware, and life jackets. I estimate the tongue weight to be between 100-150 pounds.

just echoing the sentiments stated and adding a few. I've driven about 1200 miles one way when I first bought my N6.0. Simply loaded the weight more forward, and lashed her down well. I do use straps for most travel, but I do insist on using rope for insurance, especially for the mast. Other towing tid bits, that I enjoy that you aren't really asking for is being able to see your side marker lights at night. I slanted the front side markers on a 45deg. to help give me peace of mind when towing at night. Our boats are very light and tow easily, but its the width and length (mast) gets us into the most trouble!

speaking of innovative markers and tail lights, the previous owner of my boat/trailer setup had fabricated an interesting set of trailer lights.

The tail lights are affixed to long piece of square aluminum conduit. The conduit is about 6' long by 3/4" x 3/4" square. The square conduit is then mounted to the rudder pintles. An electrical connector between the trailer and the light bar allows you to remove the lights completely. The idea is then that the lights are more viable as you drive down the road. Then when you get to launching the boat they never get dunked in the salt water.

I haven't done any longevity or durability testing yet, but I think the design at least warrants the title of "innovative"

I use 3-4 on each side with a couple on the cross bars to keep the boat from moving front or back.

You use 10 straps to secure your cat to your trailer?

You are over thinking this. Move the cat and mast forward and you will be fine.

My friends and I have been dragging cats around for year behind 4 cylinder cars some in pretty nasty shape.

More important to:
1) Make sure your lights work
2) Make sure your tires and bearings are in good shape, and that you have a spare and tools.
3) Make sure you car is in good shape.
4) lock the once the tongue is engaged on the ball, lock in place.
5) Use your safety chains.
6) Get the heck out of dodge before the snow hits!

I've driven about 1200 miles one way when I first bought my N6.0. Simply loaded the weight more forward, and lashed her down well.

A word of caution, on boats like these, if you don't have cradles on the front supports, you run the risk of crushing the hulls if they are not positioned bulkhead over a roller. The front supports carry most of the weight.

The front supports carry most of the weight.

The front (as in the rollers closest to the tounge or the front of the cat)?

What if the cat is sterns to the tounge? does this change anything?

edited by: andrewscott, Dec 07, 2009 - 02:57 PM

Sure it does. . . the cat, not the trailer, most of the weight is over the front beam (of the boat).

Yep I use 10 supports for my cat to the trailer and a few more for the mast. Overkill?

No matter which way you trailer your cat, it is recommended that the weight factor be shifted toward the trailer tongue. In other words, with cat and trailer detached from tow vehicle, the trailer tongue will drop onto the ground due to the weight factor. If the rear of the trailer wants to drop instead, lifting the trailer tongue into the air, this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed immediately. If rolling the cat forward does not resolve issue, remove cat from trailer and move the crossbars forward if possible. If unable to move crossbars check to see if axle can be moved back, if unable to move axle check to see if sailbox can be moved forward, if no sailbox buy RubberMaid box and attach to trailer tongue for stowing. Use whatever means to make sure weight is forward, not only does weight-forward dampen trailer sway, it's also a safety issue.
Sometimes in all the fuss of getting ready to go sailing, hitching the trailer, attaching the safety chains, checking the lash-down straps, packing sails, checking for PFD's, checking bearing buddies, checking trailer lights, checking all shrouds are good, loading the kids, making sure you have everything packed and loaded, you forget to drop the ball lock lever, also known as the coupler lock. Now imagine headed down the road and with the first bump the trailer tongue lifts into the air........ I shudder at the thought.
So, as mentioned in above posts, weight forward, should be able to lift trailer tongue easily to maneuver trailer onto hitch, if rear shocks bottom out, too much weight, adjust accordingly.

Turbo

Yep I use 10 supports for my cat to the trailer and a few more for the mast. Overkill?

whatever you feel is correct.. .i dont know your drive, driving, etc... but that takes more time to rig...

i use 1 ratchet (port bow) and 1 line (star bow) and 1 line on the rear beam to the trailer (straight down)

Sure it does. . . the cat, not the trailer, most of the weight is over the front beam (of the boat).

I have never seen a cat fail on the bows (personally), i have seen pics with it happen in the winter with snow weight ... i think i want double rollers on my trailer as i can't use 4 cradles..

double rollers are good, and in some ways better, eliminating the chance for blistering. I wish I had that picture of the the crushed hull (over single roller) caused by driving over railroad tracks at speed. . . .
it also happens when an over zealous owner over tightens a ratcheting tie down strap.

I like the dual rollers on the back and cradles on the front of the trailer. I don't have that setup, but my brother does, and it makes getting the boat on and off easy and protects the hulls better then my single roller front and rear. On my H18 I use two straps in the front (one around each hull) and one at the rear going across both hulls and the tramp. Then a rope holding the mast to the front mast cradle and an old cradle sitting on the rear cross bar of the boat holding the back of the mast, with it tied down with a rope.

I personally have not seen someone use more then 4 straps to hold the boat to the trailer, but more can't hurt as long as you don't mind putting them all on and taking them back off.

My personal thought is when you have each corner tied down independent of the other, if one strap fails nothing will happen, if two fail you might have a problem but not likely. If more then that fail it was destiny and you needed a new boat.

I will also check the trailer when I stop for gas.

Me thinks the quality of our roads up here might leave a bit to be desired compared to yours. 🙂 Truthfully our highways are garbage especialy in Western Canada. We have about 10 times the number of miles per person our here compared to the States and the lack of maintenance shows.

Early this year I saw a trailer at the side of road on the way to the lake. Didn`t think much of it, about 100 m down the road I noticed a boat attached to a truck, no trailer. Apparently the welds attaching the front of the trailer (with the winch attached) broke and the rest fo the trailer just rolled out from underneath into the ditch. I wonder how long it took the guy to realize that he was dragging a boat on the asphault. Would actually pay money to have a picture of his expression.

D.

edited by: Wolfman, Dec 07, 2009 - 05:16 PM

Truthfully our highways are garbage especialy in Western Canada.

As a Canadian expat I can agree with that. Even the roads in Ottawa were terrible, but nothing compared to Hwy 3 (Yellowknife Hwy). I drove it in the early 90s and don't understand how they consider a gravel road a highway.

I know Hobie Fleet 2 in California usually has an annual trailer repair get together before the sailing season starts. People from the fleet get together and help each other patch trailers back together. Weld supports where needed, rework trailer lights, etc. Here we all talk a lot about boat maintenance but rarely do we talk about trailers other then bearings and lights. Especially for you salt water guys with steel trailers.

Reading all this talk about trailers and maintenance made me go out and check on my trailer, am getting ready to haul cat down to Myrtle Beach, SC, some 1100 miles, and have had checking the wheel bearings on my check-list.

So I jack the trailer up on jack-stands, spin the right hand wheel, feels and sounds good, spin the left side wheel......ominous grinding sound, bummers. Take off both wheels, drop the axle, whip off bearingbuddy covers, remove retainer clip, extract spring and plunger cap, knock off bearingbuddy cylinder, remove split-pin, remove spindle nut, take off hub and remove bearings, a 20 min job. Outer bearing gone but I'll replace all 4 bearings and keep the other 3 as spares. I'm off to get some new bearings from O'Reilley's and some grease, will repack new bearings in some new grease, all-in-all a 40 min job that will save me a lot of grief on the roadtrip.

If anyone wants, I can post a step-by-step pic procedure in Tech Help Gallery.

Turbo

Sure turbo, i would love to have a step by step available for when my tires fall off and i need to inspect/replace my old bearings.

Thanks

turbohobo wrote: If anyone wants, I can post a step-by-step pic procedure in Tech Help Gallery.
Turbo

That would be great! We already know what happens when you don't do this job in time.

Yep, on that long haul, the trailer was pretty much set up the way I wanted it - cradles up front and dbl rollers in rear. I did re-carpet the cradles and ended up carpeting the dbl. rollers after a bit of thought...dual purpose. A: obvious padding. B: no more black streaks loading / unloading.

Also, I only use 4 straps / rope to secure the cat to the trailer. 1 on the center rear beam, 1 on each bow, and 1 on the spinnaker pole just to keep it from wiggling.

I do like the sound of the lights though! Also, I have used extension cord type wire from Lowes / H.D., as trailer wire because it comes in a heavy duty sheath the resists chaffing and corrosion MUCH better than regular 4 flat trailer wire. It comes in bulk roll that you can buy by the foot.

Wow Damon, was that a salt water boat trailer? OUCH!