What have I done now?

[ROLAND]

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies....alot of useful info there..... In one of those replies someone said that in an earlier post I had said I was around 260... If I said that I lied.... , well maybe not lied... actually closer to 280, which, if you subtract 15 or 20 lbs THAT IS around 260... Now my wife pointed out to me when she read my post about this incident that yes she and my son "were" both standing at the rear fencing of the boat when I unsnapped the ladder, but before I climbed up my son had actually already exited the boat via the trailer ladder so it was only she ( I wont give her exact weight 'cause she'd kill me but believe me, she's "around" 120 lbs..) and I on the rear deck when the trailer tipped backwards....so that's a total of around 400 lbs + the motor which is 369 lbs for a grand total of 769 lbs on the back end...AND i guess you factor in I had about 3/4 of a tank of gas ( approx. 20 gallons ) I really don't think anything was hurt, everything appears to be ok from a visual inspection.. My wife really gave me a hard time about it, as for the trailer being too light in the front end, I don't know how I could transfer more weight ( the boat ) up closer to the front of the tongue...I pull the boat all the way up to the stops, and there's the ladder and winch all welded together right there behind the stops ( trailer is a roadrunner single axle ). When the boat is on the trailer, the toons are completely up in the bunks, there is no part of the toon hanging off the trailer..
I think boat floter said he kept wooden blocks under the rear of his toons... boat floter, I'm assuming you mean under the rear of the trailer frame right? That's a good idea! Think I'll cut 2 pieces to fit between the back end of the trailer and the ground and just wedge them under the trailer everytime I unhook the trailer... If nothing else it will give me some peace of mind... Thanks all for the replies ( and support )... I know I get frustrated with my goof ups, but I love "tooning" waaaay too much to put a for sale sign on her just yet!

[GregF]

I am really surprised someone hasn't invented a "kick stand" for the back of a trailer. Legs that fold up flush to the frame when you are going down the road and fold down when you are unhooked.
You would want a fairly simple mechanism since this will be dunked whenever you go in the water.

[margaritaman]

You can install these.
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Domar/TJ01RT.html

[LSVLance]

If you can't move the boat forward on the trailer, maybe the axle could be moved to the rear? Are the spring mounts bolted or welded onto the trailer frame?

[GregF]

You can install these.
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Domar/TJ01RT.html

That is a little more complicated than I would want to be dunking in the water regularly, particularly salt water.
Whatever it was, I would want it galvanized or aluminum.
I was thinking more along the lines of a simple piece of C channel that was cut to length and pivots on a single large bolt from the frame with a good detent to hold it in the up or down position.
Maybe bolt it to the side frame so if you forget it will just pivot up when you drive away with it down.

[tkrein]

roland I would worry about it s@#$t happends good luck on the next time o and how was tha leg after you jumped didnt know you broke it hope everything is fine I snap my cover by standing on the ground and i use the swim ladder all the time to go and put the poles up after cover is fully snapped in place good luck and later

[ROLAND]

roland I would worry about it s@#$t happends good luck on the next time o and how was tha leg after you jumped didnt know you broke it hope everything is fine I snap my cover by standing on the ground and i use the swim ladder all the time to go and put the poles up after cover is fully snapped in place good luck and later

Tkrein... thank you for asking, but I'm fine. actually my shoulder hurts alot more than my leg... when I jumped off the boat backwards, landed on my feet but then kinda vaulted backwards and slammed my right shoulder in to the wall right behind my boat... broke the leg a couple of years ago... just slipped and fell down the stairs here at the house. Broke my right leg in 3 places, right above the ankle...ended up getting a plate and 8 screws in there. Crazy thing, the night after the surgery they gave me some pain meds and sent my wife home telling her I would sleep all night. Turns out I have sleep apnia, but because of the pain / sleeping med, I actually quit breathing and went into respiratory arrest... They actually called my family in.. Told me later my oxygen level was down to something like 29 percent. but as for the ankle still swells up, gets stiff and hurts, but I'll live. Tell you one thing, I don't think I've ever gone down those steps again ( or any stair case for that matter ) without holding on to the bannister. Only took once to teach me.... actually kind of a funny story... broke my leg on Oct. 3, 2008, fell in the driveway and broke 2 ribs on Oct. 3, 2009. When Oct. 3 rolled around this year, my wife told me I should just stay in bed all day.... I said "ok, but don't you dare touch my sad to say, she didn't.. Oh well, there's always next october....

[Blacksmith]

Hello all

I use onr of these for the camper works very good

http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm

Mike

On edit Still lurking and learning !!

[jimrs]

The best solution for tilting trailers are not to unhook them from you tow vehicle until you are done and ready to leave.

[GregF]

Once you get your boat and trailer set up, the tongue load should be somewhat static. Fuel is usually the only variable. I am not sure of it was luck or skill but my fuel tank ends up being almost directly over the axle so I don't even have that problem. After things like engine swaps you can be out of whack tho. It is worth taking the time to get the tongue load right. Your trailering experience will be a lot better.
A friend of mine did not have enough tongue load on his freshly rebuiilt 23' Rabalo and launched it in the middle of US41. As it passed him the guy riding shotgun said "hey Paul, there goes a boat just like yours"
Paul was not amused.
We did manage to get it winched back up on the trailer with the help of a body builder Lee Co Sheriff deputy, patched the keel with Marine Tex, welded up the broken winch post and were back on the road to the Keys in a couple hours.

[ROLAND]

The best solution for tilting trailers are not to unhook them from you tow vehicle until you are done and ready to leave.

I'll drink to that!

[WaltF]

Ive seen toons pull a 'wheelie' on the show room floor before cause too many people are on the back half.
I doubt you have a tongue weight problem. Just dont have everyone in the back at the same time while its on the trailer!

Besides, if you had a tongue weight problem of it being too light, the thing would be swinging back and forth back there while you are driving and i'd hope you would have already noticed that!