Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

Prophammer

Prophammer

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One place I launch requires me to get in the water to get the boat floating, the back wheels of the truck are in the water before I'm deep enough! How hard would it be to use one of those tongue extenders? I've never seen anyone use one, even with their truck exhaust bubbling!
 
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foodfisher

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

Sounds like a good idea. Never saw one, but shouldn't be too hard to make.
 
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ralphl

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

I built a 5 footer. welded a 2in ball on one end of the square tube with the right hole on the other end to slip into the hitch. Pull in ,chok the wheels .unhook, slip in the extenderre hook up and back the toon in. Really makes a huge difference
 
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ProudTuffyOwner

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

mwseaward said:
One place I launch requires me to get in the water to get the boat floating, the back wheels of the truck are in the water before I'm deep enough! How hard would it be to use one of those tongue extenders? I've never seen anyone use one, even with their truck exhaust bubbling!
Click to expand...

I have the same situation in the majority of the lakes I fish. Most of the time the vehicle tires are wet before the boat gets wet. I plan on permanently extending the trailer tongue sometime this spring. Right now the snow prohibits me from reaching the boat to do any work on the trailer. Until the extension gets welded on, I use the trailer tilt and give the boat a big push. Not too much fun cranking it back on the trailer either, but gotta do what ya gotta do.

Matt
 
seaboo

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

I've used one on a previous truck/boat combo. They do work, the issue I didn't like was the fact that it made the rear end of the truck sag some (I guess the weight being further back). I will say this, it towed good and it not only made it easy to launch, but made making sharp turns backing easy.
 
'78 Crusader

'78 Crusader

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

mwseaward said:
One place I launch requires me to get in the water to get the boat floating, the back wheels of the truck are in the water before I'm deep enough! How hard would it be to use one of those tongue extenders? I've never seen anyone use one, even with their truck exhaust bubbling!
Click to expand...

I have the same problem....I just deal with it. Since I spend 98% of my time in fresh water, I don't really see it as a problem. Yes, in the winter here in north Texas the water is very cold....but most of my boating is Spring, summer and fall so it's really not to bad.
 
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maui al

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

In Hawaii it is common to find a lot of boat trailers that have a custom sliding tounge that is built in the trailer. The general idea is for on the road travel the tounge is in the normal position and for launching you pull the locking pin, chock the wheel and pull and extend the tounge out. Most of these are custom made. The salt water plays hell on cars, brakes and other things on our vehicles when we launch our boats.

If you only nedd a couple of extra feet to keep your vehicle out of the water look into getting an extended receiver hitch. I use one on my trailer and with that an an extended receiver hitch it gives me an extra two feet and keeps my car brakes out of the water when I launch and reteave my boat. BTY the used trailer that I bought and came with my used boat had an extended tounge, but it is rusted together to the trailer and does not budge or work.
 
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rentprop1

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

if you guys search around this has been discussed before and there were some really good pics about a extended hitches that were like 5 and 7 foot, that conveniently stored under the trailer , you pulled a pin and slid it fwd and that was it, a little searching might find the pics and links
 
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hicr_nut

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

The one's I found via search were kinda expensive so I made my own. It is a 12 foot joint of 2.5 X 2.5 X 3/16th square tubing that slides inside of the original tongue. Cost less than 50 bucks for material, plus my cutting and welding time.

A few pics of it are here
 
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ProudTuffyOwner

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

hicr_nut said:
The one's I found via search were kinda expensive so I made my own. It is a 12 foot joint of 2.5 X 2.5 X 3/16th square tubing that slides inside of the original tongue. Cost less than 50 bucks for material, plus my cutting and welding time.

A few pics of it are here
Click to expand...


Looks like what I might need to do with mine. Only difference is I have one of those rare trailers with round tube instead of square. I was thinking of extending mine about 4 feet, yet with that type of system that you are using, I could launch the boat in much shallower launches and slide it back in for towing down the road.

hicr_nut... I saved some of your photos regarding the trailer tongue, hope you do not mind. That way I have a reference to view when working outside on it once it gets warm out.


Matt
 
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hicr_nut

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

ProudTuffyOwner said:
hicr_nut... I saved some of your photos regarding the trailer tongue, hope you do not mind. That way I have a reference to view when working outside on it once it gets warm out.


Matt
Click to expand...

help yourself Matt

The DIY'rs on this forum is why I put em up
 
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Silver Eagle

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

In the iboats parts section you will see a coupler for doing just this. But the main idea is for people who's tongue's are too long. This gaget makes the tongue fold out of the way for some to store there boats,but if your tongue is too short this will help you so all will you need is a short tongue extension to put in the front. I have already looked into this Idea. No welding required. The part cost around $105.00 .Plus the extension. I tried to order the part from 5 Starr and Loadrite and they said no.
 
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H20Rat

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

seaboo said:
I've used one on a previous truck/boat combo. They do work, the issue I didn't like was the fact that it made the rear end of the truck sag some (I guess the weight being further back). I will say this, it towed good and it not only made it easy to launch, but made making sharp turns backing easy.
Click to expand...

Hitch extenders will REDUCE tongue weight, not increase it. You get more leverage... That's one thing to keep in mind if you make a permanent mount one, you may have to slide the boat forward a little to keep enough weight to trailer it safely.
 
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ProudTuffyOwner

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

smokingcrater said:
Hitch extenders will REDUCE tongue weight, not increase it. You get more leverage... That's one thing to keep in mind if you make a permanent mount one, you may have to slide the boat forward a little to keep enough weight to trailer it safely.
Click to expand...

Yes and No. All depends on if the trailer tongue is level. The extra length will help it appear to have less tongue weight due to it having more leverage. On the mini van, more tongue weight due to the trailer angling slightly down when hitched up. On the truck, little less due to the very slight upward angle of the trailer tongue.


Matt
 
roscoe

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

xt6.jpg



xweb10_small.jpg



EXTEND A HITCH
 
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ProudTuffyOwner

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

roscoe... I might fab up something based off of that product. The steel I can get close to cost and have a welder. I just have to cut some U shaped mounts to weld onto it to help hold it from rolling off since I have a round tube trailer tongue.


Matt
 
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H20Rat

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

ProudTuffyOwner said:
Yes and No. All depends on if the trailer tongue is level. The extra length will help it appear to have less tongue weight due to it having more leverage. On the mini van, more tongue weight due to the trailer angling slightly down when hitched up. On the truck, little less due to the very slight upward angle of the trailer tongue.
Click to expand...



angle doesn't matter here, you are gaining leverage no matter what the angle is. Think of a pry-bar. Longer the pry-bar, the easier it is to do whatever destruction you are trying for! Same concept... Yes, a longer tongue will tend to reduce the angle of the trailer slightly (either positive or negative) , but that is a very small factor considering the amount of leverage increased. Besides, trailers are supposed to be pulled level! If it isn't, it should be fixed, at least in my book. They make different size tow-bars for just that reason.
 
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ProudTuffyOwner

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

smokingcrater said:
Besides, trailers are supposed to be pulled level! If it isn't, it should be fixed, at least in my book. They make different size tow-bars for just that reason.
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Even with the different sized tow bars, sometimes you cannot achieve that level towing unless a custom sized receiver hitch is made. Even on the mini van, I turn a drop hitch upside down, and it still is angling downward a bit. My trailer sits a little high, and that is part of the angle issue.

Now as far as you stating earlier
Hitch extenders will REDUCE tongue weight, not increase it. You get more leverage... That's one thing to keep in mind if you make a permanent mount one, you may have to slide the boat forward a little to keep enough weight to trailer it safely.
Click to expand...

Adding weight to the hitch side of a trailer NEVER reduces tongue weight, it will only add to it. Think about what you said, add weight to something to make it lighter. The only way you can reduce the tongue weight is to increase the weight on the opposite side of the balancing point, which on a trailer is the axle, and add weight behind that point. Yes, you may gain more leverage with a longer tongue, yet the weight of that tongue is also increased.

What I stated in an earlier response was based on how leverage would make it appear to be lighter. Still adds weight regardless of how it is calculated.


Matt
 
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the79bomb

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

ProudTuffyOwner said:
Adding weight to the hitch side of a trailer NEVER reduces tongue weight, it will only add to it. Think about what you said, add weight to something to make it lighter. The only way you can reduce the tongue weight is to increase the weight on the opposite side of the balancing point, which on a trailer is the axle, and add weight behind that point. Yes, you may gain more leverage with a longer tongue, yet the weight of that tongue is also increased.

What I stated in an earlier response was based on how leverage would make it appear to be lighter. Still adds weight regardless of how it is calculated.

Matt
Click to expand...


Extending the tongue in most cases will reduce weight on the ball (unless there is little weight to begin with). This is because the weight is not distributed evenly between the front most axle and the ball. Weight further aft from the midpoint between the axle and ball will lie more heavily on the axles. Extending the tongue will bring the midpoint forward and thus usually serve to push more weight aft thus reducing the load on the ball. It is the principle of the fulcrum.

you can test this with a stick and a heavy ring strung on it and place each end of the stick in each hand. Moving the ring closer to one hand will increase the weight there and reduce it on the further hand. This is akin to extending the tongue. This is also why a smart mover goes for the light end of furniture when possible. Hope this helps.
 
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BigTroutMike

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Re: Does anyone use a tongue extender to launch the boat?

ralphl said:
I built a 5 footer. welded a 2in ball on one end of the square tube with the right hole on the other end to slip into the hitch. Pull in ,chok the wheels .unhook, slip in the extenderre hook up and back the toon in. Really makes a huge difference
Click to expand...

I did the same thing. 2" tube steel, welded ball on one end and a hole to fasten it to the receiver on the truck at the other. Works great when the lake levels are down.
 
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