Hobie Cat Forums

Sorry...could not resist. I'm about a week or two out from my new TI purchase, so have to get the trailer finished up. I have gone the route of the Harbor Freight 4x4 and have just purchased an aluminum square tube that is 18' long. So my immediate question is how best to determine how long the section of tongue needs to be that will extend out in front of the trailer bed frame. Is there a rule of thumb, an equation or just a best guess. Most of the photos show the wheels towards that back of the trailer, which makes sense.

Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

About 20% of the (TI & trailers) weight on the tongue. Less than that and it wiggles (oscillates) back and forth while rolling down the highway behind you.

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

Thanks for the info Bob. I'll make sure I pay attention to that.

A typical boat and trailer will have 5-10% tongue weight. This is usually defined by how much weight the tow vehicle can handle and since boats are frequently weighed by the ton this makes sense. More is better here.

However, you have a tandem island which weighs as much as a single passenger. Even a Toyota Camry can handle the entire ti as tongue weight. So there is no max percentage. The higher you can get the percentage, the better it will tow. Oscillation is not the only problem, if the load is cantilevered without sufficient tongue weight it will bounce, putting lifting forces on the hitch ball that it is not designed to take. So forty pounds of tongue weight sounds good but only puts the wheels a few inches aft of the center of balance. Several feet is much better.

The only cost of moving the wheels further aft is your turning radius increases. My ti trailer has the boat overhanging the axle about 5' and a total rig length of ~21'. I have a nose wheel to move it around, probably 70~80 pounds of tongue weight.

Cheers,

J

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2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

Synchronicity! KayakingBob reckons 20% tongue weight, Kayakman reckons about 80#, which is about 20% of TI & trailer weight.

Actually, i said i run 80 pounds. My trailer and boat weigh around 750 pounds, so im closer to 10% than 20%. Which is why i mentioned how critical the pivot point is.
Test your rig, if it tows well and doesn t bounce, you're ok.

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2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

Thanks all for the information. I looked at the Trailex instructions for the SUV 350 and mimicked those somewhat. My axle is close to the rear of the trailer. Once I pick up some rubber grommets tomorrow, I'll finish the wiring for the lights and be ready for an initial tow test.

Getting pretty excited now...been waiting a couple of years for this. Hopefully will be ready to get the boat next week.

That trailer is so light that the percentages really won't matter. I would guess the location of the AI/TI on the trailer and add about 4' in front of the yak. This is what I did on my trailer and it works well even when my tailgate is down on my truck when load items in my truck. I'd post a pic of mine but I don't remember how.

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"Riding The Island Wind" RIPIT (Tim)
'08 Red Hibiscus AI w/2013 replacement hull, Lovin' it!!!
'11 Golden Papaya AI (for a chap)
'10 Outback w/sail
'11 Tarpon 160

Anyone keep a spare tire on the tongue? I imagine those would help.

I got my trailer guy to make the tongue as short as possible, so the trailer would fit in my garage. The front of the TI is not more than 12 inches from the tow-hitch, but with the set-up like that, I can drive at 70mph without the slightest concerns regarding the trailer's behaviour.

On the topic of tongue weight, are others bothered by the light tongue weigh when trailering? The clacking just drives me nuts. I store as much gear forward of the axle, and keep my spare tire in the forward hatch, but I would still like a heavier tongue. I have even flirted with attaching some sort of ballast to the trailer frame.

Once when going on a kayaking trip and left the amas and sail at home, I filled a medium dry bag with water for tongue weight.

Thoughts? Clever solutions?

You could fill the tongue with concrete, that might add 40 to 60 pounds. Just plug one end, lift the other end, and pour away. Use sand with plugs to avoid the permanence of the concrete. U bolt a barbell right near the hitch coupling. Move the boat farther forward on the trailer if possible (I know this was likely your first step but...)

J

_________________
2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

You don't want to haul extra unneeded weight, just more boat forward and/or wheels further back

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

One other minor thing to think about - when you arrive at your destination, almost invariably you'll have occasion to pass from one side of the trailer to the other, while the boat is still on the trailer. If you do not have sufficient tongue length ahead of the bow, you may find yourself having to walk all the way around the stern of the boat each time you need to get to the other side.

Leave yourself enough extra inches so you can squeeze between the boat's bow and the rear of the tow vehicle.