What does it take to "float your boat"?

[Waterwings]

What does it take to "float your boat"?

Having to deal with the shallow ramps around here, and backing down the ramp quite a ways, I got to thinking about how much water it takes to float my boat. So, I did some measuring. As it sits right now on the trailer, which has 13" tires, the bottom (minus the keel) is roughly 19" above ground level. Then I measured where the water-line hits on the sides at the rear of the boat and at the transom. That measured 28". So, due to the shallow ramps that are local here, I'm guestimating I need at least 28"-30". It could be a bit less if no one is in the boat (added weight) when I launch. What's it take to "float your boat"?

 

[ACarbone624]

The ramps around here are horrible......I usually push my boat off the trailer so i don't have to back my truck half way into the water to get it to float....and when I am loading up, I just winch it back onto the trailer in the same position....and I always get wet! #-o

 

[Waterwings]

...and I always get wet!

I usually do when I fish Lake Pee Wee. I stepped out of the truck Sunday into about 8" of water when loading the boat. 8" isn't a big deal, it's when I'm up to my crotch in water manually pushing the boat on the trailer (due to too much wind/wave action to drive it on using the tm. Now that I think about it, I guess it does take 28"-30" of water to float mine, as I wear a 32" inseam pants, lol. #-o

 

[BLK fisher]

I was going to post a picture of the subject in quotes but then I read the initial post. #-o . Thank god I didn't. LOL Anyway, ramps around here are very poor except on the big bodies of water.

 

[bassboy1]

When I redesigned my trailer, I put 5.5 feet of tongue between the bow of the boat, and the coupler. In the larger reservoirs, with nice ramps, I can load and launch real easy, with the vehicle nowhere near the water. A lot of the bigger boats, with 18 inches between bow and coupler have to submerge the tow vehicle tires.


In the smaller elec lakes, with not so nice ramps, we sometimes have to get the tires to the edge, and with the weight of the outboard off, the boat has the wrong lean, but I can still load fairly easy, staying perfectly dry, but it is obvious how much the outboard weight, plus my weight in the stern, as opposed to the bow helps.

When loading with the outboard, I have the trailer fenders protruding the water, so I need 22 inches. To unload with the outboard, I am estimating needing 26", and to both load or unload w/o the outboard, I think I need 30 inches, at the axle.

Still, my boat is an estimated 1200 or so, and I can launch and load at these shallow ramps easier than many of the people with 300 pound 12 footers. See why I always advocate long tongues?

Now, these are all optimal depth needs. I have loaded the boat in 10 inches, without the outboard, and stayed perfectly dry.

To unload, I think I need a minimum of 26 though, even under less than optimal conditions.

 

[dedawg1149]

wouldnt it be one inch the last inch of water that actually floats the boat

 

[ben2go]

I have the exact opposite problem.The lakes I fish have to much angle.The front of the boat hangs up on the trailer.If the ramp is wet I might as well give up.My truck just spins.There's little speed bumps from the water line down to help prevent slide ins.

 

[dedawg1149]

shot i might of go ahead and confess i went to launch my boat today back it down the ramp tap the brake nothing back a litle further tap the brake nothing went back some more stop got out to see what it was hung on and stupid me forget the transom straps #-o

 

[ben2go]

:LMFAO: I thought I was the only one that does that.

 

[tornado]

When I converted my carpeted bunks to my new roller bunks, I noticed that the brackets thatconect the bunks to the trailer were adjustable heightwise. I was able to lower the boat about 2", every bit helps.

 

[SlimeTime]

got out to see what it was hung on and stupid me forget the transom straps #-o

There's a pretty funny of Bill Dance on YouTube setting in his boat as it's getting backed into the lake.......and the transom just goes underwater :shock:

ST

 

[LarryA]

shot i might of go ahead and confess i went to launch my boat today back it down the ramp tap the brake nothing back a litle further tap the brake nothing went back some more stop got out to see what it was hung on and stupid me forget the transom straps #-o

Not the same thing as a loading ramp but I unhooked my trailer and wondered what the noise was everytime I moved forward. Dahhh, forgot to unhook the safety chains. Good I didn't just take off!

 

[RAPALA]

My trailer tilts pull a spring loaded pin and off it come.

 

[dedawg1149]

the boat had the trailer floating they wasnt any water got in the boat #-o

 

[SlimeTime]

the boat had the trailer floating they wasnt any water got in the boat #-o

lol, you watched the one where the trailer came unhitched. I was talking about this one :mrgreen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cc6koI0fDo

ST

 

[Waterwings]

Oughta title that one How Not to Float Your Boat

 

[dedawg1149]

yeah i drather have it float the trailer then to flood my boat it was diffently a one time deal

 

[ben2go]

yeah i drather have it float the trailer then to flood my boat it was diffently a one time deal

Most boats will float the trailer.That's one of few that I have seen sink.Could have been the angle and speed.

 

[Waterwings]

yeah i drather have it float the trailer then to flood my boat it was diffently a one time deal

Most boats will float the trailer.That's one of few that I have seen sink.Could have been the angle and speed.

yep, he literally drove it into, not onto the water, forcing water over the stern, where the weight of that water kept it under at the stern.