Posted by Fred Gilbert
on 11/16/2008, 12:07:40, in reply to "Launching boats with Deeper Drafts"
For sailboats with deep keels a tongue extender for the trailer seems to be the way to go. In case you have never seen one just picture a sliding extension between the trailer coupler and the trailer that allows the trailer/boat to slide farther into the water while the tow car/truck sits stationary on dry land. The extender can be part of the trailer or an add on, home made or manufactured. The biggest sailboat I have witnessed launch was a Capri/Catalina 26 with a fixed keel at Lake Havasu on the Colorado River. The extender was at least 10 foot long. My Sanibel is 18 feet long and with 12 inch tires I can launch most places staright from trailer but with safer 13 inch tires I have to use a four foot extender that bolts onto the front of the trailer tongue. Launching with a deep keel does add some more work but it isn't enough to keep one from trailer sailing, sure see lots of Cattalina/Capri 22's out there trailer sailing. If my memory is working correctly I think Capn'n Pauley had something on extenders a few months ago.
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