Trailer Electrics

[Scary Des]

Oh yes I forgot, to overcome corrosion problems with Defender Ekits we found the the best solution was to pack them with water pump grease but leave the small drain at the bottom open. The trouble with potting compounds was that the socket is still open to the front so overtime they still rot. Incidentally the Defenders ekits we were testing were 350 -400mm underwater, hopefully you are not going so deep

[Jelly]

Des
Did I read your last post correctly that you tow a paciffic with a passatt?
Rgds
Jelly

[jwalker]

Originally posted by Alan
What about getting a drawbar extension made up - e.g. a piece of steel box section say 15-20f long with a tow hitch at one end and a tow ball at t'other. You could keep it under the trailer/alongside the boat. When you get to the slip unhitch trailer, rig extension and you can still push trailer back down a slip and its all probably a bit safer than mucking around with bits of rope?

Now, think about that again. 2 rotatable joints. What will happen when they are not in perfect alignment?

[Scary Des]

No Jelly
I've an old LR 88" for the Pac22. I tow a dingy / box trailer behind the passat.

[Alan]

Originally posted by jwalker
Now, think about that again. 2 rotatable joints. What will happen when they are not in perfect alignment?

OK, OK, so maybe I'm not an engineer then. Think my point is still valid though. Some kind of rigid extension to the trailer that can be rigged / derigged as neccessary could be a solution to the problem. Got to be better than a piece of rope I've thought. Especially as you then have the ability to reverse the rig using the car down the slipway.

[Rogue Wave]

We use a rigid bar sometimes, if it's very wobbly then we get someone to walk down and push against the bow of the boat. They come int their own when you are recovering. but be careful if you drive on to the trailer

[Andy]

Yes the nose of the trailer is slightly heavy and the reason for this is that I launch regularly using ECA's winch .. and if the bow is any lighter when the trailer if pushed down the slip the jockey leaves the floor and the stern lowers like a seesaw. I normally balance the weight while towing by moving the deck tanks. prior to launch I move them back forward. I will check the nose weight next time I take her out.

I have had some good suggestions, thanks for those.

[Aging Youth]

Hi Andy,

I did not realise you were member of the ECA. Do you want to get together for a beer sometime? If so give me a ring on 07761 864043. Ribald is also a member now.

Cheers Kev.

[chrisallse]

Originally posted by Ribald
Take it from one whose got one - they make parallel parking a lot easier too

This is the way to do it..flog your Audi

[Graham H]

Have a look at wavelength`s web sit it might give you another option to launch & recovery , but like he say`s it dosnt work every where

[Ribald]

Wavelength's method would work very well at the Camber slip at the moment with that bl**dy great fishing boat stuck in the way.

Hope he paid more than £2 to launch that.

[jwalker]

Originally posted by Alan
OK, OK, so maybe I'm not an engineer then. Think my point is still valid though. Some kind of rigid extension to the trailer that can be rigged / derigged as neccessary could be a solution to the problem. Got to be better than a piece of rope I've thought. Especially as you then have the ability to reverse the rig using the car down the slipway.

Yes I agree, it's a very good idea but it needs only to pivot at one end if you are going to push with it.

Didn't mean to insult you, just wanted you to think about what you'd said.

[Alan]

Originally posted by jwalker
Yes I agree, it's a very good idea but it needs only to pivot at one end if you are going to push with it.

Didn't mean to insult you, just wanted you to think about what you'd said.

Don't worry it takes more than a Scottish windbag to wind me up

I think its a good idea too, with the right engineering behind it. I have seen a trailer with an extended drawbar permanently installed to deal with this very problem. But it was for a smaller RIB - dont think a permanently extended trailer for a 6.5m RIB would be a good idea!

[jwalker]

OK, I deserved that.

[gtflash]

i thought a draw bar would be a good idea, but think what reversing a double hinged hitch would be like.

The potting compound does set solid, the idea is that the front is easy to protect by many of the viable options above but the back is not so easy. I spent two seasons, greasing and cleaning the plugs ans still went through several sockets. i agree if your short on cable it may not be a good idea incase one day it needs to be removed and a new fitted!

[J C Hughes]

My father years ago use to fill the socket up from the back with candle wax that should stop your wires going green and then just keep the front soaked in WD40

[Pete7]

Gentlemen,

given that Towsure sell a pre wired sockets for £3.95 and they only take half an hour to fit why worry about it. Give it a squirt of WD40 or fill it with grease hope for the best.

Pete

http://www.towsure.co.uk/