# Wifes Trailer



## RAMROD (Dec 19, 2012)

Ok well I bought an old jet ski just for the trailer for $50 bucks from a mechanic shop in Houston to convert the trailer for packing the 12 foot jon boat I recently bought the wife. Due to it being a little short I made new longer bunk boards that hung several feet off the end of the trailer. After doing that got to looking around on here about how to extend the tongue cause I just didn't like the way it looked. Well while browsing around I came across the Karavan thread and thought that trailer looks a lot like mine but the tongue stops where the two side beams meet in the front but my tongue goes all the way to the first cross beam. So off to Google and image search and a lot of trailer are like that. So here is what I did.






Drilled these two holes to accept the U-bolt, pulled the cross bolt slide forward re-ran light wiring down the channel, tightened U-bolt, drilled new cross bolt hole inserted cross bolt and tightened.




I will need to shorten the bunk boards but will do that later. I then started on some side boards.


Covered


One bolt started waiting to be squared.


Stbd. Side done.


Fist bar up on Port side.




Done


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## JMichael (Dec 19, 2012)

Looks like it's working out very nice with that tongue extension mod. There are a couple of things I'd do different if it were mine though. I'd turn the bunk boards on their sides, that would lower the boat 2" closer to the ground, and I'd push the boat back about 6-8". Those 2 things would make the boat float a lot sooner so the tow vehicle didn't have to back as far down the ramp to launch/recover.


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## RAMROD (Dec 19, 2012)

Thanks for the input! If I leave the motor on I actually need more height, will add a picture later to show why and after we hook up to it to day and I have the wife make circles around the yard the boat may get pushed further back, that is one of the reasons I didn't cut down/shorten the bunks.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 20, 2012)

In the first pic in the thread it looks like the boat is too far back on the trailer. In the last pic it looks to be a little to far forward. 6" to 8" of overhang is pretty normal.

With those 12" tires it would seem that with a boat of that size you should be able to lay the bunks flat without the motor causing problems. But that may not be the case here.


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## RAMROD (Dec 20, 2012)

It's a long shaft motor here is how it sets for now.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 20, 2012)

Yea...she's definitely close to the ground. 

Does your motor have tilt? If so, you can tilt it up on the launch. Also, didn't see a transom saver. Highly recommend one, even for a small motor.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Dec 20, 2012)

Do yourself a favor get or make a jack plate.


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## JMichael (Dec 20, 2012)

I believe it's already on a jack plate but it still looks too low. How far is the cavitation plate below the bottom of the boat now? And I agree with putting a transom saver on it but I think that's gonna require some modification to the trailer just to be able to install a saver. How much does that 4 stroke weigh?


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## RAMROD (Dec 21, 2012)

JMichael said:


> I believe it's already on a jack plate but it still looks too low. How far is the cavitation plate below the bottom of the boat now? And I agree with putting a transom saver on it but I think that's gonna require some modification to the trailer just to be able to install a saver. How much does that 4 stroke weigh?


Not sure on weight think it is around 100 lbs, cavitation plate is even with bottom or just below bottom of hull, yes it is already on a mini jack plate. Nissan owner’s manual said to never trailer the engine in the up or elevated position. Going to look at another tin tomorrow with a 4 hp that if we buy will swap out motors and sell or give to one of my sons.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Dec 21, 2012)

RAMROD said:


> JMichael said:
> 
> 
> > I believe it's already on a jack plate but it still looks too low. How far is the cavitation plate below the bottom of the boat now? And I agree with putting a transom saver on it but I think that's gonna require some modification to the trailer just to be able to install a saver. How much does that 4 stroke weigh?
> ...


Raise the jack plate a few holes.


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