Michael Dekoekkoek
San Francisco
Boat Name: Yellow Brick Road
Model/Year: 1972 C22
Hull No. 1227
Hailing Port: |
 07/26/2004 2:49 PM Pacific Time
Hi, I was just lucky enough to acquire my Dad's 1972 C22 #1227. Of course I have a laundry list of tasks to throw money at, and the first one is finding a trailer jack that will fit on my trailer. The trailer I have is the original, with the extendable tongue. It seems to ride pretty low, The tongue seems to ride about 8 inches off the ground, maybe less. I also don't have a lot of real-estate for the folding jack when the tongue is in the shortened position, so I'm not sure if I can get one of these. Does anyone have any experience with choosing a trailer jack that will fit?
Thanks in advance...
Michael
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Michael Smalter
Webster, NY
Boat Name: Marrakesh
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13645
Hailing Port: Rochester, NY |
07/26/2004 3:41 PM Pacific Time
I mounted my jack on the A-frame of the trailer, not the tongue. Have you considered getting a hitch that is higher than the receiver to raise the tongue (and lower the rear, which is good for shallow water launches)? My receiver raises the hitch about 6 inches.
I also saw somebody mount the jack on the fixed square pipe that the extendable tongue slides through. You have to make sure you can crank the jack with the boat in place, but it centers the weight better than my system. |
Michael Dekoekkoek
San Francisco
Boat Name: Yellow Brick Road
Model/Year: 1972 C22
Hull No. 1227
Hailing Port: |
07/26/2004 5:10 PM Pacific Time
Thanks Michael.
I had thought of mounting it to the frame of the trailer, but thought it might be too unstable. But, I suppose if it's close to the front, it won't be much different than on the tongue...I can block up the other site when the boat is just sitting on the trailer...so that my meanderings around the boat cleaning and fixing won't cause any sudden undesired movements.
That would be a resounding "DUH!"...should have written to the clubhouse before I spent hours looking for a "low clearance" jack.
Thanks very much. |
Justin Collins
Tallahassee, Fl
Boat Name:
Model/Year: Cat 22 / 1979
Hull No. 9053
Hailing Port: Lanark Village |
07/27/2004 6:13 AM Pacific Time
I recently went through this as well and discovered a few things you may want to consider.
1) If you put the jack on the front end of the tongue extension you will have trouble extending/retracting the tongue. As the tongue is extended or retracted, the trailer with nothing to support the front end as the jack is on the front of the extendion and is also beng moved, will dip or rise causing the sleave and the tongue to bind. Having the jack on the trailer allows you to easily adjust the height/angle of the trailer and tongue sleave to relieve any binding as it occurs.
2) Mounting the jack to one side of the trailer does seem to have stability issues. I tried it there briefly and thought better of it, although others may have had different experiences.
3) In the end I was able to slide the post back by putting one u-bolt aft of the A-frame. This gave me enough room to put a swivel jack on the front of the sleave, while still leaving enough tongue weight for easy trailering. One thing to consider with this set up is that your jack goes in the water with the trailer. Ok, if you sail fresh water, but it means a new jack every few years if there is salt involved.
Hope this helps.
Justin |
Michael Dekoekkoek
San Francisco
Boat Name: Yellow Brick Road
Model/Year: 1972 C22
Hull No. 1227
Hailing Port: |
07/27/2004 9:43 AM Pacific Time
Thanks Justin,
That helps a lot. I also hadn't thought of putting a jack aft of the A-Frame. I think I'll probably just go buy a regular swivel jack and figure out where best to mount it out at the boat...It seems like behind the A-Frame will probably work out best. I doubt that I'm going to make much progress by looking at pictures of jacks on the many e-commerce sites I've found them. |
Justin Collins
Tallahassee, Fl
Boat Name:
Model/Year: Cat 22 / 1979
Hull No. 9053
Hailing Port: Lanark Village |
07/28/2004 9:06 AM Pacific Time
I should have been a bit more specific. The post I was refering to is the trailer post holding the winch that ataches to the bow eyelet. Mine was attached to the trailer with 3 U-bolts. I was able to slide this post back to where the last U-bolt was aft of the A-frame and the the other 2 were in front. I keep my boat on the trailer and the ramp I use requires the tongue to be extended, so the jack placement was an important factor. If you keep your boat in the water, or the ramp is sufficiently steep, you may not have to extend the tongue very often and the location of the jack may not be an issue for you. Hope this clarifies a few things.
~Justin |
Michael Dekoekkoek
San Francisco
Boat Name: Yellow Brick Road
Model/Year: 1972 C22
Hull No. 1227
Hailing Port: |
07/28/2004 11:35 AM Pacific Time
Oh, I see. I don't think I paid attention enough to notice how that post is attached to the trailer frame. I'll check that out and move it if I can. My hunch was that it was welded, but maybe not. I think that next season my boat will be in the water the entire season, so I probably don't have to worry about it too much, but would like to get it in the best place possible...thanks for the clarification. |
JT Clark
Centerville, UT
Boat Name: Sail's Call
Model/Year: '77 Catalina 22
Hull No. 6766
Hailing Port: GSL, Salt Lake City, UT |
07/29/2004 11:20 AM Pacific Time
A word of caution to using raised reciever hitches. The single axle design of the original c-22 trailer does not distribute weight very well. The important result is that raising the hitch height can cause a significant decrease in tongue weight, transfering the bulk of the boat's weight to the axle. Loading the axle weight will cause the trailer swing back and forth, particularily if the towing vehicle is light. I tow with a '97 4-runner, (not the new larger body style) and I have problems if the tongue weight is to low. I assume that the same problems will exist whe towing with a ford explorer or lighter/smaller vehicle as well. |
Michael Smalter
Webster, NY
Boat Name: Marrakesh
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13645
Hailing Port: Rochester, NY |
07/29/2004 7:40 PM Pacific Time
You are correct about tongue weight and the change that occurs when the hitch level is changed. You can change the tongue weight by loosening the U-bolts on the axle and sliding the axle fore or aft as required. Also, keep in mind that a hitch attached to the underside of a van is lower than a hitch attached the bumper of a pickup, so a raised hitch on my van may just get it back to where it would have been on a full-size pickup. |
Michael Dekoekkoek
San Francisco
Boat Name: Yellow Brick Road
Model/Year: 1972 C22
Hull No. 1227
Hailing Port: |
08/02/2004 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Hi, I just wanted to update this thread with what I ended up doing for a trailer hitch. I ended up just buying a standard swivel mount. I mounted it on the square tube that houses the extendable tongue. The handle just barely fit, and I had to modify the plastic handle piece slightly in order to be able to jack the boat up. There was plenty of room for a top handled jack, but I didn't want to go back and do it all over again. So, I was able to leave the trailer's setup as is and not mess with trying to figure out how to get the tongue weight correct. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. |
