Beneteau First 235 Forums

vikingkaj · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 4:27 pm Post subject: 1988 Wingkeel F235 Englewood, Co

Looks like a higher price boat with a trailer that has had a lot of prep work done:

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/19141

jackdaw · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject:

Holy Tongue-weight, batman!

Sittin' kinda forward, I'm thinkin'
_________________
Clay Babcock
Blue J - First 260 - Hull 045 - 1996
Jackdaw - First 235 - Hull 75 - WK - 1987 (ex)

david · Tactician Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 607

She looks to be in very good shape. so shiny!

hawrylyshyn · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:25 am Post subject:

When I measured/got my boat, the tongue weight was well over 700 lbs (which I didn't know). I moved the boat back about a foot & am now slightly over 350 on a tandem axle trailer. The tongue weight of my trailer with no boat is well over 200.

The angle of the photo doesn't help, but I expect the weight is up there.

Link has a table of recommended tongue weights for a single or tandem axle trailer (10 to 15%):

http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm

Tongue weight isn't hard to measure with a bathroom scale & is worth knowing. Link for using a bathroom scale. The diagram shows the beam going the same way as the axles, I found it easier to go perpendicular to the axles:

http://www.metrotrailers.com/safetytips.html

I was told a tongue weight range of 7 to 10% by the manufacturer of my trailer (same as David's) and that I shouldn't exceed 700 lbs. I expect boat & trailer weighs around 4,500 to 5,000 lbs. 7% gives a minimum tongue weight of 350 lbs.

Be aware for our boat, using 10-15% or 500 to 750 lbs tongue weight, exceeds the maximum rating for many trailer hitches.

david · Tactician Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 607

Paul, you have a double axle? where does the aft edge of the wing sit in relation to the axles?

Yes, 10% is the number to shoot for. without using a bathroom scale, I just use the general rule of thumb: The average man should not be able to lift it but two men should just be able to. That would put the weight around 400.

it's important to have an idea where the centre of balance of the boat is so you can position that point on the forward axle, or a few inches forward of the single axle, depending on the tongue weight before loading the boat..