Just wanting an opinion on what people consider a properly balanced boat. Right now my boat is tongue heavy (200lbs), I replaced the 6' bunks with 8' to move the boat back a bit, but I'm now wanting to switch back (don't like the look of the wheels about 1/3 of the way up the boat). It does sit relatively flat in the water though, tilting slightly toward the bow if I'm up there and to the stern when in the back. The only weight up front is the bow mount TM, leading me to believe the trailer is the culprit. My battery is sitting in the middle right behind my bench seat. Question is, should I move the battery to the stern or is it not really worth the trouble?
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A Question of Balance
- Thread starter Ictalurus
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Your question is a little confusing.You talking about your boat on the trailer for tongue weight or in the water? 200# for tongue weight seems a bit much for a tin, but you didn't state what size tin.If its balance on the trailer you might want to move the axle.In the water with you in the back it should sit a little bow high.
Depending how much total rig weighs depends how much tongue weight there should be.Don't get the tongue weight too light or it won't tow well.Moving battery won't help that much for tongue weight.I would only worry about battery if I wasn't carrying bow when running full throttle.
Depending how much total rig weighs depends how much tongue weight there should be.Don't get the tongue weight too light or it won't tow well.Moving battery won't help that much for tongue weight.I would only worry about battery if I wasn't carrying bow when running full throttle.
Thanks for the input crazyman. Didn't want to sound confusing. My boat is a 1440 with a 2008 shorlander trailer, which is great. The boat sits a little bow high with me in the back and very, very slightly stern high with me up front fishing. Moving the axle is not an option, it is welded on there. The heavy tongue weight is not a real problem, i've just upgraded to a 20 HP from an 8 and just wanting to make sure it is balanced well enough to ride well on a plane and for overall cruising comfort.
clarkbre
Well-known member
Ictalurus said:
So when it’s on the trailer, you’re talking about the boat sitting level in the water.
Ictalurus said:
And when you’re talking about moving the axle in relation to your tongue weight, you’re talking about a motor swap and how it will ride on plane?
Here’s my suggestion:
1- Get the boat in the water, load it with your typical gear and fishing buddy, and drive it around. If it’s balanced you’re fine, if it’s weighted weird adjust it. Once happy with the performance, remember how the gear and seating is laid out for optimum performance.
2- Put the boat on the trailer. Adjust your gear for trailering. With your gear stowed away, figure out the overall weight of the set up and then figure out your tongue weight. If the tongue weight is too much, slide the boat back a little bit on the trailer. If the tongue weight is too little, slide your boat forward on the trailer.
Your original question(s) were really two completely different topics. Yes, they are both related to weight distribution; however, one is for on the water and one is for on the trailer.
Hope this helps.
Let me try to clarify again. The boat seems to sit level in the water with no one in the vessel. Tips slightly to the stern when I'm in the back and very, very slightly to the bow when I'm up front. The reason I question the balance is because of the high tongue weight, which leads me to think that it may just be the trailer and not a problem with the boat. Does this make sense?
richg99
Well-known member
As Clark said....the boat in the water sounds great.
The position of the same boat on the trailer seems to be causing the higher than normal tongue weight.
Moving the boat further back on the trailer, if possible, will lessen the tongue weight. Moving the axle forward ( if that were possible) would do the same thing.
By putting a heavier motor on, you were adding weight to the stern, which would lessen tongue weight.
Hope this helps Rich
The position of the same boat on the trailer seems to be causing the higher than normal tongue weight.
Moving the boat further back on the trailer, if possible, will lessen the tongue weight. Moving the axle forward ( if that were possible) would do the same thing.
By putting a heavier motor on, you were adding weight to the stern, which would lessen tongue weight.
Hope this helps Rich
richg99
Well-known member
Here is the suggested weight by percentage.. From the Sherline Scale web stite....
RECOMMENDED HITCH WEIGHT PERCENTAGES
TYPE OF TRAILER
PERCENT OF WT. ON TONGUE
Single Axle
10% minimum/15% maximum
PLACING THE LOAD
It would be overly simplistic to say, "put the heavy items over the axles". Sometimes a lot of little items can far outweigh one big one. I believe the value of an item should be one of the first considerations of where it is put in a trailer. Arrange the load so that these items are protected by their location. Don't put big, heavy items in a place where they can't be securely tied down. A glued down rug makes a great floor for a cargo trailer. Things stay put and don't slide around. Of course, it would be easy to say everything should be securely tied down but it would be also unrealistic. Start with top heavy items if you have them. That's usually a good place to start because you must have plenty of room available to properly tie them down. Tying them straight down is not secure enough. They need to be tied off at several angles or they could fall over in an abrupt change in speed or direction. You need room to accomplish this. Smaller items can be used to fill the spaces around them later.
Once you have the heavy items located, check the tongue weight with your Sherline scale. If the load is radically off, make the changes necessary to get close. The smaller items can be loaded in such a way that they balance out the load. They should be located so that they will stay put. Placing them next to items that have already been tied down helps, but your main concern should be to not lose the balance of the trailer. Don't forget you can also get one side of a trailer a lot heavier than the other without a little planning. This can cause a very serious problem when cornering, even causing the trailer to turn over in a sudden turn.
Top heavy loads can cause problems not only in cornering but also in hard braking. They have a tendency to make the trailer "dive" in hard braking conditions. This suddenly increases tongue weight and can decrease front axle loading just when you need steering and those big front disc brakes the most. Center top heavy items or arrange the remainder of the load to act as a counter weight to minimize this effect.
RECOMMENDED HITCH WEIGHT PERCENTAGES
TYPE OF TRAILER
PERCENT OF WT. ON TONGUE
Single Axle
10% minimum/15% maximum
PLACING THE LOAD
It would be overly simplistic to say, "put the heavy items over the axles". Sometimes a lot of little items can far outweigh one big one. I believe the value of an item should be one of the first considerations of where it is put in a trailer. Arrange the load so that these items are protected by their location. Don't put big, heavy items in a place where they can't be securely tied down. A glued down rug makes a great floor for a cargo trailer. Things stay put and don't slide around. Of course, it would be easy to say everything should be securely tied down but it would be also unrealistic. Start with top heavy items if you have them. That's usually a good place to start because you must have plenty of room available to properly tie them down. Tying them straight down is not secure enough. They need to be tied off at several angles or they could fall over in an abrupt change in speed or direction. You need room to accomplish this. Smaller items can be used to fill the spaces around them later.
Once you have the heavy items located, check the tongue weight with your Sherline scale. If the load is radically off, make the changes necessary to get close. The smaller items can be loaded in such a way that they balance out the load. They should be located so that they will stay put. Placing them next to items that have already been tied down helps, but your main concern should be to not lose the balance of the trailer. Don't forget you can also get one side of a trailer a lot heavier than the other without a little planning. This can cause a very serious problem when cornering, even causing the trailer to turn over in a sudden turn.
Top heavy loads can cause problems not only in cornering but also in hard braking. They have a tendency to make the trailer "dive" in hard braking conditions. This suddenly increases tongue weight and can decrease front axle loading just when you need steering and those big front disc brakes the most. Center top heavy items or arrange the remainder of the load to act as a counter weight to minimize this effect.
clarkbre
Well-known member
Ictalurus said:
No, it really makes no sense at all.
You are contributing a high tongue weight to the way your boat bobs around in the water. The weight distribution of the boat while in the water has absolutely nothing to do with your tongue weight.
Your tongue weight is determined by where your load (boat, motor, and gear) sits on your trailer in relation to the tongue and axle.
Think of your boat trailer as a utility trailer with a concrete block in it. Fully loaded, the trailer and cargo would weigh XXXX pounds. If properly loaded, the tongue weight would be 10% of XXXX pounds. Now, to increase or decrease that tongue weight, you would move the concrete block forward or back in the trailer. If moved towards the front of the trailer, the tongue weight increases. If moved towards the rear of the trailer, the tongue weight goes decreases. In essence, the axle is taking more or less load than the tongue.
So, in relation to your set up, your boat is going to weigh XXX pounds no matter what. If the tongue weight is currently 200lbs, move the entire boat back one foot and the tongue weight will decrease.
#-oclarkbre said:
Sorry, forget the trailer portion. I was just wondering if the balance in the water sounds right to you guys. I understand about moving things around and trying it out, both in the water and on the trailer.
Rich, thank you for your input on how it is sitting in the water.
New question. How does your boat sit in the water, with 1 person?
richg99
Well-known member
With one person in the boat ( me ) I can't see the way it sits in the water. The way you described yours (slightly up in the bow when you are in the stern) sounds perfect to me.
I imagine that mine would sit that way also, but my boat ( see my Avatar) is rigged as bass boat, so I am amid-ships when running. She seems level and true. regards, rich
I imagine that mine would sit that way also, but my boat ( see my Avatar) is rigged as bass boat, so I am amid-ships when running. She seems level and true. regards, rich
richg99
Well-known member
If your boat is bow heavy when running...you will probably notice it "plowing". It will take a long time to get onto plane.
One way to check out what moving weight around will do....is to get one or more five gallon buckets. Fill them with water; put the cover on; and TIE THEM DOWN in various places. Each gallon of water weighs nearly 8 lbs or so. so, a five gallon bucket adds around forty lbs.
BE CAREFUL when doing this, suddenly shifting weight is not a good thing.
regards, Rich
One way to check out what moving weight around will do....is to get one or more five gallon buckets. Fill them with water; put the cover on; and TIE THEM DOWN in various places. Each gallon of water weighs nearly 8 lbs or so. so, a five gallon bucket adds around forty lbs.
BE CAREFUL when doing this, suddenly shifting weight is not a good thing.
regards, Rich
