Thing is, you always have 4 wheel brakes, if it still slipped in, oh well, the stars were not right.
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What can fit in my garage? And what can tow it?
- Thread starter tazrox
- Start date
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I just measured my 16'7" Montauk on the trailer, tongue removed.
Evinrude tipped down to just touch the skeg. My GPS antenna and
VHF aux speaker stick up about 3-4" above the console rail. The
boat sits lower on the trailer than most trailers.
19' 1" L x 6' 2" H x 7' 1" W
Adm. Linda and I recent bought a weekend place in the Monterey
area. We were looking for six months. The first thing we
checked at each place was whether the boat would fit. There was
only one place where boat fit was an issue, and it failed for a
bunch of reasons.
Remember that a Montauk 170 is six inches (or so) bigger in all
three dimensions.
To paraphrase the old cabinet maker's saying: "Measure twice,
buy once."
Since you are a bay area diver, you are probably going to want
to launch at Pt. Lobos. The tides are going to have to be right
and you need a low trailer with a long tongue like mine. The
lower the trailer, the longer the tongue, the more days at Pt.
Lobos.
I wouldn't even think of launching a heavy boat at Lobos without
4WD (Yes, I know Peter launches his inflatable with a Prius. It
doesn't weigh 2000 pounds plus dive gear and GF.)
Chuck
Evinrude tipped down to just touch the skeg. My GPS antenna and
VHF aux speaker stick up about 3-4" above the console rail. The
boat sits lower on the trailer than most trailers.
19' 1" L x 6' 2" H x 7' 1" W
Adm. Linda and I recent bought a weekend place in the Monterey
area. We were looking for six months. The first thing we
checked at each place was whether the boat would fit. There was
only one place where boat fit was an issue, and it failed for a
bunch of reasons.
Remember that a Montauk 170 is six inches (or so) bigger in all
three dimensions.
To paraphrase the old cabinet maker's saying: "Measure twice,
buy once."
Since you are a bay area diver, you are probably going to want
to launch at Pt. Lobos. The tides are going to have to be right
and you need a low trailer with a long tongue like mine. The
lower the trailer, the longer the tongue, the more days at Pt.
Lobos.
I wouldn't even think of launching a heavy boat at Lobos without
4WD (Yes, I know Peter launches his inflatable with a Prius. It
doesn't weigh 2000 pounds plus dive gear and GF.)
Chuck
Peter_C
Contributor
I have the benefit of picking my boat up and putting it on the trailer (We never have dive gear, other than masks/fins/etc., in the boat when launching or recovering). Like Chuck though I built a trailer tongue extension. It allows me to launch at places like Breakwater and Lobos without putting my rear wheels into the water. I do not want more than my tires touching the salt water. The surge got the rear of my car pretty good at BW one day (The car was about 4 feet from the water before the surge hit), so I went home and built a nice long extension. It is hard to find examples on the internet, but can be fairly simple in design. Length is important and the longer the better.
Friday I launched at Lake Sonoma and was able to get it on and off the trailer without putting my brakes in the water but did put my wheels into the fresh water. I watch people all the time sink their vehicles braking system deep into the water. Even fresh water I would not recommend doing this. Nor driving through a fresh water puddle deep enough to submerge the brake calipers. Unless you like rebuilding stuff.
If you have a sling for your boat you can launch at Still Water Cove in Carmel. Plus it opens you up for places like Point Arena if you are a little more adventurous. Arena Rock became a Marine Reserve and it will be fun to go back and watch as it become more full of life.
Friday I launched at Lake Sonoma and was able to get it on and off the trailer without putting my brakes in the water but did put my wheels into the fresh water. I watch people all the time sink their vehicles braking system deep into the water. Even fresh water I would not recommend doing this. Nor driving through a fresh water puddle deep enough to submerge the brake calipers. Unless you like rebuilding stuff.
If you have a sling for your boat you can launch at Still Water Cove in Carmel. Plus it opens you up for places like Point Arena if you are a little more adventurous. Arena Rock became a Marine Reserve and it will be fun to go back and watch as it become more full of life.
Glock Diver
Contributor
To answer the OP's question...
A bigger engine (V6 or V8) is more important than getting 4WD, IMHO. I launch my 6300 lb boat (incl trailer) at about a half dozen ramps down here in Florida, and not once have I needed my 4WD because of a slippery ramp. I have seen other 2WD trucks struggle every once in a while, which is quickly remedied by having 2 or 3 buddies jump in the back of the truck to add some weight, while the truck pulls the boat out.
However, the locals know your local ramps better than I do, and if they're mostly steep & slick, then 4wd does bring some peace of mind.
A bigger engine (V6 or V8) is more important than getting 4WD, IMHO. I launch my 6300 lb boat (incl trailer) at about a half dozen ramps down here in Florida, and not once have I needed my 4WD because of a slippery ramp. I have seen other 2WD trucks struggle every once in a while, which is quickly remedied by having 2 or 3 buddies jump in the back of the truck to add some weight, while the truck pulls the boat out.
However, the locals know your local ramps better than I do, and if they're mostly steep & slick, then 4wd does bring some peace of mind.
I think they are launching from a sand bar, not a paved ramp. N
Peter_C
Contributor
The ramps in California get covered in algae. The ramp at Lobos is also the entry and exit point for divers. More than a few people have fallen, with a couple broken bones and many painful bruises. So yes the ramps can be super slippery, almost like ice.
FWIW I have only needed 4wd to launch at Shasta Lake once in my life. It was muddy as heck and shallow requiring sinking the truck deep into the water. I spun and immediately put it in 4 low. Otherwise I have never used 4wd for launching or recovering. BTW I used to own a K2500 Suburban and a Nautique, plus we used my truck to tow friends boats all over the Western States, where we have launched at literally hundreds of ramps both fresh water and salt water.
FWIW I have only needed 4wd to launch at Shasta Lake once in my life. It was muddy as heck and shallow requiring sinking the truck deep into the water. I spun and immediately put it in 4 low. Otherwise I have never used 4wd for launching or recovering. BTW I used to own a K2500 Suburban and a Nautique, plus we used my truck to tow friends boats all over the Western States, where we have launched at literally hundreds of ramps both fresh water and salt water.
I agree that you should start at the Breakwater.
Launching my whaler at Lobos is not a big deal, provided the tides are right.
Most divers seem to use the Breakwater ramp. The downside to the other
ramp by the harbormaster's office is that there's very limited dock space,
you don't have a nice straight shot at the dock either. And no dive shop.
However, parking at the breakwater has gotten tough since the White Sea
Bass showed up and brought all the fishers in.
One additional advantage of 4WD is that when you put it in compound low
everything happens in slow motion. That makes it much easier to back
up.
Launching my whaler at Lobos is not a big deal, provided the tides are right.
Most divers seem to use the Breakwater ramp. The downside to the other
ramp by the harbormaster's office is that there's very limited dock space,
you don't have a nice straight shot at the dock either. And no dive shop.
However, parking at the breakwater has gotten tough since the White Sea
Bass showed up and brought all the fishers in.
One additional advantage of 4WD is that when you put it in compound low
everything happens in slow motion. That makes it much easier to back
up.
