Article by Larry Rumbol
I have a bit of a wonky neck and although I can honestly reverse using mirrors, it’s useful to be able to peer over one’s shoulder now and then. I find this a bit uncomfortable when launching Duck my West Wight Potter.
Here in Europe, we can no longer fit front tow-hitches as they can be quite injurious in a low speed impact with a pedestrian, whereas regular fenders are designed to deform.
Most cars, however, have a removable towing eye and that screws to a front chassis or subframe strong enough to have a towing bar attached to a breakdown recovery vehicle for unlimited miles, up hill and down dale, towing 2-ton plus with pushing, pulling and sideways forces at speed too. I figured that eye could cope with launching my wee 500 kg boat and trailer at 5 mph and do no harm.
I bought a spare towing eye (they are bespoke, so be sure to get the right one) and had our local fab shop to make a suitable L-shaped bracket to get the tow ball the right height and extended it six inches forwards too.
Of course, one now has the boat right in front of one’s line of sight, so caution is needed. Should that be an issue, there are many low cost “pencil’ cameras and faux dash cams that connect to a phone and provide a wide angle view. One couple be clipped to the transom.
I have a trailer extension bar too, so the car is never in the water.
A Heath Robinson solution? Perhaps. But it’s strong, it works, and—as the fender sticker says—“I may be slow, but I’m in front.”
Happy slipping. •SCA•
My grandfather used this technique with his 13’ Boston Whaler and it has always made a lot of sense to me though I rarely see it used at boat ramps.
His favorite fishing spots often had muddy dirt ramps and he never got stuck in his 2wd pickup using this technique.
With the outboard on it, the whaler balanced beautifully on the trailer and switching between front and rear hitches was a one handed affair.
Man, I miss him.
I move my 12.5 Norseboat all the time with a front hitch on a John Deere Gator. It is remarkably easy to around our property. I never thought about launching it. Interesting idea. Sure would be easier on the neck.