Bus and trailering boats ???

[Bruggs bus]

Has anyone any experience in trailering a boat behind a bus?
I'm just wondering about things like the clearance under the bus while backing it down the ramp/ keeping the rearend out of the lake/ I know you won't see the boat from the mirrors too much, but just wondering if anyone has a story they want to share.
I do have two boats to pick from. One is a newer 26ft about 6,000lbs and the other is a 1964 Penn Yan 18ft really light. Problem here is the 26ft I think will put me over length for hauling in NYS.

thanks
Bruggs bus

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[Tikvah]

I will love to hear the stories from this thread.  I know around here, to back a boat into the lake, I have to swamp the rear of my truck.  The back bumper of my pick-up is always just a bit under water when launching. 

I'm trying to picture my bus engine half submerged under water, or the tires slipping on the wet ramp. 

I think I would consider towing the boat, then unhooking and asking for help to launch.  Most boat owners around here would be happy to help out.   Especially considering the novelty of the bus and all.

Let's here the stories - this might be fun!

P.S.  I can imagine myself building some kind of long hitch extension for launching..... hmmm

[lostagain]

We towed a 18 foot ski boat once on a vacation with the Courier 96. Towing it was no problem. Launching it can get interesting. That bus had a first gear that was quite low, so I could launch and pull it out on a moderately steep ramp. Although I didn't like it because I had to give it some throttle to  get going up hill, and wearing out the clutch more than I would've liked. One time in Nakusp, BC, they would not let me take the bus onto the wharf to launch because the max weight is 5000 lbs. So they said this old guy would come with his pickup and do it for us. That worked out great. He wouldn't take anything for it either. If you plan ahead, you can have the marina launch it for you for a small fee, especially if you are paying also for moorage for a few days. The biggest concern then was the boat getting covered in oil because the 4-71 was messy. I haven't towed the boat with the 5C yet, but it doesn't leak and anything we tow stays clean.

JC

[Ed Hackenbruch]

The PO of my bus used to tow a Jeep Cherokee and a 16ft Boat.

[dave5cs]

Ok so let me picture this. You back down the ramp not being able to see the boat unless you have a backup camera. Then you back the motor into the water. Hot motor cracked block, maybe, then trying to pull it out motor not running as smooth after the first cold water and the tires slip , clutch burns out and you apply service brakes. Because of a air leak the brakes lose air and roll into the water up to your 2nd baggage doors and the parking brakes go on automatically. now it won't move at all.

By now the other people who are not laying on the ramp laughing and watching and actually want to launch their crafts are not happy. The tow truck finally arrives and it is the small one. That and a 4x4 hook up to the toe hooks and try as they may can not budge it up the hill and slam together and want to sue you for their smashed vehicles.

The motor isn't helping and now has a nasty miss and is starting to pop badly and sounds like a submarine. You are on the internet trying to get ideas from all of us on the forums. We are asking what oil you are using, and telling you to check the dates on your tires. Brain comes on and explains the working of the air system to you and Lvrbus offers to bring out some parts to help you out.

Then Coach net shows up with a landall but can't fit on the ramp and drop the trailer safely because of the length of the ramp and the steep incline. You notice that someone forgot to put the plug in the boat and by now it has sunk to the bottom. The local underage kids have found your floating beer cooler and are trying to start the boat under the water and singing blow the man down, ( and very well may I say).

Well just my vision hope it turns out better for you

Dave5Cs

 

[Tikvah]

Dave,
Well written!  And, may I say, very likely accurate.  I can see the oil on the water, the fish floating to the top, and the DNR being called because of the pollution.

I think I'll keep my rig out of the water whenever possible.

[dave5cs]

Just sayin?

Dave5Cs

[lvmci]

Tikvah, maybe if you parked at the edge of the parking lot and got a really long length of aircraft cable and wench and pulley system you could lower it down the lauch ramp from the parking area! Just kidding of course! lvmci...

[Tikvah]

Tikvah, maybe if you parked at the edge of the parking lot and got a really long length of aircraft cable and wench and pulley system you could lower it down the lauch ramp from the parking area! Just kidding of course! lvmci...

    That's the kind of thinking that makes this hobby great!

[Bruggs bus]

Dave, that's the exact scenario that will happen to me, except maybe the bus exploding there on the ramp to then slowly drag itself into the water, never to be seen again. Captain goes down with his ship.

JC,yes I have the same issue of a leaky rearend (the bus, not my prostrate) and figured on a full boat slip cover when traveling. It is a very nice antique boat.



Also thought of a front hitch on the bus. The older boat is under 2,000 lbs. I can do the 'Heman or Hulk' and pick it up, since it is really balanced kind of nice. Walking it into/out of the water....no, I'm not that strong. If I set the boat and reattached it from the front, then it would be very easy to guide it into the water. I'm not a fan of going in deep to put the boat into the water, so that would be a game time decision.

thanks for the fun discussion.
Bruggs Bus

[dave5cs]

Here an idea I just thought of. How about some kind of a 3 stage center beam. You get there and hit a switch or hand held control box. You pull the safety pins at the trailer beam that could be locked and out goes the trailer, 1st stage as long as the boat sans maybe 2 feet then stage 3, stage 4 if needed. square tubing steel 1 inside the other. You would only have to get close but not in the water depending on how long you could make it. Again your Welcome. minds always going . It is a curse sometimes, LOL

Dave5Cs

[Tikvah]

I envision some kind of dolly under the hitch.  Disconnect from the bus, put the dolly under the tongue, then use the winch system to lower it to the water and back up.  You could steer manually.  When you are back to the bus, just toss the dolly into the back of the boat.

I think that winch idea is getting traction.  It could be 50 or 100 feet from the bus. 

Dave

[lostagain]

A lot of boat trailers have a jack with a wheel at the bottom.

JC

[Bruggs bus]

That dolly wheel on the boat trailer,is kind of light. Good enough to help get the trailer on the hitch but the ramp is steep/ long/ and not always the smoothest concrete. I probably could weld a heavier cart type thing together, that can be placed under there. I do have a foreman golf cart that is rated for 2,000lbs. I've also seen a machine that they use to move trailers.....



but then it might take a bit of time to do all this arrangement on the ramp.

thanks
Bruggs bus

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[rwc]

I saw a Prevost at a lake camp in Louisiana that put a hitch on front and would push the boat trailer in front . That kept the engine out of the water. I never actually saw him launch the boat so don't know the specific details on exactly how it worked. Rod