I am having a trailer built for my 26’ Shamrock. Because it has an inboard and keel which runs half the length of the boat the trailer has to be built to hold the boat high for rudder and keel clearance off the ground and the trailer axels. As a result the stern of the boat sits on the trailer 40” off the ground. This can obviously result in launching problems at low tide or places like lake Mead which is down about 20’ now. The trailer manufacturer said that the solution is a tongue extension. It consists of very heavy 5 foot long steel tube (3” square) which is carried on the side of the trailer and when the boat is launched or retrieved, the tube is slid forward into brackets on the front of the trailer, and locked in place with a pin. The leading edge of it has a hitch receiver which then mounts onto the ball on the vehicle. It adds 4-5 feet of length to the trailer to allow it to be backed into the water without dunking the tow vehicle. My question: has anyone used one of these trailer tongue extensions and what were your experiences. And if this is not the way to go, what are the alternatives?
Thanks