transmission cooler

[dsheer]

Simple question, really. Do I need a cooler (no, I am not talking about beer) for a long (11 hour) ride with the boat behind my 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan (original tranny, about 90K miles and with brand new fluid - full flush).

Thanks for the help

Dan
DS1 1866

[calden]

I'd read your owner's manual. It will specify the limits for towing your boat/trailer weight. I'd think if you were within that limit then you wouldn't need extra cooling capacity.

When we bought our Mazda Minivan a few years ago I had the foresight (out of character for me to have foresight) to option the heavy duty 4-season package. We didn't have a trailer at the time, and a sailboat wasn't in my frame of reality yet, but I just kinda thought extra towing capacity would be nice. Glad I did, because when it came time to look at getting a boat I didn't even have to think about capacity.

However, now I'm thinking about trying to tow my DS behind my VW Van. I might have to get a smaller, lighter trailer to accomplish that.

Carlos

[gary l. britton]

Hi:

I doubt seriously that you would need any special cooling for your transmission. The boat ant trailer (DS I) will only weigh about 1000 lbs, and that is probably well within the towing capacity of you auto, even with extra gear and people in the car. I have a 2001, Ford Ranger pickup, 4cyl, 5 speed transmission and it has no problems at all towing, except going up inclines and that is a problem anyway with a 4 banger truck. This truck only has a towing capacity of about 1300 lbs, and yours is probably rated higher.

I personally would not be too concerned.

Gary
1966,DS I
"Dancing Girls II", #3235

[Roger]

I have a 1994 Ford Ranger XLT 5 speed manual tranny, V6 4 liter motor. Rated towing capacity, 1400 pounds. Weight of boat motor and trailer fully loaded was 1340. I have no problem pulling it at highway speeds.

I also have a Corolla, rated at 1500 pounds towing capacity and towed the 1400 pound rig almost 900 miles at highway speed.

[dsheer]

Thanks guys. My van will tow 1200 with a full load inside, so I guess I'm OK. Even my Tiburon will tow this thing. The Tib is rated at 1000 lbs.

What I want to know is what Roger has in his DS1 that brings the total load to 1340. The DS1 is supposed to weigh 580 or so at sailing weight, with the standing an running rigging. I can't believe my trailer weighs more than 200. 1340 is another 550 on top of that. Do you have a 200 hp outboard on your DS1 or what? Beer? That would be about 70 gallons, I'd guess. Enough to single hand it for a week or so. Hmm.

Dan
DS 1866

[calden]

Dan:

My boat and trailer comes out to about 1700. The guy that had the boat before me replace the old rotting trailer with a spare he had sitting around - it's meant for a ski boat. By itself it weighs about 1100. Perhaps Roger is in my situation.

I'd love to have a smaller trailer. Then, as I noted above, I could tow it behind my VW Van. Pop-top camping and sailing. I could do it all.

Carlos

[dsheer]

Carlos,

Wow, sorta like catchin' an anchovie on a shark line. Just kidding, but I'm sorry; I like my imagery.

Think about it. 200 HP on the back of a DS1. Now theres a ski boat! 'course you'd need to lauch it bow first in deep water with the motor running, else the bow would go straight up and she'd sink to the bottom motor first. Maybe if we loaded it on slings below a helicopter, and released the slings just above the water at about 25 knots. She might float long enough to get the motor started. But getting the boat back on the tailer - now there's a problem. Maybe some kind of James Bondish solution. We could have Pierce Brosnan run it over a water ski jump and have it land right on the trailer! So now we really do need an oversize trailer after all. Good for you Carlos. Or - or - or - (I'm gettin' excited here!) -- we could use BOOSTERS! Strapped on the cutty. Nah, that would blow the helmsman away. Strapped on the sides! Man, this is Rocket Science! Where's NASA when you need them? Or maybe somebody needs to offer a 10 million prize like they did for the space travel rocket. Yeah, enlist private enterprise! I'm humble, and you're first alphabetically, so it'll be the Alden-Sheer-Gates Prize assuming we can get Bill to put up the money. That's it! Where's my beer?

Ok, now that you all know I have waaay to much time on my hands this Father's Day morning - I should be out sailing and not writing stupid but hopefully funny posts - I have another question. Actually two.

First, I need (sorta - there are small rot cracks in the wall - prolly from the sun) a new tire. The ones I have are the ones specified for the trailer, 4.8 x 8's - load range B. Any advantage in getting 10 or 12 inch wheels to replace the 8's? There's plenty of clearance on the fenders, but the bigger wheels cost 50% - 100% more. At 590 lbs. rated load per tire for the current size, I'm running at 80% rated load on the tires. Is that undesireably high?

Second, I just bought running lights, the flashlight kind, for boats under 7 meters and 7 knots (no 200 hp here). Any suggestions on where to mount them (or other kinds) for best visibility?

Thanks,


Dan
DS 1866

[Roger]

First of all let me thoroughly apologize for sleeping in this morning on a wonderful fathers day morning (the best to all of you as well). Had I known the early birds would go off on a tangent and have dreams of 200 hp on a DS I, I would have made a special effort to get up earlier and give you some reality based (grin) facts on how I got my boat motor and trailer up to 1340 pounds. Firstly it is a DS II, but that is inconsequential as I think the base weight is the same for both.

Here is the loose math of the heavier items in my boat,

base boat 575 (sails, rudder, cb, rigging etc.)
motor 25 (electric trolling)
2 batteries 50 (one for lights, one for the motor)
gear added 50 (solar panels, spinnaker and DRS, anchor, chain, bilge pumps, paddle, mast crutch, compass, nav lights)
misc gear 100 (includes pfds, sleeping pad, binoculars, first aid kit, flares, flashlights, 2 gal water, vhf and multiband radio, fenders, dock lines, tools etc
trailer 540 (3" box steel frame, mast support, includes spare tire and tool box

total 1340

BTW I have 12 inch wheels, which run cool and smooth at highway speeds. I mounted my combo bow nav light at the forward end of the cuddy roof for visibility, accessibility and ease of installation. The aft light is on the starboard coaming about a foot forward of the transom.

[jpclowes]

I don't know much about the weight and capacity of the tires, but I like the bigger ones, just because less RPM's Equals less wear and tear on the tires, wheels, hubs and (most importantly from a fix it on the go perspective) the bearings. Over a couple of hundred miles, those extra few inches per rotation can add up. Of course if your putting 200 horses on the back, perhaps you aren't too concerned with wear and tear.

[dsheer]

Roger,

Do yo ever have trouble with the mainsheet hanging up on the stern light in that position? Is your traveller amidships? My traveler's aft; I rigged it per the info on Lollipop, and I'd be afraid the mainsheet could simply rip off a stern light rigged where you have it. I was thinking of mounting it aft on the tiller, almost at the rudder.

As to bow lights, does the jib obscure the light mounted on the cuddy?

Dan