On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 16:44:33 -0800, Lloyd Sumpter
wrote:

Hi,

I want to go fishing/camping in my 1990 Nissan with a SMALL camper
(I think they're called "camperettes") on the back, towing my small boat
(12ft aluminum skiff, with some addons like a floor so I can't just heave
it on top).

The problem: even the smallest of campers are wider than the truck, and
I don't think I could see the boat at all behind me. How do you back it
down the ramp? REALLY wide mirrors (there goes the ol' fuel economy!)?
Closed-cct tv? Surely there are others that do this...

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12

In case you don't see the other reply: Why not just open the doors of
the camper when backing the boat? Then use the rear view in the truck,
or look through the back window.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

Better yet, have a hitch ball installed on the front bumper, drop the
trailer near the ramp, re attach to the front, then calmly drive the boat
in. Just a thought!!
"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 16:44:33 -0800, Lloyd Sumpter
wrote:

Hi,

I want to go fishing/camping in my 1990 Nissan with a SMALL camper
(I think they're called "camperettes") on the back, towing my small boat
(12ft aluminum skiff, with some addons like a floor so I can't just heave
it on top).

The problem: even the smallest of campers are wider than the truck, and
I don't think I could see the boat at all behind me. How do you back it
down the ramp? REALLY wide mirrors (there goes the ol' fuel economy!)?
Closed-cct tv? Surely there are others that do this...

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12

In case you don't see the other reply: Why not just open the doors of
the camper when backing the boat? Then use the rear view in the truck,
or look through the back window.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes

In article ,
says...
Hi,

I want to go fishing/camping in my 1990 Nissan with a SMALL camper
(I think they're called "camperettes") on the back, towing my small boat
(12ft aluminum skiff, with some addons like a floor so I can't just heave
it on top).

The problem: even the smallest of campers are wider than the truck, and
I don't think I could see the boat at all behind me. How do you back it
down the ramp? REALLY wide mirrors (there goes the ol' fuel economy!)?
Closed-cct tv? Surely there are others that do this...

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12



I had this problem several years ago. Solved it with a pair of add-on
mirrors that used tubing and straps to hold them in place. Similar to:
http://www.hensleymfg.com/mckeshmirrors.html
They worked very well and I doubt if they effect the MPG measureably.

I've also seen some that slide on over the existing mirrors. Or clip on.
http://www.hitchcorner.com/truck-accessories.htm

You could also spend big bucks and replace the current mirrors with the
ones that slide out further only when needed. They've even got powered
ones!!!
--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 15:42:36 +0000, Charley wrote:

Put a ball hitch on the front bumper of your truck. When it comes time to
launch the boat. hook the trailer up to the front ball and you will find
that boat launching is easier than it's ever been.

Of course, you can only use this configuration when launching or retrieving
your boat. The hitch on the back is the one that you need to use for towing
on the highway.

You have it right Charley. By the time a "short" trailer is visable in a
mirror, it's almost jack-knifed against the bumper. I used this method
years ago with a small fishing boat behind a windowless van. Installed a
small square reciever for hitch under front bumper so ball/hitch could be
removed so I didn't bang my shins every time I walked in front of the van
or cleaned the windshield.
Worked like a charm.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 15:57:16 +0000, Don White wrote:


"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
It's not fun, but it is do-able. How much trouble can a 12' cartop be to
launch?

Might be easier to disconnect a trailer that small and launch like a small
sailing dinghy dolly. That is...by hand.
A block or two and 100 ft of line would make retrival real easy. Just pull
the small trailer up to the truck attach & drive away. No salt touches the
truck.

You're right, this is definitely an option, and one I've already done in
places that weren't really a "launch" (ie something somewhat beach-
like...). It's a bit more elegant to back it down, but hell...

There's also the "correction" technique, esp. when backing down the
trailer for retrieval: back it down a bit, get out, pick up the trailer
and straighten it, back down a bit more...

It looks like four solutions: hand-launch, get BIG mirrors (I've found a
couple of options: slide-on and swing-out), front-mounted hitch, or put
flags, etc. on the sides of the trailer. In the end, I'll probably use a
combination.

As Harry says, a CCTV is a BIT overkill. I'm glad I'm on the other side of
the continent, though: Harry, you pull a boat YOU CAN'T SEE AROUND down
the highway? scary...

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12

"Lloyd Sumpter" wrote in message
...
As Harry says, a CCTV is a BIT overkill. I'm glad I'm on the other side of
the continent, though: Harry, you pull a boat YOU CAN'T SEE AROUND down
the highway? scary...

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12


There's a guy in Colorado who has a Sandpiper 565 like mine and hauls it
behind a Winnebago type motor home.
He uses the closed circuit type tv to keep an eye on his boat as he travels.

I pull a small center console behind a van. I find that if I put the
pole mounted steaming light in, I can maneuver the trailer by watching
the light.

Will Sill wrote:
I see where Jim contributed:


I pull a small center console behind a van. I find that if I put the
pole mounted steaming light in, I can maneuver the trailer by watching
the light.


Huh?

Try sobering up before posting.

Will Sill
The question was, "How do you back a trailer when you can't see it?"

My reply was that my "all around light" is on a removable pole. If I
put the light in place, I can see where the trailer is.

Hard to understand?

Do you travel with other people? A spotter standing in front of you can walk
back and forth across the front of the truck while you back it down and give
you signals as to where the trailer is going.

OR

Have a custom hitch mount and ball installed on the front of the truck. When
you get to the ramp just swing the trailer into position. Then drop the
trailer and turn the truck around. You will now have the trailer in front of
you with clear vision. I have handled a truck and trailer in this fashion
many times. It really is easier and faster.(boat yard trick)

John C.



"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 20:18:58 -0800, Lloyd Sumpter
wrote:

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 01:30:15 +0000, Tony Thomas wrote:

Mirrors will definetly help but everyone I know that has ever done
tandem
towing disconnects before backing (back only one unit at a time).

He he...

I've noticed that what we do for camping almost seems unique in North
America: we have "slide-in" campers that fit on the back of pickup trucks.
You see them EVERYWHERE in BC and the American "pacific northwest", but
rarely anywhere else.

The "camper" I'm referring to sits in the truckbed - it's not a separate
trailer. The problem with it is that it's wider than the truck (or the
boat!).

Here's what a "big one" looks like:
http://www.virtualproperties.ca/j1058/

and this is more what I have in mind:
http://cargobody.com/camper.htm

Lloyd


Lloyd, if the problem is only one of backing the boat, why not just
open the camper doors and use your rear view, or look through the back
window of the pickup?

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to
resolve it."
Rene Descartes

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Lloyd Sumpter wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 15:57:16 +0000, Don White wrote:


"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

It's not fun, but it is do-able. How much trouble can a 12' cartop be
to
launch?

Might be easier to disconnect a trailer that small and launch like a
small
sailing dinghy dolly. That is...by hand.
A block or two and 100 ft of line would make retrival real easy. Just
pull
the small trailer up to the truck attach & drive away. No salt touches
the
truck.


You're right, this is definitely an option, and one I've already done in
places that weren't really a "launch" (ie something somewhat beach-
like...). It's a bit more elegant to back it down, but hell...

There's also the "correction" technique, esp. when backing down the
trailer for retrieval: back it down a bit, get out, pick up the trailer
and straighten it, back down a bit more...

It looks like four solutions: hand-launch, get BIG mirrors (I've found a
couple of options: slide-on and swing-out), front-mounted hitch, or put
flags, etc. on the sides of the trailer. In the end, I'll probably use a
combination.

As Harry says, a CCTV is a BIT overkill. I'm glad I'm on the other side
of
the continent, though: Harry, you pull a boat YOU CAN'T SEE AROUND down
the highway? scary...

Lloyd Sumpter
"The Tin Boat" Mirrocraft 12


I don't pull that Parker down the highway often. It's pretty scary
looking in the rear-view mirror and seeing nothing but a huge mass of
white plastic. With the side-view mirrors, I can see as far back as the
front trailer tire...sort of.

This past summer, I only towed from the parking spot in the boatyard to
its ramp, a couple of hundred yards usually. Oh...and one time I towed
to Solomons Island from the boatyard, about 35 miles each way.

When I back the boat down the ramp, I can't see a damned thing. I line
up, back a ways, get out and look, back down some more, et cetera. I
actually can launch and retrieve the boat by myself if I have to do so.

It is much harder to back up a small trailer behind a long vehicle than to
back up a long trailer behind a short vehicle. And if you can not see
behind you with your mirrors, the cops can give you a ticket and I hope they
do! Just what you want to see, is some guy changing lanes with out seeing
or looking. You can get clip on extension mirrors, that are only installed
when towing. Clip on the window sill and a rubber bungee helps hold them in
place, or you can buy aftermarket mirrors that are like GM's towing mirrors.
They electrically extend. When I tow with or with out the camper
installed, I press the switch and the mirrors on my Chevy 2500 Crew cab
extend out about 9 more inches.
Bill