wcampion@aol.com wrote:
Robert,
I don't know if this will help, but until last year, I had been towing my M15 with a 2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed, with no issues.? I plan on towing my boat this year with my 2004 Passat Wagon GLX V6 5 speed.? I have installed the hitch and by the end of this weekend I hope to have the lights wired.? Due to the larger engine and the manual I am hopeful that the Passat will tow and retrieve as well as my Jetta.? Also, to help ease the launching and retrieval of my boat, I had a custom tongue extension (8 ft) made for my trailer.? This helps keep the car dry and higher on the ramp.? If the tires are dry and at a better incline, this all helps retrieving the boat.
If anyone has any additional input on this subject, I'd be interested in hearing about their personal experiences.
Thanks, Skip Campion M-15 1982 #201 Wild Guppy
-----Original Message----- From: Robert O. Hess <robertohess@yahoo.com> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Sent: Wed, 20 May 2009 10:58 pm Subject: M_Boats: Paging Connie Benneck
Hi all,
I live in the LA area and have decided to buy a M15 as my first sailboat. It's really the only boat of this size that I find seaworthy enough for longer trips out to the islands. I am sure you agree :-)
My problem right now is that I am not sure whether my 2004 VW Passat 1.8 Turbo will make a proper towing vehicle at the launch ramp. While the car is rated - at least in Germany - for 650kg (ca. 1400 lbs) of trailer weight, the car has only front wheel drive and, even without a trailer, is not easy to start smoothly on a steep - dry -? incline, due to the turbo charger and also the manual transmission. Several knowledgeable M sailors have also recommended against using the Passsat as a towing vehicle, basically for these reasons.
Soooo, I am trying to track down Connie Benneck of this site, who apparently tows or towed a M15 with a VW GTI 1.8T, a smaller and lighter version of the Passat. Specifically, I want to ask her what her experience is when pulling the trailer out of the water on a wet ramp. Do the car's front wheels get a good grip? Does she ever slide backwards? How steep is the ramp she is using? And so on.
If you are on this list, Connie, I'd greatly appreciate your feedback. If not, maybe someone else who knows how to get in touch with Connie could forward this mail to her. My hope is that this list is small enough to make this work somehow.
Many thanks for your help in advance!
Robert Hess (unfortunately no relation to Lyle Hess :-( )
P.S. I am reading Robert Manry's "Tinkerbelle" right now and am seriously wonder whether the Montgomery line of boat was at least in part insprired by Manry's boat. Anyone know?
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Hi Skip, More thoughts and comments: I used a 8 foot long extension for the trailer for launching and retrieving. Putting the back wheels of the car in salt, or fresh water, was not my idea of how to operate. I made my own chocks but they can be bought as well. Put about a 6 foot long line on each of them, and then tie the lines to the back bumper of he car. Now when you retrieve the boat, and start moving forward, you don't need anyone to remove, and pick up the chocks. They come along automatically, until you are in the parking area where you can start to tidy up the boat / trailer / trailer extension / and put things to bed. A block at the back of the trailer allows you to fasten a line to your winch line. This line goes forward to the bow cleat. The line then goes back to the block at the back of the trailer, then forward again to the winch strap hook. Now if you are having a problem getting the boat to slide off the trailer (too shallow a ramp) you can crank in the winch strap, which pulls the boat off the trailer - no fuss; ... no muss. Keel guides are a must on the trailer. Then the boat is guided to the middle of the trailer. A cross wind can't swing it away and push it sideways..... Launching and retrieving become much, much easier. See archives for keel guide designs. Connie ex M15 #400 LEPPO