Thank you for remembering me, Steven. Yes, the 'Lathrop Method' is the weighing procedure I posted some years ago. I have used it to weigh boats up to 7000 lbs - the thing with heavier boats is to find a scale that will handle the tongue weight, which in the instance of the 7000 lb boat was around 400 lbs. For a boat of around 1000 - 1500 lbs, an ordinary bathroom scale should suffice. To reiterate the "Lathrop Method':
Weighing a boat on a trailer
Shift the boat as far forward on the trailer as it will go.
Place a scale under the tongue support leg. Record the weight.
Measure the distance from the tongue support leg to the tip of the boat bow. Record this.
Shift the boat aft on the trailer a couple of feet, but not so far as to allow the trailer to tip backwards.
Place a scale under the tongue support leg. Record the weight.
Measure the distance from the tongue support leg to the tip of the boat bow. Record this.
Measure the distance from the tongue support leg to the centre of the trailer axle (if a twin-axle trailer, measure to the point exactly half-way between the axles). Record this.
Calculate the boat weight using the following formula:
W = C(W1-W2)/X
Where:
W = weight of boat
C = distance between tongue support leg and centre of trailer axle(s)
W1 = first (heavier) scale reading
W2 = second (lighter) scale reading
` X = distance boat was shifted between scale readings
I had heard about this method of weighing boats much heavier than the available scale but was not able to find it when needed so in the 1990's I did derive the formula shown on Ray Macke's site. I use it several times during construction of a new boat with blocks under the chines so the final weight can be projected fairly accurately. A by product is also a good CG estimate. I find this method to be accurate up to at least 3,000 pounds which is as high as I've used it.. Problem with larger boats is mainly that they will normally sit on dual axle trailers which the method does not work fo
smudge wrote: I think you will find it's a pretty accurate method it looks like both Steps and that stuff I posted up are saying the same thing |
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