I use the buddy system, my buddy does all the work while I stay in the
driver's seat. The other thing is ya always need a buddy to confirm your
fish stories!!

Velma 82 1.9L AAZ td westy
On Feb 10, 2014 3:52 PM, "Robert Keezer" <warmerwagen@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Ralph,
>  I'd like to add a word of caution based on an experience I had launching
> a boat with my Westfalia .
> The danger is that after you set the handbrake, and go back to launch or
> trailer your boat, that the rear wheels being submerged in water, might
> cause the the parking brakes to slip, and your Vanagon will roll backwards
> , flooding the engine and transmission.
> It happened to me, at the La Conner public boat launch years ago, which is
> very steep. I had just enough time to get in and stomp the brakes down, or
> it would have slid into the channel. Water came in the cargo area just past
> the rear z-bed.Ruined the transmission and engine.
> I had a cell phone, a policeman came and waited, but I had to keep my feet
> pressed down hard on the brake pedal waiting an hour for a tow truck, all
> the time the relays in the engine compartment were buzzing, and the van
> shaking from the flow of the channel, late at night.
> And salt water!Man was that freaky!
>
> You need a very long trailer tongue, and the rear tires should not be deep
> enough to submerge the brakes.
> I later observed a local company used a 4WD truck to launch boats there,
> using a front hitch.
>
> I earlier had been at a boat launch that wasn't steep, but I still had to
> submerge the rear wheels to launch the small boat.
> You have noticed that most boaters use a pickup to launch boats.
> I never used a Vanagon to launch a boat since.
> The taller tires will help.
> If you absolutely have to use your Vanagon to launch a boat, don't rely on
> the e-brake , which brakes the rear wheels only, but have someone use the
> footbrake, which brakes all four wheels, while you or they launch or
> trailer the boat.
>
> Happy boating!
> Robert
> 1982 Westfalia
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>   ------------------------------
>  *From:* Ralph Meyermann <ralphmeyermann@GMAIL.COM>
> *To:* vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> *Sent:* Monday, February 10, 2014 10:17 AM
> *Subject:* Silly idea?
>
> Hi Volks, I may have another silly idea. I am planning on having my diesel
> ratio transaxle rebuilt with a 1st and second ratio change to a 4.13 and
> 2.25 if my memory is correct to aide pulling my small fishing boat out of
> the water. My silly idea is that with 215/75/15 bfg all terrains matched to
> my diesel ratio transaxle is about the same as my dk transaxle with my
> 195/75/14. I was thinking that when I'm bringing the boat camping I will
> run the 14" wheel package to take some load off the engine/transaxle  and
> when I am not bringing the boat Ill use the big wheel package to gain some
> hwy speed? It's so crazy, it just might work??
> Velma 82 1.9L AAZ td westy
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