Ramp launching
rbonilla,
Your questions are good ones. I trail both an Ericson 25 (7,000 lbs) and a Nor'sea 27 (13,000 lbs) for ramp launching.
Here is my 2 cents worth. You can purchase a piece of glavanized steel that will work for a temporary tongue extension for running your boat down into the water and back out from any steel supplier. Make sure it is at least as stout as the trailer frame and you can store it on the trailer while travelling. You'll have to add a tongue hitch to this extension and you may have to have a good tongue wheel that rolls and supports this longer extension. These can be found as bolt-on items so you won't need a welder. A couple of large "U" bolts will attach this alonside your hitch ( you may need a bit of a standoff to keep your new extension parallel to the trailer tongue to get around the towing trailer hitch.
I would still add a safety cable from the trailer (aft of the extension) to the bumper of my truck. Trailers do not float, I'm told.
You can run your truck down to the water all the way to the exhaust pipe without too much trouble, but make sure water doesn't go over the top of your rear differential either! You may ingest some water into your rear differential - and this isn't good either. Grease and water mixed makes gray goo. Gray goo needs to be removed as soon as you can because it no longer lubricates and will cause rust inside the case and gears.
Avoid dipping your trailer axles into the water when the hubs are warm if you can can help it. They, too, will suck in water if they are hot. Use waterproof grease to grease your bearings. Repack often, don't blow the seals. Check grease in hubs every 500-600 miles of travel.
Repack your bearings at least once a season. I actually replace mine every year, they are cheap insurance. They cost $17 ea. to buy and about $12 ea. to repack. No brainer here.
Remember to have adequate guides on your trailer to guide it back into the correct position returning it to the trailer. Don't be afraid to have someone ready to get in the water to assist on aligning the boat and the bunks. Avoid putting this person into situations where they could get pinned between the boat, trailer, or dock!
Disconnect your lights before backing into the water!
Many lakes with multiple ramps will have certain ramps that are steeper than others and better for sailboat launching. Find out where the steepest one is and always prefer this one if you can.
Watch for overhead lines and overhanging tree branches!
I would never submerge my trailer in saltwater - ever.
Go slow, think it through, and you'll be fine.
Steve Swann
E25 c/b