10 Tips for Towing Your Boat
Sometimes the best part of owning a boat that you can tow is
the ability to enjoy it in so many different locations. The first boat that I ever owned was a 24
foot cruiser that was the perfect weekend boat for me but I also could put it
on a trailer and take it anywhere I wanted to explore the waters outside of my
home state. For the first 10 years or so
of boat ownership, I dragged that boat just about everywhere around the
southeast. My family and I created some
great memories that will not soon be forgotten.
We also learned some lessons about how to properly and safely tow a
boat. From blown tires to shattered hubs
and busted cooling hoses, we experienced it all.
Here are 10 tips that will make towing your boat easier.
Use the Right Tow Vehicle
– Some people spend a lot of money on their boat and figure they can skimp a
little on the tow vehicle and get by. If
all you do is tow your boat from your house to the lake 10 miles away, you may
be able to get away with this but if you are planning to tow long distance,
don’t do it.
As you know, a tow vehicle will have a maximum tow rating
that is determined by the vehicle’s body construction and drive train. That maximum rating tells you the amount of
weight that your vehicle will safely tow.
Using the wrong tow vehicle can not only result in unsafe operational
conditions, but it can also result in damage to the vehicle itself.
Don’t forget that when determining the weight to be towed, you must include the following:
Choosing the right tow vehicle can make towing safer and more comfortable. |
Don’t forget that when determining the weight to be towed, you must include the following:
-Weight
of the boat
-Weight
of the trailer
-Weight
of gear on the boat including fuel, water etc. (Water weighs about 8.3 pounds
per gallon and fuel weighs about 6.3 pounds per gallon)
You can, take your tow vehicle and boat by a local truck
scale to determine what the weight is and the cost is minimal. Make sure you note the gear and fluids on
board at the time of weighing and you now will have a basis for estimating your
weight each time you tow.
Use the Right Trailer
– Not only can you overload a tow vehicle but you can overload a trailer
too. Each trailer will have a maximum
weight stamped on the tongue somewhere.
This capacity is based on the trailer construction, the axle type and
the number of axles. An overloaded
trailer can result in anything from failure of the frame to tire and/or brake
failure. At best, a trailer with too
much weight on it will not track well and make the tow vehicle more difficult
to handle. Be sure to also have the
trailer adjusted properly to the boat to ensure that it supports the boat at
the right locations.
Keep Your Trailer Maintained – For some of us, our trailers sit in a storage yard or the back yard until we decide to pull it out for that summer vacation. We often do not realize that until that point, we have ignored it and not done any maintenance. Before that long trip, there are a few things that you should check:
Multiple axles on a trailer not only give it more capacity but more stability as well. |
Keep Your Trailer Maintained – For some of us, our trailers sit in a storage yard or the back yard until we decide to pull it out for that summer vacation. We often do not realize that until that point, we have ignored it and not done any maintenance. Before that long trip, there are a few things that you should check:
-Tires. Make sure the pressure is correct and ensure
that they are not cracked or dry rotted.
Trailer tires often have to be replaced well before the tread is worn
because they end up rotting before they are worn out. If your tires are 10 years old or older (6
years if they have been sitting out in the sun), or have cracks in them, get
them replaced before you take that trip.
-Lights. Make sure they all work. Replace any blown bulbs and fix any faulty
wiring.
-Bearings. If necessary, disassemble the hubs and repack
them to make sure you have fresh grease in them. Replace any bearings that are worn.
-Hold
down straps. Make sure they are not
worn, dry rotted or frayed.
-Brakes. Make sure they are operational and the shoes
or pads are not worn.
Keep Your Tow Vehicle Maintained – This may be easier to do than keeping your trailer maintained because you probably drive this vehicle several times a week but here are a few things to keep in mind.
Bearing Buddies or other similar fixtures help by making it easier to keep trailer bearings lubricated. |
Keep Your Tow Vehicle Maintained – This may be easier to do than keeping your trailer maintained because you probably drive this vehicle several times a week but here are a few things to keep in mind.
Towing is very hard on the cooling system and the
drivetrain. Making sure they are in good
working condition before your trip can save you some headaches during your
trip. Have the cooling system and
transmission checked or serviced before towing.
Check the tow vehicle brakes too. Even if your trailer has brakes, stopping
when towing places a lot more pressure on the vehicles braking system. Check for worn pads and rotors and replace
them. Don’t forget, stopping is just as
important as going.
Practice Launching
and Retrieving Your Boat – This is only necessary if you are a newbie. If you have been launching and retrieving
your boat for years, then you already have a system and you know the ins and
outs. If you have not developed your
system yet, don’t let you’re your vacation be the first time you have done it. There are many things that can make the
difference between a nightmare and a smooth operation during launch or
retrieval and it can differ from rig to rig.
Things like how far into the water your trailer should be or the proper
angle of approach when loading can all vary from one boat/trailer combination
to another and a busy Saturday afternoon on a ramp in unfamiliar territory is
not the place to start learning your equipment.
Take the time to go to a local ramp on a quiet weekday and
practice your method. If you know
someone that is experienced with launching and retrieving a boat, take them
with you so they can give you some tips.
If you do this, you will be glad you did and the folks behind you at the
ramp will be too. Don’t forget that when
you are at the ramp, load or unload your gear while in the parking lot or
staging area and not on the ramp itself.
Be Prepared for
Something Bad to Happen – Whenever I towed my boat, I always had a trailer emergency
kit in my truck. Here is what it
contained:
-Extra Wheel Bearings
-Extra Wheel Bearings
-Extra
Brake Drum
-Two
Grease Guns
-Grease
-Brake
Cleaner
-Trailer
Jack
-Trailer
Tire Lug Wrench
-Spare
Trailer Lights
-Brake
Fluid
-Tool
Kit
-Rags
Consider carrying spare parts for your trailer when on the road. |
Having this kit in the truck allowed me to handle just about
anything that may have happened with the trailer on a long trip. I rarely had to use it but when I did, it
made things go so much better. It was
also great peace of mind knowing that I was prepared for whatever may occur. Of course, I also kept a spare
tire mounted to the trailer frame as well. Don't forget to check your
spare tire before hitting the road.
Allow For Greater
Stopping Distance – You hear this all the time when you hear discussions
about safe towing. That is because it
really is true. Your average pickup
truck or SUV weighs about five thousand pounds.
In many cases, the towed weight may be more than that. My 24 foot cruiser with trailer, some fuel
and gear easily gave me a towed weight between seven and eight thousand
pounds. Even with trailer brakes, a rig
with a total weight of twelve to thirteen thousand pounds will take a lot
longer to stop than just the vehicle alone.
Make sure you plan for this by keeping plenty of distance between you
and vehicles in front of you. Take your
foot off the gas earlier when approaching intersections and start slowing
earlier. Also, be on the lookout for
other drivers who are not paying attention.
Too often, I had cars jump in front of me and hit the brakes as if I
could stop as easily as they could.
Stay Alert –
Towing over long distances can take a lot out of you and it can be stressful. I still remember the very first time I towed
my cruiser long distance several years ago.
I was going from just north of Atlanta to Destin, Florida which is about
330 miles. I remember that once I
arrived in Destin, my fingers were so stiff and cramped because I had been
gripping the steering wheel so hard for such a long period of time. I almost
had to pry them from the wheel. I
didn’t realize how much stress I had been under while driving. Of course, over the years, as I did it more
and more, I became a lot more used to the conditions of towing and it was no
longer a stressful event for me.
Having all that extra weight behind you is less forgiving
and you can’t afford to make a mistake that you can’t recover from. Take breaks every now and then to give your
mind, eyes and body a rest. Avoid
distractions in your vehicle such as cell phones and most importantly, stop and
rest when you are tired. It is better to
get off the road and get a good night sleep than for you and your rig to end up
in the ditch.
Use Cruise Control
– I am a pretty fast driver, but not when towing. I found that if I did not use
cruise control when towing, my old speed demon driving habits would sometimes
come back and I would find myself running down the highway at 80 mph with 8,000
ponds in tow! . . NOT GOOD! To prevent
this, when towing on the open highway, I would set my cruise control to 65
mph. This would ensure that I always ran
at a safe speed. This also helped ensure
that I kept a safe distance between me and the vehicle in front of me because most
people run at faster speeds which would naturally keep them well ahead.
Check Your Rig – When towing long distances, it is recommended that each time you stop you should do a walk around your rig and check things out.
One way to ensure your speed does not creep up is to use cruise control. |
Check Your Rig – When towing long distances, it is recommended that each time you stop you should do a walk around your rig and check things out.
-Make sure tie downs have not come
loose.
-Check the hitch system including
safety chains.
-Check the tires visually and by
touch.
-Check to make sure the hubs are
not too hot. Warm is okay but if you
cannot rest your hand on them comfortably, you may have a bearing going
bad.
If you notice anything unusual about how your rig sounds or
handles during a tow, pull over in a safe location and check it out. It is much better to catch any issue with
your rig before it become a major problem.
If you have anything else you think should be added to this
list, please comment below.
Happy Boating
Captain Frank
____________
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