Boating World

Hitting The Road

These expert tips will have you trailering your boat with confidence rather than consternation.

June 1, 2003

Regardless of whether you're a big fan of Willie Nelson, it's likely that the words to one of his songs have rung in your ears at least once as you've hitched up the boat to your tow vehicle. "On the road again. Just can't wait to get on the road again ..." Before you know it, you're doing your best Willie impersonation - which immediately elicits moans and groans from the rest of the family. Tough crowd.

On many occasions, however, you might not feel relaxed enough to sing while trailering a boat. You're nervous, fretting over a host of anxieties, like whether a trailer tire will blow or if there's enough grease in the hubs. Will something blow out of the boat? If you hit a bump in the road, will the trailer coupler pop loose and cause the trailer to drop off the hitch ball? The worries are endless and only subside a bit when you get near your destination without incident. Sometimes, however, there are incidents; problems that cost needless time, money and misery.

The difference between angst and calm when it comes to trailering a boat is twofold: (1) being better educated about the various facets of towing and (2) preparation. The key is to review certain things well before pulling out of the driveway.

Advance Prep

Some things require more advance preparation than others. For instance, some days or weeks prior to your departure date, it's wise to do a major inspection of your trailer. Check the tires (including the spare) for web-like cracks that indicate rot, tread depth, uneven wear and slow leaks by checking their pressure over a period of days. Tire pressure should always be checked when the tires are cold. Driving them even a few miles will heat them up and increase the pressure, giving you a higher reading. If a tire needs replacing you don't want to find out when you're loading the boat for the trip. Taking the needed time to repair it then will not make you very popular with other members of the family. Worse yet is chancing the trip without making the repair in hopes everything will hold together.

You should also inspect the trailer front to back and top to bottom for rust, weld cracks, loose or bare wiring, burnt-out bulbs, bent or misaligned bunks and/or rollers that can chafe through a boat's gel coat, and any other irregularities. When was the last time you had the trailer's surge brakes adjusted and the hubs lubed? These items are part of regular trailer maintenance and need to be scheduled well ahead of a trip. The same principle applies to the boat and tow vehicle.

It is also advantageous to weigh your boat and trailer and see how that compares with your tow vehicle's weight-capacity ratings. The first time you weigh it, you may want to do so without fuel, water and gear so that you know what the basic trailer package weighs. Do not exceed your tow vehicle and boat trailer load capacities.

Just Before You Leave

With major items taken care of well ahead of time, the departure day is much less stressful. Still, there are many things to do to ensure a safe trip. When hitching up the trailer to the tow vehicle, make sure the coupler is fastened securely. As an added precaution, cross the safety chains running from the trailer to the receiver hitch so that if the trailer does pop off the hitch ball, the chains will catch the trailer tongue. (If the chains are not crossed, the trailer tongue will fall between the chains to the pavement.) It is also wise to insert a cotter pin or bolt through the coupler hole with a nut on the end to help ensure the coupler doesn't pop up.

Make sure the emergency brake cable is hooked to the receiver hitch in such a way that it won't drop off en route. And never attach it to the safety chains, as this defeats its purpose. The emergency brake cable is intended to activate the trailer brakes in the event the trailer tongue comes off the hitch ball, so it should be attached to the receiver hitch or tow vehicle. When attaching the cable, chains and electrical wires, make sure you leave the right amount of slack for turns. Leave too much and they will drag on the road; leave too little and they will inhibit trailer maneuverability or, in the case of the electrical connection, come unplugged.

Have someone help you check all the trailer lights - turning signals, brakes, running lights, flashers - to verify the connections are good. Make sure the tires are properly inflated and that the lug nuts are tight. And don't forget to raise the jack stand and lock it in place.

Next, inspect the boat. Is it positioned properly on the trailer? The bow stem should fit snuggly into the trailer yoke. A boat that is setting just a few inches back will often bounce a lot when under way. To move it forward you can drive the tow vehicle up to about 10 mph and slam on the brakes. If that doesn't suffice, go a little faster and hit the brakes again. However, start out slow and be cautious. Once the boat is positioned where it should be, check that the winch strap is taut and the winch cog locked. It's also a good idea to have another strap running from the bow eye of the boat down to the trailer tongue to keep it solidly in place should you hit a sizable bump or dip in the road. Ditto for the tie-down straps at the transom. If you use a ratchet strap, make sure the metal doesn't rub against the boat. On long trips this can do considerable damage.

If the boat has an outdrive or outboard, make sure it is in the trailering position. It's also a good idea to make sure the hydraulic fluid level is full since low fluid can result in the drive gradually lowering. If the boat has a cover, double check that it is securely fastened all the way around. If it doesn't have a cover, you'll want to be sure any items placed in the boat will be adequately held down so they don't blow out while traveling.

On The Road Again

Trailering a boat down the open road at highway speeds is where most towing problems surface, especially when long distances are involved. Therefore it is prudent to stop occasionally and inspect things. Unless you sense something out of the ordinary, you can usually do this when you refuel. Take a close look at your hitch connection, emergency brake cable, chains and wiring connection to make sure everything is as it should be. While at the front of the trailer, check the winch strap for tautness and make sure the boat stem is still tight into the trailer yoke.

Feel the tires. It's OK if they are warm, but if one or more is considerably hotter than the others you likely have a problem. Either the hot tire is underinflated, or it is carrying more of a load than it is designed to and the load needs to be changed. Or you have the wrong tire for your specific boat and trailer, which is a whole other matter. All tires on the trailer should be the same load capacity and style. Tires specifically made for trailers, such as Special Trailer (ST) tires, are recommended over Passenger (P) and Light Truck (LT) tires.

Check the heat of the axle hubs too.
If one feels hotter than the rest, or all of them seem abnormally hot, the bearings should be inspected before you continue the trip. Examine all tie downs. It's amazing how often a strap that was tied tight originally can work loose when towing long distances. It is also wise to inspect any structural nuts and bolts on the trailer frame to make sure they're still tight.

If you experience trailer sway while driving, check for underinflated tires and an uneven load. Five to 10 percent of total towed weight should be on the hitch ball. Too little weight can cause swaying, while too much weight can cause poor steering. Redistributing weight may be all that is necessary to rid the problem.

If you follow all of the preceding guidelines, you'll hit the road with confidence rather than consternation - and may even feel comfortable enough to bust out your best Willie Nelson impersonation while you're at it.