| Learning the proper way to trailer a boat is a | | | | outboard or out drive motor to prevent it from striking |
| necessity for any individual who does in fact trailer | | | | the road and ramp. Do this at home. * Make sure you |
| their boat as opposed to keeping it on a lift or at a | | | | have all safety equipment in your boat. Floatation |
| storage facility that offers "in and out" service for their | | | | devises life vests, radio, fire extinguisher, flares and |
| customers. While there is no "official" data available at | | | | anchor. Attach dock lines to the bow and both sides |
| the current time from the government or insurance | | | | of the boat. Do this at home. * At the ramp, remove |
| companies on the exact number of accidents | | | | any tie-downs you may have on your boat. The |
| specifically, that occur while a vehicle is pulling a boat, it | | | | Florida Keys requires boat tie-downs on all boat trailers |
| is widely speculated that the number is on the rise for | | | | entering the keys, however every where else they |
| several reasons: * Rise in the number of individuals | | | | are optional. Our opinion is it depends on the distance |
| purchasing boats and boat trailers. * Increased use of | | | | you are traveling with the boat trailer and your security |
| trailer companies using low-cost imports to build trailers | | | | with your trailer and winch. * I actually find it easier to |
| that unfortunately have been associated with a | | | | launch my boat off the trailer by myself, however |
| decrease in quality, particularly in the area of boat | | | | many find it easier with a friend. Both require the same |
| trailers spring suspensions. * Inadequate maintenance | | | | fairly similar procedures, however with a friend, they |
| of boat trailers by the owner. * Inadequate knowledge | | | | can guide you down the launch and hold a guide line |
| by boat trailers owners on the proper way to hook up | | | | from the boat to help get it off the trailer into the |
| the boat trailer to the vehicle, trailer a boat, launch a | | | | water; or they can actually be in the boat and drive it |
| boat (backing up a boat trailer) and retrieving a boat. | | | | off the trailer. * If your trailer is such that your electrical |
| Also, improperly trailing a boat, particularly when | | | | attachment is going to get wet, unattach the |
| launching and retrieval, is extremely poor boating | | | | connection as to not short out your vehicle and/or |
| etiquette and causes much inconsideration and | | | | trailer lights and electrical system. Launching the Boat: * |
| aggravation to knowledgeable and studied boaters. In | | | | Open the hatch of your SUV, if applicable. This once |
| addition, the environment suffers as more pollutants | | | | again enables greater visibility for the driver. * Back the |
| enter into the water with a constant reversal and | | | | boat trailer down the ramp. * Keep the rear wheels of |
| forward of the boat while trying to retrieve to the | | | | the tow vehicle out of the water (this will prevent the |
| trailer. With increasing your experience, rest assured | | | | possibility of the vehicle stalling). The trailer should be |
| your turn will come someday as you patiently wait for | | | | midway down into the water. * Set the vehicle in park |
| the inept driver making their fourth attempt at backing | | | | and engage the emergency brake. * If launching by |
| the boat trailer down the ramp or trying to retrieve it | | | | yourself, retrieve the dock line from the bow of the |
| back onto the trailer. All this being said, lets look at tips | | | | boat, loosen the winch, unhook the winch and attach |
| on the proper way to hook up, trailer, launch, retrieve | | | | the knotted end of the dock line from the bow to the |
| and travel a distance with a boat trailer. Hooking up a | | | | trailer winch hook. * Get back into your vehicle and |
| boat trailer to a towing vehicle: * If you have a SUV | | | | drive forward a bit, then reverse a bit and hit the |
| vehicle, most of the hatches can be lifted up. Before | | | | brakes hard. This will release the boat of the trailer. |
| you begin to back up to the boat, open and lift the | | | | With the bow line attached to the trailer hitch, you just |
| hatch up. This will give you an enormous advantage in | | | | get the bow line from the hitch, swing the boat around |
| backing up to the trailer by enabling you to see | | | | and attach a side dock line to the cleat on the dock. * |
| tremendously better where you are backing up in | | | | Shut your hatch and park vehicle and trailer. * If you |
| regards to the trailer. * Once the vehicle is properly | | | | have a friend helping you launch, they can actually get |
| backed up to the boat trailer hitch, put the emergency | | | | into the boat, drop the motor a bit, crank it up and drive |
| brake on in your vehicle and begin to crank down the | | | | it right off the trailer. Otherwise they can use the guide |
| boat trailer jack onto the coupler ball on the vehicle. | | | | line attached to the boat to pull it off the trailer. The |
| Once the trailer hitch is all the way down on the | | | | other individual can go and park the vehicle and trailer. |
| vehicle coupler ball, continue to crank the trailer jack as | | | | Boat Retrieval onto the Trailer: * The steps for |
| far as it will go up. * Tighten down the trailer to the | | | | removing your boat from the water are basically the |
| coupler ball either by turning trailer hitch or locking it | | | | reverse of those taken to launch it. * Moore your boat |
| down, depending on which type of trailer hitch you | | | | to the dock and tie a boat line to a dock cleat. * |
| have. It's a good practice at this time to put a master | | | | Retrieve vehicle and boat trailer. * Maneuver the boat |
| lock through the trailer hitch. This is often forgotten and | | | | to the submerged trailer, raising the motor as you go. * |
| many a boater has come back to the ramp and found | | | | If driving onto the trailer, engage the motor in a forward |
| their trailer gone. Therefore, do this immediately after | | | | motion against the trailer winch, lean over the bow of |
| your attached and secured to your trailer. * Attach the | | | | the boat, and attach the trailer winch to the bow cleat |
| safety chains from the trailer to the vehicle making | | | | on the boat. Secure it tightly. * Turn the motor off, raise |
| sure to cross them over one another. * If your trailer | | | | or trim it all the way up to the upright position and pull |
| has brakes, hook up the S-hook on the brake cable | | | | the boat trailer out of the water. * Once out of the |
| from the trailer to the hitch on the vehicle. * Lastly | | | | water, remove the drain plug from the boat. Driving |
| connect the electrical connector from the boat trailer | | | | long distance with a Boat Trailer tips: * Use tie-downs |
| to the vehicle in whatever connection is on your | | | | on the back of the boat attaching them to the trailer. * |
| vehicle hitch. * Make sure the trailer winch is locked | | | | Have boat trailer serviced prior to trip (ball bearings, |
| down tight on the boat bow eye. Shut your SUV | | | | tires...). * Have plenty of experience of trailing your boat. |
| hatch. * At this time you are hooked up and ready to | | | | * Realize your boat can be wider than your vehicle. |
| go, however it is suggested to take a few more | | | | Pay attention to the sides of the road so that the boat |
| minutes to prepare for launching either at home, which | | | | trailer wheels do not leave the pavement. * |
| is strongly suggested or at the boat ramp. | | | | Understand that you will have to make wide turns to |
| Pre-launching Tips: * Preparation, preparation, | | | | compensate for the length of your boat trailer behind |
| preparation. This is the key to safely launching your | | | | your vehicle. * Make sure everything in the boat is |
| boat. This is not only a safety issue but an enormous | | | | securely tied down. * Check your trailer blinkers, brake |
| courtesy to fellow boaters at the ramp. Again, most of | | | | lights and that trailer lights are on when your vehicle |
| these tips can be and should be addressed before | | | | headlights are on. |
| leaving home with your boat; however, some must | | | | For more information on boats, try visting - a website |
| wait until arriving at the ramp. * Put the drain plug in the | | | | that specializes in providing boat related tips, advice |
| boat. Check your fuel level. Check your oil level. Put the | | | | and resources to include information on boat trailers. |
| boat key into the boat. Do this at home. * Raise your | | | | |