Trailering large boat

[elwopo]

Just picked up a 25' Sportcraft walkaround. This thing is a real beast and will definitely take some getting used to.
Couple questions...because I don't trust the dealers answers.

1. With something this large do you use tie down straps on the back?
2. Does it bother you if the boat does not load perfectly straight?
(what this means is if you stand in front of the boat and look at it you can see that it has a slight tilt to either the right or left side.)
3. Do you pull the boat up so far that the bow is pulled against the roller?
This seems difficult due to the placement of the strap...but leaving it out there (inches from the roller) to bounce up and down seems odd.
4. When backing up and turning...do the actual wheels of the trailer twist? Not the tires but the actual wheels. I was practicing this weekend and had to get out and have a look. One wheel was tilted inward (vertical axis) and the other wheel (right next to it) was tilted outward.

All I had was the camera phone...but this is what it looks like.
I'm also concerned why the trailer always leaves tire marks like this when backing.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Trailering large boat

Yes to all.
1. For the time it takes to put on rear straps, it's good insurance.
2. Bugs the crap out of me, plus with a boat as heavy as yours, it could affect trailering. Get some guide-ons.
3. Always pull to the front roller. You may need to adjust you winch height if it is difficult. Always verify strap goes under the roller to the boat eye, not over.
4. When you back sharply, your rear tire is your pivot point and will drag the other tire (tire marks) because it is so close and fixed. I had a brand new tandem and it did the same thing. Yours appear to lean quite a bit though. The tires will distort, but your wheels usually remain pretty much vertical. Check your wheel bearing adjustments. Do you have a torsion or live axle set-up?

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Trailering large boat

1-If you can get straps on it, definitely use them. I can't and don't, and haven't had any trouble, yet.
2-If it is reasonably straight, just a little canted, it will straighten itself out within a mile or two. Just leave the stern straps a little looser and then stop and re-adjust them.
3- Definitely pull all the way up to the roller, and I strongly recommend a bow hold down chain (in addition to the bow safety chain) that runs down to the trailer frame. It will keep the boat from climbing the winch tower in a bad accident. Without it the boat could end up in the truck.
4- Pretty much normal, but double check your wheel bearings to make sure they are adjusted properly. Just jack up the wheel and make sure there is no back and forth or up and down play in the bearing. The wheel itself should NOT be distorting in any way, but the tire will flex A LOT.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trailering large boat

The only thing I would add is to make sure you use a good, heavy gunwale strap not those little transom straps. I've busted a couple of those transom straps cutting the curve off coming into our drive way.

I use a heavy duty racket tiedown like the moving and storge guys use. Its rated for #10K and cost less than the "marine" straps does.

Most "marine" straps are only rated to 500 lbs or so which is totaly insufficent to keep the rear of that boat on the trailer should something happen. The momentum of a #5K rig going from 40 mph to 0 mph in 3 seconds would test even the #10K rated strap to the extreme.

 

[elwopo]

Re: Trailering large boat

Thanks for the great replies!

The only thing to hook to on the back would be the "rings" where I believe you would hook a ski rope to. I still might hook something to them, just to have it, but the idea of a gunwale strap over the whole thing is terriffic.
I'll also try to find a hold down chain. Makes perfect sense.

I noticed the tire shifting because when they gave me the boat yesterday...no one had checked the tire pressure. Instead of 65 it was 25. Those things bent like hell when I tried to back up the first time. It was a slow trip to the nearest gas station after that....then trying to get that monster close to the little air / vacuum thing they have way off on the side.
This is just another reason why I don't trust what the dealer said (told me everything was checked.
The boat wasn't pulled to the roller because the strap placement won't allow it. They said don't worry.
No tie downs on the back. They said don't worry.
1/4" gap between the bow ring and the bow. They said don't worry.

The carpeted "rails" on the trailer are more like large squares (6 inches). The "ridges" on the bottom of the hull are not really high enough to force the boat to sit perfectly the same on both. If guide ons are the white vertical posts (mine are pvc pipe) then I've got 'em. Only thing that keeps the ***** end from swinging out.

I don't know what kind of trailer axle setup it is. Didn't even know there were different kinds. Once I get this thing secure I'll tow it to the trailer shop and have the experts check out everything.

Thanks!!

 

[JB]

Re: Trailering large boat

When you put a hold-down chain on the bow, use a turnbuckle to lock it securely to the trailer frame.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Trailering large boat

It is your rig. Modify it to have full length bunker boards if it is needed. They are inexpensive to add and help align the boat when loading and gives far more support to the hull while sitting or being battered by bad roads.

You found the reason for the heavy tire scrub, but scrubbing is normal. Triaxels are even worse. Keep an eye on the inflation pressure as underinflation is the number one cause of tire failure.

You can save the finish of your gunnels by placing padding such as old T shirts between the tie down strap and the hull. You can weld flexible D rings to the trailer to provide places to hook those heavy duty tie down straps. One over the bow close to the front will keep the craft from sliding forward in a wreck. That is if the load capacity of the strap is not exceeded.

I wish modern craft had well placed and well fastened tow bitts like boats of yore. My thirty footer was designed to be picked up by the bitts and they make wonderful tiedowns for the trailer. My trihull fish and ski would slip through the bow tiedown if pushed, as there is not enough taper in the bow to prevent it from doing so and the chocks are only fastened with number 10 screws. Definitely a fair weather boat!

If your 25 footer has an anchor winch, that would be a good spot to attach the bow straps.

 

[dave11]

Re: Trailering large boat

If you can't use tie down straps, use the gunnel straps like Dingbat said. Just make sure you use something to hold it.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trailering large boat

You can save the finish of your gunnels by placing padding such as old T shirts between the tie down strap and the hull.

Just twist the strap where it goes down beside hull and you don't have to worry about anything.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trailering large boat

the bow eye should come all the way up under the bow stop roller, then use the bow hold down chain and turnbuckle, the stern should be strapped. whether from the tow eyes, on and over strap. if not in an incident, you could be charge with failure to secure your load. the idea, is even if it flips, it takes the trailer with it. always maintain the proper air pressure, and service the bearings. air pressure is the #1 cause of trailer tire failure.

 

[Mkos1980]

Re: Trailering large boat

Hope you dont run into the trouble my dad has with his SeaRay Weekender. The bow eye is 3 feet down from the roller. With roller all the way down its really front heavy and bounces. We only tow this twice a year so its not really a big deal. You can tell from here we just pulled it out for the year. (Green slime, except around exhaust port)

300 Sea Ray Weekender Twin 350 Blue Water Inboards. BW Drives.

 

[elwopo]

Re: Trailering large boat

Mine may actually be back heavy.
Noticed that the bow hook is coming out and away from the boat. There's a gap between it's plate and the hull (1/4 inch). I took the pressure off the winch strap to have a look and the front of the boat came up about two inches. Touched it with two fingers and barely pushed....bow started bouncing up and down. Kind of unnerving really.

Now I have to figure out how to attach and reinforce the bow hook before doing anything else.

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Trailering large boat

I tow a 26 foot searay close to 8000 lbs. The front is pulled tight against the rollers and a safety chain is attached to the eye to the trailer frame. I also use to straps at the stern from the tow hooks to the trailer frame

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailering large boat

If you don't feel tie downs are necessary, have a peak at this and there are countless other pictures on the net of other similar incidents. The larger the load, the more important it is to secure it. You should have learned in Physics 101 that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Lack of a bow safety chain and very stout stern tie downs will load your boat up and over the bow stop and onto your tow vehicle in even a minor accident or incident involving a sudden stop. Conversely, sudden acceleration can dump a boat on the street if you happen to be stopped on a hill. In this picture you don't need to be a physics major to figure out there is at least one outdrive that's trashed, maybe two, not to mention damage to the transom and hull. Note that the front of this truck is not seriously damaged so this was not a very sudden stop.