Need tips for reversing with trailer

[benji88]

New to boating and towing. I have the forward thing down pretty well but having tons of trouble with reverse. Any tips to help a newbie launching a boat or backing up in general? I would just practice at the launch but I don't want to get in anyones way.

 

[HAV2FISH]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Go slow, make small adjustments , and if pulling with a truck and have room lower your tailgate. And above all practice, practice, practice.

 

[TopGunn]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Just remember the trailer is going to go the opposite way your turning the wheel. The smaller the trailer the more its going to react to you turning the wheel. The easiest thing to do is practice, find yourself an empty parking lot nearby and setup 2 parking spaces so you to practice backing the boat and trailer into. Or go to the launch on a rainy day shouldnt be as much traffic. Also watch your mirrors, and windows down when going into the launch, that way if you do get off course usually if someones around they will yell to warn you before you tear the trailer and launch up.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

All the above, and steer from the bottom of the steering wheel.

The back of the trailer will go the same way.

 

[eavega]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

I had the hardest time with my trailer until I read the tip about steering from the bottom of the steering wheel. Put your hand at the 6 o'clock position inside the steering wheel, palm down. Now the trailer goes in the direction your hand moves. Now its a breeze to get down the ramp even with the empty trailer.

-Eric

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Just remember the trailer is going to go the opposite way your turning the wheel. The smaller the trailer the more its going to react to you turning the wheel. The easiest thing to do is practice, find yourself an empty parking lot nearby and setup 2 parking spaces so you to practice backing the boat and trailer into. Or go to the launch on a rainy day shouldnt be as much traffic. Also watch your mirrors, and windows down when going into the launch, that way if you do get off course usually if someones around they will yell to warn you before you tear the trailer and launch up.

I agree except, with going on a rainy day.
The windows down is a must. In the event that you accidently put your truck in the water you could bail out easily. Its better if only the driver is in the vehicle at launch (less distractions and less people that would need to bail if you did dunk your vehicle in the water).
Also remember to set parking brake before you put it in park while at the ramp (this will save your tranny).

 

[bhammer]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Find a parking lot and practice in there. Took the wife to Home Depot at night and spent several hours. She got good getting it inbetween the lines after a couple hours. Then we spent time working on tight backup turns and such.

 

[hazwild]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

putting your mand on the bottom of the steering wheel and putting down the tailgate were the help to me,And of course practice.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Hand at bottom of wheel, move hand the direction you want the back of the trailer to go, do not oversteer. putting guideons on the trailer really helps with an empty trailer. or you can just bolt a broom stick to the trailer, that is what my Dad, did before the days of guideons.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Go practice in an empty parking lot on a quiet day early morning using the above advice. You will soon get the hang of the steering thing. Take your time and you will look like a pro when you get to the ramp.
Good Luck.

 

[ckone0814]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

I'm newer also and have gotten it down pretty well (KNOCK on wood) so my pointers are:

Don't be afraid to look like a rookie - everyone at the ramp has been one too.

Don't be so nervous that you forget a launch checklist item which can lead to a real ramp disaster. If you're going slow and under control backing up wrong (usually) can't hurt anything but your pride

Try to start as straight as you can. If you don't have room to do that get straight right away.

Go slow and if you start to get out of whack, stop and think about what your next move is - don't try to react quickly because a wrong move at that point will doom you. Make SMALL adjustments with the steering wheel then back , then bigger if you must, then back, etc.

The "hand on the bottom -use mirrors" trick works good but I use that only to get the rig straight and headed where I want to go. Then I like to look over my shoulder with an occasional glance in the mirrors to check side clearances. I have an suv so I open the gate and watch the toungue - this helps me see right away when the trailer starts to head wrong. I can also hear my mates better however when listening I tend to trust what I see better than what I hear because most of the time people outside give advice backwards

I make it a habit to put the truck in park and set the parking brake once I got the trailer in the water where I want it whether I'm getting out to help or not. This way you can't accidentally leave it in reverse and back your rig into the water.

PRACTICE. Go to any local parking lot, set up trash cans or something and do it over, and over, and over...

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

We discovered that using a church parking lot, especially the overflow lot, during the week is a good place to practice. Lots of wide open space to play with. And you're not bothering anyone.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

Here is my tip. Have your trailer straight before backing down. If room allows, pull up so that the truck and trailer are in line with the ramp. This way, you don't have major steering to contend with, just minor adjustments. Minor adjustments are easy. Major steering takes a heck of a lot more practice, and varies with trailer lengths.

If you don't have the room to pull all the way straight, make sure your truck and trailer are straight. A lot of times, we don't have enough room to straighten out at the ramp, so if someone is pulling up to the ramp, with it on their right, they will turn the truck to the left, to get the trailer closer to the same angle as the ramp. But, when you pull to the left, the truck goes quicker than the trailer, so when you go to back up, you have to turn REAL far to the left, and swing the whole truck around, which is tough to catch up with. So, if I come to a ramp like that, I swing to the left, then pull the truck to the right, as I stop. Now, the trailer is closer to the ramp angle, and the truck is already in the direction to turn the trailer all the way in, as when you start to back straight up, the trailer will be pushed into the same plane as the ramp. Now, all you have to do is follow the trailer down the ramp, with no real steering adjustment.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

#1. Put guide on's on your trailer. If you can't see it (as it drops down the ramp) you can't steer it until it's too late.
#2 grab the bottom of the steering wheel and turn it in the direction you want to trailer /boat to go. ( I've saved marriages with that one )
3# Don't oversteer. Small corrections make small adjustments. Big corrections make jack knifes.

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

One tip that I use all the time, if your in a jam Just pull forward and the trailer will go strait behind you, then try backing down again.

 

[Begester]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

I've always found that getting the truck where you want to go first, and the boat will follow it. Allow space for the tow vehicle to "swing" around before you expect any change in the trailer. At least thats the experience with me. I've always got at least one person watching the back end of things as well. Keeping the truck and trailer in somewhat of a straight line and making small corrections works for me too.

Big trailers also tend to be more forgiving than small trailers, which is somewhat counterintuitive.

 

[fortyfreak9]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

I have never thought about steering at the bottom of the steering wheel, thank makes so much since. Good thing I read the post.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Need tips for reversing with trailer

As others have said - don't be afraid to pull forward when you start to get messed up. It's much easier to correct a small mistake than a large one. If you watch others that are good, you'll see that the front wheels are continually moving back and forth with small corrections. The small corrections are what keep you from getting sideways.

Don't forget that backing up is similar to riding a bicycle - once you learn, it's not as hard but it is certainly a perishable skill. At the beginning of the season most everyone is a little rusty.