OutdoorNebraska

7 Chapter 2 ■ Trailering Your Vessel Choose the Right Trailer and Vehicle To Tow Your Vessel ◆ The trailer and towing vehicle should be designed to fit your vessel. • Use the size of your vessel to determine the dimensions of the trailer needed. Today, most trailerable boats are sold as a package with a trailer of the appropriate size. • Look at the load capacity of the trailer stated by the trailer's manufacturer. If the combined weight of your vessel and its engine is more than 90% of the recommended load capacity, buy the next larger trailer. This is because your gear (fuel, life jackets, anchors, lines, etc.) will increase the overall weight by at least 10%. • Check the owner's manual of your towing vehicle to ensure that your vehicle is rated to tow the combined weight of your vessel, engine, and trailer. ◆ The towing hitch must be appropriate for the loaded trailer. • The coupler on a trailer connects to a ball hitch on the towing vehicle. A frame-mounted hitch on the towing vehicle is better than a bumper- mounted hitch. If you are using a bumper-mounted hitch, do not exceed the weight rating of the bumper. • Make sure the size stamped on the ball hitch on the towing vehicle is the same size that is stamped on the trailer's coupler. If the ball hitch is too small, a bump in the road could cause the coupler to lift off the hitch. • "Tongue weight" is the amount of the loaded trailer's weight that presses down on the towing hitch. The tongue weight should be about 10% of the combined weight of the vessel and trailer ("gross trailer weight" or GTW). If the tongue weight is too light, the trailer will tend to swing from side-to-side (or "fishtail"). If the tongue weight is too heavy, the rear wheels of the towing vehicle will be weighted down, making it difficult to steer. ◆ Two strong safety chains should be crisscrossed to support the trailer's coupler if it becomes disconnected from the towing vehicle. The chains should be strong enough to hold the combined weight of the vessel, engine, and trailer. Before Leaving Home ◆ Secure the vessel on the trailer and the gear within the vessel. • Secure all gear in the vessel firmly to keep it from shifting. Arrange the gear so that its weight is balanced side-to-side and front-to-back. • Secure the vessel to the trailer with several tie-down straps and/or safety lines to prevent the vessel from shifting. Use extra tie-down straps in case one fails. Never trust the bow winch alone to hold your vessel onto the trailer. • Put the engine or drive unit in the raised position and secure it. • Attach the safety chains between the trailer and the towing vehicle, crisscrossing them under the trailer tongue. ◆ Inspect and maintain trailering equipment. • Check the pressure of all tires on the towing vehicle and the trailer. Make sure you have a spare tire in good condition for both the vehicle and the trailer. • Tighten the lug nuts/bolts on the wheels of both the towing vehicle and the trailer, and grease wheel bearings. • Make sure that all lights and brakes on the towing vehicle and the trailer work properly. • Examine tie-down straps, lines, winch, safety chains, and hitch for signs of wear. Replace or adjust as necessary. coupler The part of the trailer that attaches to the ball hitch on a towing vehicle It is very important to have proper lighting on trailers, including turn signals and tail and brake lights. Also make sure you have a jack that fits properly under the trailer—most car jacks are too large to fit under a trailer. Crisscross the safety chains under the trailer's coupler when attaching them to the towing vehicle. Tighten lug nuts on trailer wheels before departing. coupler winch tongue bunks Copyright © 2014 Boat Ed, www.boat-ed.com

• Cover