OutdoorNebraska

8 ■ Chapter 2 On the Road With a Trailer ◆ Drive cautiously. • Drive at moderate speeds and avoid sudden maneuvers. • On long trips, pull over every hour or so to check the towing vehicle, trailer, tires, trailer coupling, and gear in the vessel. ◆ Allow for the added length and weight of the trailer. • Make wider turns at corners and curves. • Allow extra time and distance for stopping and for passing other vehicles. Launching Your Vessel from a Trailer ◆ Prepare to launch well away from the boat ramp so that you don't block ramp traffic. • Transfer all equipment and supplies to the vessel. • Disconnect trailer lights from the towing vehicle. • Remove all tie-down straps before backing down the ramp but leave the trailer winch line securely attached to the vessel. • Make sure the vessel's drain plug is in place. • Tie a rope to the vessel's bow to use to control the vessel if necessary during launching. ◆ Back the trailered vessel into the water far enough so that the lower unit of the engine can be lowered and submerged while the vessel is still on the trailer. • As an added precaution, always set the parking brake on the towing vehicle. • Lower the engine or outdrive, and start the engine. If your vessel is still on the trailer and you have engine trouble, you can retrieve the vessel easily. • Once the engine is warmed up, back the trailer further into the water until the vessel floats. Undo the winch line, put the vessel's engine in reverse, and back slowly off the trailer. Retrieving Your Vessel ◆ Back the trailer into the water so that approximately two-thirds of the rollers or bunks are submerged in the water. Set the parking brake of the towing vehicle, and put it in park (or first gear if you have a manual transmission). • Move the vessel onto the trailer far enough to attach the winch line to the bow eye of the vessel. Finish pulling the vessel onto the trailer by cranking the winch. Stay out of the way of the direct line of the winch cable in case it snaps or you lose control of the winch. Do not load a vessel using engine power because this can cause damage (see diagram on left). • Shut off the engine, and raise the engine or outdrive. • Pull the vessel out of the water. ◆ Prepare for the drive home well away from the boat ramp so that you don't block ramp traffic. • While on land at the ramp area, remove and dispose of all weeds from the vessel and trailer, remove the drain plug to release bilge water, and drain any live wells. This will help prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance plants and animals (see Chapter 4). • Secure the vessel on the trailer and the gear within the vessel, following the same instructions listed on the previous page under "Before Leaving Home." Do Not Power Load Your Boat Propeller wash can erode the sediment just beyond the ramp surface, creating a large hole. The eroded sediment is deposited behind the propeller, creating a mound. Trailer tires can get stuck in these holes, and boats can run aground on the mound. Novice boaters should practice towing, especially backing up, in an open field or empty parking lot before their initial launch and retrieval. This will give you a feel for the trailer and how it maneuvers in relation to the towing vehicle. REMEMBER … If launching or retrieving a sailboat with a raised mast, watch out for overhead wires. Copyright © 2014 Boat Ed, www.boat-ed.com

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