Trailer Use Questions

G

Gene&Mary

New member
We just recently purchased our first trailer for our 2005 C22.

Besides the tie downs at the bow, the loose safety chain and the winch connection, and the two tie down straps at the stern, what other tie downs are used to secure the boat to the trailer?

Is the vertical alignment "rod" that extends up from the trailer really useful for getting the boat properly aligned on the trailer?

Any other good ideas for the proper use of the trailer?

Thanks
 
I don't use tie downs on the stern, instead I use one on either side at the mid ship cleat. Pretty heavy duty tie down that loops around the trailer frame. I used a wire and turnbuckle to take the stress off the trailer strap.

Pretty sure your configuration will work fine.

Yes the two guides on the end of the trailer help you line up correctly.
 
Not sure if you are using a vertical 'snap down' tie from the bow ring to the trailer. But it is a good idea. Eliminates the bow jumping up and down on the roller when towing.

Martin.
 
Gene&Mary":2djnw7s2 said:
Besides the tie downs at the bow, the loose safety chain and the winch connection, and the two tie down straps at the stern, what other tie downs are used to secure the boat to the trailer?
Click to expand...

Normally there is a "winch strap" from the reel winch on the trailer. This should be kept tight. The "safety chain" is what keeps the bow from rising, and from going forward. It should not be "loose". Some trailers have a plate which the links are stopped by,-- some have a turn buckle. Some also use a ratchet, or lever strap, to keep the bow down.

There are several ways to strap down the boat in the stern area--and strapping it down there is essential. If you have ratchet or lever straps there that go into the stern eyes, this is one satisfactory method. Another is a heavy ratchet strap across the boat's cockpit, or over the splash well.

I would never trust the cleats to carry the strain of the trailered boat. I have seen a number of boats which came off trailers because they were not strapped down in the stern.

Not sure what type of vertical "Rods" you have. Many boats have side guide bunks, which are a couple of inches off each side, when the boat is properly on the trailer. This is very helpful in the C Dory, since we do not have a "deep V" or keep the boat in the center. There are also either round or square tubes which can extend up on each side near the back of the trailer. These are generally not strong enough to take the weight of the boat--and I have seen them bent. They are visual aids, and can be used when the boat is floating to help center the trailer.
Most are covered by PVC pipe, which may rotate. Some boaters have put running lights on top of these centering tubes. I feel that is a good idea, plus the trailer frame lights. I have also put a "light bar" of PVC pipe, with the 3 small running lights in the center, and the brake, turn and stop lights on each side. In today's world the LED lights are more durable and visible. Highly recommended.
 
I think we've all been entertained with the pictures of boats in the back end of pickups due to a sudden stop/ crash. Most boats seem to be tied to the trailer to keep it from slipping off the back on to the street. Few are set up to keep the boat on the trailer in a sudden stop. I've been using a strap to the mid ship clete that angles back to a cross member on the trailer so the strap is at a 45 degree to the boat, or to level which then hold the boat from going forward. Still, as Bob says, the strap and clete are a weak link. Last summer in 5,000+ miles of trailering I had to hit the brakes hard twice on freeways @ 60 mph due to idiots cutting in at an on-ramp. On one of them the boat rode up on the roller at the bow, slid to one side and had to be recentered (after my heart rate returned to normal). It took a strong and kind trucker parked next to me in a rest area to help lift it into place.

Since then I've been considering a heavy duty strap for commercial loads, 4 inch x 20 feet that would go over the front end of the boat just ahead of the windshield.
 
I use a 10" stainless steel turn-buckle from bow eye to trailer tongue using a length of chain to circle the tongue. Stops the bow from "bouncing" around while towing. I could see it in the mirror while towing. Once I installed the above, gone. You can get S/S turn-buckles at McMaster Carr. I originally used ones from a trailer store, but it lasted one season and rusted so badly, I had trouble removing it.
 
There has been a lot of discussion in various threads about insuring the boat is tied down in the front to keep it from jumping over the bow stop. This photo shows how the strap and safety chain on my boat actually runs under the bow stop roller. While the chain is somewhat loose in this photo, normally while trailering I keep the winch strap fairly tight and same with the chain. (It uses the cut out in a piece of metal between the bow stop frame, and I put the closest link I can thru it, so there is no more than about an inch of play.) The bow eye is drawn up beneath and against the bow roller, so barring the chain and strap breaking, the bow cannot "jump" over the roller. The only other tie down strap goes across the stern of the boat, just behind the lazerettes and across the engine splash well. Then hooked to the trailer frame. Colby

DSCF1004.jpg
 
Certainly 2 bears method of strapping would keep the boat from riding forward.
However, I prefer to have the strap on the back of the boat. Although cleats are not that strong in a torque force, they should be strong in shear force. Thus putting the wide strap just forward of the cheats, and the strap under cross member of the frame to keep it from riding forward is one good way to both keep the stern stabilized, and to keep the boat form riding forward.

Unfortunately the stern straps to the towing eyes, don't have any effect in keeping the boat from going forward. ( have those on my Caracal Cat--but there I have a tight lever strap directly to an eye bolt thru the tongue to keep the bow from raising up and going forward.

Although it might seem proper to use ropes on the side, or stern, there is just too much stretch, and they are very difficult to get tight, without winches.

Unfortunately the chain should tie the bow of the boat to the trailer frame. Many of the chains to to the winch posts. The winch post is often a causality of the forward momentum of the boat, when in a wreck or when the brakes are strongly applied. The best for the bow, will be an eye bolt, thru the tongue, with a turn buckle and chain to the bow eye.
 
On the front of my trailer I have the winch strap, a safety chain, and a 2" tie down strap. The winch strap and the safety chain are anchored on the winch or winch post. The tie down strap goes to the trailer frame. In addition to being an extra securing strap, the tie down prevents the bow from bouncing up and down while towing.
 
I use rear straps and the front chain, but I'm not sure that's enough in a panic stop. I think I've found what I need, which is stainless tie downs rated at 800#. Looking at Colby's picture, I would hook them to the bow eye and then loop them around the cross member at the "V" in the trailer. That would keep the boat down and unable to slide forward (unless the working load is exceeded, in which case all bets are off).

I've been concerned that there is nothing that really holds the bow of my boat down, and nothing other than the stern straps that keeps the boat from going forward. The stern straps (which angle back a little on my setup) would only stop the boat from going forward after it had gone forward 6-8", which would likely be enough to ruin the trailer's winch arm as the bow rides up and over it. $25 in straps sounds like a good investment.

Mark
 
I've seen boats that have come off trailers for one of two reasons.

A. Failure to adequately secure the aft end of the boat to the trailer frame. (wind gust causes abrupt fishtailing and the stern flips off the trailer and all hell breaks loose).
B. Panic stopping causes the boat to climb up over the winch system.

So, hold down the aft end of the boat, keep the bow snugged down vertically and you will be good to go.

The typical C-Dory tie down using the tow eyes will keep the stern down very nicely, but does't help a bit in panic stops to keep the boat from wanting to climb the winch.

That said, I've seen one boat, intact with the trailer firmly strapped to the boat hull, but upside down along the side of the road. That owner did everything right except remembering to lock down the ball clamp on the trailer hitch.

The real key to the whole business is to keep speed down, keep space between you and the people in front and anticipate the inevitable on and off ramp high jinks of the idiots who drive the freeways and to keep your speed down. Yes, I said keep your speed down, twice.

The whole thing can be over-thought, but belt and suspenders thinking at a minimum is a good idea.
 
Oh, I failed to vote enthusiastically for the guide posts when loading the boat. I simply can't get these larger boats onto a trailer without the posts. I'm that bad at boat handling I guess. They are particularly necessary for me when loading in the wind and with only my 5 foot tall spouse to help the process.
 
I added a small cam strap to hold the front down and the forces were big enough that I lost one then another. The cam buckle locked up on the strap so hard that pushing the buckle to release it broke the buckle itself with each strap of two different brands. My conclusion was just to much loading.

This type/size:

http://www.harborfreight.com/400-lb-cap ... 60761.html

Then I used a piece of rope for a bit and it worked fine but was a little slower to work with.

Then I switched to the same type/size I use for the stern:

http://www.harborfreight.com/set-of-two ... 94012.html

This 2inch strap size has worked well and just one strap around the frame and back up to the bow eye with each end provides enough strength (nearly doubled) and is easy to use. I pull it tight by hand of course then just wrap and tie the tail around the rest which real snugs it up nicely. Goes really fast and Cindie can also do the same without relying on any knots.

visible in this pic

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?full ... _photo.php

Our bow eye is below the roller but I don't trust the winch post so much that I think it would stop the boat on its own very well. But a doubled strap with 2400lbs breaking strength will surely help.

The sun wears on them so I do replace this type every other year.

Greg
 
On my Pacific Trailer I used 2 each, 2 inch cam straps. Each one pulls down and back at about 45 degrees from the bow eye to the trailer frame. There are tie down spots there. I also use a turnbuckle straight down from the bow even to the tongue.

* At a launch ramp a couple years ago somebody borrowed one of the campsite straps. Now I use one on the stbd side.

So far the boat has stayed where it is supposed to.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

:embarrased :oops:
 
My trailer has the vertical posts on the back. They are useful for showing where the end of the trailer is in murky water and as an aiming aid when driving the boat onto the trailer (usually discouraged at the local ramps). Other than that, they often get in the way. If there are fenders down on the side of the boat they will often get hung up on the posts. If you walk the boat on and off the trailer you have to watch the lines around the posts. They can also hang up the boat if it gets too crosswise at the back of the trailer (instead of just letting it float off to the side, say in a stiff crosswind).

The wheel wells of my trailer act as centering aids to keep the boat in the center of the trailer, once enough of the hull gets past that point. The gap between the wheel wells is about 2 inches wider than the hull, so the boat fit is perfect.
 
potter water":130rm9rh said:
The real key to the whole business is to keep speed down, keep space between you and the people in front and anticipate the inevitable on and off ramp high jinks of the idiots who drive the freeways and to keep your speed down.
Click to expand...

I have now trailered 1000 in the last month and am amazed at the predictability of one stupid maneuver. I am in a string of vehicles, keeping a slightly larger spacing because I am towing. Seeing the slightly larger spacing, a vehicle stopped on a side road will dart in front even if there is nobody behind me. And then sometimes I pass them going up the next hill.

A loaded dump truck! Quick, pull out in front of it!

Mark
 
Marco Flamingo":sz7b23de said:
A loaded dump truck! Quick, pull out in front of it!
Click to expand...

Doesn't that just seem to be some people's thought process!? :crook And as you say, as often as not there is a mile long gap just behind you, if they waited two seconds.
 
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