www.iFourWinns.com

Hello. I just bought a 20’ boat and trailer. While this is my 4th boat overall, I haven't trailered in ~20 years. I have a few questions on best/safe practices while towing. My boat is ~3,500# dry.

1) Transom tie downs – What is the recommended width, breaking strength, and working load for the straps (2 straps total)?

2) "Forward movement" tie down – Do you recommend any sort of strap from the trailer frame to the bow hook to secure the boat from forward movement?

3) Securing/positioning of outdrive – I have raised the outdrive all the way up for trailering. Do you recommend positioning it to 1 side or another? Should it be secured so that it doesn’t change sides?

4) Any other recommendations to help me along?

Thank you in advance. John

Welcome....

1. 5000 pounders should do the trick, just make sure the hooks on each end are long enough to not "shake" off if ya hit a bump. Some guys like the straps with the quick tabs for well, quicker strapping/unstrapping.
2. Yes, highly recommended, this will keep you boat from sliding hull first into the winching area of your trailer, fiberglass always loses to steel.
3. Outdrive up, try to keep it straight if ya can, really doesn't matter if it moves a bit tho.
4. Make sure your trailer is in the water before launching I usually back in enough until my stern starts floating free of the boards. Of course this depends on the angle of the ramp and water depth.

Above all else, take you time, don't rush because there might be people waiting or you want to look like a pro. I'm new to trailering too, and I have found that doing it right and safely builds confidence and soon you can do it automatically. Oh, have a helper too....

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1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

Agree with all of the above.

Also - don't forget to put your plug in....

There is another thread on here about boat ramp etiquette (or lack thereof):
http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9600

I use these Boat Buckle straps for my stern tie-downs:
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Pro-Series-2-x-2-Transom-Tie-Downs-pair&i=74505&aID=603J&merchID=4006

Erik

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2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

There are different trains of thought on that! Not to put EvilZ on the spot, but his link is to a pair of straps that are rated at 2,400lbs or 1,200 each. Which is great, but not 5,000lbs.

You are really keeping the trailer to the boat vs the boat to the trailer. Drive behind one, when the trailer hits a good bump and goes up. You want the trailer to stay with the boat, so you want the strips to be rated, just over the trailer wight.

I have alway pulled the bow up the rubber "bow stop" and drive a few miles & tighten everthing back up. The boat will settle on the trailer. I never had to tie down the front, but I always have gone down paved roads.

The drive should be ALL the way up in towing.

When the plug is out, tie it to your wheel at the helm. That way you will never forget to put it in.

I agree with all that was said above, make sure you at least have a good safety chain to the bow u-bolt, believe it or not I have seen trailers that do not have this as standard equipment. In addition because I have a roller trailer and am in a very hilly area, I got a bow tie down chain, that hooks to the same ubolt on the bow, with a turn buckle, and the chain hangs down and is mounted to the trailer frame. The turn buckle allows you to get it tight. This is a solid connection that keeps the bow from bouncing up n down, but more importantly if the strap and safety chain failed, the chain would keep the boat from rolling off the trailer. It also would keep the boat from sliding foward if we got rear-ended when towing. I got this from Champion Trailers a few years ago, it might seem like overkill but with the hills we have it is not.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thank you all for the suggestions. I already did most of what was suggested, although I do need to go out and get stronger transom tie downs (I believe that the ones I picked up are 1000# max each, but I will verify). I'd rather get stronger ones and have it be overkill.