Tie downs

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 12:19 pm

I use a cargo strap (3500lbs rating) from bow eye to trailer eye like most. Of course I only trailer about a mile to the ramp ( I'm lucky). The furthest I ever go is 11 miles maybe once or twice a year. However:

Capt. Hoss wrote:

I know in a 70 MPH crash the boat could become cargo in the bed of the truck

I would never go that fast towing a boat.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 12:34 pm

It's a bit like the discussion about deterring theft. Everyone has to find the right compromise for their situation, the distances they travel, the weight of their boat, tolerance for risk, etc., etc. If someone wants to steal your stuff badly enough, they will, regardless of anything you do. If you hit something at 70mph, your boat will be on top of you no matter what you did to stop it. I envy you guys who trailer a mile to get to the lake. Here, it's a minimum of an hour on the highway, and sometimes several hours. Trailering takes on a whole different perspective in that situation.

I like that turnbuckle idea a lot. In a really bad crash, it isn't going to stop the boat either. To whoever asked about the strength of the bow eye - that is intentionally made to be one of the strongest areas of a boat. But it still has limits.

EvilZ · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 12:46 pm

JohnnyMarlin wrote:

EvilZ wrote:

Might be interesting to start a spin-off thread about boats coming off trailers on the freeway.

Hint: It's happened to me... :cry:

Which boat?

My buddy's boat - it was an orange formula with an outboard. It passed me on hwy 5 north (not on the trailer....). That thing was pretty bullet-proof and I got it patched up. My bud sold it (and bought the Horizon in my sig pic) and last I heard it was still tooling around one of the lakes. Lake Mead, if I recall correctly...Maybe LVChris has seen it up there!

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 1:07 pm

230 Mike wrote:

I envy you guys who trailer a mile to get to the lake. Here, it's a minimum of an hour on the highway, and sometimes several hours. Trailering takes on a whole different perspective in that situation.

I know what ya mean. Born and raised in MO. Made the Hwy 65 to 7 to Camdenton trip many, many times. My sister used to live in Sunrise Beach and luckily had a dock for the boat. Boy, driving Hwy 7 in the dark on the way back home is something I definately don't miss.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 1:30 pm

I am 4-6 lakes to hops from. 4miles (home lake) 25min 20miles, 45min, hour 20, and 2.5. Last 2 are freeway. I will run 70, not worried. I run 65-70 with the camper, the boat is smaller and ride perfect no walking. I also keep a watchful eye out at all times. Sometime this season or next winter a set of trailer brakes on the boat will be installed simply for stoping distance reduction.

Slight side tangent. About freeway accidents when towing. 2 years ago around 9pm in summer so just dusk. I had before our camping trip (800 round trip) had the tires balanced and rotated. Well on the return about 2.5hr away from home towing my 16' hard side popup camper the drivers rear wheel of the Tahoe got a vibration then boom the wheel and tire snapped off the Tahoe. I was doing 70 area outside of Atlanta GA. Yep they over torques and stripped a couple of the lug nuts and 2 snapped of and the remainder stripped the nuts off. I was now on the brake rotor at 70 area towing a 3,500# load on the freeway tailwhiping sideways across 3 lanes. Good thing there was noone next to me. Knowing defensive driving and growing up kart racing I knew the last thing to do was hit the brakes or I would instantly be spun or flip. Just let her slow on her own and regained the control. Similar to driving on ice or hydro planing or in the mud. About 3 or so tail whips I was straight and in the E lane coasting to a stop. Wife though all we did was blow a tire. None the less I said a prayer once in park. Moral it's not always the collision you have to watch for its anything. And having enrages helped me stabilize the camper.

I now have them hand tighten the lugs and back it off the lift and I personally use my torque wrench and tighten all the lugs.

This is the amount of rotor I wore off. No body damage. Camper ok. Me and wife ok. Don't panic!!

230 Mike · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 2:18 pm

Dumbasses with their impact guns. I keep a torque wrench in the truck. I retorque every lug on every vehicle we own anytime a wheel is taken off for any reason. And I check the nuts on the trailer at least once each way on trips.

What I would really like to do is put electric brakes on the boat trailer. Probably won't happen but you haven't lived until you've pulled a trailer with electric brakes.

NiagaraChillin wrote:

Made the Hwy 65 to 7 to Camdenton trip many, many times.

Yep, you understand then. For us it's 7/13/65/ depending on the route we choose, but it's a long way regardless. You guys with short tows and slips don't know how good you have it.

LouC · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2013 7:25 pm

Don't think I'd ever want to do long tows. If I had to do that, I'd sell the boat and get a hot rod, fun and less trouble. Here trailering is a pain not because of distance but because of narrow hilly roads and rude/bad drivers. I don't feel bad about having an old salt boat because I dump it in the water in May, pull it out once in the summer to clean the bottom and drive (water intakes esp) and then pull it out in Oct. Yes the mooring is hard on the boat but not that hard on me or the tow vehicles. Barnacles and birds are the challenge. I keep a couple of Walker Bays on the beach and either row out to the boat or put the little 'Zuke on the bigger WB and motor out. Easy and cheap to keep.....

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

If someone comes to an instant stop in a collision at 70 MPH, the boat will more than likely be hitting a corpse anyway. I too have the self retracting straps and personally think the weak link is the rachet assembly. I have a large chain with locking links as connectors.

I think the welded loop on trailer or bow eye would fail before the chain. But my chain doesn't help with bounce like the adjustable strap will.....the more I think about it the more I like the turn-buckle idea.....seems it accomplishes both issues.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat May 04, 2013 7:01 am

I also have the turnbuckle/chain for the bow eye in addition to the normal bow safety chain. I added tha mostly because of the steep hills here (roller trailer).

Kvou812 · **Posted:** Sat May 04, 2013 9:41 am

My boat didn't come with anything so I installed the boat buckle which I really like. I never tow mine over 65mph even on the interstate....not only is 65 the speed limit when towing in most states, trailer tires are not speed rated and aren't designed to handle higher speeds for prolonged periods.....you're just greatly increasing your chance for a blowout. Nonetheless, I see boats, particularily bass boats being pulled at 75-80mph frequently.

Capt. Hoss · **Posted:** Mon May 06, 2013 7:04 am

I for one don't like to tow doing 70mph. Just too much to go wrong. I loke to keep it around 60-65mph. Butwhen pulling hills the extra 5mph does help. I was on the same track as you that the trailer eyes would break before the straps, and that is scarry.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Mon May 06, 2013 8:23 am

GUYs remember that alot of the newer bass boats and new wake boats.. riding on 18s and 20s they are not trailer tires those are most of the time low profile automotive tires.. buddies skeeter has e rated tires on his 20s and they are rated for 90mph... YES your "standard" "trailer" tire is a lower speed tire.. BUT if you replace with a truck rating automotive rated for your weight area you have now gained the safety of the higher speeds and less likely the belts to separate causing a blow out.. the tires on my trailer are of this persuasion.. and my camper tires are rated for 90 also.. 70 is about the max i can crooze with the camper 90% the travel time i am 60-65 for fuel reasons..

Remember that alot of the way a trailer rides and handles at speed 45+ is based on weight distribution.. if your vehicle is lower and you use a drop hitch and have heavy load onto the tong vs the wheels your going to fish tail. if you have the ball TOO high and no tong weight.. potential fish tail also, in addition to possible detrailering..

This is why proper rise/drop hitch ball location is just as critical as towing within the safety ratings of your vehicle.. i see boats fish tailing and walking all the time even at low speeds and 90% the time is because of improper ball height... a level trailer will perform the best and yield the safest tow..

2003funship · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:59 am **Posts:** 12

I just ordered a set of the transom tie downs from Cabelas and have a safety chain for my bow hook.

www.iFourWinns.com

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