The Ultimate Boat Trailer Towing Guide
It’s very likely that you don’t live near or on a body of water that’s perfect for boating. Therefore, you’ll have to tow your boat wherever it is you want to do some cruising, fishing or marine recreation. Towing a boat trailer may seem like a major challenge, but it’s not that difficult, provided you are careful and you know what you’re doing.
Clews & Strawbridge in Frazer, PA, is your local boat trailer dealer. Here are some tips for safely towing your boat trailer so that you don’t end up ruining your day of boating with a towing accident.
Hitch Your Boat Securely
The most crucial thing you need to do when towing a heavy trailer is to make sure that you and the drivers around you are all safe. That’s why it’s smart to take some extra time to ensure that your boat is trailered and hitched up securely. Bear in mind that your tongue weight should not exceed 15% of the gross towing weight of your trailer, and that your towing vehicle needs to be able to handle the weight of your trailered boat along with all your passengers and cargo.
When hitching up your trailer, you’ll want to line up the hitch and ball before lowering the hitch onto the ball. Close up the latch and insert the safety pin. Cross your towing chains in an X shape underneath the tongue of the trailer and anchor them to your towing vehicle. Hook up brakes and lights if you have them, then test both to make sure they function properly. Go around once more before you leave to make sure all the hitches and chains are securely in place.
Choose Your Towing Route Wisely
Planning out your travel route in advance of your journey will help you to determine a safe route that’s easy to follow while towing. The fastest route to the water is probably not your best bet; you’re going to need to go at a slower pace. Look up traffic information online to see whether your route is obscured by congestion or road construction so you know what roads to avoid. Select a route that’s reasonably flat with few curves.
You’re towing an expensive piece of equipment, so it’s smart to reconsider your driving habits since you can’t drive while towing the same way you drive unencumbered. For one thing, your towing setup is going to take much longer to bring to a full stop, so increase your following distance between the vehicles ahead of you to give yourself a space cushion. Watch for vehicles that try to make use of this spot, too.
Slow down your speed to five to ten miles below the posted speed limit, too. Trailers aren’t really designed to go any faster than 55 to 60 miles per hour in the first place, and when you’re towing, you really don’t want to go too fast and be unable to stop in time. Since your rear-view mirror will likely be obscured, make more use of your side mirrors and see if your passengers can help you with spotting any vehicles that might be in your way if you need to change lanes.
Don’t Push Yourself
You may want to hasten to your boating destination as quickly as possible, but this isn’t wise, especially if you’re traveling hundreds of miles to get there. Give yourself time to take brakes and even switch drivers if you have someone else who is licensed and able to drive while towing. Stop for meals and rest breaks at normal intervals. If road conditions worsen due to weather or high winds, don’t be afraid to pull over and wait out the rain or wind instead of trying to push through it. Make safety your priority at all times while towing.
We hope these tips help you to have a safe boat towing experience. Browse our website to see the full stock of cargo trailers, boat trailers and JET-SKI® trailers for sale at our Frazer, PA, location. Clews & Strawbridge proudly serves our Pennsylvania customers in West Chester and Philadelphia.