Boating and Trailering Safety Do's and Dont's

[alexw]

Hi all,

While discussing my trailer issue, the boating / trailering safety and preparedness issue was brought up, and I thought this important topic itself deserves a dedicated thread, so that boaters, especially new ones like me can learn from the wise men and women in this forum. Here it goes. Please add your Do's and Dont's to this list, I will get it started:

1. Do always have a spare trailer tire and properly inflated, and proper lug wrench (from Lew).

2. Do have a right size jack in your towing vehicle (from Tom)

3. Do have a pair of right size pliers in your boat, in case the starting battery dies, you can use it to swap trolling motor battery to start the engine. (from DRIFTER_016 and my personal experience)

Thanks in advance!

[Gnote]

Not so much trailer related but i bring a first aid kit in the boat every time, has come in handy more than once boating and fishing.

Never hurts to carry a small assortment of tools, although im guilty of forgetting them on occasion.

Also never hurts to have a good strong rope capable of towing your vessel if the need arises, theres more but i ll leave it to the rest of you lol

Edited September 24, 2015 by Gallie

[DRIFTER_016]

I always keep a water proof container with TP, matches, flash light, spare plugs in my boat.

I also have a spare prop and flo torque hub kit as well as a spare prop nut and a prop nut wrench in my boat.

I have a small compressor & tire pressure guage I keep in the truck for filling low tires etc.

Also have a 4 way tire wrench along with the original vehicle lug wrench.

On long trips I keep a spare bearing set, grease and tools in the tow vehicle. Don't do many long trips anymore though.

The next one will probably be in 12 years and I retire to Northern BC.

 

 

 

Forgot an important piece of info.

Twice a year I go over my trailer looking for loose brackets, broken bolts, broken welds and broken spring leaves. I've seen what happens when you ignore these things.

 

There was a guy last year or the year before trailering his big pontoon boat back to town and had a spring break. When it let go it ripped the axle right off the trailer!!!!

 

Years ago while doing one of my inspections I found a broken weld on one of my spring hangers. If I hadn't noticed I could have ended up in the same predicament.

Edited September 24, 2015 by DRIFTER_016

[davey buoy]

You can never check your trailer lights to often.We've all seen them just magically fail.Check your tie downs whenever you stop.

[SuperDave]

Check your trailer ..... period!! My first trailer had several "near breakdowns" that by the grace of someone higher up, never happened. Lost 1/2 of the leaf springs on a trip home and a cross support just hanging by a thread another time. Got home both times before noticing

[Fisherman]

don't know how many times I've pulled up beside someone to let them know lights weren't working, something flew out of the boat, etc. Some are grateful, others give you the finger.

[bow slayer]

I always carry an extra pair of the 4-pin harness,one female one male in the boat,electrical tape,a tool to cut and strip wire incase one of the ends gets damaged or defective,and yes I have had to change them.I also carry a couple extra nuts and bolts that support my trailer bunks. I had one break on me once at Six Mile lake,had to drive into Midland just to get a bolt.Also I carry an extra rachet strap incase one of the transom tie downs fail(also had that happen once)

[bow slayer]

don't know how many times I've pulled up beside someone to let them know lights weren't working, something flew out of the boat, etc. Some are grateful, others give you the finger.

on my way home on 69 north of Parry Sound where it is 2 lanes still passed a guy going opposite direction pulling a small tinny as we passed each other a gray bucket flew out of his boat striking my headlight lense and cracking it.It cost me about 200 bucks to replace,so yes make sure nothing is going airbourne on your journey.

[manitoubass2]

Circle check your trailer just like you would a piece of work equipement.

 

Ive also seen people forget to make sure the trailer is properly on the hitch(that can be a expensive mistake)

[Old Ironmaker]

2 years back after travelling down the road I heard a bang, followed by a bigger bang and the sound of the trailer tongue dragging on the pavement. I tell you the ball was on, and locked. It disconnected no matter how many people tell me it couldn't be locked on.

 

I take 15 seconds now and put down the wheel jack and raise it until I see it lift the truck. We talked about this when it happened here on OFC.

 

It was locked. Otherwise it wouldn't have made it past the first right hand turn let alone the other 3 turns I made.

[porkpie]

Make sure your tire iron fits the lugs on your trailer. Carry a spare bearing kit and tools, rubber gloves, a headlamp and some hub grease and heavy duty hand cleaner as well as paper towel and some crappy rags.

[manitoubass2]

2 years back after travelling down the road I heard a bang, followed by a bigger bang and the sound of the trailer tongue dragging on the pavement. I tell you the ball was on, and locked. It disconnected no matter how many people tell me it couldn't be locked on.

 

I take 15 seconds now and put down the wheel jack and raise it until I see it lift the truck. We talked about this when it happened here on OFC.

 

It was locked. Otherwise it wouldn't have made it past the first right hand turn let alone the other 3 turns I made.

Ive seen two americans lose really nice rigs on the 502 when they werent hitched properly. Could be wrong size hitch? Didnt chain and hit a bump too fast? Im not sure?

 

But if im pullin any rig im doing exactly what you described.

 

I had a uhaul come unhitched (but still chained) and it took me ALONG time to stop safely! And it was in my ex dads brand new truck! Felt like I was in special ops to stop without it smashing into the tailgate lol

 

Turns out it was the wrong size ball and I took the guys word for it when he set it up.

 

Coulda been nasty

Edited September 24, 2015 by manitoubass2

[Fisherman]

If the coupler isn't all the way down on the ball, you can still latch it shut. It may look right, but wait for the first bump.

[manitoubass2]

If the coupler isn't all the way down on the ball, you can still latch it shut. It may look right, but wait for the first bump.

My point exactly

 

 

My bad I said hitch instead of coupler

Edited September 25, 2015 by manitoubass2

[alexw]

Thanks for the excellent inputs so far. You all should feel good, cos you never know, your post might help someone somewhere and it may even prevent an accident or two...

[KraTToR]

Booster cables? My maiden voyage in my new boat put me stranded 10 miles from god knows where on the upper ottawa river.. Not fun times.

 

Turns out it was the started but I drained the battery trying to get her going. Booster cables would have helped when help arrived (they had to go back to camp to get another battery).

 

All good stuff here although its easy to get carried away. Make sure your cell is charged and someone knows where you are. If there's no cell service, then look at renting a Sat phone.

 

My contingency plans is...

 

• Compressor (came with the SUV)
• Tire iron for the trailer, my SUV jack will work.
• Trailer spare tire.
• Adjustable Wrench, Multi Tool, multi purp. screw driver.
• Prop and Prop Wrench
• First Aid kit and all the req'd safety gear in the boat
• Chargers and ext. batts for the cell phone
• Rain Suit and a warm jacket
• Insulated Rubber Boots
• Bottled water and protein bars
• Knowledge and experience
• AK-47.. Just Kidding

 

And whatever you do, don't panic.

Edited September 25, 2015 by KraTToR

[NANUK]

In the truck:

I keep a 18" long 2x12 piece of wood, for placing under the jack on a soft shoulder of road ( a wheel jack is not much good if it is not on a solid flat surface)

grease gun

spare trailer bearings,

cutter pins

A brass drift

Disposable vinyl gloves

spare bulbs for the trailer,

spare 4 pin connector

4 pin tester

come along

recovery strap

75' of good rope

 

In the boat:

A well stocked tool box, including battery and continuity testers.

various size fuses, wires, zip ties etc

Jumper cables

First aid kit,

Spare prop

spare spark plugs,

spare bilge plug

Matches, fire starter etc in a waterproof container,

A waterproof bag with some extra warm clothing AND a roll of toilet paper (very important )

A ton of other "just in case" items including a small axe

A pair of heavy duty work leather gloves, in case I have to handle downrigger cable.

And off course all the required safety equipment.

Edited September 25, 2015 by stonefish

[Old Ironmaker]

All great suggestions. If I had everything everyone suggests I would have to pull another trailer behind the boat to put it all. But all great. I keep my old ties downs as back ups as well. A spare receiver with a ball including pin. It doesn't help me stored in the shed.

 

And don't forget the duct tape, lots of it.

Edited September 25, 2015 by Old Ironmaker

[chris.brock]

In the truck:

I keep a 18" long 2x12 piece of wood, for placing under the jack on a soft shoulder of road ( a wheel jack is not much good if it is not on a solid flat surface)

grease gun

spare trailer bearings,

cutter pins

A brass drift

Disposable vinyl gloves

spare bulbs for the trailer,

spare 4 pin connector

4 pin tester

come along

recovery strap

75' of good rope

 

In the boat:

A well stocked tool box, including battery and continuity testers.

various size fuses, wires, zip ties etc

Jumper cables

First aid kit,

Spare prop

spare spark plugs,

spare bilge plug

Matches, fire starter etc in a waterproof container,

A waterproof bag with some extra warm clothing AND a roll of toilet paper (very important )

A ton of other "just in case" items including a small axe

A pair of heavy duty work leather gloves, in case I have to handle downrigger cable.

And off course all the required safety equipment.

 

Wow, your emergency kits are worth more than my boat motor trailer.

Edited September 25, 2015 by chris.brock

[G.mech]

Rather than a bearing kit, I just bought a whole hub assembly packed the bearings and sealed it up with my vacuum sealer. It's not much more than a kit and a lot easier to change the whole thing on the roadside than trying to change bearings, seals etc. Another thing I learned the hard way is that the lug nuts can become seized and impossible to remove with a tire wrench. Now I loosen them a re-torque them every spring just to be sure.

[OhioFisherman]

If the coupler isn't all the way down on the ball, you can still latch it shut. It may look right, but wait for the first bump.

 

I went to Lake Chautauqua in New York with my buddy to fish a tournament, my boat his pickup. He had a boat also, so I let him hookup mine while I was getting other things for the trip. We made it all the way there, about 180 miles, driving down a hill at the lake my trailer came loose and bumped the back bumper of his truck. Just a scratch on his bumper, but I always cranked down the dolly leg until the tow vehicle started to rise, he didn't, it was a learning experience.

 

Once you launch your boat and move the trailer to a parking space? Take a minute or two to inspect the trailer, with the boat off the trailer it makes it a lot easier to see broken-cracked welds and such.

 

My buddy and his son took me fishing to a lake here in Ohio, the next weekend they were heading up to the French River. I looked at his trailer when the boat was in the water and he had some serious broken welds, he had to rush to get them fixed before a long trip.

 

My brother also had issues with broken welds on his trailer, both had maximum motors on package deals.

 

Another friend, also on a trip to the French River had a blowout on the trailer on the way home, he had a spare, after fixing it and driving for about an hour? He got a flat on the trailer, one spare on a long trip might not be enough? It made it a lot longer trip home for him!

[Tom McCutcheon]

Those French River folks are always looking at ways to gain more American Dollars...LOL.

 

Two flat trailer tires on the same trip would suggest to me that the tires were ready to go prior to the start and should have been replaced then. Not saying it couldn't happen.

[DanD]

Remove the boat's drain plug when on the trailer.

On the way home from a trip, we ran into a heavy rain storm; that seemed to follow us for at lease 45 minutes or more. I was pulling my 12 foot tinny with an older 2 wheel drive Dakota and I could feel the truck start working harder and harder to pull this little boat? I thought maybe a wheel bearing was beginning to seize; so I pulled off the highway. Walking back looking down at the wheels; they looked half flat? Looked in the boat and it was almost half full of water.

So yea pulling the plug is just as important as putting it in.

 

Dan.

[OhioFisherman]

Those French River folks are always looking at ways to gain more American Dollars...LOL.

 

Two flat trailer tires on the same trip would suggest to me that the tires were ready to go prior to the start and should have been replaced then. Not saying it couldn't happen.

 

Tom, at the time I think his boat was only a year or two old, a glass bass boat. Those heavier boats may cause more issues?

 

My brother's was a 19 foot Bayliner Capri, and unlike most people around here that had them? He got his with a v-8 inboard, all the others I saw were 4 or 6 cylinder.

 

My buddy's was a couple of year old procraft with a 150, both had single axle trailers, and both had welds break near the rear of the trailer.

[Sinker]

When you inspect your trailer....take a good close look at the frame where the spring mounts are. My trailer broke right off, under the spring shackles. I was lucky no thing serious happened. I inspect everything every time I have the boat off now, and every once in a while go through it all and make sure all the nuts/bolts/screws are tight.

 

I also carry a whole hub assembly with me. Its a lot easier to replace the whole hub than the bearings.

 

S.