Towing a boat from one location to another opens up virtually unlimited boating opportunities. While doing so can be a little intimidating to the novice, it’s not an overly difficult skill to master. The following tips will help ensure your towing experience is a positive and safe one.
TIP 1: Have a checklist. Many towing problems can be avoided if you take a couple of minutes to inspect a few key items before ever pulling out of your driveway. Compile a checklist of these items, and go through it before you leave. Your checklist should include such things as making sure all lights work properly, the hitchball is secure, all wheel nuts are tight, tire pressure is adequate (including the spare), the coupler is secure (running a bolt through the coupler hole will ensure it won’t pop open), the trailer jack is raised and locked in place, the trailer’s emergency brake cable (or breakaway cable) is connected to the tow vehicle, the safety chains are hooked up in a crisscross fashion, and the boat’s drive is tilted up and locked in trailering position.
TIP 2: Watch your weight. You should be aware of four weight ratings when you tow: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR), Trailer Weight Allowance (TWA), or maximum tow rating, and Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
Both your tow vehicle and trailer have a designated GVWR, which represents the total allowable weight that it’s designed to safely carry. GAWR, on the other hand, is the maximum allowable weight on each axle (front and rear on a tow vehicle). In some cases, it’s possible to be within the GVWR but exceed the GAWR. An example of this is a small truck with a fully loaded camper and a boat in tow. The TWA is the maximum weight the vehicle can safely tow. GCWR represents the combined weight of a fully loaded tow vehicle (fuel, occupants, cargo — everything) and the total weight of what’s in tow (trailer, boat, fuel, gear, etc.).
To determine the exact weight, take the tow vehicle and trailer, fully loaded, to a public scale, and weigh each vehicle separately to get the needed weights. This may sound like a lot of work, but it’s the best way to know if you’re within safety tolerances.
TIP 3: Practice, practice, practice. Near-empty parking lots provide an ideal training ground. Bring some plastic gallon jugs, and practice turning around them, maneuvering between them, and most importantly, backing up alongside of them. Such practice sessions will be time well spent and will make the real thing significantly less stressful.
TIP 4: Turn wide. Every time you hitch a trailer to a vehicle, the normal driving characteristics of that vehicle change. Take turning, for instance. Trailers have a tighter turning radius than the tow vehicle, so if your tow vehicle barely cleared the curb or another car’s bumper when turning, the trailer will hit it. Therefore, you’ll need to develop the habit of making wider- than-normal turns. This isn’t difficult to learn, yet it’s one of the most important keys to successful towing.
TIP 5: Compensate for more sluggish acceleration. Much of your vehicle’s normal zip will likely be zapped by the extra load you’re pulling, and you must allow for it.
This is most noticeable during acceleration. Hitting the gas pedal won’t have the same effect when towing. Therefore, merging and passing need to be calculated differently. Learning to be a patient driver is the key to safe towing.
TIP 6: Leave more room. Even if you’re towing a small boat, your combined length is likely to more than double what it is when not towing. You’ll need to compensate for this in two ways: Allow for more room and time. Even if your vehicle exhibits good acceleration while towing, it’s going to take longer to pass another vehicle simply due to the added length. You must pull farther ahead of the vehicle you’re passing before safely re-entering your lane. This, in turn, requires more time. Remaining aware of these factors cannot be overemphasized.
TIP 7: Allow yourself more stopping distance. The added weight of thousands of pounds in motion can dramatically increase the distance it takes for you to stop. Granted, most trailers are required by law to come equipped with their own set of brakes. Nonetheless, your tow vehicle’s stopping ability still isn’t as good as when you drive it alone. You can compensate by driving slower and giving yourself greater distance to stop. It’s recommended you leave the equivalent of at least the length of your car/trailer combination for every 10 mph.
TIP 8: Make sure you have adequate mirrors. Many tow vehicles today come with side mirrors that provide meager rear visibility. If that’s the case with your tow vehicle, then buy aftermarket mirrors to remedy the problem. Small, circular convex mirrors can be attached to your existing mirrors to eliminate blind spots. However, larger mirrors that extend farther out from the vehicle provide a better view of what’s behind your trailer.
TIP 9: Don’t be swayed. If your trailer begins to sway from side to side, try not to panic. Slamming on your brakes can cause jackknifing. Instead, gradually apply brake pressure to bring the vehicle under control. Don’t try to steer out of a trailer-sway situation. Your reflexes aren’t that quick, and you’ll likely exacerbate the situation.
If you experience a persistent sway, pull over and do some inspecting. Make sure the tire lug nuts are tight, the tires have adequate air, and the hitch connections are securely fastened. See if the boat has shifted on the trailer. Also, too much weight in the rear of the boat — whether it’s gear, fuel or water tanks — can result in a tongue weight that’s too light, which contributes to sway.
TIP 10: Place your hands at the bottom of the steering wheel when backing up. When backing up your trailer, put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, and face forward using the side mirrors to direct you. If you want the trailer to go left, move your hand to the left; if you want it to go right, move your hand to the right.