The Ultimate Guide To Boat Towing Vehicles
Posted by admin at 18 April 2018, at 13 : 59 PM
If you are a lover of bobbing along on the ocean wave as well as putting the pedal to the metal on the road, you will benefit from reading the information below. There you will find details of the right type of vehicle to pick to tow your boat, as well as advice on the correct sort of trailer. You will even see some details on how to pull your boat in comfort and get it onto the water without any mishaps, just keep reading to find out more.
Type of vehicle
SUVs are always an excellent choice for towing boats.
Picking the right type of vehicle can make or break your boat towing experience,m and as pleasure boats are usually a pretty high investment, it makes sense to pick a car that will do them justice.
However, with so many options out there it can be tough to now which a vehicle to go for. Luckily if you check that the car you are picking fulfilling two criteria, you are usually onto a winner. The first is that it has a high maximum tow weight. This is the amount of weight that the vehicle cabin comfortable pull and it needs to be the same or below the weight of your boat combined with the trailer for it to work.
Secondly, check to see whether the vehicle model you are looking at comes with four-wheel drive. This feature is vital because it can help your car get traction when towing your boat. Something that ensures it won’t be too challenged by steep terrain and end up getting stuck or even worse losing in tow cargo.
With these two factors in mine particular good models include the V8 SUV Dodge Durango and the Volvo V70, although if you are looking for a diesel model the RAM 1500 pickup and Chevrolet Colorado are also great choices.
Type of Trailer
Once you have settled on an appropriate vehicle for towing your precious boat, you then need to turn your attention to the trailer itself. In fact, choosing the right trailer can be a lot more complicated than it seems as there are different types that provide various benefits.
The first type to consider is what is known as a bunk trailer. These are usually made up of long boards that the boat can slide off of into the water. They include this type of pontoon trailer and usually provide the option of being able to winch the boat on and off the rig without it being totally in the water. Something that makes it easy to launch and pick up your vessel each you use it.
Additionally, there are trailers that are known as rollers. These have the addition of rubber rollers along their length, which are designed to help the ease of movement of the boat both on and off the trailers either along the keel, or the outer shell. These are so useful because they minimize the risk of dents and damage when you are launching and collecting your vessel, and therefore are often favored above the other kind for those that do not have a permanent mooring in a single place.
Tips for a comfortable and safe journey
Of course, even when you have the right vehicle and trailer combination there are other factors to consider to make your journey as comfortable for you, and as safe for your vessel as possible. For example, your car tires must be properly inflated to bear the weight that will be put on them. Also, if they are on the old side or coming close to the manufacturer recommended replacement time it is always best to change them before you begin towing your boat.
Also, your brakes will need to be checked, because they have to be on point to successful tow a heavy load in a safe manner. Then, do not forget that you need to change the positioning of your vehicle’s mirrors, so they take in the view of the boat you are towing and not just the back of your car.
Next, remember to do any work on your boat before it is loaded onto the trailer. That means repairs to the hull, motors, and installing items like this stereochamp radio should be done before you load it up for transport. This is important because standing and working in the trailer can easily unbalance the load and make it much harder to tow effectively and safely to your destination.
Lastly, do not forget that the hitch between the car and the trailer is an essential part of getting towing a boat right. That means you need to check the weight and ensure that it does not exceed the maximum limit for the hitch or the car itself.
Tips for getting to boat into the water safely
Last, of all, it can help to have some tips on how to get your boat from the trailer into the water safely when you do arrive at your destination. To that end, remember to check out the depth of the water and the gradient of the ramp before you start the process as this will avoid straps or worse to the hull.
Also, don’t forget to load up any gear that you want to take with your on your boat ride, including safety equipment like life jackets. Then remember to remove all the straps that are holding the boat to the trailer as it won’t go well for you if your vessel is still tied up when you try to drive off.
This is what can happen if you don’t put in the plug!
It’s also important to go through the steps of running the blower, checking the kill switch, and getting the motors running to ensure that everything is working as it should before the launch. Lastly, don’t forget that you have to make sure that the plug is in too. Otherwise, all that hard work you have put in picking the right vehicle, trailer, and getting there will be for naught, and you will have a very soggy boat to sort out before you are sailing anywhere!