How to NOT tow your boat to the lake..................

[BarryG]

I was driving back to Denver from Kansas City a couple weeks ago on I-70. I saw a boat "parked" on the shoulder of the road. You could see the scratches and marks etc in the pavement leading directly to the boat. However there was no trailer under the boat. I wondered what the heck. The scratches/marks on the road led me to believe it had fallen off the trailer, couldnt say for sure though it was just sitting there all by itself in the middle of Kansas. I didnt notice any real damage to the boat but it was leaning to left side so couldnt really see the bottom driving by at 75mph. The funny part was some highway patrol officer had stuck one of those brightly colored disabled vehicle stickers on it.

 

[RVTRKN]

Look at what's waiting to go home, it's not the size of the boat of the original post, but you see this all the time at Lake Havasu.

 

[Wingate]

I'll admit that im guilty of being WAY overloaded on my 06 model from time to time. When in those situations, I have never talked on the phone, checked text messages, listened to the radio, or go over about 45 mph.

I once put about 25K behind my truck, but only traveled about 10 miles at about 25 mph.

Ive seen people hauling large loads on I-20 here in Texas running at or above the posted speed limit. The rationality they use is "well, thats the posted speed limit" All too often, people get complacent and decide since they spent 60K on a new diesel truck, they should be able to tow a big load any speed itll run without consequences.

 

[DClark]

If you think about the OEM intended design of securment systems on boat trailers, there is a wintch strap pulling the boat forward and two back straps again pulling forward to the trailer. The object is to pull the boat onto the trailer and keep it from slidding off the back in transit. But there is nothing in the system to keep it from slidding forward in this situation as pictured. Some trailers have a front roller or padded bunks to hold but not enough. Something to think about. I own two boats, both secured the same. Someone hit one of the boats while it was parked. Smacked the trailer in the fender and tire. The force of hitting the trailer backwards pushed the boat forward on the trailer 12". All securement straps in place. There is nothing to stop the boat with the OEM securement system.
DClark

 

[sg5054]

If you want a real eye opener Google "boat trailer accidents" in the images section. Trailers aren't really set up to prevent the boat from moving in an emergency. The winch pulls it on and holds it against the bow stop. Transom/ gunnwale straps only hold it down to prevent shifting during normal transit. Worthless in a emergency stopping situation as the boat will just climb the bow stand.

I got run off the road buy an idiot years ago while towing a customers 25 ft boat. I owned a boatyard at the time. He tried to pass me on a RH curve and found a truck coming at him as we rounded the bend shoulder to shoulder. He swerved into my lane and left me with the option of hitting him at 50 or taking a quick right out into a field. I took the field and went about 75 - 100 yards out into the hayfield just missing a telephone pole. Dropped a gear, stood on the gas, kept going and some how made it back onto the road where I stopped to change my shorts... . I had just cleared a multi mile stretch of heavy dense woods on both sides of the road. Nothing happened to the boat. The bed was damaged on the truck and I ended up replacing it with a platform body.

A guy behind me pulled over and said that the boat was bouncing up and down off the trailer by a foot or more. The roadway was about 2 ft above the level of the field. The guy in question took off, never looking back. The oncoming truck had opted for the ditch on his side. I found the offending truck about a week later parked in a driveway but couldn't press charges because I couldn't positively place him as the driver.