Outfitting your trailer boat

What could be better than combining the freedom and fun of a roadtrip with a fun in the sun outing on boat on a hot summer weekend. But before you blow off your yard work to hook up the boat and trailer for the weekend there are a few things to consider that will make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable for everyone.

Step one is making sure you have the appropriate trailer hitch on your car or truck to handle the job, because as much as yardwork may suck, it still beats watching your boat turn into a leathal bumper car on the highway.

Hitches fall into to 4 main catagories, choose the appropriate one to meet the needs of your tow vehicle, boat and trailer and you'll be a lot happier when you get to the boat ramp and your pride and joy is still visible in the rear view mirror. To follow is a brief description of the different hitch systems availabe and the demands each was designed to meet.

Weight-carrying hitches

This hitch type supports the trailer tongue as if it were luggage located at the hitch ball.

Class I -- Designed for use with compact and subcompact cars, Class I hitches can carry up to 2,000 pounds GTW with a tongue weight of 200 pounds. Light-duty receiver-style hitches are available in this class and work well for PWCs and small boats.

Class II -- Ideal for midsize cars and small pickup trucks, Class II hitches carry up to 3,500 pounds GTW with a tongue weight of 300 pounds. Many small runabouts fall into this weight category.

Class III -- Depending on a vehicle's towing capacity, this style hitch can be used with midsize cars, small pickups, minivans or full-size trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles. It can carry from 3,500 to 5,000 pounds GTW with a 10-percent tongue weight. Larger runabouts and deck boats commonly require this hitch style.

Weight-distributing hitches

This hitch applies leverage between the trailer and tow vehicle and effectively distributes tongue weight to all tow

Class III -- Designed to tow up to 4,000 pounds and handle a 350-pound tongue weight, this hitch type is often a good idea if you don't want to torture the rear springs of your tow vehicle.

Class IV -- If you need this hitch, you have one big boat, and hopefully one giant tow vehicle. This hitch can handle from 5,000 to 12,000 GTW and tongue weights up to 1,200 pounds. For boats bigger than this, you need an 18-wheeler.

Once you've got yourself set up with the appropriate hitch system Check all of the following components and specifications for your trailer carefully:

1. The max load capacity (GVWR)

2. Fore and aft weight distribution

3. The tongue weight (generally 5 to 10% of the total weight)

4. Operation of the winch

5. The hitch ball and coupler compatibility

6. Does the trailer ride level?

7. Lights and their connections

8. The trailer brakes are working

9. The safety chains are secured

Other equipment you'll want to make sure you have for your trailer before you pull out of the driveway are an inflated spare tire, a jack that can handle that can support the combined weight of your trailer and fully packed boat. These items, while hopefully never needed, will be your savior when Murphy's Law drops an unfavorable ruling on you.

The trailer brakes are working, the safety chains are secured, the spare tire is inflated, the brakes lights and turn signals are ... what the #&%&@? The trailer lights were working just fine when we used the boat last month.

Everyone piles out and waits while the guys crawl under the trailer and use a multimeter to trace the problem.

The spare tire should be ready to go in a pinch, and some even suggest carrying a spare bearing and cap assembly. Also, make sure your jack is strong enough to lift both your trailer and your boat in the event of an emergency.

tie-down straps and covers

Extra trailer light bulbs

We've got plenty of CDs to pass the time, plus books and games to keep the kids busy.

Trailer hitch types (somewhere in BL)

Netting and tie downs to secure gear while in transit

Cooler

Wheel chucks

Trailer lock

Related Resources

Related Articles

Epco Resource Information

People who trailer their boat up hills and around tight curves know a boat can shift from side to side. They also know the importance of a strong gunwale tie-down strap.

Epco has introduced a new 10-foot tie-down that can handle loads up to 1,200 pounds. Its heavy-gauge zinc hardware resists corrosion, and the captive J-hook attaches securely to trailers. The buckle, which is padded to protect the boat's finish, tightens automatically during closure. Hook-and-loop fasteners secure loose ends so they won't flap in the wind when in tow. And because of its size, it's ideal for most runabouts.

Dirt and condensation are the nemeses of trailer bearings. Each can find its way into bearings every time you dip a trailer into the water. Since 1963, Unique Functional Products of San Marcos, California, has offered Stainless Steel Trailer Buddy, a system designed to keep harmful contaminants away from bearings.

Trailer Buddy fits in place of a conventional dust cap. Hubs are filled with grease through a fitting in the piston of Trailer Buddy. As the wheels are submerged in water, grease combined with pressure from the spring-loaded piston keeps out water and dirt. You also can install a Trailer Buddy Bra to catch excess grease and keep it from flinging onto the wheels.

To install Trailer Buddy, tap the assembly into the hub in place of a conventional dust cap.

Trailer Buddy sells for $18 a pair, and the Buddy Bra sells for $3.35 a pair. Both are available through marine retailers and boat dealers.

If your trailer lights are attached to the trailer frame, always unplug them before backing into the water. Absence of current when the lamps are submerged helps avoid short circuits and lengthen bulb life.

Another method is to place them on top of tall guide poles on either side of the trailer. When you back a trailer with leaky lamps and hot bulbs into water, the cool water can blow the bulbs. Lamps mounted atop guide poles help you load the boat back on the trailer and keep bulbs and sockets out of the water. They're also more visible in traffic.

Unattended boat trailers are one of the easiest things to steal. Just back up, hook up the trailer and drive away. But if your trailer is secured with a Trailer Protector, would-be thieves will have to look elsewhere for easy prey.

Trailer Protector features a hitch ball welded to a 5.25-inch heavy-gauge steel plate. Its high-tensile welds ensure it won't be unbolted or broken with a sledgehammer or other impact device. Trailer Protector also has a latch lock to secure the ball plate in place and a lifetime warranty. Retail price for a 2-inch model is $21.95.

For more information, call 920-387-4698 or write Site Corp., N7306 State Highway 67, Mayville, WI 53050.

Duct tape - Guaranteed to stick at speeds up to 200 mph, this fabric-reinforced tape does everything from securing a piece of stray molding and attaching fenders to sealing holes or leaky fittings.

Electrical tape - If a wire breaks or the insulation chafes, electrical tape can mean the difference between driving home under your own power or being towed.

WD-40 - Spray this inside a wet distributor cap, use it to penetrate a rusty fitting or lubricate your old rod and reel. Be careful where you store it, though; this stuff is flammable.

Screwdrivers - Carry small and large slot- and Phillips-head screwdrivers to fit all screws on board.

Pliers - Carry a pair of standard slip-joint pliers, a pair of needle-nose with side cutters and a pair of channel-locks. If you have the space, also include a pair of vise-grips.

Socket set - You can get away with carrying common sockets, but carrying a set is usually a better idea if you have room. Craftsman makes sets that include standard and metric sizes. Also be sure you have a socket that fits your engine's spark plugs and prop nut.

Combination wrenches - Metric and standard combination wrenches (open on one end and boxed on the other) are essential for on-water repairs. Craftsman and other companies offer combination wrench sets, and also include them with a socket set.

Adjustable crescent wrench - Keep a large one that fits bigger nuts that the combination wrenches will not.

Ball peen hammer - You can always find a use for one of these, even if it's just to discipline a recalcitrant guest with a thump to the head.

Allen- and Torx-head wrenches - Many newer boats use these fasteners where hex-head bolts and screws don't fit.

Spark tester - Good for older boats. This takes the mystery - and the danger of shocking yourself - out of checking for juice at the plugs.

Trailer-tire tools - This is especially important if you have a single-axle trailer. A spare tire won't do you a bit of good unless you have a trailer jack and everything you need to change it. Odds are the tools for your tow vehicle won't work.

The storage space you have on board determines how many tools you can carry. Be sure you either keep them in a dry space or store them in a watertight bag or box. That way, your tools will be rust-free and ready when you need them

Check all of the following components and specifications for your trailer carefully:

1. The max load capacity (GVWR)

2. Fore and aft weight distribution

3. The tongue weight (generally 5 to 10% of the total weight)

4. Operation of the winch

5. The hitch ball and coupler compatibility.

6. Does the trailer ride level

7. Lights and their connections.

All cars and trucks come from the factory with an automatic transmission cooler, which works well enough - until you begin pulling a trailer. The added weight places an extra load on a transmission, generates excess heat, and decreases the life span of the fluid and ultimately the transmission. In fact, nine of 10 transmission failures are caused by overheating. If you tow a boat every weekend, it's a good idea to install an auxiliary transmission cooler.

Anyone who is reasonably handy with cars can install a cooler in a couple of hours. The auxiliary cooler mounts to the front of the radiator, or air conditioning condenser, with plastic ties supplied in most kits. Route the supplied rubber hose from the stock cooler's outlet fitting (usually the one nearest the top of the radiator) to the inlet fitting on the auxiliary cooler. Then route another hose from the auxiliary cooler outlet to the pipe that returns fluid to the transmission. There is a bit more to it than that, but cooler kits -- which   retail for around $50 to $80 depending on trailer weight -- come with instructions to fill you in on the details.

If you prefer to have someone perform the work for you, parts and labor should cost anywhere from $125 to $175. Shop around. If that sounds like a lot, compare it with the $700 to $1,000 it could cost to rebuild a heat-thrashed transmission. Sounds more reasonable now, doesn't it?

In general, change your transmission fluid every 15,000 miles. Check the manufacturer's recommendations to see what it considers "severe duty." Towing a boat qualifies as severe, which means you should change the fluid more often. Or if you're shopping for a vehicle, see if it comes with a towing package equipped with an auxiliary transmission cooler.

Trailer hitches come in four classes, from I through IV, and two different types: weight-carrying and weight-distributing. Before you can buy the right hitch, you must know the combined weight of the boat and trailer, called gross trailer weight (GTW). From that, you can determine your tongue weight -- the downward force exerted on the hitch ball -- which is usually 10 to 15 percent of GTW. You also must know your vehicle's towing capacity, available from most hitch dealers and installers.

Below are explanations for weight limitations and uses of each hitch class.

Weight-carrying hitches

This hitch type supports the trailer tongue as if it were luggage located at the hitch ball.

Class I -- Designed for use with compact and subcompact cars, Class I hitches can carry up to 2,000 pounds GTW with a tongue weight of 200 pounds. Light-duty receiver-style hitches are available in this class and work well for PWCs and small boats.

Class II -- Ideal for midsize cars and small pickup trucks, Class II hitches carry up to 3,500 pounds GTW with a tongue weight of 300 pounds. Many small runabouts fall into this weight category.

Class III -- Depending on a vehicle's towing capacity, this style hitch can be used with midsize cars, small pickups, minivans or full-size trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles. It can carry from 3,500 to 5,000 pounds GTW with a 10-percent tongue weight. Larger runabouts and deck boats commonly require this hitch style.

Weight-distributing hitches

This hitch applies leverage between the trailer and tow vehicle and effectively distributes tongue weight to all tow vehicle and trailer wheels.

Class III -- Designed to tow up to 4,000 pounds and handle a 350-pound tongue weight, this hitch type is often a good idea if you don't want to torture the rear springs of your tow vehicle.

Class IV -- If you need this hitch, you have one big boat, and hopefully one giant tow vehicle. This hitch can handle from 5,000 to 12,000 GTW and tongue weights up to 1,200 pounds. For boats bigger than this, you need an 18-wheeler.