![]() ![]() Boat Towing Guide: How to Trailer a Boat.Looking for more trips and tricks for boat launching and trailering? Read. This will ensure other boaters have free access to the ramp area…as well as earn you lots of positive karma. Unload and load away from the launch Just as when getting ready to launch, unload your belongings and finish securing the boat away from the launch ramp. The vehicle driver should then pull forward and clear the ramp. When finished, signal the driver and take a seat. Once the boat is held on the trailer by friction, shut the engine off, make certain the drive or engine is fully trimmed, then move forward to the bow and attach the winch strap and safety chain. It’s a serious breach of ramp etiquette as the engine’s thrust can erode the bottom, creating shallow bars in the ramp approach. Never “power load” your craft onto a trailer that’s not deep enough in the water, applying throttle to force the hull up the trailer bunks. If you’re the boat driver, get your craft into position once you see your tow vehicle approaching and, when the trailer is properly submerged, idle the boat forward onto the trailer, giving just a nudge of power to push the craft the last few feet up the bunks to the winch post. If you’re the tow vehicle driver, wait your turn and when ready, back the trailer into the water. As in launching, boat and tow-vehicle drivers should work as a team. Unless the ramp is quiet, don’t be tempted to unload gear you’ll just slow others from getting into position. The first approach to the ramp area should simply be to drop off the tow vehicle driver and passengers at the dock, idling back out into clear waters to await the arrival of your trailer. Always follow the rules As in launching, good etiquette demands you be equally quick and efficient when it’s time to load. Make use of courtesy docks if available to load and unload passengers so as not to hold up fellow boaters waiting to use the launch ramp. If not, idle away from the ramp, returning once your passengers are ready to board. If there’s a courtesy dock to load and unload passengers, tie up if there’s available space. Once backed into position, trim the drive down enough to ensure cooling and adequate handling response, check to make sure the path behind is clear, then start the engine, shift into reverse and back away from the launch lane. As the boat driver, be in position at the helm before you head to the ramp, ready to start the craft once you’re in the water. Getting things down pat before you ever hit the ramp will lead to a stress-free launch later. Use the marked lanes (maybe even set up cones) to simulate backing your trailer onto and down the ramp, noting how the trailer responds to your input at the steering wheel and how the increased length of vehicle and trailer affect turning radiuses. An empty parking lot is a good spot to practice. As tow vehicle driver, make sure you know how the trailer will respond in reverse so that you don’t back in the wrong direction or jackknife the trailer. ![]() Know Your Role The smoothest launches happen when both tow vehicle and boat driver know and have practiced their roles. (Tip? Briefly start the engine on a flush hose at home before you leave to avoid last-minute surprises.) Only when you’re ready to actually launch should you approach the ramp or queue up in line. It’s in these prep areas that you’ll load gear, ready lines, and remove those tie-downs but also put a driver in the boat (if not solo), turn on the blower, and, ideally, make sure the engine starts. At smaller ramps, find a spot out of the way of traffic flow. Larger facilities often have designated “make-ready” areas for boaters to prepare their boats and crew. Proper ramp etiquette dictates that you do all of your pre-launch preparation before approaching the ramp. They pull onto the ramp before they’re actually ready to launch, hogging that precious real estate while they load the day’s gear, ready lines, install the drain plug or, worse, discover a dead battery or a finicky engine. Excellent option for mobile clinics, mobile studios/stores, etc.Be Prepared Novice and discourteous trailer boaters often make the same mistake. Buying an RV and Trailer Ramp can make it possible for millions more people to enjoy the open road. Our ramp owners love how versatile and durable the ramp is. The Roll-A-Ramp Portable RV System is the only portable ramp system for RVs and trailers. RV Ramps / Trailer Ramps Join countless RV and trailer owners who get on the road every year with our portable ramp system for RV and travel trailers.Ī great solution for mobile vaccine centers for covid-19! ![]()
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