Towing your boat long distance – Do’s and Don’t
 

Do check all your lights and hold down straps before leaving.

Don't get a flat tire on the drive.

How long has it been since you inspected/replaced bearings? I would make sure those are in good shape. Nothing will put a damper on your trip like a wheel coming off and rolling past you on the highway! Make sure you have a lug wrench that fits your wheels....and a wheel lock key if you have those. Also make sure everything in the boat is secure.....can't think of much more right now.


Safe trip!

Inspect the tires. If you have any doubts, replace them.

I would also repack the bearings at a minimum. While you are doing that you can inspect your brakes and everything else..

Make sure your tires are not under inflated. Leads to heat buildup which could lead to tire failure...

Make sure you don't forgot the boat keys. I have done this and only realized it when I was halfway through a 210 mile trip to my Dad's house.

Trailer rides best when it is level. Have the appropriate drop size for your hitch.

Test your trailer lights.

Not filling the boats gas tank until you get there should get you slightly better gas mileage

After losing a bearing while driving down the road, I always carry an extra bearing kit as well. And the tools to change one. Spare tire obviously.

not a bad idea to stop periodically and check the temp of the bearings...warm is good, scorching means you're gonna have some trouble at some point. bearing buddies also can pop off if they aren't set right. if you pull them to replace or repack the bearings check that you don't lose some.

I know it should be common sense, but don't overload your boat with supplies.

so far that's great advice.

I prefer not to trailer with the cover on the boat.

Apparently if it's not a super tight fit it can flap around and make the gel coat dull.

Take your bimini off if possible. Close your walkthrough windshield if you tow w/o a cover on.

You're going to get bugs on your tower and tower speakers, so coat them with a bit of spray-on wax or wd-40 or something that will make them easy to wipe off.

- Make sure the trailer tires are full. For 14" tires, I've read that 50psi normally and 60psi for higher speeds is accepted by trailer and tire manufacturers. Full tires are very important.

- Good bearings are a must

- Spare tire and stuff to change a tire = must

- Working lights

- I tow with a cover and have no issues with loading up the boat. But if you are rocking a setup that is putting the trailer near its capacity limit with the boat alone you may want to reconsider.

Or throw some quick Saran Wrap on them!

Like others have said, making sure the tire pressures are right and the bearings have plenty of grease is key. I'd take a floor jack along as well - it makes changing a trailer tire soooo much easier along the road. In my experience, if something is gonna happen, it'll happen in the first 100 miles or so. Good luck and have fun!

One of the best pieces of advice so far haha.

Boat: Keys, oil, safety gear, gas cap lock, board
Trailer: brakes, bearings, tires, chains
Lights work?

Go enjoy your trip!

-I'll repeat a lot of what has already been said,

Tires dry-rot from the inside out if they're not used often... even if you only do a few miles a year normally I would highly suggest replacing them every 4-5 years. They'll look perfectly fine but be borderline worthless.
Source - 4 blow-outs on the way to Florida with our boat (after only using the trailer 5 miles leading up to it).

Buy a spare rims / tire

Grease the bearings before leaving

Strap the boat down.

Anything that can / might fly up and out of the boat secure.

The worst blowout:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...332_7118_n.jpg

DON'T piss your wife off before the trip even starts...makes for long ride ;>

How do you grease bearing ? Do they have a seek or do you gotta pull the drum off?

Zerk^^

LOL this

If your state has separate speed limits for cars and trucks, while pulling your boat you will/may be considered a truck by local law enforcement.

If you are running ST trailer tires they are only speed rated to 65 mph.

Check your tire valve stems for dry rot, too. It a stem goes, you'll have a blowout.

not sure if its true but I was told by the dealer to pull the perfect pass paddle wheel. he said its cooled by water and could burn it out spinning down the highway. I normally pull it when I travel 600 miles to TN but I did forget once and of course nothing happened. it is simple enough to pull, so I try to.

You can also just put a piece of masking tape over it!

Lol.. Not that's a first.. I've never heard of taping the perfect pass paddle wheel... I'll run that by mark at perfect pass canada next time i talk to them.. there is no bearing in the pickup. It counts magnetic pulses...

I take my Z5 bimini canvas off for towing long distances.. I also take the mirror off the mount..

#1 reason why tires blow is low tire pressure..

As said before, make sure you have a spare tire!

...now, go pull your boat out of the garage...CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR...and see if you can pull a tire with what you have in your truck to make sure you have the right lug wrench and your truck jack will lift the boat. I have had may a friends that had to call roadside assistance to change the tire cuz they were not properly equipped...and if you are in the middle of nowhere...good luck!

I'm with you Charlie..never done it either. But been told to tape them by the same group that says you should take them out when towing. I think thats an old one from when it first came out. I even asked Airmar one time years ago(they make the paddle wheel) and the guy could barely stop laughing.

A good set of mud flaps is always a good idea to avoid gelcoat chips.

Nick has it right bearing and new tires after 5 years regardless of wear. I'll also add a jack to the list.

There is a good chance that your car jack is not the right height. It's either too tall to get under the axle and not tall enough for any other lifting point. I carry an old scissors jack as a small backup and on longer trips a small portable floor jack.

It does not hurt to have a small hack saw and gloves along as well. When my tires go they seem to wrap around the axle and are impossible to pull off and the steel inside the casing is sharp.

And lastly, an empty tank of fuel. Its heavy. Fill at your destination.