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Tips for Towing a Boat Trailer

Jan. 31 2024 Safety By Gordy's Marine

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Unless you’re very lucky and live right on the water, you can’t just go outside and get in your boat on a whim. Most people use boat trailers to transport their vessels to go fishing or cruise with friends and family. When transporting a boat with a trailer, it’s important to be cautious, and if you’re new to towing, this can be challenging without the right know-how. Read on to learn more about how to safely transport your boat wherever it is you plan to cruise.

Perform an Inspection

First, you’ll want to do a thorough inspection of both your trailer and your towing vehicle. Your boat trailer should be in good condition with a secure hitch and strong wiring connections if it has lights or brakes. Both vehicles will need their tires inspected and aired to the correct psi levels as stipulated in your owner’s manuals.

Secure Your Boat in Place

When trailering your boat, your boat must be secured snugly before departure. You don’t want your boat to shift around or worse, slide off the end of your trailer while you’re driving down the highway. Use ratchet straps and ropes to tie down the boat and try to shift or push the boat when you’re done securing it to ensure that it doesn’t move at all.

Prepare in Advance

Before you head out, make sure that your boat is stocked with all your necessary gear and documents, including license, registration, and insurance paperwork. You should also check that your car insurance will cover you and your trailer in case of an accident.

Drive with Caution

Once it’s finally time to hit the road, you’ll want to exercise care while towing your boat trailer. Here are a few tips:

  • Drive at five to ten miles below the posted speed limit.
  • Increase your following distance so that you have enough space between yourself and the vehicles in front of you to bring your towing setup to a complete stop.
  • Stick to the rightmost lane of traffic and avoid lane changes.
  • Be vigilant for the maneuvers of other drivers and watch for obstacles and traffic jams ahead.

We hope that these tips will help you on your towing journey! If you’re looking to buy a boat trailer, stop by Gordy's Marine to browse our selection today! We have multiple locations in Wisconsin and Illinois, and also proudly serve all those in Madison and Janesville, WI, and Waukegan, IL.