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10
Checkpoints For Your Truck, Your Trailer and Your Boat
from BoatUS Trailering Magazine
For trailer boaters in the north, these are happy times. The shrinkwrap or the familiar blue tarp is finally coming off after months of snow and rain and below freezing temperatures. There is anticipation and excitement about getting back on the water.
For the trailer boaters in the south who have enjoyed a winter of activity, today may just be another day in paradise. But both perspectives from both locations require some questions to be asked. In the north it's the result of getting ready for a season. In the south it's because safety requires a routine inspection of operating systems. Perform these checkpoints and the chances of a breakdown will decrease.
(1)Tires: Inflate to the proper PSI and inspect for spider web cracks on the sidewall. If present, then it's time to replace them. Look at the tread and measure it's depth. If less than 2/32nd's of an inch, the tread is considered worn. Also inspect the spare. And if you don't have a spare, get one. If your trailer tires sat outside with your trailer, consider removing them and putting the trailer on blocks next year. Remember that most trailer tires need replacing not because of use, but because the trailer tends to sit for long periods.
(2) Frame: You are going to have to get on your back and crawl under the trailer to look for corrosion and rust. Keep in mind that once an area begins to corrode, it is only going to get worse until sanding removes it. And when it comes to removing rust, there is no time like the present.
(3) Lights: Plug the trailer into the tow vehicle's electrical system and turn the vehicle on. Put the lights on and inspect if any bulbs or lenses need replacing. This is a moment where you are going to need a second person to tell you if the trailer brake lights come on when the brakes on the tow vehicle are applied and if backup lights come on when the tow vehicle in placed in reverse. This is also a good time to make sure you have the appropriate bulbs in your tool kit for replacement should it become necessary on the road.
(4) Bunks/Rollers: Inspect the bunks for wear on the carpeting or on the rubber padding that is beneath the carpet. Some trailer boaters spray a silicon coating on the bunks to make the surface easier to slide the boat on and off. Roller should be turned individually to determine if any have locked. Inspect the rollers for wear and remember when it comes to rollers that are worn, there is no time like the present to replace them. Poly rollers last a lot longer than their rubber counterparts.
(5) Safety Chains: Inspect for wear and check the S hooks for possible bending. It is a good idea to replace the S hooks with screw-pin shackles that have a wire running through the pin's eye. It provides a connection that is considerably more reliable and solid than S hooks.
(6) Bearings: Inspect the grease in the hubs. There is no time like the present to replace the grease, especially if the trailer has spent a winter outside in dampness. Inspect the grease seal and if you (or the shop) decides it needs to be replaced, make sure a double lip seal is installed. Inspect the bottom of the boat or the inside of the trailer tires for grease. If it's present, the bearings are in need of attention now.
(7) Brakes: As is the case with bearings, if you aren't sure about what to do, take the trailer to the shop and let an expert do the work. The result will be peace of mind (and good bearings and brakes). Check the fluid level in the master cylinder but be sure to clear away debris around the cap before opening it so as not to contaminate the fluid. If it is low, you may have to bleed the system to get air out of the lines. Pull the wheel and inspect the disc/drum to see if new pads/shoes are required.
(8) Tool Kit: Go through your tool kit and make sure the proper wrenches and screwdrivers are packed. Make sure you have a trailer jack that fits your trailer as well as blocks that can be used to support your tow vehicle's rear wheels.
(9) Winch: Inspect the cable looking for broken wires or worn areas. Clean and lubricate the winch. Make sure you have a strong tie down for the bow as well as the stern of the boat and that both are properly secured to the trailer.
(10) Hitch: Apply grease to the ball and inspect the hitch locking mechanism.
Click Here to Read More including Checkpoints for Your Tow Vehicle and Your Boat
The
Backyard Approach to Tongue Weight
by William R. Gongaware
William R. Gongaware teaches engineering technology at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond,Virginia. Here, this BoatU.S. Trailering Club Member offers some practical advice on how to gauge tongue weight. Bill and his two assistants (grand children) explain how it's done using a little bit of engineering and a lot of common sense.
If someone came up to you right now and asked "what's the tongue weight on your trailer," would you be able to tell them? And would it be correct? Do you even know what it means? Being able to answer these questions is important. Being able to get those answers is as close as your trailer and bathroom scale.
Tongue weight is just what it says: The weight
of the trailer tongue on the hitch. It should be 5-10% of the weight
of the trailer and boat fully loaded (including gas and, if applicable,
outboard engine). If it is too light, the trailer will sway from
side to side or surge forward and backward while being pulled. If
the tongue weight is too heavy, the tow vehicle will be difficult
to handle and, after a while, you will see excessive wear on the
rear tires.
Click
Here to Read More on Calculating Tongue Weight
"Gone
Fishing"
from the pages of BoatUS Trailering Magazine
More
than 80 million Americans have used those two words this year. And
in order to do so, they have spent almost 38 billion dollars on
rods, reels, tackle boxes, lessons, lures, boats, trailers and fish
restocking. Fishing is the number one recreational sport in the
country. Here, you will meet some Trailering Club Members and learn
where they go and why. And you'll meet some professionals who are
willing to divulge a few secrets about how they make a living doing
what many only dream of doing. Everyone here is serious about the
words "gone fishin."
John Peacock
WHERE: Chesapeake Bay
RULES: (1) I always say fishing "pends da wind. West is best. East is least." (2) Fish the currents. You want maximum current velocity. (3) Never give out your buddy's secret fishing spot.
ADVICE: Take the kid.
FIRST FISH: I caught a 15-pound pompano in Florida fishing with my grandfather. He had to hold on to me when I hooked it because I wasn't going to let go of the rod and this was a big fish for a little kid.
FISH STORY: I was fishing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on New years Eve with my friend Tony. I was using my pride and joy rod and reel combination and connected on a big striper that was taking the drag in spurts. "Your drag is sticking," Tony said. "The drag on this reel never sticks," I shouted back. "You'll lose that fish if you don't loosen your drag," Tony yelled. "No I won't," I yelled louder. "Yes you will," and "No I won't" went back and forth until I actually did loosen the drag and landed the fish. I assured Tony my drag was properly set and it wasn't sticking but just in case he was right, I sent it out and had the drag rebuilt. Several weeks later, Tony and I are fishing in another favorite winter spot when I hooked another striper that took the line in spurts. "Your drag is sticking again. Loosen it up or you'll lose that fish," Tony yelled. "My drag is not sticking," I yelled back. "Here let me help you," said Tony. Then, poof, the fish was gone. The silence of the moment was shattered when I heard the words, "See, I told you your drag was sticking!" Truth be told, my inept net handling had cost Tony a big fish early in the day so, you can put this one down as a matter of deserved poetic justice.
Wolfgang Gielisch
WHERE: California
RULES: (1) I observe catch and release rules. (2) For salmon you have to be on the water early. (3) When fishing San Francisco Bay, the fish bite on incoming or outgoing tides. (4) Be patient. ADVICE: Don't plan on catching fish. Instead, plan on having a good time out on the water. Catching fish is icing on the cake. FIRST FISH: I was 6 years old. I caught a northern pike in Lake MacGreor in Alberta, Canada. I was with my mother, who didn't like fishing, and my father, who provided all the necessary guidance. My mother did a good job preparing the pike that evening but I didn't like it because of all the bones.
FISH STORY: A friend and I were fishing for albacore 20 mils north of San Francisco Bay early one morning. Seas were flat. We went to an area called "the 601 spot" and the seas started getting some swells. We had four rods in use with no safety lanyards (not a good idea) and the seas started getting rough enough that the lure would actually come out of the water and the tension on the line would be lost. At one point the lure came out of the water just as the boat took a huge wave on the windward side and leaned to leeward. The rod came out of its holder and into the sea. My friend and I watched it happen and neither one of us could react in time to save it. A few seconds later a rod in the back corner sounded off. My friend started reeling in and when the lure came to the surface, there was another lure attached. A familiar one. We had caught our own fishing rod.
Bruce Marchette
WHERE: Florida
RULES: (1) Fish on the East Coast of Florida are caught only when winds are less than 15 knots. Since I'm a working stiff, the only time I can get out on the water is Saturday and Sunday. And every weekend, the winds are blowing more than 15 knots. (2) Offshore trolling before 10A.M.is always better than fishing after 10A.M.
ADVICE: A low tide on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is a great time to go to the boat ramp to watch the "low tide pull-out" drama. FIRST FISH: My first fish was a trout about four inches long I caught in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. I was about 4 or 5 years old and I was with my Dad.
FISH STORY: One Saturday, two
other guys and I launched my 21-foot boat from the Dinner Key boat
ramp and headed across Biscayne Bay south of Cape Florida. We were
going to troll for schoolie dolphin. We had four lines out and the
deck was slippery because we had caught a few fish already. And
since it was a Saturday, the winds were blowing out of the east
at 20 knots. One of my friends gets a smoking reel hit on one of
the deep-running baits. While he handles bringing the fish in, the
other guy cleared the other three lines while I steered. A huge
wave rolled beneath the boat and the guy with the fish lands on
his back. The rod goes over the side. We were in 300 feet of water.
A few months later, one of the guys buys his own boat. He asked
for suggested names and we all agreed "Reel Loser" is
appropriate.
Click
Here to Read More "Gone Fishing"
The
Waters of Watts Bar - Lake Tennessee
from the pages of BoatUS Trailering Magazine
It is the largest of the nine reservoirs operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, running more than 72 miles from Watts Bar Dam northeast to Ft. Loudon Dam. Built as part of the New Deal to put people back to work during the Great Depression, these TVA projects were the center of the largest hydroelectric project in the country. Today, the five power-generating units inside Watts Bar Dam providing electricity are one of 29 hydroelectric power plants in the TVA system.
"In
comparison to other inland lakes, Watts Bar has a history,"
says Al Alexander, assistant manager of West Marine's Knoxville
store. "You'll see old road beds that come out of the hills
and go into the water and old railroad trestles." This was
all part of the Tennessee River until 1939 when TVA went to work
creating reservoirs and power plants. Watts Bar Dam and Ft. Loudon
Dam to the north created the huge lake, which now has more than
783 miles of shoreline.
"You can come out of our cove (Cane Creek)
watching the depth finder," says Blue Spring Marina owner Larry
Steidle, "and though we have plenty of water (30 feet), you'll
see where there are parts of a trestle bridge you'll pass over.
This was part of the area before the dam was built."
Click
Here to Read More about the Waters of Watts Bar Lake
Tow
Vehicle Basics -
Don't be pushed around when looking for some pull.
If you trailer your boat, then you need to know a few steps about pulling it. Peter Tartarilla is a GMC Truck Sales and Service expert in West Palm Beach, Florida and has been selling tow vehicles for 19 years. When he isn't at work at GMC, he's an Offshore Powerboat Race Team Member who, sometimes, tows the boats to the next race site. Obviously, he knows about tow vehicles and here, he tells you the questions you need to ask when going on the showroom floor.
Putting the truck before the boat is like putting the cart before the horse. Too many people today are guilty of this error and it will cost some of you big $$$$. If you buy too much truck, that could kill you. There is a right way to buy a tow vehicle and I hope to give you a few good pointers.
First, of course, you should at least have an idea of what your boat, trailer, and all accessories are going to weigh. If the terms GVWR and GCWR are unfamiliar to you then pay close attention.
GVWR or gross vehicle weight rating is the allowed weight your vehicle and the load it can carry.
GCWR or gross combined weight rating is the amount of weight your vehicle can carry (gas, passengers, luggage, boat, trailer and fuel for the boat) combined. I'm not going to talk brand-specific, but here at GMC our motto is "just enough is never enough." Think about your boating future as you are deciding on the Tow-vehicle. If your plans are to start small and trade up in the near future, then go for overkill on the vehicle and you will be ready for the next boat without having to trade trucks as well. Of course those of us in the business make money each time you trade.
Choosing the brand and the dealer is a very important step in the process. You should look for a dealer who has a REAL truck department and does commercial as well as retail sales. If it were I, I'd also try to find a Truck advisor who is also a boater or RV'er. First hand experience is a great plus. More than a third of the heavy-duty pickup customers buy their trucks because they trailer their boats. Your boat dealer may be able to help you with a recommendation. I personally belong to the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County and do business on a regular basis with boat dealers, yacht builders, and marine suppliers. Once you have decided on the make, model, and the dealer we move on to the equipment. Engines, transmissions, axle ratio. Gas or diesel? Why, which and what.
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