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Rear Trailer Straps

Remediation

Remediation

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Lake Cumberland KY - White Oak Community Dock
This issue has been discussed before on this forum and other sites. I don't have the answer but want to share a real experience that might help somebody make a decision about strapping the back of the boat. On the pontoons, I have never used rear straps.
Last weekend, my SIL was bringing the 22' Bennington back from KY. He has in Cincinnati during a thunderstorm. The highway started to flood. He had slowed to 45 mph in the center lane. The trailer (dual axle) hydroplaned and swerved to the left. Nobody was in that lane so no accident. The trailer straighten out and nobody hurt or damage.
What has me questioning the use of straps is what happened to the boat. The pontoons at the rear of the trailer slid to the left about 8". The keel at the right rear was to the left of the inside bunk. The front winch strap held and the boat was slightly crooked on the trailer. He got the boat home safely and we went to the local lake to the ramp and got the boat straight on the trailer.
I am not an engineer but I feel a lot of energy from the boat moving was not transferred to the trailer. If you had added 2,000 lbs of strapped boat to the trailer inertia how far more to the left would the package have gone and would it transferred enough to the truck to cause a jackknife. I have questions but no answers.
My situation is I am leaving for Canada Saturday at 1:00 am. 600 mile trip one way mostly freeways. I have ordered a set of straps. In 20 years of towing to Canada, I have never strapped the rear of the boat. I need to make a decision by this Friday.
Any factual advice will be appreciated.
 
My neighbor rolled his new to him pontoon on a corner. The pontoon started to move and then it tipped over bending the rented trailer. After hearing that, I use 4 straps (2 in front and 2 in the back) plus the trailer strap. This is what my dealer recommended. I also moved to a bunk trailer. I would not want to be in an accident with injuries and trying to defend why I didn’t use a strap on each corner. Just my 2 cents. I have also seen people using only winch strap without a backup even though they can break.
 
I use straps and it only travels 4 miles to the dealership for winter storage .
 
Remediation said:
The pontoons at the rear of the trailer slid to the left about 8". The keel at the right rear was to the left of the inside bunk. The front winch strap held and the boat was slightly crooked on the trailer. He got the boat home safely and we went to the local lake to the ramp and got the boat straight on the trailer.
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You just made your case for using straps. They came incredibly close to losing the boat there - straps would have kept it from flying up and jumping the bunks.

Also: Here's what happens if you don't use straps and the front of the trailer fails (with 4k pounds being held back by a single piece of steel, I'd argue to use anything to help keep the boat in place):

Screenshot 2023-06-28 at 2.48.59 PM.png
 
I always use 4 straps at each corner. I don't pull the Benny against the front rails, as I did not order the Rub Rail Protector (I did not understand what this was, my dealer said pass - now on my list to add) and have seen how the rub rail becomes permanently dented when pulled tight using the winch strap. As noted above, safety 1st, and that would suggest all 4 corners should be strapped. I also use a weight distribution hitch.
 
If your worried about a boat as light as a pontoon throwing you're truck around, you might want to evaluate what you're pulling it with. I see a lot of people towing boats, rvs, dump trailers around here with way undersized setups. Check your towing capacity of your vehicle and verify the payload capacity off the door jamb sticker. If your close or over on either number its never a fun tow
 
Straps should be here today. The boat over the truck is something I had not considered. I also bought a new winch strap. Mine is 7 years old, I bought new dock ropes this year and didn't think about the strap until wondering about rear straps. 36 hours to departing for the ferry in Canada with no Covid restrictions which means the kids and grandkids are coming this year. 77 years of this family going to Manitoulin Island.

Thanks for the replies
 
Straps arrived 7:48 am this morning.
 
Remediation said:
36 hours to departing for the ferry in Canada with no Covid restrictions which means the kids and grandkids are coming this year. 77 years of this family going to Manitoulin Island.
Click to expand...
Is this the first time since Covid the kids and grandkids have been able to come up? Nice to get back on track with such an amazing family tradition spanning 77 years. Glad you straps arrived in time, and sending my best for the family gathering.
 
Have always used straps! Had these for years!
PXL_20230701_011159501.jpgPXL_20230701_011205459.MP.jpg
 
One family came last year and due to the other families choices Canada would not let them in last year. All border covid issues are off. Biggest issue this year is construction started yesterday on the Blue Water Bridge (Port Huron Border crossing). That will be a mess! They are all coming tomorrow.
Great news is the weather and bass fishing have been excellent.
Safe travels to all this summer.
 
I’ve heard the Port Huron bridge construction will create a real bottleneck. It’s been the one we choose in the past instead of crossing in Detroit. Bummer for those traveling to and from Canada during that time frame.
 
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