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Need advise on how to secure our boat to trailer?

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juliem

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Hi All - We are picking up our boat on Tuesday. This is our first boat....hence the rudimentary questions.

How should we secure the boat to the trailer. We know about the wench. Should there be tie down straps as well? We don't know much about the trailer as I've only seen pictures, but I didn't see any large guides on the sides. I just see the pontoons sitting one the rails of the trailer.

After seen all the postings on this forum......we are so excited about getting our Bennington.

Thanks!

Julie
 
I don't trailer but you need straps on the rear of tthe tubes to the trailer. Many people also use a strap or chain at the front of the toon to the trailer as well. The dealer SHOULD be able to advise you. Just think, tomorrow is Christmas eve. B)
 
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Julie,

Your new boat should come with rear tie-down straps from the dealer, I was warned by a welder not to over tighten the rear tube straps. I guess it puts extra stress on the transom welds. The welder said that if you trailer the boat a lot you can get cracks where the rear of the tubes are welded into the transom. If your buying the boat from a private party, motorcycle tie-down straps work well also. Just make sure you tie it down with something! Also some trailers do not have side guides, the guides help with boat loading when the water is rough or you have wind. Guides can be added to your trailer.

Enjoy Your Benni,

RiverBill
 
Motor should be ALL the way trimmed down too. At least that's what I was told. Someone let me know if that is wrong. That's how I've been trailoring mine.

+1 on the straps at the rear end. If you hit a curb too close on a turn, it could throw your boat off the bunks. Not something you want to do on your first day.

I also double checked that my insurance was activated.

That reminds me... A while back I compiled a list of pre-purchase checkout items that everyone here helped me make. You should search for that. It might save you some hassle.
 
Found it.
 
juliem said:
Hi All - We are picking up our boat on Tuesday. This is our first boat....hence the rudimentary questions.

How should we secure the boat to the trailer. We know about the wench. Should there be tie down straps as well? We don't know much about the trailer as I've only seen pictures, but I didn't see any large guides on the sides. I just see the pontoons sitting one the rails of the trailer.

After seen all the postings on this forum......we are so excited about getting our Bennington.

Thanks!

Julie
Click to expand...
Your pontoon boat will be connected to your trailer by the winch strap or cable. (I've had both) I also have a safety chain that connects the boat and the trailer in case the winch strap or cable breaks.....and I have 2 heavy duty ratchet tiedowns in the rear. On long trips I've also seen guys use another tiedown midboat that attaches at the trailer up to the floor of the pontoon boat across the floor and down to the trailer again......Extra insurance...........

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks everyone. Just looked at the check list. WOW! I thought I was organized. Yup...I'm going to sign up for insurance tomorrow. I'm going to bring the list to the dealer with me. Also, good to know that the guides can be added later....I'd definitely want to do that.

BTW - On my way to Tahoe on evening (4th of July weekend), someone's boat had completely come off the trailer. That is one sight you don't forget and you want to make sure that never happens to you.

Once we get "experienced" like you guys....I'll be the one giving advise and not always taking it.

Thank you all!
 
Also, if you think you hooked everything up right, check again !! Chains must be crisscrossed at hitch. Check the lights !!

On the rear trade tie downs, like RiverBill said, snug is good, don't crank it down like a motorcycle.

Congrats and enjoy .... oh yeah, drive slower !! Big difference driving pulling a couple thousand pounds behind you !!!
 
If you are buying from a dealer, I can almost guarantee that they will already have it rigged for travel from the rear straps, to the front winch. I did have to ad my own safety chain though to secure front of pontoon to trailer.
 
juliem said:
Thanks everyone. Just looked at the check list. WOW! I thought I was organized. Yup...I'm going to sign up for insurance tomorrow. I'm going to bring the list to the dealer with me. Also, good to know that the guides can be added later....I'd definitely want to do that.

BTW - On my way to Tahoe on evening (4th of July weekend), someone's boat had completely come off the trailer. That is one sight you don't forget and you want to make sure that never happens to you.

Once we get "experienced" like you guys....I'll be the one giving advise and not always taking it.

Thank you all!
Click to expand...
If you bought a 2 tube boat ( I don't remember), the trailer might have the guides on the inside where you can't see them.
 
I guess all dealers rig the trailer differently. When I picked mine up asked about a front safety chain and rear tie downs. The answer is you don't need one on the front (the trailer doesn't have a mounting place for a seperate tie down) and the rear trailer mounting eyes are about 2 feet ahead of the rear tie down on the toon so it's not practical to add it. I think I will add the self retracting straps. I had them on my Ranger and loved the easy of deploy and retract with them both being mounted directly to the trailer. Not sure what I will do with the front. With the strap hook in the eye on the pontoon, there isn't any room for anything else unless I were to hook it to the strap hook?
 
I think you should check the motor clearance to the ground before deciding to tow "motor trimmed all the way down". ESP boats have the motor mounted considerably lower than a typical pontoon does. Mine would not tow safe all the way down. It is advised to have a motor support rod to help keep additional load off the trim system while towing.

kaydano said:
Motor should be ALL the way trimmed down too. At least that's what I was told. Someone let me know if that is wrong. That's how I've been trailoring mine.

+1 on the straps at the rear end. If you hit a curb too close on a turn, it could throw your boat off the bunks. Not something you want to do on your first day.

I also double checked that my insurance was activated.

That reminds me... A while back I compiled a list of pre-purchase checkout items that everyone here helped me make. You should search for that. It might save you some hassle.
Click to expand...
 
LT1GMC said:
I think you should check the motor clearance to the ground before deciding to tow "motor trimmed all the way down". ESP boats have the motor mounted considerably lower than a typical pontoon does. Mine would not tow safe all the way down. It is advised to have a motor support rod to help keep additional load off the trim system while towing.
Click to expand...
Good point. Didn't realize the difference.
 
juliem said:
Thanks everyone. Just looked at the check list. WOW! I thought I was organized. Yup...I'm going to sign up for insurance tomorrow. I'm going to bring the list to the dealer with me. Also, good to know that the guides can be added later....I'd definitely want to do that.

BTW - On my way to Tahoe on evening (4th of July weekend), someone's boat had completely come off the trailer. That is one sight you don't forget and you want to make sure that never happens to you.

Once we get "experienced" like you guys....I'll be the one giving advise and not always taking it.

Thank you all!
Click to expand...
Juliem, IMHO, you mention someone's boat came off the trailer. That's serious, but even more tragic is a front end collision. The tow vehicle gets slammed in front, causing an instant stop, while the boat without adequate rear tie downs, slams forward, into the tow vehicle. The occupants may have survived the front end slam, but the rear-end slam might cause whip lash, at best. In other words, a double shock, only with a slight delay from the rear.

We created a spec./drawing that Roadrunner used to build our trailer. After 3 attempts, the 4th trailer is close. After Roadrunner, we installed after market strap eyes on the trailer and after market strap eyes (all rated @ 20,000# working strength) on the boat. The transom area is reinforced and gusseted. The total transom design included gusset reinforcement, designed to include accepting a hydraulic Jack Plate W/a 350 Yamaha mounted. The ratchet straps are 15,000# working strength, when installed, pulling back and down @ 37.5 +/- degrees. The trailer frame is reinforced,12.0#, 6"x 3.50" flange x 3.40" web , 50,000# PSI. The net RBM is somewhere at 100,000 #. Most will see the frame spec. as "Hogwash". However, as you may spec. a new trailer, the manufacturer is expected to interpret those numbers....As the adage goes, "The house is no better than the foundation".

At the Bow, the trailer has a sanitary eye located directly under the Center Tube winch strap eye. The winch eye is used for the horizontal force, while the trailer eye is used to create a vertical force. The ratchet strap connects the winch hook to the trailer eye, thereby reinforcing the trailer further. The reinforcement created, mitigates trailer flex and trailer porpoise. The trailer and boat lay behind a DRW, 1 ton pickup at 75-80 MPH without ANY issues.
 
You can do 1 of two things for the motor. Most motors have a trailer support bracket built into the motor. You trim it up all the way, depress the lever on the engine from the place where it mounts to the transom, then push the trim down until it rests on that lever. It takes the pressure off the hyd trim cylinders. OR you can buy back trailer support bracket that mounts to the end cross member of the trailer and has a V shaped wedge that locks into the lower units of the outboard. You trim engine up, out the transom bar that is mounted to trailer, the lower the motor down until it wedges into the lower unit. You can adjust the length of the bar from trailer to engine so you can make it as hi or as low as you want the engine to be.

Todd
 
LT1GMC said:
I think you should check the motor clearance to the ground before deciding to tow "motor trimmed all the way down". ESP boats have the motor mounted considerably lower than a typical pontoon does. Mine would not tow safe all the way down. It is advised to have a motor support rod to help keep additional load off the trim system while towing.
Click to expand...
I agree on the check the motor clearance point here. I trailer with a 24 foot Hustler three-bunk tandem axle with 10 inch tires (low profile-easy float on/off) and my skeg will almost touch the ground. Trim it up and use a support bracket as mentioned to take the stress off is the way to go. imho.
 
I suggest not using the built in support, that puts too much stress on the transom.

Imagine going over a bump and watching your motor bounce up and down, all that stress goes to the transom, the support rod is a much better idea.
 
A support leg (Anything, from a wooden 2x4, to an adjustable metal stiff leg ) placed from the engine lower unit to the trailer cross-member is a typical solution. However, from time to time, the stiff leg has been known to jump out or fall out of position. Some of the metal stiff legs are designed to include a socket, to be mounted on the trailer cross-member. The stiff leg is then pinned in place, pinned into the socket. The stiff leg may have an adjustable strap that routes behind the engine drive, securing the stiff leg.

However, a stiff leg will only protect the engine mounting brackets and transom, subject to rigidity of the trailer cross member and hull tie down. In other words, the light "C channel" cross-member may flex and provide little, if any support. The cross-member can be gusseted by diagonal or longitudinal bracing, for greater rigidity and support.

However, a hydraulic "Jack Plate" is another consideration. The "Jack Plate" raises the skag well above, otherwise ground clearance. Bennington Engineering and/or your dealer should be consulted for approval, prior to installing A "Jack Plate". Some engines are heavy or produce torque that creates concern for structural transom/hull failure.
 
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