Remediation
Well-Known Member
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.
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.