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Tie downs for scissors trailor & 20 ft SX

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Djohnson7515

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Hello
I just bought a Ben 20ft pontoon with a trophy tandem axle scissors trailor and will be picking up at the dealer next month.
I am used to trailoring a fishing boat, but have never had a pontoon.
The dealer emailed me and asked if I wanted them to supply the straps (they said they only use 2……1 in back and 1 in front). It seems to me that it would be best to have at least 2 in back and minimum 1 in front.
Does anyone have a recommendation on what types of straps to use and where ?
Thanks in advance,
Dave in WI
 
So is the scissor trailer coming with the boat? Or could you go with a bunk style? How far will you be trailering?
 
I would tie two in the back and two in the front in addition to the winch cable. I have two neighbors who both had problems. One hit a little hill (minor) a block from his cabin and a block from the launch and the boat shifted and tilted the trailer to the point that one pontoon was on the ground. The other neighbor had his pontoon shift on a curve and rolled it. Bent the trailer, pontoon ended upside down on road. It was his first trip and he might have been going faster than he should. Tie it down, straps are cheap and be careful given the narrow center of gravity.
 
Thanks for both of your responses.
I will trailer the boat once from middle of WI to cottage 200 miles in far north central Wi.
I went with tandom axle trophy scissors trailor since I heard a lot more stable than single axle…..also much easier to launch in shallower landings should I then take boat to some of the larger chains in Vilas County WI. I bunk requires deeper water and I heard need to drive on.
Pros and cons with each stile. Not looking forward to the 200 mile trip though.
I agree that I will use 4 ratchet straps to secure ea side. Not exactly quick (like my fishing boat just 2 rear tie downs. But better safe than sorry.
Thanks to all once again.
Dave
 
Just a further update, as far as trailoring much, once the boat makes it 200 miles from dealer to cottage , the most miles it would then be trailored would be 15 miles or so each way a few times per yr. The trophy scissors trailor is a bit wider to fit the Ben 8’6” beam, so that may help in a small way.
 
Best of luck. Scissor trailers and pontoons make me nervous.

My dealership picked our boat up once with one and I followed them less than 1 mile back to the dealership from the boat launch. Too unstable for my liking. Every turn that thing looked like it wanted to flip the trailer and boat over.

I told them never again. I said, “I schedule in advance. Please show up with one of your bunk trailers.” Never happened again. I’d be on pins and needles for a short journey now with a scissor trailer, let alone 200 miles. Safe travels and trailering.
 
If you haven't purchased it yet ,get a bunk style trailer .
 
Thanks….advise well taken.
Well one dealer (who I did not buy boat from, but was shopping) said he recommends the tandem axle scissors over bunk and said he has no issues with them on highway.
Well I will just make sure my insurance is in full effect when I pick up….and drive very carefully.
Thanks to all….and yes I will crawl going into a tight corner.
 
If you can wait til mid-May, after i get my boat in the water (lake wisconsin), you can borrow my bunk trailer to go the 200 miles and then return it. I am between Madison and Cottage Grove. Use your scissor trailer for the shorter distance. Scissors are know for tipping to the side because of the narrow axel/wheel that are between the pontoons, while bunk trailer has the trailer tires outside the pontoons for a wider stance.
 
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Todd
I appreciate the offer…..part of the reason I wanted the scissors was ease of launching and ability to lower boat onto Dollie’s in pole shed up north…..if that’s the route I end up going…have not bought Dollie’s yet. Anyway I greatly appreciate everyone’s input.
I will report back once I pick up boat and trailor .
Thanks Dave
 
Djohnson7515 said:
Thanks….advise well taken.
Well one dealer (who I did not buy boat from, but was shopping) said he recommends the tandem axle scissors over bunk and said he has no issues with them on highway.
Well I will just make sure my insurance is in full effect when I pick up….and drive very carefully.
Thanks to all….and yes I will crawl going into a tight corner.
Click to expand...
Frankly, that "one dealer" gave you some bad advice. No amount of money would ever influence me to put my toon on a scissor trailer.
 
The first trailer I bought was a used home built "between the toons" trailer made with a scavenged mobile home axle. It had the same shape as a scissors trailer. It just didn't have any mechanism to lower the boat. I paid $650 for it about 30 years ago.

It was very tippy. I was always puckered up towing my boat but, since I live on the water, only had to use the trailer a couple of times a year.

One day I was towing the boat in some moderately heavy traffic on a four lane road in a small town nearby. I had to make a right turn into a strip mall to visit a store there. I took the turn a little too fast and about halfway into it, I looked in the side view mirror and the trailer's right wheel was about a foot off the ground! I jerked the wheel to the left and the trailer thankfully came back down with a bang. I was very, very lucky the rig didn't roll all the way over. Had to make an extra stop in a different store to buy new underwear.

Sold that trailer as soon as I could and bought a brand new nice bunk trailer. It tows effortlessly and I'm so glad I made the switch.

You will be fine. Just ALWAYS take turns slowly.
 
Djohnson7515 said:
Thanks for both of your responses.
I will trailer the boat once from middle of WI to cottage 200 miles in far north central Wi.
I went with tandom axle trophy scissors trailor since I heard a lot more stable than single axle…..also much easier to launch in shallower landings should I then take boat to some of the larger chains in Vilas County WI. I bunk requires deeper water and I heard need to drive on.
Pros and cons with each stile. Not looking forward to the 200 mile trip though.
I agree that I will use 4 ratchet straps to secure ea side. Not exactly quick (like my fishing boat just 2 rear tie downs. But better safe than sorry.
Thanks to all once again.
Dave
Click to expand...
I own and use the same type of trailer. It’s only used for short hauling of 6 or less miles. Speed when hauling is always 40 mph or lower. Basically used here at the marina community only due to shallow water. Any long hauls should be on a bunk trailer with canopy down all the way and no playpen.
 
Never heard of the scissor being recommended over
BigD said:
Frankly, that "one dealer" gave you some bad advice. No amount of money would ever influence me to put my toon on a scissor trailer.
Click to expand...
Bingo! Frankly, I don’t know any dealers around us that recommend them except for very specific minor situations. Otherwise, with pontoons, everyone is ”bunk trailer” for a variety of reasons (shallow entry, storage and only with a very short local haul from storage to lakeside). Otherwise, only bunks for really towing, distance of ANY sort, etc...

I’ve been questioning this dealers advise myself.
 
We were always told that a scissors trailer is great for moving pontoon boats around the marina, launching/retrieval or for short trips...... And that's it! Just my opinion ....
 
To all
Once again….overwhelmed by all the good advise I am receiving on this forum- that I just joined within the last week …..thank you very much & greatly appreciated !!!
So I may change to bunk trailor yet……
Question:
A bunk trailor requires a fairly modess to deeper landing drop off right?
Also does a bunk require you to then “drive on” trailor…..or can you simply push out and pull back w a rope that i currently do with my fishing boat (granted that is a roller trailer).
Thanks to all….never expected to receive this many responses.
 
Djohnson7515 said:
To all
Once again….overwhelmed by all the good advise I am receiving on this forum- that I just joined within the last week …..thank you very much & greatly appreciated !!!
So I may change to bunk trailor yet……
Question:
A bunk trailor requires a fairly modess to deeper landing drop off right?
Also does a bunk require you to then “drive on” trailor…..or can you simply push out and pull back w a rope that i currently do with my fishing boat (granted that is a roller trailer).
Thanks to all….never expected to receive this many responses.
Click to expand...
We trailered for years. We never drove our boat onto the trailer. My wife would bring our boat onto the the dock and I would back the trailer down the ramp. I had the front line and my wife had the rear line and we would just walk it onto the trailer. Then I would winch it the rest of the way. Very simple and efficient!
 
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