Towing a boat with a larger trailer

perrosuperior · Feb 25, 2010

I may have the opportunity to obtain my fathers 23' deck boat, which is great, but the trailer he has is not for the boat. He bought the boat without a trailer and a friend of his gave him a trailer that I believe is really oversized for the boat. Ultimately the boat sits well over the axles (dual axle trailer), and it has good tongue weight, but it doesn't reach the stop. He has towed it short distances and it has been fine, but if I buy it the trip will be about 1500 miles. Once here I could readily get someone to fit the boat to the trailer, but I'm not familiar with the shops around my father. Is there anything I might be able to have done to the trailer to get it setup safely for the trip? I am not sure if it's possible to move the stop, but if it is will the long tongue of the trailer cause any issues? Lastly, with regards to how the boat sits on the trailer, is there anything I need to pay special attention to?

Any help would be appreciated. I do not have a picture of the boat / trailer, but it is a 98 Larson Escape.

boat1010 · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

A few pictures would be worth a thousand words. I'm very sure if we could actually see the boat on the trailer there would be "lots" of people that could give you some great help.

ezmobee · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

You definitely can't be towing a boat around that's nowhere near the bow stop.

dockwrecker · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Just move the stop back if you're happy with the way the boat rests and the tongue weight (should be 10% of total weight) The additional length won't matter.

perrosuperior · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Thanks, I'll get my dad to take some and I'll post them. Is there anything specific I need to have him take pic's of?

ezmobee · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Isn't the bow stop just U-bolted to the trailer? Should be adjustable. I supposed it could have been welded. That'd be a bummer. On this pic of mine http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/New Boat/DSCF2358.jpg you can see that the big triangular stop can be moved up and back on the tongue. Mine is about all the way forward. Yours will be further back which will be launching and retrieving easier for you.

roscoe · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

If the load is secure, you can tow it. Tractors, cars, and large machinery is hauled on trailers without a "bow stop." Large boats are hauled on flatbed trailers, and strapped down.

Secure the boat with a strap at each corner, and 2 over the top.
Not a wimpy strap, a real heavy commercial cargo strap. Or better yet, use chains.
Front, back, straps over the top.

rjlipscomb · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

roscoe said:
If the load is secure, ... Secure the boat with a strap at each corner, and 2 over the top. Not a wimpy strap, a real heavy commercial cargo strap. Or better yet, use chains.
Front, back, straps over the top.

As he said... except the straps and tie downs should be secure enough that the boat won't rock up and down. BUT, be careful not to over tighten and therefore over stress the hull.

perrosuperior · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Thanks for the info!!! It's really appreciated.

Home Cookin' · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

If it's a roller trailer you want to be particularly careful if you don't move the stop; if that boat rolls forward 6 inches on a sudden stop it's going to keep going. So if nothing else, put a pipe on the winch cable or something so it can't start moving forward.

perrosuperior · Feb 25, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

If it comes to pass I'll make sure it's against the stop. I'm pretty sure it's a bunk style trailer, but I don't know. I spoke with him not too long ago and he'll pull pictures if my mom's on board with the sale. Apparently she doesn't like the idea of a new boat for them.

livin4real · Feb 26, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

It can't be any worse than what I saw leaving the boat show last weekend. Some guy was cruising down the highway with a boat on a trailer.....that was also on a flatbed trailer. I don't know how in the heck he got the boat and trailer up onto the flatbed because it sure wasn't big enough to pull onto with a vehicle pulling a boat trailer. Needless to say I passed him in a hurry on the highway so I wouldn't end up his landing pad for his crazy load

smokeonthewater · Feb 26, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

hmmm if ur getting it anywhere near here I'd HAPPILY swap you a smaller trailer

Silvertip · Feb 26, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Not a problem. This will never happen!!!!!!!!!!!!! Note how nicely the bow stop launched the boat into the bed of the truck. You need the boat securely tied down with stern straps, a bow chain to the frame of the trailer and anything else you can do to limit forward movement. Remember, in a crash or sudden stop, physics 101 told you that "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" (at least until an opposite force stops it).

smokeonthewater · Feb 26, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

a 3" strap over the bow in front of the cleats and down to the trailer at a 45 degree angle back and another over the stern behind the cleats and forward at an angle is a start..... then HEAVY 1" straps angled back from the bow eye and a couple more on the stern eyes and you're good to go..... overkill? maybe..... I ALWAYS do overkill on straps so as not to kill equipment and people...

The above is for a long trip with a trailer that doesn't fit right.... I ALWAYS use the 4 1" straps along with the winch post on a light boat and will be using 4 2" straps on my 28'er even for the 3 miles to the river.... I ONLY use top quality straps not those crappy cheap ones in the bargain pack from china mart.... I also take them off the boat every time I get home so they don't rot in the sun...... pita but worth it... best of luck with your new rig

perrosuperior · Feb 28, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Wow, there's a lot of good info in here. Fortunately this didn't work out for me. My mom decided that she loves the boat too much for them to let it go. That caused me to go back on the hunt and fate stepped in. I picked up the perfect boat for my family and I, and it has a trailer that was made for it! Gotta love karma.

Thanks for all the help guys!

NSBCraig · Mar 2, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

Silvertip said:
Not a problem. This will never happen!!!!!!!!!!!!! Note how nicely the bow stop launched the boat into the bed of the truck. You need the boat securely tied down with stern straps, a bow chain to the frame of the trailer and anything else you can do to limit forward movement. Remember, in a crash or sudden stop, physics 101 told you that "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" (at least until an opposite force stops it).

???? This pic will never die!

If your wondering what can happen if you don't secure your boat on a trailer that is larger then the boat here's a pic for you.

bob johnson · Mar 2, 2010

Re: Towing a boat with a larger trailer

just keep in mind that you can UNDERLOAD a trailer as well as over load...but usually you get worse issues with OVERloaded trailers.

if underloaded , you could beat your boat to death!!!

like trying to drive with no springs or shocks...just solid to the axel...your only shock absorbtion is the air in the tires!!! NOT GOOD...

you need the springs to G I V E a little when you hit bumps....

I kinda beat up my aluminum 16 footer for many years because it weighed maybe 350 lbs, and the trailers load didnt top 700 lbs, but the axel and springs were rated at 3500 lbs!!! boat got shook to smitherines for years...had to replace a lot of rivets till i got smart... I mean smart-er.

still not smart yet.

bob

Towing a boat with a larger trailer

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