Pontoon Trailer Brakes or not?

bigdee

Commander
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
2,665
Anyone has had this type of bad experience not necessarily at high speed?

/QUOTE]

Me too. 18' ski boat with S-10. Approaching traffic light it turned amber,normally I would have continued through it but I noticed a state highway patrol was also approaching the light on my right. I panicked and tried to stop and slid into the intersection stopping right in front of the LEO. I started to back up and the LEO flipped on his blue light. I said "Oh sh**" I'm going to get a ticket. Instead the patrolman walked to the middle of the intersection and waved me through while holding up traffic! I gave him a courtesy wave and thought to myself he must be a boat owner too.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Mandatory or not, just common sense at a cost, all trailers should have brakes to avoid risky situations as mentioned due to idiots turning unexpectedly, sudden stopping, crossing, whatever, which doesn't know that the inertia of a trailer's weight when sudden stopped will keep pushing forward towards towing vehicle as a choo-choo train out of the station. Really dangerous and scary..

Happy Boating
 

bigdee

Commander
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
2,665
Mandatory or not, just common sense at a cost, all trailers should have brakes to avoid risky situations as mentioned due to idiots turning unexpectedly, sudden stopping, crossing, whatever, which doesn't know that the inertia of a trailer's weight when sudden stopped will keep pushing forward towards towing vehicle as a choo-choo train out of the station. Really dangerous and scary..

Happy Boating

I can't argue that. However EVEN with brakes your stopping distance is going to be increased. How often have you seen a semi slide into an intersection with all 18 wheels smoking? Complacency is your worst enemy,if I had been paying attention instead of fiddling with the radio I would not have made that mistake at the light. Know what your stopping distance is and adjust accordingly.
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,525
I was amazed at how much difference brakes made when I added them to my trailer. I've had a number of occasions where I had to stop suddenly to avoid someone/something. I am sure that without trailer brakes at least one of the situations would have resulted in an accident. Unless you're just trailering your boat once a year to/from marina storage, I just can't see being without brakes. The cost of adding them is probably less than the insurance deductible you'd pay if you were to be in a fender-bender....
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
I will admit I don't have brakes on either of my trailers. However, do you think I need them? I tow with a Dodge Ram 1500 with a towing capacity of 8,200 pounds and each of my boats is at most 1/4 that. I also added high performance pads and rotors to the truck.

Oh, and did I mention my preferred launch ramp is a drive of about 100...





...feet?
:lol:
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
You could be a champ towing trailers with extreme prudence, but you can't deal with stupidity, persons doing stupid things at the least unexpected moment in front of a towing vehicle.

Happy Boating
 
Top