Bow tie downs

Lowlysubaruguy

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
514
I have been boating since I was a very young and dont ever remember seeing bow tie downs. There was a post here regarding them not long ago I looked on one of the last nice days a couple weeks ago the boat launch was full not a single boat tie down at the bow 30 plus boats. Must not be something that everyone knows about? maybe the memo never made it to the NW.

Looking at images they appear to pull straight down in most cases but I think a foward and downward pull would be the best? Id like to install one on my larger boat which is going to spend a great deal of time on the road in the near future. My boats 26 feet and probably weighs about 8500 pounds ish loaded at times. Im thinking a chain with a turnbuckle.

I think my real question here is about positioning should it pull straight down or down and forward one part of me is concerned a forward pull might encourage the boat to shift forward when braking hard etc.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
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Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,307
my winch post has a loop to attach the safety chain to it.
 

Teamster

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 8, 2010
Messages
1,923
I use a Boat Buckle retractable tie down in the bow, along with the winch strap and safety chain,..

Similar to this on I-Boats,............
 

harringtondav

Commander
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
2,438
I don't understand the concept. A properly loaded trailer has approx. 90% of the weight on the axle(s). Most of this is the boat. Your winch is sufficient to hold down the bow, and keep the boat on the trailer if you forget the transom tie downs.
 
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GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
I don't understand the concept. A properly loaded trailer has approx. 90% of the weight on the axle(s). Most of this is the boat. Your winch is sufficient to hold down the bow, and keep the boat on the trailer if you forget the transom tie downs.

Winch unlocks or the strap breaks and boat the passes you on the freeway. A winch is for retrieval, not securing the boat to the trailer.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
I’ve had two close calls.

i had a winch cable break while pulling the boat up a steep ramp. Safety chain didn’t hold. Quick action and lots of luck saved dropping the boat on the concrete ramp. Heavy chain and turn buckle where installed that weekend.

Popped a transom tie down strap making a turn at a busy intersection. Strap was fairly new. The edge of the transom cut right thru it. Have used a 3” heavy duty cargo strap over the gunnels ever since.

Anchor point for turn buckle is perpendicular to bow eye. Pulls bow down and snug to bow stop allowing me to slack off on the winch cable
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
My winch post has a spot to insert a chain bow tie down and I have transom tie down straps that are ratchets. My winch strap is rated way over what my boat weighs, but I just feel more secure with the chain there as well.
 

JimS123

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
7,952
The times they are a changin'. What was recommended years ago has long been forgotten.

I don't know about memos to the NW, but the picture below shows an OEM bow tie down that came as std equipment with the trailer.

Falling off the trailer, safety chains, momentum.....pfft. Years ago I was involved in a rear end collision on the highway. The transom straps broke, and the trailer tongue snapped in half. The only thing that kept the boat out of the back seat of the car was the bow tie down...
 

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crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,352
I have always used a dockline on bow cleat ,drop rope down under trailer tongue and back up to bow cleat.Have a buddy hang on the bow as u pull the rope as snug as u can and the tie it off.Bow tie down will help stop the bounce you sometimes get while trailering over certain roads which only stops when u slow the vehicle down a little.I also strap the stern down to the trailer with gunwale strap with flip buckle.The strap is the width of a seatbelt .Charlie
 

H20Rat

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Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,199
The momentum of a #4,000 boat at 40 mph is 235,120 lbft/s...are you sure about that? ;)


In an accident, all bets are off. Even transom straps are of limited use then. They keep the boat on the trailer during normal bumps, but if the pulling vehicle suddenly stops, the shock load will either rip the straps or rip the eyelets out of the fiberglass.
 

Leardriver

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
373
In 1984, when I was a police officer in Salt Lake City, there was a truck towing a boat collision with a cement mixer. The boat ended up 100 yards from the trailer. No strap or chain would have matter with the physics involved.
I have a chain back up at the bow in addition to the winch strap, which I change every four years or so. I bet most of you have the same.
 
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