Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

10000lb straps? A little over kill isn't it? Your only securing the trailer to the boat not the boat to the trailer.

Why, how much is your boat worth? Mine was worth the $20-30. You should see the chains on the front, if you think that's overkill.

MHYPITBOAT, I had trouble with the gunnel strap sliding off the back, but found I could thread the strap thru the cleats, which held it in place.

Some reasons I practice overkill:

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

You can do as much overkill on the transom straps as you want, it won't prevent what happened in picture #1 above. If you come to a dead stop from a decent speed via a strong light pole, your boat is going to continue forward. The angle of the transom straps means that your boat has an extreme mechanical advantage, and even if the strap could hold, the transom eyelets would simply rip right out of the fiberglass. In that type of accident, you could use huge chain and reinforced eyelets, and the hooks on the trailer would tear right off next, with the boat continuing forward.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

You may be right, but prevention is still worth the proverbial pound of cure. And that is why I also use bow chains, , and before any more derogatory comments, the long chain is attached directly to the trailer tongue, the short chain to the post, both kept tight with heavy duty turnbuckles.

The long chain will hopefully prevent the boat from climbing over the post, in conjunction with the straps, the short chain to prevent rearward slid. And keep the boat in place in the unlikely event of the post breaking off, as it is held in position by 3 very robust I-beams secured by 2 each 5/8" u-bolts.

The tension is to prevent the snapping force exerted on as slack strap/chain during the moment of impact when the boat would try to continue moving forward (or back).

However, I find your argument strangely w/o merit when you suggest there is too much precaution being taken. Google boat trailer accident photos and I am sure that all those hapless people felt the same way as you, prior to their moment of enlightenment.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

there is another force that will help keep the boat in place on a bunk trailer... that is friction... heavy transom straps pulling down will force the boat tight against the bunks and increase the sliding friction.
Just because the straps might not hold the boat on the trailer in an accident is no reason not to use them. If I get in a crash and most of the boat goes flying but the transom and bow eyes stay with the trailer, I'll know I did what I could. However if I get run off the road or have to swerve and the boat stays solidly in place on the trailer with no damage, I highly doubt that I'll regret using 10,000 lb straps on it that may be bigger than needed.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

As mentioned, Iboats has them. I have no experience with them however.......

Boat Trailer Tie Downs - iboats

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

You may be right, but prevention is still worth the proverbial pound of cure. And that is why I also use bow chains, View attachment 180459, and before any more derogatory comments, the long chain is attached directly to the trailer tongue, the short chain to the post, both kept tight with heavy duty turnbuckles.

The long chain will hopefully prevent the boat from climbing over the post, in conjunction with the straps, the short chain to prevent rearward slid. And keep the boat in place in the unlikely event of the post breaking off, as it is held in position by 3 very robust I-beams secured by 2 each 5/8" u-bolts.

The tension is to prevent the snapping force exerted on as slack strap/chain during the moment of impact when the boat would try to continue moving forward (or back).

However, I find your argument strangely w/o merit when you suggest there is too much precaution being taken. Google boat trailer accident photos and I am sure that all those hapless people felt the same way as you, prior to their moment of enlightenment.

You are missing the concept of transom straps. There meant to keep the trailer attached to the boat. Not the other way around. Think about it.
Since the boat weighs a lot more than the trailer I believe the proper description would be to 'tie it (the trailer) up' to keep them together if you have to perform any extreme maneuvers (sp?) to avoid the idiots on the road or god forbid get in an accident. The strap won't prevent the boat from going where it will but at least you will know that there is a trailer under it when it settles down.

The strap doesn't need to be sized to keep the boat down but rather to keep the trailer up. You might not need a 3" cargo strap but is certainly can't hurt.

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[Fed]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

The guidelines down here are given as a percentage of the load & subject to the direction.
80% forward
50% sideways
50% to the rear
20% upward
Most trailer winch/bow stops would take care of all requirements at the front.
The upward & sideways requirements at the rear would be a combination the trailer cradling & rear strap.
I use the common sense size myself.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Anybody know where I can get decent tie down straps for the rear?

Followup. OK finally broke down and went to West Marine. They were very accomodating and replaced them right away. He told me they are not supposed to hold in any kind of emergancy, but to simply keep the boat stable during normal driving. He didnt consider driving over a small curb normal driving I guess. So I took the new ones, installed them and will use them for around town, and plan to use a large strap over the transom through the rear cleats for longer trips. He said he had never seen any do this, so maybe they had a weakness in the metal on mine. Maybe the new ones will work better.