Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

I thought it was odd that Curt sold the hitch receiver for the car, but not the wiring harness. Curt only sold a wiring harness for 1999 models and up. Etrailer claimed to sell a 1990-2002, but NOT the trailer receiver. I took a chance, and this one failed on me.

Gonna have to see what I can pay someone to do for me in this case.... :facepalm:

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

My wiring kit has a converter (small black box) with wires that are supposed to connect to "left turn signal", "right turn signal", etc. and the other end has the standard trailer connection.

So there are individual wires coming out of the converter box, that need to connect to separate wires in your car's wiring harness? That's a pain in the butt!!! The last couple of wiring harnesses I installed had plugs that connected to the car's wire harness plugs.

I hate to say it, but if you pay someone to install that harnness, they will most likely use those POS Scotch Lock connectors

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Well I'm glad the hitch worked out well for you. I think fishrdan is right if you take it in somewhere there is a good chance they will use the scotch locks on it and those are garbage. I would try calling the company and see if they have better instructions or look and see if they have something on thier website. I hope you get it up and running soon.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Ugh...well, this was an expected bump in the road Yes, there are individual wires that I am expected to connect to,uh, something somewhere.

Dangit...

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Looked online for better wiring harness instructions. Found out that it is pretty easy to install. There are "wire taps" included in my kit. So, this should be a breeze.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Just finished wiring the trailer harness in the car. Actually very simple. I was being thorough, and it took me 90 minutes. That included breaks, double and triple checking everyting, making the install look professional, and cleaning the garage. Hopefully I'll be on the water tomorrow evening. Still gotta finish the Boater's Safety Course. Everything else is done.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

That's great. I'm glad your all set up. Now go enjoy the water. And remember the plug.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Towing has been a breeze lately. Still haven't gotten on the water yet because I have had to fix a few things, and the Boaters Safety course is very lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggg...

But, I've been towing it back and forth between my house and where I have it stored, and it's almost as if it's not even on the car! The tongue weight seems perfect. The rear shocks compress a little, but not even close to bottoming out. The tires are not affected in the least. Since the boat and trailer are so light, I really don't have to adjust my stopping too much. Since I'm a newbie at trailers, backing it in is still a bit of a challenge. But, since it's just a jon boat, I can easily move it around once I disconnect it from the car, especially after I installed the tongue jack. My driveway has a small incline (about 10 degrees), and I was having a tough time backing the trailer up it. So, I just disconnected it and pushed the thing up the driveway, held it in place with one hand, and chocked it! lol This is ALL while I was wearing flip flops.

My biggest fear right now is whether or not the installers put thread lock on the hitch bolts. I am gonna ask them when I drive past there today. The bolts come with locking nuts, but I would also prefer thread lock.

Thanks again everybody. Can't wait to take my first picture at the ramp.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

glad it all worked out. Relax; your hitch isn't going to fall off; your tires aren't going to pop. You are being exceedingly careful about a very simple rig, but that's OK and better than going the other way.

I find it easier to move a 14' boat by hand, especially with a short trailer. But still a good idea to practice, especially if you are going to be using a crowded ramp.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

glad it all worked out. Relax; your hitch isn't going to fall off; your tires aren't going to pop. You are being exceedingly careful about a very simple rig, but that's OK and better than going the other way.

I find it easier to move a 14' boat by hand, especially with a short trailer. But still a good idea to practice, especially if you are going to be using a crowded ramp.

Thanks. That makes me feel a bit better. This is my first boat, and I am a big safety advocate. I'm sure I won't be this paranoid when I get my hands on a Chevy Southern Comfort for my "ideal" boat which would be a Tahoe or Bayliner. Still a few years off on those...

 

[NYBo]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Glad you got it all worked out.

Make sure you really waterproof the splices in the wiring harness. A few coats of liquid electrical tape will keep you lit up for years.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Glad you got it all worked out.

Make sure you really waterproof the splices in the wiring harness. A few coats of liquid electrical tape will keep you lit up for years.

Thanks.

Dangit, never heard of that. Just searched online, so I guess I'll grab some tomorrrow. :redface: I hate to say, but I only used 8 or 9 layers of regular electrical tape when I fixed the turn signal on the trailer. All of my other connections are very good.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Thanks.

Dangit, never heard of that. Just searched online, so I guess I'll grab some tomorrrow. :redface: I hate to say, but I only used 8 or 9 layers of regular electrical tape when I fixed the turn signal on the trailer. All of my other connections are very good.

now don't go unwinding your 20' of electrical tape to waterproof the splices in your car. Go out and enjoy your boat. You're fine.

If you need something to worry about, it's this: outboards motors lock up, gum up, fall apart and fly to pieces if they aren't run and run hard at least every weekend. Driveway muffs don't count; they make it worse. Hurry! It's already started just sitting there! I'm not joking!

Seriously. Three pages on towing a 14'--you could do it with a motorcycle with flat tires and bailing wire.

 

[Lowe170]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

now don't go unwinding your 20' of electrical tape to waterproof the splices in your car. Go out and enjoy your boat. You're fine.

If you need something to worry about, it's this: outboards motors lock up, gum up, fall apart and fly to pieces if they aren't run and run hard at least every weekend. Driveway muffs don't count; they make it worse. Hurry! It's already started just sitting there! I'm not joking!

Seriously. Three pages on towing a 14'--you could do it with a motorcycle with flat tires and bailing wire.

Now that's funny, right there!

 

[NYBo]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

now don't go unwinding your 20' of electrical tape to waterproof the splices in your car.

Naw, just coat the outside with the liquid version. That will seal things up, and keep the tape from unraveling. The idea is to protect the car's wiring.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

Naw, just coat the outside with the liquid version. That will seal things up, and keep the tape from unraveling. The idea is to protect the car's wiring.

oh....I didn't have to splice any wires inside the car. The only wire splicing I did was when I had to replace the left tail light on the trailer. That one will be coated with liquid electrical tape because it's likely to be submerged in water at the ramp.

Tomorrow is the day!!! Can't wait. Something came up around the house, so I didn't fool with anything related to fishing or boating today.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

oh....I didn't have to splice any wires inside the car. The only wire splicing I did was when I had to replace the left tail light on the trailer. That one will be coated with liquid electrical tape because it's likely to be submerged in water at the ramp.

Tomorrow is the day!!! Can't wait. Something came up around the house, so I didn't fool with anything related to fishing or boating today.

wow....just came back from 3 hours on the lake. Uh, let's just say that everything was PERFECT with towing.

...my boating skills left something be desired, though. Let's just say that it was a wonderful "Comedy of Errors" all afternoon.

As far as towing, everything was GREAT! The lake I went to was about 15 miles away, 55 mph speed limit all the way. Hardly even noticed the boat back there. At one point, the car was riding so smooth (at 55), I had to look back and make sure the trailer didn't fall off.

I had not problems at the ramp (other than running one tire off the side). The muffler was just barely beneath the surface, and I didn't have any issues. When it was time to load the boat back on the trailer (other than the fact I accidentallly gave the motor too much gas and ran in to the stop thing at a high rate of speed), it was a breeze. I put the trailer a little further down the ramp, and it was as smooth as butter.

All in all, I guess I'm lucky that I choose the right boat/trailer and the right car. Seems to fit together very nicely.

I'll have to post my first boating experience, entitled "The Old Guy vs The Boat" in another thread on here one day. lol Too embarrassed to even take pictures! lol

Thanks again everyone!! See you all around...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

so you were the guy going 55 with the trailer....

Now about launching/retrieving. Don't sink your rig up to your tailpipe. You should be able to stand with dry feet at the bow of the boat and push it off the trailer. You should be able to stand with dry feet at the winch and winch it back on. You can float on and off, but driving on and off is a hotly debated topic, and seldom if ever necessary for a 14' boat. You also put your prop and skeg at risk that way.

with larger boats, the ramp techniques are different. You have a simple rig that doesn't require power, deep water, etc.

 

[TheOriginalOldGuy]

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

so you were the guy going 55 with the trailer....

Now about launching/retrieving. Don't sink your rig up to your tailpipe. You should be able to stand with dry feet at the bow of the boat and push it off the trailer. You should be able to stand with dry feet at the winch and winch it back on. You can float on and off, but driving on and off is a hotly debated topic, and seldom if ever necessary for a 14' boat. You also put your prop and skeg at risk that way.

with larger boats, the ramp techniques are different. You have a simple rig that doesn't require power, deep water, etc.

I tried to get onto the trailer, but when I opened the car door, I was already in 3 feet of water. I'm a short guy, so I just waded over to the winch (which I forgot to loosen).

The one GOOD thing about retrieving was how I was able to give it just enough power at about 20 feet out, go to neutral, and glide onto the trailer. I tried to slow down, and hit the throttle, though, and then....oh, never mind.

Man, I hope no one videotaped me on the water. It was horrid. :facepalm:

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Towing 14ft Lowe Jon Boat With Compact Car

by "dry feet" I mean that the ramp under the winch stand is dry. Your car never should get wet, not even the tires (for a 14'). If it were me, the axle of the trailer would stay dry.

I sure hope the 3' of water wasn't at the trunk of the car!

You have a trailer, not a dry dock. the whole thing doesn't go under water.