How to tow a boat safely in summer
Towing a boat can turn people into nervous wrecks. Get the fundamentals sorted, though, and it will become part of the adventureSummer is peak boating season. The ramps are busier, the roads are hotter, and more new boat owners are towing for the first time. And while towing a boat can feel intimidating – especially if you’ve had a rough experience with a flat tyre or a cooked wheel bearing – it doesn’t have to be something you dread.
With the right preparation, the right gear and a few proven systems, towing quickly becomes second nature. In fact, it becomes part of the adventure. If your boat is packed right, your trailer is healthy and your towing technique is dialled in, you’ll hit the road with confidence and start the day already ahead of the pack.
The following guide blends real-world experience, road safety knowledge and practical steps you can follow every single time you hitch up. Whether you’re towing a 400kg tinny or a three-tonne fibreglass rig, these fundamentals will keep you safer and make your day smoother.
Start with a proper trailer toolkit
Every seasoned boatie eventually builds a dedicated kit that lives permanently in the car or boat. Not because they love carrying extra gear around, but because they’ve had to learn the hard way – usually on the side of a highway – that trailers have their own personalities and that issues rarely happen close to home
A quality trailer kit ensures you can get yourself moving again if something goes wrong.
The essentials include:
- A spare wheel in good condition
- A spare set of wheel bearings suited to your trailer (they are not universal)
- Bearing grease and rags
- A jack strong enough to lift the trailer
- Wheel brace or rattle gun
- Split pins and pliers
- Screwdrivers, shifter, small socket set
- Cable ties, duct tape, electrical tape
- A head torch
- Gloves
This small kit can be the difference between a ruined weekend and a quick roadside repair. Take the time to practice changing a wheel or swapping a bearing at home – if you can do it in your driveway, you can do it anywhere.
Follow a consistent hitching process
Towing safely begins before the car even moves. Hitching the trailer correctly is the most important step in the entire process because it’s the main point of connection between your car and your boat. A reliable system ensures nothing is rushed and nothing is forgotten.
Here’s a simple, repeatable method:
1. Align the tow ball and hitch
- Use the car, not the trailer, to make adjustments.
- Take your time reversing – slow and steady beats guessing and dragging the trailer by hand.
- If you’re slightly off, pull forward and try again rather than trying to force it.
2. Lower the trailer onto the tow ball
- Use the jockey wheel to bring the coupling down smoothly.
- The trailer should feel slightly “top-heavy” when seated – that’s normal tongue weight.
- Once seated, lock the latch and insert the safety pin.
3. Attach the safety chains and plug in the electrics
- Chains prevent the trailer from escaping if something fails.
- The trailer plug must be firmly connected.
- Test indicators, brake lights, running lights and the number plate light.
4. Stow the jockey wheel
- Rotate or remove depending on your setup.
- Ensure it locks in place – a dropped jockey wheel can cause disaster.
5. Release the trailer handbrake
- Many people forget this in the rush to leave.
- Towing with the brake engaged will quickly overheat pads and hubs.
By following this method every time, hitching becomes automatic and mistakes become much less likely.
Secure the boat properly
Once the trailer is hitched, your attention shifts to the boat itself. Legally and practically, the boat must be properly secured to the trailer.
Make sure you have:
- Two rear ratchet straps, one on each transom corner;
- A tight winch strap hooked to the bow eye;
- A safety chain from bow eye to trailer;
- A red prop flag to assist following drivers to judge distance; and
- No loose items inside the boat.
Think of the boat like any other load on a trailer – if it can move, bounce, or slide, it needs securing. Even small items like tackle boxes, buckets, and rods should be tied down or placed in hatches. A loose esky or rod tip bouncing out can cause major problems on the road.
Know your weights and limits
Every vehicle, trailer, and tow bar has legal towing limits. Understanding them ensures your setup is not only safe, but compliant.
Key numbers to know:
- Towing capacity (braked and unbraked);
- Tow ball download capacity;
- Gross Trailer Mass (GTM);
- Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM); and
- Gross Combination Mass (GCM).
Many people unknowingly exceed their limits without realising. Between full fuel tanks, eskies, batteries, tackle and passengers, weights creep up quickly. If you’re unsure, visit a public weighbridge – they’re inexpensive and give you peace of mind.
Driving with a trailer: the fundamentals
Towing changes the way your car behaves. Everything becomes slower – stopping, accelerating, turning, reacting. You’re effectively operating a two-piece vehicle with its own momentum and handling characteristics
Allow extra braking distance
- Increase your following distance to five seconds or more.
- Brake smoothly and early.
- Be especially cautious when stopping downhill.
Take corners wider
- Approach your turn wider than usual.
- Check your mirrors to ensure the wheels clear gutters and obstacles.
- Slow right down before entering the corner.
Accelerate gently
A heavy trailer can sway under sudden throttle. Smooth power delivery keeps everything stable. If sway begins:
- Ease off the accelerator – do not brake suddenly.
- Hold the wheel straight.
- Let the trailer settle.
Sway can be triggered by crosswinds, uneven loads, incorrect tyre pressure and/or poor weight distribution.
Be smart about summer conditions
Hot weather and holiday traffic introduce additional challenges.
Plan ahead
- Avoid steep, winding backroads if possible.
- Choose routes with wide road shoulders.
- Know where rest stops and fuel stations are located.
- Travel early morning or late afternoon to miss heat and congestion.
Check tyre condition regularly
Trailer tyres degrade faster due to sun exposure and infrequent use. Watch for:
- Cracking.
- Bulging.
- Uneven wear.
- Low pressure.
- Tyres older than five years.
Stay cool
Your car and your trailer work harder in summer. Heat affects hubs, bearings and brakes, especially in traffic. Keep an eye (and nose) out for anything unusual.
At the ramp, do a quick post-drive inspection:
- Carefully hover your hand over each hub.
- Warm is normal; hot is a red flag.
- If a hub feels unusually hot, do not launch.
- Ensure the winch strap is still tight.
- Confirm the motor has its locking bar removed (if fitted).
- If everything looks good, it’s time to launch calmly and safely.
Reversing practice makes perfect
Reversing a trailer intimidates plenty of people but it’s all about practice, not talent.
Try practicing in an empty carpark:
- Use painted lines as imaginary ramps.
- Work slowly – speed is your enemy.
- Hold the bottom of the wheel: push right to move the trailer right, left to move it left.
- Make small inputs, not big swings.
The more you practice in a no-pressure environment, the easier it becomes at a busy summer ramp.
Towing should feel like part of the fun
With the right systems, towing doesn’t have to be stressful, rushed, or intimidating. It becomes a simple, repeatable process: prepare your gear, follow your hitching steps, drive smart, and do your checks.
Once you build those habits, towing becomes the first chapter of the adventure – not the challenge before it.
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