Safe towing tips for big boat newbies

However, a bigger boat means more responsibility once you hit the road. Boats can be up to 2.5 metres wide, blocking rearward vision significantly, stretch up to 19 metres long when combined with the tow vehicle, and weigh up to 4.5 tonnes in some instances.

That means that everything will need to be right with your vehicle before you nose it out of the driveway to head to the boat ramp. There’s nothing worse than the thought of wasting a day out on the water by being stuck on the side of the road fixing an unexpected problem.

There’s no need to worry, though. Towing a big boat can be fuss-free – provided you follow some basic advice, build up your experience, and where needed, beef up your ride.

The legal definition of when you need to use towing mirrors differs from state to state. However, one thing is sure – having decent mirrors makes sense.

Aftermarket mirror extensions will make it a lot easier to see fast-charging traffic coming up behind you – well before you mistakenly change lanes into its path.

Reversing cameras have revolutionised backing a vehicle up to a trailer and then slotting it into position on the boat ramp.

But while these electronic devices help, there are always blind spots that you’re not able to see from behind the wheel, so the best path to reversing safety is to have a spotter communicating with you.

There are now many potentially life-saving electronic driver-assist features aimed at towing safely, including a few that are fitted standard to many current vehicles. 

If possible, opt for a tow vehicle fitted with trailer sway control (or trailer sway assist - they both do the same thing). When your boat trailer starts to sway, the vehicle’s stability control system is programmed to step in and stop the sway much faster than a standard stability control set-up.

Electronic stability control systems are now also available for electric braked trailers that help prevent a jack-knife. Another recent innovation is anti-lock trailer braking that prevents the trailer’s wheels from locking up under emergency braking.

Performing trailer checks before leaving home and during longer trips can also prevent potential problems. 

Ensure any external fixtures or items on the trailer are firmly attached or secured and the coupling, chains, load-rated shackles and trailer plug are connected properly.

It’s worth checking the trailer’s wheel bearings regularly and if you’re planning a big trip, replacing and or re-packing each wheel’s bearings is sensible pro-active maintenance.

At least once a day and more often on longer drives, check the tyres on the tow vehicle and trailer for damage, and ensure correct inflation pressures. 

Proper placement of gear in both the tow vehicle and trailer can make a huge difference to towing stability.

Try to load all the heaviest gear down low and as close as possible to where the trailer axles are positioned. Also, be aware of how much weight you’re adding so you don’t exceed any payload limits, and if in any doubt get a weighbridge certificate.

Be careful with overloading a boat while it is on a trailer. Boats generally sit on their keel, which is usually the strongest part of the boat. But load up too much, and you risk a roller punching through the hull or opening a crack.

In some cases, despite your best efforts with load placement, the trailer can still end up with an increased tow ball load. 

A weight distribution hitch can help transfer load from the tow vehicle’s rear to the front axle, helping reduce the chance of sway. 

If you’re towing a bigger boat with ice, fishing gear and a full belly of fuel onboard, check that both your gross vehicle mass – the amount of weight your car can legally carry – and the gross combined mass – the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer – are still within legal limits, as trailer weight will eat into your vehicle’s allowable weight.

Big improvements can be made to towing safety just by upgrading certain components on your tow vehicle.

A suspension upgrade can help improve ride comfort as well as stability when towing, with the biggest improvement coming if your tow vehicle’s factory-supplied suspension is already a bit tired or is soft to start with. 

Braking performance is also important when towing a heavy trailer.

Standard brakes on many vehicles are not as responsive as they could be and may be prone to fade, especially when towing a heavy trailer.

There are a few easy upgrades that can potentially make a big difference to tow vehicle brake performance.

Leading brake expert Bendix offers a few simple bolt-on brake hardware improvements for many tow vehicles. 

These include the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade Kit that is available for all popular modern dual-cab utes such as the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, as well 4WD wagons including Toyota LandCruiser and Prado, and the Nissan Patrol.

The Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade Kit is a comprehensive package that includes all the hardware required to significantly improve the braking performance of your vehicle.

“Our Ultimate brake rotors are vented and feature diamond-tipped slots that not only ensure consistent stopping power but are better at eliminating dirt build-up in off-road conditions,” Bendix product manager Ian Campbell says.

“The high carbon material used in their construction, combined with the pillar ventilation technology improves thermal conductivity for consistent performance too.”

Bendix 4WD Brake Pads are in turn specifically designed for the slotted rotors on heavy-duty four-wheel-drive vehicles, providing high-temperature stability and fade resistance while reducing brake dust and noise.

When paired with Bendix Ultimate braided brake hoses (included in the brake upgrade kit), the replacement Bendix pads provide a consistently firm pedal. This is thanks to the fact the Bendix braided hoses are more rigid and expand less under high pedal pressures.

To keep the brakes in tip-top condition, the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade also comes with a litre of Bendix heavy-duty brake fluid, a can of Bendix Cleanup, a tube of Ceramasil brake parts lubricant, and a heavy-duty touring case.

Another enhancement that can really improve braking performance on some vehicles when towing is the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade. 

Available for ABS and non-ABS versions of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series range – with kits for other popular 4WD vehicles available soon – the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade is designed for vehicles required to tow or carry heavy loads and will increase braking performance by up to 30 per cent.

Designed as a direct ‘bolt in’ replacement for the car-maker’s single-diaphragm brake boosters, the Bendix Ultimate 4WD Brake Booster Upgrade is ADR compliant and uses dual-diaphragm technology to reduce pedal effort while significantly decreasing stopping distances.

For more information on Bendix braking products for your tow vehicle go to bendix.com.au.