TOW TIP: Securing the boat

Boats can be fragile things, especially when being towed on some of our 'not-so-good' roads.

Correctly tying a boat down to a trailer is important to limit damage caused to the hull.

Boat trailers are flimsy affairs by and large and are designed to flex under a boat. If over-braced with straps that encompass the hull, that flex is lost and will be distributed elsewhere; likely in the hull.

Always use one strap at the rear end of the trailer, either over the hull as close as possible to a thwart seat or bulkhead for maximum strength. Or use two single straps to anchor each side of the stern to the trailer.

Only one anchor point should be used forward of that and that should be at the winch. Tied down so, the trailer can flex under the boat and take most of the road shock instead of transferring it to the hull.

Use a tie down system at the winch post, separate from the winch cable or strap and then back off the tension of the winch. This will avoid ‘chopping’ out the bush bearing in the winch housing.

Finally, always attach a loose fitting safety chain and any other securing line as you see fit. But only attach to the one point on the boat and release the chain only when the boat is to be launched off the trailer.