Trailering ? II

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

How many of you guys run a safety chain in addition to your bow strap. My buddy was in town this weekend and he trailers a 24ft. cuddy cabin and said I was a fool for not adding a safety chain from the trailer to the bow eye.



Just curious?



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I don't. I should, but don't. Never had a problem to date. I do make sure everything is tied down well though.

 

[James D.]

i've got a little lx700 and need to have some fenders welded up a little. when i have that done, i'm going to add a chain to mine. it makes good sense to me. as i think when you're going bumpity bump down the road the boat might move around a bit if the strap were to break (especially some of the roads here in oklahoma). i saw a pic of i think rich's boat and looks like he had one put on. some of the other rigs i've looked at have them too. what if you're on a steep boat ramp pulling out and the strap breaks while those trailer bunks are wet? i think just added safety which makes sense and couldn't hurt. my .02.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Yep...what they said...It can't hurt to have one...

Mine is a very "professional-looking" big, heavy piece of rope with a hook on one end!!! But for piece of mind, its priceless!!!



az

 

[Mark Weichold]

I added one to my new 882, and also added one to my last boat, a 700lx. A few months back I got home from a Tournament to find that my winch had broken (the teeth) during the travel home. That made me real happy that the safety chain was there. No damage and covered under warranty but still!!!! I hate to think it would have given way. They are so easy to install I think it should be a standard on trailers.



Mark

 

[Dan J.]

Many states, such as Georgia, require a "stationary tie down of sufficient strength to restrain cargo in tow." (I'm paraphrasing.) Check your local regs. to see if it's mandatory in your state. There are many types offered by manufacturers and are easily installed. A "do-it-yourself-er" can have it up to regs. in less than ten minutes. If you've ever seen a boat splattered accross the highway you'll agree it's a good rule.

 

[Texas Transplant]

I have a second strap that came with the boat, from the trailer to the boat.



Always connect it up. Probably should think about changing it from a strap to a chain though.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Dan,



Most get the reg. covered by the transom tiedowns. I'm debating having an "eye" welded on the trailer and then I can choose between chain or rope with snap swivels on either end.



TOXIC

 

[Dave Muniz]

I use a strap as well, no problems to date.



damuniz

 

[Greg Meyer]

I use two nylon straps in addition to the winch strap... Just a habit from long ago... Complies with most state laws. I think I got these at BPS.

 

[Dan J.]

Be careful with the transom tie downs. Bolted on "ratchet" type are considered stationary. (So I'm told.) The lever tightened "S" hook style are not (they're removable like the winch strap hook). I think it all boils down to just how critical the enforcer of the law gets. I believe that this usually doesn't become an issue until after the fact (an accident) or because of some other reason the official goes looking for additional violations. I don't know anybody who has been stopped for the tie-down reason alone. I think it's a good safety measure though.



An easy addition of a stationary tie-down is at the winch stand. Remove the winch hook and strap from the bow and lay it back over the winch. Drill a hole in the middle of the winch stand platform centered directly under where the strap usually goes accross. Size a SS bolt of equal diameter as your hole and slide it in using an appropriate SS flat washer under the head. Using an 18" section of chain, slide the last link up the bottom of the bolt, under the winch platform. (I have used the vinyl sheathed chain with great success.)Slide up another washer and tighten down with a nylon lock nut. Attach a forged snap hook or clip and you're done! (Be sure to use a large enough bolt, chain and hook for your rig's load.)Before they became standard on the 2000 model, I did this on every boat I received. I attach the stationary hook to the ring end of my winch strap hook and simply unhook at the lake and re-hook when I'm back on the bunks. The strap may break, but I've never seen a hook snap. Good Luck!

 

[Bob G.]

After I bought my boat I added a chain from the winch stand (there was already a hole there) to the bow eye on the boat.



Bob G.

 

[Steven Atwell]

I have a ratchet type strap and S hook just under my bow roller, I always connect it, because I have got to the ramp, and checked my winch strap and found it loose from all the rough bouncy roads around here..............sa

 

[Mark Hofman]

Our boat came standard with a 2" wide safety strap and snap hooks at each end. The trailer was rigged with an extra eye, and the other end of the strap hooks just below the winch strap hook on the boat's bow eye. I'm really glad that this feature was standard, because I wouldn't have thought of doings something like this until the boat fell off the trailer.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

MO-

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a nice, ugly piece of rope to replace that nylon strap???

I'll trade you straight up!!!



az

 

[Chad Justice]

I just noticed for the first time the other day that my dad has a safety chain on his pontoon trailer. After thinking about it, I decided that I'm going to put one on mine, too ASAP.. Why?? I fear that if I see something like that and fully realize how cheap and easy it would be to install (and how it could save my backside) and STILL don't do it, Murphy's law will surely punish me!!!



I'm hoping Mr. Murphy will take it easy on a procrastinator, though...

 

[Dennis Hamer]

My 2001 PT165 came with one. I use it all of the time.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Thanks for bringing this up, TOX..... I've never had one but it is a VERY GOOD idea.....

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Scott,



After my little butt slide down the driveway, I'm a little more safety consious now. I'm paying a little more attention!! Looks like it's pretty much unanamous, if you don't have one, get one. Might have saved someone a headache down the road (literally). That's the beauty of the board!!



TOXIC

 

[Douglas Ward]

Have one and use it all the time. In fact saved the boat one time when I was pulling it out of the water and forgot to check the winch a second time

 

[Don Wilhelm]

I don't have one on the 180, but plan to install one. My old boat (14" w/25 'Rude) had one, I always used it. I sold that boat to my wifes brother-in-law. I do not think he used it, or it was too long.....one day on a trip back from KY lake, the winch failed on him. The boat slid back until the rear strap (an over the top type) dug in. The boat slid back enough for the transom saver (motor toter) to fall out, and down came the rude. We do not know how far he dragged it before he discovered it....we know it was quite a while because when the damage was done, it had ground the skeg down to the prop shaft.....

 

[Rich Stern]

I drilled a hole through one of the arms that holds the bow roller, applied some paint to the hole edges for rust protection, and then bolted a short length of 2/0 chain to the hole. The other end of the chain has a spring-action closing hook, which I snap on to either the bow eye, or the eye of the winch hook.



I've also gotten in the habit of using the little retaining wire that holds the motor totor to the roller on the boat.

 

[stan jones]

i use one. if the ramp is steep and you launch more than once a day, wet bunks are slippery. iv'e had the strap unhooked and felt the boat slip to the chain during certian launches. after a while you know which launches to use the chain. i always use it on the road. also if your winch ever fails you could lose your boat while pulling out.thanks stan

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Funny thing, I looked last night and my 929 does not have one or a factory made place to mount one! I'm assuming it's because the rear has the two factory installed ratchet transom straps. I still think I'm gonna come up with a way to attach one.



TOXIC