THE BOATING SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Whether you’re just getting into boating or are a hardcore tournament angler bouncing from lake to lake, there are items and considerations that you really shouldn’t leave your driveway without. Trailering a boat requires the same preparation consideration that you would put into your fishing equipment, but a lot of it is often overlooked. As someone who often learns the hard way, I am going to shed some light on a few things I have learned over the years to help you along on your trailering journey.
Trailer Considerations
I’ll be honest, I learned all about trailer bearings when I was 17 years old and saw a fireball coming from my trailer wheel on the highway east of Kenora as I was racing out bass fishing one evening. Now, I treat them like royalty. There are many types of trailer bearings, and I won’t bore you with the details, but most modern boat trailers are equipped with “bearing buddies’ or similar products. These allow you to attach a grease gun to a fitting and fill them up with grease with almost no mess. Springs apply constant pressure to the grease, ensuring that delivery of new grease is constantly in the works. These type of bearings can contain enough grease to last up to 10,000 km, which is a pretty accurate number in my experience. These can be added to most trailer bearings and replace the standard dust caps, and are definitely something I would recommend.
Before every big road trip, I top mine up, but I never “set and forget”. Every time I pull over to fuel up, I try to make it a habit to feel the wheel hubs for excessive heat. They’ll always be a little warm, but if they’re scorching hot or you can visibly see grease on your rims, you’ve got an issue. I always carry a loaded grease gun and a complete spare trailer hub in case I really get stuck. Like I said, I learned the hard way on this one, and while the spare hub is overkill, I don’t ever want to have to abandon my rig on the side of the road.
Obviously, trailer lights and tires are something you want to ensure are operational before you hit the road. Having a spare tire is a must, and there really isn’t a question of “if” you’ll need it, it’s “when”.
Trailering Essentials
There are a few items that can make trailering a boat safer, easier, and more efficient. Retractable tie downs can be attached to any boat trailer to allow for instant and hassle-free strapping. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of damage and unsafe operation from the use of ratchet straps or ropes to secure a boat to a trailer, and the evolution to retractable tie downs mitigates almost all the associated headaches.
Transom savers are another essential item while trailering. They help distribute the weight of the boat’s engine, so it isn’t directly wearing on your transom and power trim. I used to use the old school aluminum ‘claw’ style savers, but they were always clunky and made a mess of the paint on your lower unit. I can’t tell you how many of these I’ve seen laying on the highway or boat ramp over the years. What I use now is called the M-Y Wedge, and I have seen some by Geiger-Tech as well that are mounted underneath your motor and aid in weight distribution.
Tools / Accessories
I put on around 40,000 km trailering on the road last year as I competed across Canada and the US, so the tools I bring are going to be overkill for most. I’ll highlight a few essentials that you don’t want to leave the house without:
- Socket Set – a good socket set will have most of your tool requirements covered, especially kits that include screwdriver bits and Allen key heads.
- Big Flat Head Screwdriver – This is probably one of the most useful tools to have on the road with you. Make sure you get a big wide one that can be used to bypass power trim, access your lower unit oil, and acting as a pry bar for various situations.
- 4×4 Block – A simple 4×4 block can be used in many useful ways including acting as a wheel chock, driving up on to change a tire on a tandem trailer, and can even be used in your boat for elevating your trolling motor for shallow water or on-shore maintenance. It is probably the cheapest marine accessory you can get, and has endless potential!
- Lights – A portable light is the most overlooked item I see on the road. For use in anything from late night rigging to road-side repairs, lights are essential. I recently started using the Rapala R12 Spotlight Lantern that is super bright, has a lot of options, and has a battery life of 17 hours. The best part it, the batteries it takes are the same I use in my portable aerator, electric fillet knife, and other R12 accessories, so I usually have a few on hand.
As someone who values time on the water as much as anyone, I know and understand the importance of taking precautions to ensure your time is spent on the water instead of on the side of the highway. Follow these tips and give a little extra consideration to your rig before your next trip and you won’t have to learn the same lessons that I have. Enjoy!