To be completely candid, I’m considerably new to boat trailer towing. Backing it in is the worst! I’m a little scared to be honest. Having said that, I do in fact own a small pickup truck. Grew up with my Dad always taking us to the lake. Anyway, I am about to put quite a bit of money into a new boat. It’s not new. It’s used. But it’s new to me. So here I am doing my research about what I might need.
I found an excellent trailer ball hitch safety device. I’m also learning how to drive and maneuver with a boat trailer on my rear end.
So… the Ball and Hitch Safety Device I Put on My Trailer
I’ve heard it’s much more likely for someone to steal your boat trailer than it is for it to come off while your driving on the highway. However, there is an awesome trailer towing unit that will certainly protect against both of these. Here it is.
Safety Tow Device
The Safety Tow device is worth the price and is very easy to install. I mean look at how it works. It’s clearly the very best solution available to fully safeguard your trailer while it’s hitched up on your truck. The safety device closes beneath your hitch connection and you are able to secure it in place with a pin and padlock.
Meanwhile… I Learn to Drive With a Boat Trailer Behind Me
Now I know the reason why there’s a certification for commercial truck drivers. Yikes! Driving a vehicle while towing a trailer is considerably different than zipping around in my little old car. You have extra wheels… axles… and are a lot longer with a trailer.
So I decided to practice, consistently. I just hitched up my boat trailer and practiced in a parking lot. Now I’m good at driving forward, backwards, and making the necessary wide turns. And certainly learned parking with a trailer. Very different. Hardest part about towing a trailer is backing in to park, or in this case, backing it into the water. Anyway, now I’m good at it. Just 2 days of practice, about 45 minutes each day.
Giving Additional Breaking Distance
You would certainly assume that this would be a self evident point. Yet, it can’t be stressed enough. It’s pretty hard to get used to. Definitely provide additional breaking space in front of you when you are hauling anything. Much more than you typically would without hauling something. I try to keep it in mind the entire time. I even started doing it when I’m not towing anything.
With the excess weight, it takes a lot longer to come to a stop. You just never know when some clown is going to whip around you and cut you off. Hold your horses and drive defensively.
Conclusion
With all that said, I’m happy to say that I have a boat to take on my road trip this spring down to Florida! I feel pretty good about my new boat and trailer. Have any questions? Feel free to leave them in the comments below.
