Trailering question.....

[weld1]

Maybe its just me but has anyone else noticed the number of people who DONT put a safety pin of some type in there trailer coupler?? take a look sometime and it will probally scare you!! do these people really think because it has the spring catch it can not release....i better stop here before i give my real opinion of these.........persons

[dakotakid31]

i have a friend that has no pin in his receiver because it is so rusted in there. MORE-ON has been driving like that for over a year.

[rtwills]

funny you posted this today. I was at green lake in chisago today and the dude parked next to me had no pin and no safety chains, and only one trailor light. Glad I left before him

[jwhjr]

I've noticed this as well. It's not a chance I'm willing to take that's for sure.

[Musky_Madness]

I don't go to an access without a lock on mine...crazy you have to lock your stuff down now.

[Sandmannd]

I'm with Musky Madness on this. I buy the lock that matches a lock for your receiver. One key and the boat stays locked to my truck. Only $20 and it at least will take a theif longer to get my trailer.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I'm am one of the lucky ones, if somebody stoled my trailer it would be a blessing!

I pulled a bonehead move last Sunday. I was pretty excited to go out in the morning. Had everything hooked up and headed to the bait store. Left the bait store and was ready to get back out on the freeway and remembered I forgot to flip the lever down to lock the trailer on the ball!! WOW, did I get lucky. Latched it down installed the pin and on my way I went. Then I forget to put the plug in but thats another story!!!

[Jim Almquist]

I was listening to KFAN and Dubay was telling a story about going over some railroad tracks a little to fast and his boat popped off and the only thing that saved his new boat was his safety chains. I lock my receiver, coupler and use safety chains and try to make it a habit of things to do firsts when hooking up the boat. When ever someone else backs my boat up I watch to make sure all my lights work. One other good thing is to put dielectric grease on the holes of plugs for your lights because they will go on and off easier and less stress when removing.

[Moe Szyslak]

Maybe its just me but has anyone else noticed the number of people who DONT put a safety pin of some type in there trailer coupler?? take a look sometime and it will probally scare you!! do these people really think because it has the spring catch it can not release....i better stop here before i give my real opinion of these.........persons

I agree that a pin or lock of some kind is a good idea.

I would like to hear your real opinion about these persons though.

[Sandmannd]

Then I forget to put the plug in but thats another story!!!

Been there done that. Welcome to early season boating and over excitement. Good to know it's not just me!!

[BLACKJACK]

The worst part is that when the boat and trailer end up coming unhooked it will kill someone else, not the moron.

[porterhouse]

I always use a lock on my trailer. Cheap insurance!!

Brian

[Iambjm]

We always have a lock on ours, it is one of the first things we do when we get ready to trailer. I don't have a locking receiver pin, just for the fact that the first one we had got all corroded and we couldn't get it off.

[rundrave]

funny you mention this. early yesterday a guy driving from wisconsin going north on I-29 lost his boat on the interstate just south of Brookings, SD. He drove all the way to Watertown and didnt even know it fell off the trailer.

A semi ended up hitting it in the middle of the interstate.

Just makes me wonder....thankfully nobody was injured except the boat.

[DonBo]

Hooked mine up once, 4 in the morning, dark. Used a pin, but the hitch was not tight on the ball. Safety chains saved me that time. Crossing the chains really works!

[Sandmannd]

Yep, I always cross the chains. Sucks for that guy that lost his boat. Can't believe you wouldn't notice it missing. You would think he woulda felt it or heard it.

[solbes]

My first year with the boat I pulled out of the Independence launch in Baker Park. No pin and it came off the hitch. Drag... Good thing I at least had the safety chains crossed on or the trailer would have sunk.

Ever since I've always used a lock to keep it on. I always pull up on the trailer too to make sure the hitch is engaged.

[Chester-MN]

When I was a teenager I watched a guy pull the receiver pin out of a truck and trailer combo at the landing and throw it in the lake, while the owner was fishing. Both guys were really unpleasant fellas so I didn't do anything. In hindsight I sure wish I would I would have left a warning note. At best he dropped his trailer in the lake and the worst case somebody could have gotten killed. I never heard if anything happened.

That is the reason I have a locking receiver pin and a lock on the trailer hitch. I am surprised more guys don't have both. I guess I don't have a lot of faith in humanity. It is about $20 well spent IMHO.

[Nate McVey]

You would think this would be common practice by everyone who owns a boat!

We have all kinds of time and money wrapped up in these things and yet we are in such a hurry that we can't take a couple extra seconds to make sure the boat is secure? Everytime I hook the boat up I lift up on the tounge, wiggle it, kick it, whatever it takes to make sure it isn't going anywhere.

I have a lock on my receiver and a padlock on the toungue, plus a chain through the eyebolt on the front of the boat to the trailer. Over-protective? Maybe, but I can't afford another boat or damage to another car.

[Iambjm]

My first year with the boat I pulled out of the Independence launch in Baker Park. No pin and it came off the hitch. Drag... Good thing I at least had the safety chains crossed on or the trailer would have sunk.

Ever since I've always used a lock to keep it on. I always pull up on the trailer too to make sure the hitch is engaged.

It doesn't take long for us to learn does it.

PS Hi from a former Ramsey resident, how is the traffic rat race down there

[NELS-BELLS]

I was listening to KFAN and Dubay was telling a story about going over some railroad tracks a little to fast and his boat popped off and the only thing that saved his new boat was his safety chains.

I had the exact same thing happen. About 15 years ago I borrowed my future father-in-laws brand new 20' Larson boat and forgot to lock the trailer to the ball. I went over the tracks and saw the bow of the boat come up and then slam back down. I slowed down and pulled over to find the reciever had landed on the bumper next to the ball.

I often wonder how different my kids would look today, or even if I would have kids today, if the boat had been damaged.

Nels

[Nick Kuhn]

The lock is always on ours. Chains are crossed. We also make sure the safety clip is on with the bow strap. And of course all the other normal things.

One thing we do that I notice others and the road don't is we tie the steering wheel to the console seat so the motor doesn't turn as we are trailering (was a simple enough solution). The rubber on the transom saver had started to crack because of the motor turning, so we came up with that simple solution and it's worked great.

[candiru]

Let me share a story from way back when. I was about 12 or so and my dad bought a picture window. My dad had my brother and I in the trailer holding it upright on the trip to the cabin, about 15 miles. I was the older one and in the back so the trailer was light on the tongue. About 2/3rds of the way, the hitch popped off and the trailer started swaying wildly. It only went back and forth a few times and then the chains let go. It was in a hilly area and fortunatly this spot was fairly flat and we just ended up in the ditch right side up with the window intact. We could have gone down a steep bank and really been in trouble. My brother and I are lucky to have made it out of that one. I don't know what dear old dad was thinking. I know it would not go over well today.

[Iambjm]

Yikes

[shizzy]

I have always been pretty anal when it comes to pulling a trailer of any kind. I have always hitched up, drove a block or two and then pulled over to double check everything. I also double check anytime I make a food or gas stop. I dont know how many times I have found I missed something or found a tiedown had worked its way loose.

10 seconds to save yourself LOTS of grief.