Trailering and what to be careful of

[chase]

Warren,

Lots of good advice here, nothing more to add, but thought I'd reiterate a couple of points from my experience hauling lots of cattle and equipment around.

Starting is easy, stopping is the crux. Check the brakes, on tow vehicle and trailer. Lots of distance between car in front of you, no rush hour travel, etc. But wait and see how many ding-dongs there really are in the world when they all pull right in front of you with a load! You’ll drive differently in your own car after towing a load around.

Consider Dick's advice about tires. If there's any question just get new ones. Life's too short. Make sure you have a good spare and are familiar with your tire changing setup. Check your jack and make sure you have a way to get the trailer up high enough to change a tire, whether it be blocks or even a hi-lift jack.

Transmission cooler is key. Hauling heavy stuff around eats automatic transmissions. Don't drive in overdrive in hilly terrain. Cheap to have one installed.

Everything else is covered. Since I get paid to back up to things, hook on and pull them around, I thought I'd add my 2 cents. I’m not cavalier about it, I consider highway hauling dangerous business, personally.

Chase

[Warren S]

Thanks everyone, there are a lot of little things to include in case of breakdowns etc.

[J D]

Warren, I trailered my 27 from the great lakes to CA. It also came with a trailer. I used a 3/4 ton truck. It did fine. Be sure to lash the tiller so the rudder doesn't move in the wind. and block the mast in the center. Keep the load on the trailer heavy enough on the tongue so that it doesn't want to sway. stop to check every thing often. I set the electric breaks to set much harder thin the truck. All and all it was an enjoyable experience. I tied a ladder on the trailer so I could sleep on the boat. Good luck with your boat. John

[Dick Villamil]

Florida is pretty flat - the trailering should not be a problem. It is the stops and gos that create the stress. Make sure that you stop often and check the trailer, boat and hitch. Also check the tiew downs. If you do the trip late on a Sunday Night there will be less traffic however don't plan on a ruch hour arrival - it could be interesting - especially around Miami. My F250 can pull my friend's 7000 lb wooden Shaw 24 with no problem - even after soaking up water all summer! Try a few short trips with just the trailer to get some practice backing up etc - then go for it. Take Walkie Talkies - one for you and one for the chase car so you can check the condition of lights, traffic, when to take a break etc.