Trailering - NorthStar 120RF Manual

13. TRAILERING

Choose the proper trailer for your boat. More damage can be done to a
boat by the stresses of road travel than by normal operation. A boat hull is
designed to be supported evenly by water. When transported on a trailer,
your boat should be supported structurally as evenly across the hull as
possible. This will allow for even distribution of the weight of the hull,
engine and equipment. It should be long enough to support the whole
length of the hull but short enough to allow the lower unit of the boats
engine to extend freely.
•
Rollers and bolsters must be kept in good condition to prevent
scratching and gouging of the hull.
•
Tie-downs and lower unit supports must be adjusted properly to
prevent the boat from bouncing on the trailer. The bow eye on the
boat should be secured with rope, chain or turnbuckle in addition
to the winch cable. Additional straps may be required across the
beam of the boat.
The capacity of the trailer should be greater than the combined weight of
the boat, motor, and equipment. The tow vehicle must be capable of
handling the weight of the trailer, boat, equipment, as well as the weight of
the passengers and equipment, which will be carried inside. This may
require that the tow vehicle may need to be specially equipped with a(n):
•
Engine of adequate power.
•
Transmission designed for towing.
•
Larger cooling systems for the engine and transmission.
•
Heavy duty brakes.
•
Load bearing hitch attached to the frame, not the bumper. (Check
your vehicle owner's manual for specific information.)
NORTHSTAR MANUAL
Use a trailer suitable for the craft and its mass.
Check Before You Go Out On the Highway
•
The tow ball and coupler are the same size and bolts with washers
are tightly secured. (The vibration of road travel can loosen them.)
•
The coupler is completely over the ball and the latching
mechanism is locked.
•
The trailer is loaded evenly from front to rear as well as side to
side.
Too much weight on the hitch will cause the rear wheels of the tow vehicle
to drag and may make steering more difficult
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