strap it down

[Addictedto6]

Straps are only helpful in emergency situations. If you don't foresee an emergency situation don't use them.

We use them! ? How do you know when an emergency is going to happen?

That's the Third post thinking LS-One was serious....

Can we please close this thread

Edited May 12, 2008 by Addictedto6

[DRAGON88]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I'm honestly curious.

Has anyone been in/seen an accident where the rear tiedown straps actually kept the boat in place?

[auto]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I'm honestly curious.

Has anyone been in/seen an accident where the rear tiedown straps actually kept the boat in place?

Good luck, on finding that info

I have been in a accident with my 03 VLX. Some bonehad in a ricer thought he was going to get ahead on a merge situation. Well, he ran out of room, concrete divider or the BU, he chose the BU No rear straps were attached, and it was a severe braking event, then again my tow vehicle is up to the task. Evertyhing was fine except my trailer and some serious damage to dumbasses Honda.

The funniest thing was when I disclosed to the officer on the scene, that I was carrying a gun, the look of the dumbasss that ran into me was priceless.

[Addictedto6]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I'm honestly curious.

Has anyone been in/seen an accident where the rear tiedown straps actually kept the boat in place?

Madman's comments above are clear enough for me. No, we don't know that the straps would have prevented the boat coming through the back of the truck, however, there will always be that doubt that it could have either been prevented/lessened with the straps. Doesn't sound like that story ended well.

[Addictedto6]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I'm honestly curious.

Has anyone been in/seen an accident where the rear tiedown straps actually kept the boat in place?

SacRiverRat has....

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ansom+tie+downs (post #14)

bu2007vlx has witnessed it...(post #18)

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ailer++accident

[auto]

Empirical evidence to all view points, awesome. As always do what you feel comfortable with and don't try and convince others.

[Addictedto6]

As always do what you feel comfortable with and don't try and convince others.

Here's where I disagree with you. I won't try to convince you, because it's clear what your opinion is and discussion won't change it. And that's your choice....However, many crew members have asked for advice on this particular topic, and the overwhelming response has been to use them with pretty good reasons why. I have yet to hear a single reason why not except laziness.

Edited May 12, 2008 by Addictedto6

[auto]

As always do what you feel comfortable with and don't try and convince others.

I have yet to hear a single reason why not except laziness.

Damn you got me. I prefer waste of time. If I am so lazy I would not use them on my duck boat now would I?

[Addictedto6]

As always do what you feel comfortable with and don't try and convince others.

I have yet to hear a single reason why not except laziness.

Damn you got me. I prefer waste of time. If I am so lazy I would not use them on my duck boat now would I?

Ok, so why NOT use them?

[Ronnie]

It will be hard to prove if straps will keep the boat on the trailer in an accident since all accidents are different. I didn't use them until we got this boat. On the way home from picking it up I had a relative following me in another vehicle (picked it up at a dealer party) and he asked me if I knew that the boat bounced off the trailer every time we went across a seam or small dip in the concrete freeway. He told me it would bounce 3 or 4" up and slam back on the trailer. This is a 23 footer too, not a light weight boat. That was enough indication to me that I needed to strap the trailer to the boat. We don't tow much at all but even when we take the boat out and tow the 1/2 mile back to the house, I strap it down. Takes 30 sec with the retractable straps, they are always there on the trailer for use. I do us a sheepskin seatbelt pad on the strap where it touches the boat.

[DRAGON88]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I'm honestly curious.

Has anyone been in/seen an accident where the rear tiedown straps actually kept the boat in place?

SacRiverRat has....

<a href="http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ansom+tie+downs" target="_blank">http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ansom+tie+downs</a> (post #14)

bu2007vlx has witnessed it...(post #18)

<a href="http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ailer++accident" target="_blank">http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ailer++accident</a>

With all due respect, those posts seem to be about holding the back end of the boat in place. The second post doesn't have enough information to decide if anything in it is relevant.

I've said before, I use the tiedowns to keep the boat from bouncing, but in any sort of "real" accident, say someone traveling in the opposite direction sideswipes your boat, the hooks simply bend out. This is my first hand experience, so I was curious to see if anyone else had an experience contrary to my own. In my case the trailer bunk actually got ripped out as well from the boat moving forward. It also broke the welds on the bow stop. My SAN was only 3200 lbs, the VLX weighs more than that.

All I'm saying is that yes, they are useful, to an extent they help keep the boat in place. But in an emergency situation, where you are trying to stop a 3800lb boat that is held onto the trailer by the friction of a few 2x4's covered in carpet, those little hooks just aren't up to the task of holding that much inertia back. It seems like a lot of people believe this as referenced in this thread. All I'm saying is I wouldn't put too much faith in them...

Edited May 12, 2008 by DRAGON88

[txwakejunkie]

It will be hard to prove if straps will keep the boat on the trailer in an accident since all accidents are different. I didn't use them until we got this boat. On the way home from picking it up I had a relative following me in another vehicle (picked it up at a dealer party) and he asked me if I knew that the boat bounced off the trailer every time we went across a seam or small dip in the concrete freeway. He told me it would bounce 3 or 4" up and slam back on the trailer. This is a 23 footer too, not a light weight boat. That was enough indication to me that I needed to strap the trailer to the boat. We don't tow much at all but even when we take the boat out and tow the 1/2 mile back to the house, I strap it down. Takes 30 sec with the retractable straps, they are always there on the trailer for use. I do us a sheepskin seatbelt pad on the strap where it touches the boat.

should be a no brainer.

$60,000 boat----$50.00 straps. doesnt seem like a hard choice to make. I agree that the straps may not hold a 3900lb boat in the case of a really bad crash. A lot of damage can be done to a boat bouncing around on a trailer everytime you haul it. The springs on the trailer can act like a trampoline to the boat if you get on a road that is not so nice. It may not move on the first bump or dip, but if you get two or three in a row then it might.

Edited May 12, 2008 by txwakejunkie

[VinRLX]

He told me it would bounce 3 or 4" up and slam back on the trailer.

And there you have it.

[Addictedto6]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but I'm honestly curious.

Has anyone been in/seen an accident where the rear tiedown straps actually kept the boat in place?

SacRiverRat has....

<a href="http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ansom+tie+downs" target="_blank">http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ansom+tie+downs</a> (post #14)

bu2007vlx has witnessed it...(post #18)

<a href="http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ailer++accident" target="_blank">http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index....ailer++accident</a>

With all due respect, those posts seem to be about holding the back end of the boat in place. The second post doesn't have enough information to decide if anything in it is relevant.

I've said before, I use the tiedowns to keep the boat from bouncing, but in any sort of "real" accident, say someone traveling in the opposite direction sideswipes your boat, the hooks simply bend out. This is my first hand experience, so I was curious to see if anyone else had an experience contrary to my own. In my case the trailer bunk actually got ripped out as well from the boat moving forward. It also broke the welds on the bow stop. My SAN was only 3200 lbs, the VLX weighs more than that.

All I'm saying is that yes, they are useful, to an extent they help keep the boat in place. But in an emergency situation, where you are trying to stop a 3800lb boat that is held onto the trailer by the friction of a few 2x4's covered in carpet, those little hooks just aren't up to the task of holding that much inertia back. It seems like a lot of people believe this as referenced in this thread. All I'm saying is I wouldn't put too much faith in them...

I agree that there some situations where the the straps/hooks will give, but also believe there are plenty of scenarios where they will help. I don't think anyone on this thread (or others) thinks they will *always* save the day.

[Malibudude]

He told me it would bounce 3 or 4" up and slam back on the trailer.

And there you have it.

Or not...

[auto]

Ok, so why NOT use them?

Because those straps actually work for the intended purpose (sometimes), to hold down a slick bottom duck boat with steelflex and glide strips on the bunks. The 4k straps on their have already failed once in evasive movement with less than a 1000lb boat.

It is still so curious, to see everyone get wound up on a subject that is proven from real life experience on both sides.

Mainly I don't use them becuase I do not have a problem with the BU moving.

This is not an important question, like why don't you carry a gun with you everytime you go outside the house?

[Addictedto6]

Ok, so why NOT use them?

Because those straps actually work for the intended purpose (sometimes), to hold down a slick bottom duck boat with steelflex and glide strips on the bunks. The 4k straps on their have already failed once in evasive movement with less than a 1000lb boat.

It is still so curious, to see everyone get wound up on a subject that is proven from real life experience on both sides.

Mainly I don't use them becuase I do not have a problem with the BU moving.

This is not an important question, like why don't you carry a gun with you everytime you go outside the house?

Not wound up, just curious as to why you insist on telling everyone there is no reason to use tie-downs despite multiple posters giving good valid reasons why they should be used.

And, You still didn't answer the question that's relevant to the thread. It wasn't about your duck boat, but our BUs. I can make it more specific:

Is there a reason why boaters shouldn't use tie-downs when trailering other than your claim that it's a waste of time?

Edited May 12, 2008 by Addictedto6

[txwakejunkie]

No straps

j/k but you never know.

[Addictedto6]

No straps

j/k but you never know.

That trailer is upright

Edited May 12, 2008 by Addictedto6

[auto]

Is there a reason why boaters shouldn't use tie-downs when trailering other than your claim that it's a waste of time?

Only answered it before, Absolutley a waste of MY time and I have found no good use on my malibu. There you satisifed. This an opinion board after all. Your mileage may vary. Mine does.

Any reason not to carry a gun? As stated earlier, can't forsee the future and emergencies.

[Addictedto6]

Is there a reason why boaters shouldn't use tie-downs when trailering other than your claim that it's a waste of time?

Only answered it before, Absolutley a waste of MY time and I have found no good use on my malibu. There you satisifed. This an opinion board after all. Your mileage may vary. Mine does.

Any reason not to carry a gun? As stated earlier, can't forsee the future and emergencies.

Guns aren't relevant to the discussion, but even if they were, people have what I consider legitimate reasons they carry guns, and legitimate reasons they don't. My opinion on tie-downs is there safety reasons to tie-down your boat, and only 1 (laziness) not too. Yes, YMMV.

You'll note that I didn't respond to any of your posts on this thread until you jumped in with your "empirical evidence" comment on my reply to Dragon88 on a legitimate question. I offered my opinion and didn't criticize your posts until you chimed in on my thoughts. You just can't seem to let folks have their own opinions on this topic that are different that yours.

Edited May 12, 2008 by Addictedto6

[Bobby Light]

Is there a reason why boaters shouldn't use tie-downs when trailering other than your claim that it's a waste of time?

Only answered it before, Absolutley a waste of MY time and I have found no good use on my malibu. There you satisifed. This an opinion board after all. Your mileage may vary. Mine does.

Any reason not to carry a gun? As stated earlier, can't forsee the future and emergencies.

Guns aren't relevant to the discussion, but even if they were, people have what I consider legitimate reasons they carry guns, and legitimate reasons they don't. My opinion on tie-downs is there safety reasons to tie-down your boat, and only 1 (laziness) not too. Yes, YMMV.

You'll note that I didn't respond to any of your posts on this thread until you jumped in with your "empirical evidence" comment on my reply to Dragon88 on a legitimate question. I offered my opinion and didn't criticize your posts until you chimed in on my thoughts. You just can't seem to let folks have their own opinions on this topic that are different that yours.

I guess if you carry a gun around all the time you wouldn't need the straps, it won't be your fault anyways right if something does happen. Let me take a little guess about your story with the ricer slamming agains the bu. He was trying to get ahead of you and you wouldn't let him right, and forced him into the wall?

[Mike00LXI]

[Ronnie]

Take it to PM or get it back on topic. We all have our opinions and they don't make us bad people if they aren't the same as other's. Some of you need to take a step back to see if you're being baited into an argument...or not.

[auto]

Guns aren't relevant to the discussion, but even if they were, people have what I consider legitimate reasons they carry guns, and legitimate reasons they don't. My opinion on tie-downs is there safety reasons to tie-down your boat, and only 1 (laziness) not too. Yes, YMMV.

I guess if you carry a gun around all the time you wouldn't need the straps, it won't be your fault anyways right if something does happen. Let me take a little guess about your story with the ricer slamming agains the bu. He was trying to get ahead of you and you wouldn't let him right, and forced him into the wall?

The gun reference was about not being able to forsee emergencies which was the reasoning for using transom straps, so why not be safe in other ways, not just being "unprepared" while trailering?

Yeah you got it right, I was towing a 5K boat in traffic and I "accelerated" faster than a Honda Civic?