Transom tie downs

[awilco]

I always use them. Last summer a guy towing a bass boat 3 blocks from his house lost his trailer with boat on it as he was driving to fast around a sharp corner, did not have his ball clamp down on the tong or safety chains hooked. The truck in front of me hit the rig separating the boat from the trailer as he ran over the trailer. The bass boat flew up over his truck missing me in my new Tahoe by inches, I was very lucky. The back of the boat with the motor spun around inches over my hood and from my windshield, hit the ground next to my door and slid over 50 yards in the street before it stopped. He did not have anything tied down let alone the transom. The point I am trying to make is, that was in town blocks from his house. What could it hurt to have the transom tied down?

Got any pics of that that sounds amazing...

We always use them and only have forgotten about them once in the 8 years we have had a Malibu, which was an interesting experience to say the least. Sometimes if the boat isn’t exactly centered on the trailer we tighten one side and leave the other side loose and let the road bounce it back into place. It’s just another piece of mind that takes all of 30 seconds to take care of.

Sure, I have pictures, you can see how close the boat landed to my Tahoe:

http://www.geocities.com/andyww2/boattahoe.JPG

http://www.geocities.com/andyww2/bastrailer.JPG

http://www.geocities.com/andyww2/basboat.JPG

[Steck]

Whoa...looks like it could have been a lot worse...That trailer looks a little taco'ed

[jtrovato]

The geocities site exceeded its transfer limit. The links don't work anymore.

[Addictedto6]

The geocities site exceeded its transfer limit. The links don't work anymore.

they are working again

[Sixball]

We ran a drag car for years. We had a gal pull out in front of us nothing could be done. Construction workers in right lane two foot medium to left and oncoming traffic. After all was over we opened the trailer to check inside all looked good at first glance. After looking closer the car had moved 2 1/2 feet and back all the tie downs stretched that much and pulled the car back to its original spot. The car would have come through the trailer and into the truck if it had not been strapped down. We were only going 40 MPH T boned the El comeno. The first car in the oncoming traffic was a police car and ironically one of the construction workerd was the girls uncle. She had a busted up knee. the only time I think I can say it's good she didn't have a seat belt on. The hit blew her out of the drivers seat to the floor of the passanger side.

The drivers side was CRUSHED. Truck and trailer over 7 1/2 tons

[Bobby Light]

Good story man.. That's just one of those crazy situations that everyone keeps saying it'll never happen to me, or in my 30 years experience I've never had anything happen to me. I bet this was the first time this had ever happened to you and chances are it will never happen again, but you had the tie downs on and that's what saved your bacon.

Glad it turned out in your favor.

[footnlongline]

Always use them! Always.

Somebody here towed a boat for 11 hours and the boat didn't move so that's a good enough reason to not use them?????? You're not serious? And a dealer made a suggestion that was ok?

Often I can drive over 2 hours on the highway without using my brakes.... does that mean I don't need brakes?

I never had a flat tire on my trailer..... so does that mean I don't need a trailer spare of jack or wheel wrench?

Somebody may use the logic that as the boat/trailer hit a bump.... they all go up and down at the same speed etc etc. What happens if the trailer wheel hits the edge of the pavement/shoulder during a semi-emergency highway maneuver..... where the boat/trailer momentum is now lateral to the direction of travel..... the trailer wheel hits the edge of the pavement... but the boat wants to keep going in the original sideways direction. Gold old Sir Isacc Newton (Newton's 3 Laws) would roll over in his grave hearing that transom tie-downs aren't needed.

What is somebody saving by not putting them on..... maybe 2.65 minutes? Of course they should go on.

I wont back out of the drive w/o them. Ten years ago I had a single axle trailer for my sunsetter. We were coming back from vacation and doing about 80mph. The passenger side wheel and hub came compleatly off w/o warning, dropping the axle spindle to the ground and bending the prop/rudder guard. By the grace of God the trailer didn't flip but I am convinced that had I not put the tie downs on, the boat would have slid off sideways and then rolled down the ravine. Trust me, don't be too lazy to put them on, someday they may save your expensive boat.

[auto]

Even though the law may say you don't need to wear one, if it protects my head and what's inside, just in case, why wouldn't I wear one?

It's called choice. Never wore a helmet with my three bikes either, I know it shocks you guys

When the catastrophic incident that destroys my boat and the insurance adjustor cites lack of tow straps as the contributing factor of total boat destruction and death to everyone within a 5 mile radius, I will gladly post that everyone on themalibucrew.com was right.

BTW, how do you guys feel about carrying loaded guns?

Edited August 3, 2007 by auto

[zzbutler]

I try to stay away from these kinda things but..... Those using those little 1" straps might as well be using shoe strings. I was just telling tgaugh how I saw the look on my brother's face when he arrived at the lake to see that his strap had come off and bounced around for 50 miles and put about 50 chips in the gel on the transom of his brand new boat.

Now, as for carrying loaded guns.... Shotguns fit good in the board racks but I try to remember to take them out going down the road.

[auto]

Now, as for carrying loaded guns.... Shotguns fit good in the board racks but I try to remember to take them out going down the road.

Don't want to be too far away from the hardware

[superjet]

BTW, how do you guys feel about carrying loaded guns?

Is there any other way to carry them?

[NorCaliBu]

BTW, how do you guys feel about carrying loaded guns?

Is there any other way to carry them?

Not much good unloaded.

[jetskipro550]

Took the boat down to the river this morning...I think the tie downs are somewhere in the garage

[auto]

BTW, how do you guys feel about carrying loaded guns?

Is there any other way to carry them?

Absolutely not. My dad always said an unloaded gun was an expensive paperweight

[WaveMake'nLSV]

Had to throw this one in here! Although I don't personally use them, this is a STRONG consideration to change my mind. That and NOT smacking a pole.

[masterdinh]

Why not use them? It takes like 1 minute to put on and off. Even if they can contribute just a little help, its worth the time to try and protect your investment as much as you can.