Transom Tie-downs

[Baddog]

I always use them. Always. Always. Your Dealer is either nuts or cheap. Or both. Whether he asks you to pay or not, please just get them.

Also, you may want to consider an additional Tie DOWN strap at the front bow eye. Yes, I know you've got the bow tucked into its little V-shaped cradle..... but a good wallop at the front (depending on the winch/rope/V-birth geometry) can have your hull bounce around and get some nasty gouges. A strap that pulls the hull DOWN would keep the bow tucked inside the V-shape roller at the front.

Beg to differ. On the front I use a chain. I like my boat ON the trailer when it is not on the water.

[Addictedto6]

I always use them. Always. Always. Your Dealer is either nuts or cheap. Or both. Whether he asks you to pay or not, please just get them.

Also, you may want to consider an additional Tie DOWN strap at the front bow eye. Yes, I know you've got the bow tucked into its little V-shaped cradle..... but a good wallop at the front (depending on the winch/rope/V-birth geometry) can have your hull bounce around and get some nasty gouges. A strap that pulls the hull DOWN would keep the bow tucked inside the V-shape roller at the front.

Beg to differ. On the front I use a chain. I like my boat ON the trailer when it is not on the water.

beg to differ in what way? Same objective, different technique. not sure what your objection is...

[Baddog]

I always use them. Always. Always. Your Dealer is either nuts or cheap. Or both. Whether he asks you to pay or not, please just get them.

Also, you may want to consider an additional Tie DOWN strap at the front bow eye. Yes, I know you've got the bow tucked into its little V-shaped cradle..... but a good wallop at the front (depending on the winch/rope/V-birth geometry) can have your hull bounce around and get some nasty gouges. A strap that pulls the hull DOWN would keep the bow tucked inside the V-shape roller at the front.

Beg to differ. On the front I use a chain. I like my boat ON the trailer when it is not on the water.

beg to differ in what way? Same objective, different technique. not sure what your objection is...

Objection? Not really an objection, but . . . .

Front strap = girlie man's version of protection of, say, a Bayliner

Front CHAIN = Man's man version of studly control of the bad boy boat

A simple matter of perspective, that's all.

[Addictedto6]

I always use them. Always. Always. Your Dealer is either nuts or cheap. Or both. Whether he asks you to pay or not, please just get them.

Also, you may want to consider an additional Tie DOWN strap at the front bow eye. Yes, I know you've got the bow tucked into its little V-shaped cradle..... but a good wallop at the front (depending on the winch/rope/V-birth geometry) can have your hull bounce around and get some nasty gouges. A strap that pulls the hull DOWN would keep the bow tucked inside the V-shape roller at the front.

Beg to differ. On the front I use a chain. I like my boat ON the trailer when it is not on the water.

beg to differ in what way? Same objective, different technique. not sure what your objection is...

Objection? Not really an objection, but . . . .

Front strap = girlie man's version of protection of, say, a Bayliner

Front CHAIN = Man's man version of studly control of the bad boy boat

A simple matter of perspective, that's all.

Well, a chain won't address any of the issues Doug raises in his post about the front bouncing around. It will only help if the winch strap breaks.

[Baddog]

I always use them. Always. Always. Your Dealer is either nuts or cheap. Or both. Whether he asks you to pay or not, please just get them.

Also, you may want to consider an additional Tie DOWN strap at the front bow eye. Yes, I know you've got the bow tucked into its little V-shaped cradle..... but a good wallop at the front (depending on the winch/rope/V-birth geometry) can have your hull bounce around and get some nasty gouges. A strap that pulls the hull DOWN would keep the bow tucked inside the V-shape roller at the front.

Beg to differ. On the front I use a chain. I like my boat ON the trailer when it is not on the water.

beg to differ in what way? Same objective, different technique. not sure what your objection is...

Objection? Not really an objection, but . . . .

Front strap = girlie man's version of protection of, say, a Bayliner

Front CHAIN = Man's man version of studly control of the bad boy boat

A simple matter of perspective, that's all.

Well, a chain won't address any of the issues Doug raises in his post about the front bouncing around. It will only help if the winch strap breaks.

Good point. I guess, this then means you need both to insure you can keep your Man card and get in touch with your feminine side.

[wienrdog]

Well, a chain won't address any of the issues Doug raises in his post about the front bouncing around. It will only help if the winch strap breaks.

Add a turnbuckle & it will.

Edited May 17, 2007 by weinrdog

[Baddog]

Well, a chain won't address any of the issues Doug raises in his post about the front bouncing around. It will only help if the winch strap breaks.

Add a turnbuckle & it will.

But what's the stud factor on a turnbuckle? Chain just sounds so manly.

[scotyR&]

I do very little towing and when I do tow it is for a total of maybe 5 miles. That being said, I always use tie downs. It takes all of 30 seconds to put them on and could save you a whole lot of heartache and time off the water.

Also, I see that you are from Marrietta, so i assume we got our boat from the same dealer. If I remember correctly, tie downs were thrown in with my boat.

Congrats on the new ride!!! Do you get out on Toona or Lanier?

[bmontini]

I do very little towing and when I do tow it is for a total of maybe 5 miles. That being said, I always use tie downs. It takes all of 30 seconds to put them on and could save you a whole lot of heartache and time off the water.

Also, I see that you are from Marrietta, so i assume we got our boat from the same dealer. If I remember correctly, tie downs were thrown in with my boat.

Congrats on the new ride!!! Do you get out on Toona or Lanier?

Probably the same dealer (A.I.)... We go to allatoona if we don't have a full day to kill on the water, We actually prefer Carter's. No traffic, so nice and undisturbed. (Steeper ramps too!) Where do you like to go?

I had Bryan and Tommy over there telling me that I didn't need straps because the boat was soooo heavy... "they never move" That sounded a little dumb to me so I posed the question to make sure I wasn't stuck in the 70s (with my old boat - 79 glastron 19' that had tiedowns) I am expecting my boatbuckles to be here tomorrow. Bolt them up and on my way.

I got one of the "Y" leased boats, so I have had a few issues getting everything back to "new" condition. But they are picking it up next week from my house to go and fix the laundry list and bringing it back for me before the holiday weekend. At leaset I don't have to drive 55 miles each way to drop my boat and pick it up!

Here is my rig only 1/2 an hour after pickup last weekend heading towards Carter's!! Then Sunday we went to Allatoona. I saw a couple of BUs up there.

[Baddog]

This thread never updates. What's up?

[NorCaliBu]

This thread never updates. What's up?

Each time someone votes it "bumps" the topic back to the top even though no new post was added.

[SacRiverRat]

Yea, or when we are here talking on the side..

I'm still surprised about the number of "doesn't matter" votes.. Ever see a truck haul a load without it being strapped down, or a tow truck, that loads a car, and just lets it sit there on the back?

Not sure why people would thing their boat is heavy enough that it isn't needed - just means there is that much more mass that is going to leave those wheels behind in the event of an incident

Think of it as keeping the wheels attached to the boat - not the boat attached to the wheels.. When my boat comes down, I'd like the wheels to still be under it

[Baddog]

This thread never updates. What's up?

Each time someone votes it "bumps" the topic back to the top even though no new post was added.

Well Duh! on me. Never thought of that and it clears this mighty mystery up. Thanks.

[bobofthenorth]

So, Is my salesman full of it or are they not needed?

Seems like such a silly question, but maybe I am just out of touch with new boats. (I didn't think that physics changed much though!

It wouldn't be the first time a salesman was blowing smoke out his ....

I wouldn't tow a boat that wasn't tied down. YMMV

[smedman]

I've had my boat for about 1.5 years now and after reading the other thread a few months ago, I've decided to start using them.

I've had a few people around town tell me that they are not needed.... but they really take about 30 seconds to put on (about 5 to take off), and are definitely worth the extra piece of mind.

[jayjoans]

definitely worth the extra piece of mind.

I need every piece of mind I can get. I'm losing it piece by piece as I slowly move towards a very painful and agonizing death of old age.

[Bobby Light]

Especially if you're using the liquid rollers on your bunks.

[winddawg]

I have an of 23 LSV and would not travel without them. The cost of the tie-downs is a small price to pay for the "insurance" it adds to not boucing the boat around on rough roads. 4000 lbs is not that much mass when you compare it to an automobile and look how well a car is tied down when it is on a trailer.

[SacRiverRat]

I have an of 23 LSV and would not travel without them. The cost of the tie-downs is a small price to pay for the "insurance" it adds to not boucing the boat around on rough roads. 4000 lbs is not that much mass when you compare it to an automobile and look how well a car is tied down when it is on a trailer.

Ever see a semi hauling a big tractor w/out it chained down? The weight of the object has nothing to do with it staying down. If you hit the right rise, it'll come-up, and you want to be sure the wheels are in the right place when it comes down.

[jgutzy]

I saw a Mastercraft go up and over the bow stop and into the backend of a Suburban during a panic stop. Suburban was headed up to an intersection doing the speed limt but closing in on the car ahead of him. The light turns yellow and the car in front hits the brakes to stop for the light so the Suburban hits the brakes hard. Suburban stops with out hitting the car but the boat keeps on going right over the bow stop (crumpling it) and comes to rest in and on the back end of the Suburban. I was just behind him in the right lane and saw it happen. NO TRANSOM TIE DOWN STRAPS!!! It was still sitting there at the intersection almost two hours later with two tow trucks there trying to move the boat.. Got another look at it and saw the prop shaft and strut bent, rode up over one of the trailer crossmembers. I don't remember seeing the rudder, I think it had snapped off. They had to bring in a small crane to lift the boat and place it back on the trailer.

Jim

[albino rhino]

Always, Always, Always

[multiplemalibufamily]

I've got a good idea for the salespeerson who made the idiotic claim about the lack of need for tie down straps. Lets offer to post his name and likeness on a new "this salesperson/dealer is an idiot" thread. He will then get the recognition he has earned. Alternatively, he can however redeem himself from this stupidity if he provides his customer, whom he offered this bit of non wisdom, a brand new set of racheting tiedowns installed on this guys trailer at absolutely no charge. Does this seem fair or cruel and unusual?

[MalibuTime]

Thank you. Everyone's opinion confirmed that I am not crazy

I have decided to purchase the BoatBuckles I have seen that some people on here like them. They sure look easy enough.

Thanks for the great forums here. Unfortunately I stayed up last night til 2AM reading them and didn't get enough sleep!

I think the dealer should be shelling out for those. In Washington, all state laws are available online, and I can tell you without even looking an unsecured load is illegal (no tie downs) and if your unsecured load comes out and hurts someone I believe it is a criminal offense now. Point is, dealer is negligent sending a new boat off the lot without them.

Not including tie downs is like not including trailer brakes on a weight rating that requires brakes, then saying after the fact you can add them if you want.

Well whether you pursue the dealer or not, you are on the right track now - safe boating (and trailering)

[MalibuTime]

I've got a good idea for the salespeerson who made the idiotic claim about the lack of need for tie down straps. Lets offer to post his name and likeness on a new "this salesperson/dealer is an idiot" thread. He will then get the recognition he has earned. Alternatively, he can however redeem himself from this stupidity if he provides his customer, whom he offered this bit of non wisdom, a brand new set of racheting tiedowns installed on this guys trailer at absolutely no charge. Does this seem fair or cruel and unusual?

No, that person / dealer should be called out. That kind of thinking can get someone killed.

[Malibuzer]

I have always used the transom straps on our old boat. As in an earlier post we had a Mariah and they are not kidding about it being a heavy boat! I had it in for service and the manager started giving me the gears about not having a front safety chain on as wellas the transom straps. I didn't think much of his little rant, so he took me out back to show me a basically new Sky Supreme with a broken winch line and the only thing that save it was the transom straps. The strap on that Supreme didn't even have any fading or dirt marks! Could have been a factory defect. I am sure that without the rear straps that thing would have been gone. After that I put a safety chain on the boat as well. Lesson learned from someone elses near disaster!