Trailering and Launching Your PWC Checklist

Your boat and its contents should not weigh more than 90 percent of the trailer's weight capacity. This is because your gear (fuel, life jackets, anchors, lines, etc.) will increase the overall weight by at least 10%.

Make sure the boat sits on the trailer so the rollers and supports fit the contour of the boat's bottom. The trailer ball should be bolted or welded to the towing vehicle. The boat's weight should be evenly distributed along the trailer. If there is too much weight on the rear of the vehicle it will raise the front end making it difficult to control while not enough weight on the rear of the vehicle will cause the trailer to sway and fishtail.

Make sure stern drives and outboard motors are raised prior to launch and retrieval to avoid damage. Remember to put the boat plug in prior to launching and pull it out after the boat has been retrieved and put on the trailer.

1. Know before you go - read and understand your state's trailer laws.

2. Become familiar with the owner's manual for your trailer.

3. Check to see that your tires are properly inflated.

4. Regularly service, lubricate, and adjust the wheel bearings according to the manufacturer's recommendation.

5. Check to ensure that there are no loose bolts, cracks, broken joints, or faulty welding.

6. Test the tie-downs to be sure they are tight and properly attached.

7. Inspect the hitch and safety chains. Criss-cross the safety chains when attaching them to the towing vehicle to keep the trailer under control if it disconnects. The chains should have a breaking strength of no less than the combined weight of the vessel, motor and trailer.

8. Turn on and test your trailer's lights and signals to be certain they're working properly.

9. Some states require a secure form of connection between the trailer and towing vehicle, rather than "S" hooks.

On the Road with a Trailer

Give yourself enough room to maneuver. Steer wider on corners to clear curbs and allow more time and greater distances for stopping.

While it is not a good idea to pass other vehicles when towing a trailer you need to remember the length added by your trailer when passing.

Pull over or use a rest stop to check the rigging, tires and bearings. This is vital on long trips.

Launching Your Vessel from a Trailer

Prepare your vessel for launching, or after retrieval, in an area away from the ramp that doesn't block others from launching or retrieving their vessels.

Use at least two experienced people to launch and retrieve the vessel. One will drive the towing vehicle and back the boat into the water and park the trailer, and one will launch, retrieve, and operate the vessel. Communication between both is a must.

Never block a ramp with an unattended vessel or vehicle. Remove the vessel from the launch lane to the beach, or launch dock as soon as possible and move the towing vehicle off the launch ramp once the launch or retrieval has been completed. If you are launching alone, ask for help from other boat operators at the launch in tending to your boat while you clear your vehicle from the launch area.

Back the vessel into the water far enough so that the lower unit of the engine can be lowered and the cooling water intake for the engine is submerged with the vessel still on the trailer.

Once the engine is warmed up, and can idle, back the trailer further into the water until the vessel floats free of the trailer. Undo the winch line, from the bow eye of the boat, put the vessel engine in reverse and back slowly away from the trailer.

If launching or retrieving a sailboat, be sure and check for overhead hazards in the launch area and between the staging and launch area. Branches, power lines, and other items may be low enough to hit the mast if erect. When possible, step (erect) the mast or remove the mast with the boat in the water.

If you have never launched a boat before it's a good idea to find an open field or empty lot to practice and get familiar with the handling characteristics of the trailer before attempting to launch you boat "for real" at a launch or marina. Inexperience has caused boaters to damage or lose their boats and sometimes even the towing vehicle.

Retrieving Your Vessel

When retrieving, do not pull your vessel into a launch lane until the towing vehicle is at the ramp.

Back the trailer into the water so that approximately two-thirds of the boat can be floated onto the trailer. Set the parking brake of the towing vehicle and put it in park. If you have a manual transmission vehicle, place it in first gear (with the engine off) and set the emergency brake.

Move the vessel onto the trailer and attach the winch line to the bow or trailering eye of the vessel. Shut off the engine and raise the outboard or stern drive. Finish pulling the vessel onto the trailer by cranking the winch, or using a power winch, making sure to stay out of the way of the direct line of the winch cable, strap, or rope, in case it snaps or you lose control of the winch. Do not load a vessel onto the trailer using engine power, because this can cause damage to the trailer and the environment. Attach the chain to the bow eye of the vessel. Tow the vessel out of the water and off the ramp well out of the way of others.

Before you leave the boat launch be sure you remove and dispose of all weeds from the vessel and trailer; remove the drain plug to release bilge water, and drain any live wells. This will help prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance plants and animals.

Secure items inside the vessel and reattach tie-downs and plug in the trailer lights. Check to see that the trailer lights are working before departing.

Courtesy on the Boat Ramp

Boat ramps can get crowded but some simple common sense actions can help everyone get on the water in a timely manner.

1. Prepare your vessel for launching in an area away from the ramp that doesn't block others.

2. Use at least two experienced people to launch or retrieve the vessel. One person is responsible to drive the towing vehicle and trailer, and one operates and stays with the vessel.

3. Never block a ramp with an unattended vessel or vehicle. Remove the vessel from the launch lane as soon as possible and move the towing vehicle off the launch ramp once the launch or retrieval has been completed.

4. When retrieving a vessel, do not pull the vessel into the launch lane until the towing vehicle is at the launch ramp.

5. After retrieving your vessel from the water, pull it out well away from the ramp before preparing the vessel for the drive home.