Do you strap the stern of your boat down to the trailer? Also, unplug trailer lights?

So, here's a pic of the back of my boat. The trailer has tie down points for strapping down the stern of the boat to the trailer. But to do this, I'd have to remove the swim platform as it's in the way of the path between the boat tiedown points and the trailer tie down points.

The handful of tournament boats I've been on haven't had rear tie downs on them. Is this the norm?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-h...UNSET%255D.jpg


Also, I have LED Trailer lights and surge brakes. Should I be unplugging my trailer connection when I launch? I haven't been, but I see people mention this, so I figured I'd ask the newb question.

I've always had enough of a gap to fit a strap between the deck and the hull. On my launch though, I had to kind of do the hooks upside down with the main hook part around the top half of the stern eye, and then the backside of the hook pulled down on the bottom half of the stern eye...kind of hard to explain but it worked great. If I just hooked it like normal the hooks pulled down on the platform, not the hull.

I always strap my boat, Michigan roads suck. Will a boat bounce off? No. But I don't like the hull having the opportunity to bounce up and down on the bunks, I'd rather have the trailer axle and tires taking the load.

I usually back my boat in with the lights hooked up because of the surge brake; they are waterproof so I don't think it's an issue. I'll often unhook them though just in case once it's in the water. If you have a leak and water is getting in, it's going to get in no matter if you unplug your lights or not and eventually they will blow (I don't have LEDs though so I'm not sure consequences of water getting in those). I've heard it before too, and my dad taught me that with our boat when I was a kid, but I've never had an issue and I've had multiple boats, jetskis, etc over the years. Worst thing that can happen I think, beyond blowing a bulb on the trailer, would be blowing a fuse in your tow vehicle if something shorted out.

I don't strap my boat from storage to the ramp (about a mile), but I do strap it down when going on a trip longer than my normal weekend outing. Straps aren't there to hold your boat on the trailer, they're there to hold the trailer under the boat. They don't have to be ungodly tight, just enough to have a little tension. Does your swim platform not have any gap between the transom and the platform?

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Originally Posted by Zim

I don't strap my boat from storage to the ramp (about a mile), but I do strap it down when going on a trip longer than my normal weekend outing. Straps aren't there to hold your boat on the trailer, they're there to hold the trailer under the boat. They don't have to be ungodly tight, just enough to have a little tension. Does your swim platform not have any gap between the transom and the platform?

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It's pretty damn flush IIRC, or that would have been the natural thought.

Trayson:

Go to west marine (or any other marine store) and get an over the transom strap. I don't have any pictures but it's a long strap that I run right over the rear hatch and down each side to the trailer. It allows you to tighten it. This gives me a super solid point to hold down the boat and I don't have to worry about the platform. All of the boats of your style and earlier until the Riders, Beasts, etc have that issue.

Most will run the straps behind the platform. If they hit a good bump they will rip the platform off. I've seen it first hand on a Sunsport on the interstate. I nearly crapped my pants as I was behind it with my boat. :D

I'll see if I can find a link to it.

As for the lights. Back in the day they weren't the most waterproof setups. Lights, wiring, etc were all prone to water if they got dunked. Plus with that much current running through it was easy to create short via water intrusion. Most LEDs are now very watertight. So the only thing you need to worry about is the wiring. And with such low current running for the LEDs it's hard to create enough to short it out, but it can happen.

I always leave my lights plugged in. Mine are LED's. My wiring is good and I only get true underwater trailer lights (LEDS). It's handy as hell when you come in at night, that's for sure.

When I trailer to our local lake I tie to the same points you show in your pictures and fish the straps between the platform and the stainless rail around it. For long trips I add an additional strap just like haugy described.

This might be a stupid question but why don't you just unscrew the platform, fill the old holes with 5200 and reinstall with more room? For the record i only strap the boat down when i'm heading to flaming gorge or powell. Home lake is only 5 miles away.

I installed boatbuddies.
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My bad boat buckles

Anyone spot the problem with my boat?

wakeplate. Or the starboard turnbuckle to be specific.

You got it. Lost a screw out of the turnbuckle. Keep forgetting to find a replacement.

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Originally Posted by ngavdba

Never. One strap and I'm done.

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Never, no straps at all on the trailer and I'm done.

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Originally Posted by 2500HD

This might be a stupid question but why don't you just unscrew the platform, fill the old holes with 5200 and reinstall with more room? For the record i only strap the boat down when i'm heading to flaming gorge or powell. Home lake is only 5 miles away.

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Honestly, never thought of that.

And I kinda figured it was normal for a tournament boat to not have the stern strapped down because the two boats I spent the most time on didn't have them...

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Originally Posted by trayson

Honestly, never thought of that.

And I kinda figured it was normal for a tournament boat to not have the stern strapped down because the two boats I spent the most time on didn't have them...

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A lot of people don't strap them, but that isn't a reason not to. If you're going a mile or two it's not a huge deal, but anything more than that and you really do need to strap it down. Most states require 3 points to be secured on a trailer.

I strap mine down, it looks more or less like gogger's, but without the nice buckles. And I don't unplug my wiring.

Always strap it down as we have about an hour drive to our closest lake and it is the law here in California. Never have unhooked the trailer lights on any of my boats.

By using Googers pic you can see the geometry issue causing stress on the swim platform. When the rear section of the boat jumps upwards and makes the strap go straight, pushing the platform out from the backside of the transom. Any weakness in the wood or no backing plates would result in Haugys sight on the hwy. I remember using the bottom mounts of the swim platform on the Comp and Sunsport to strap to because of this issue. What's the best solution ??? Move the swimplatform backwards to create a opening, cut a small access hole in the platform or just take your chances.....

My boat only get strapped if I drive out of town... in town never doing more then 40. As far as the unplugging the trailer... some older bulbs can POP when hitting the water if they are hot it really depends on your lighting, when the bulb pops sometimes it will take a fuse with it because the water shorts out the system. water proof lights and or LEDs don't need to be unplugged.

It takes about two seconds to unhook the lights before launching. You probably will never have a problem by not unhooking them but why not. The one time you end up with a short and your tow vehicle ends up with blown fuses and lighting issues you will wish you did. Plus I don't trust my wiring adapter hanging around waiting for someone to grab while we are out on the water.
Transom straps are not required in all states but why not use them? What would happen if you were rear ended? Have you been behind a boat without transom straps on the road and watched it bounce up and down? Hit a pothole at 65mph and watch your boat bounce and you will always use them. The boat and trailer feel like they tow way better, more solid, with them. They aren't necessary but I never feel comfortable without them.

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Originally Posted by Bagar55

It takes about two seconds to unhook the lights before launching. You probably will never have a problem by not unhooking them but why not. The one time you end up with a short and your tow vehicle ends up with blown fuses and lighting issues you will wish you did. Plus I don't trust my wiring adapter hanging around waiting for someone to grab while we are out on the water.

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Then you need to address your wiring problem and get it fixed if it shorts out your truck lights. I do understand the adapter problem. I've had 4 stolen from me.

Well I don't disconnect the lights because the reverse lights activate my brake lockout solenoid on my trailer. If that's not activated the trailer tires lock up when backing up. This is true for anyone with surge brakes.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk.

Haugy, those adapters weren't stolen...it was merely a reallocation of resources.

I haven't strapped my boat down yet. Wanted to, but the same issue as the OP has, and it didn't look right to me. Thinking of putting 1 long strap over the entire stern.

I trailer my Comp 45 minutes each way to the lake, and today it will be on a 200 mile journey.


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Same issue here with the straps. I like the idea of moving the platform back an inch or so...have to look into that. As for the lights, I hate having a nice looking rig only to have a light or 2 not working. A few years ago I got fed up with my old stock lights on my Sweetwater trailer and installed all LED's. I also made a new wire harness, and wrapped it in plastic split-loom tubing to protect it from chafing as there is no way to secure it inside the trailer frame. Also I used the expensive heat-shrink crimp connectors to keep water out of the connections. I have not had a problem with lights to this day. I do not unplug when launching, or loading but I could as my surge brakes only lock when backing uphill.

Always strap the stern, I want the trailer and boat to be in as intimate of contact as possible. I'm not holding the boat to the trailer but the trailer to the boat like previously mentioned. Never unplug lights, mine are LED as well. Agree that with incandescent bulbs the thermal shock can get them.

The roads from Memphis to Mississippi are pretty rough so if you choose not to strap your boat down, get ready to watch your boat and trailer bounce all over the place. The best benefit that I see from strapping is that if you do hit a bump at 70mph, both your boat and trailer bounce together instead of seperately. This will keep your boat in place and not end up mis-aligned to one side.

I also have the LED lights so I never unplug as my brakes are also tied into the same point.

I think a lot of this will depend on the age of your specific boat and trailer type.

When I restored my boat I removed the eyelets above the swim platform to clean up the look. So now to tie the transom down I use the swim platform brackets, this keeps everything down low and nice and tight.

Thanks Gogger, I was unsure where to mount these for my Saltare. To the rear crossmember would either touch the platform bracket or be too far inside and not clear between the hull and platform. This left inside or outside the trailer frame, wasn't sure how well it would work but went for it after seeing your pictures. Seems to be good. No more ratchet straps around the corner of the hull to the rear guide vertical.

Boat Buckle G2, needed to get longer bolts. Got 2x 7/16"x3" fine thread bolts at local hardware store and 2x 7/16" washers and used the large washers and nylocks that came with the buckles for the inside. I drilled my holes 2.5" from rear of frame and 1.25" from bottom.

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