Traveling & towing a boat long distance

With outboards under 30hp, your better off having it laying down in the boat or in the vehicle. If you intend travelling more then 100k's on dirt.

Carrying fuel is no probs, but prefer to have them laying on something soft to prevent splitting/rubbing through from the bumps. Make sure they are secure also. If the outboars is to stay on boat, then you need one of those leg support brackets that have the spring in them and attach to the trailer. Then you should tie the tiller up to either side of baot to keep it central and to also eliminate any movement. For long distances i also like to run another ratchet strap over the forward area of the boat, to keep it from bouncing.

Having skids rather then rollers helps too, as it spreads more weight over a greater area, but its not crucial. Other then that, i'd say your dinghy would be fine to tow on the dirt with just these items i mentioned.

Also try to keep all the weight in the middle and as low as possible. Main things to watch are your bearings, and the the mud guards usually. Mud guards always are the first to go.

1 Move the tie-down strap to behind the trailer wheels - the further forward it is the more leverage (allowing the back of the boat to bounce easier). Use 2 if possible. (Sorry - just re-read the above re: position of straps...)
2 Secure the licence plate better!
3 I would move the fuel tanks to either over the axle - or just in front of it (depending on towball weight)
4 Find a piece of pvc pipe that fits over the tiller handle firmly, drill 2 holes in one end and attach rope from one handle on the back corner of the boat to the pvc, and the other from the pvc to the other handle on the opposite corner of the boat and tighten it - keeping the outboard from being able to swing side to side.
5 To stop the outboard jumping up and down - tie it firmly in the vertical position - the further 'tilted' the engine is - the more leverage there is on the transom of the boat
6 Tie the boat to the winch post firmly
7 If going on the GRR I would weld braces to the front spring hangers to stop these cracking through the existing welds and coming off
8 Cover the lower leg with some old carpet and a garbage bag and heaps of silver tape to stop stone chips and dust getting in.
9 From the photo - it appears the side bunks are only about 300mm long - if this is so I would suggest to replace them with something closer to a metre long - and adjust them so there is no weight on them, but there is absolutely no sideways rocking movement of the boat - then somehow lock them in place (I welded mine).

Hope this helps a bit

Drew

Most have already said the best options. I would just add that to do the GRR I would go the expense and change your slipper springs for some proper hanger springs.

I towed my boat into steep point at shark bay and smashed my leaf springs. Of course the other alternative is to take some spare leaf springs. At this point I have not fitted my boat with proper hanger springs but have purchased one piece galvanised slipper springs. I will see how they go.

One of the other things for towing over gravel roads is definitely a cover. Not only keeps the dust out but keeps your fishing gear in. If you get a cover make sure the front has a skirt going all the way down or you will get a bad gravel rash. Another thing I needed to do was put an inside cover to my wheel arch as that also threw alot of stones up the side of my boat.

I also have long slipper rails running up either side of my boat bottom hull about 200mm in from the chine. Another thing you cannot see from the photo is all the slide supports and centre roller supports are welded in place otherwise on the corrugations the drop down with just a bolt tightened on them.

Also with your holding down strap make sure you have it across where the seat is or put some internal cross member or your will find the sides of your boat crushed in. And with your tie down add some soft carpet or such where it goes over the sides or you will wear the paint off.

David


Image Could Not Be Found

Many 1000's eh, then grease the wheel bearings, also chuck that bit of useless rope in the bin and go get 2 medium size tie down straps , not those pizzy little chinese things either, get something good, put one over the boat behind the wheel and the other about the rego number C, then it won't jump off the rollers.

.

Boat trailer has multiple leaf springs, I will have bearings looked at and regreased before leaving.

I've fitted the ratchet 'upside-down' so I can put a boat cover over the entire boat, as shown above, without damaging the cover, obviously the ratchet is not tightened up when not in use to eliminate webbing stretch.

Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found

Maîneÿ . . .