Article by Capt. Steve Katz
Trailering
Watching people at the boat ramp is a spectator sport, primarily due to the chance of funny or serious events while launching or recovering a trailered boat. While one could write a book about events at the boat ramp, getting to and from the ramp is just as important. Just last week in Kent Island, Maryland, an incident occurred where the boat trailer became separated from the truck and the boat separated from the trailer. While I do not have any details of the timeline or cause of these events, the results are saddening – a twin engine center console with its hull coming to rest on the travel lanes of U.S. Route 50.
While many of us take for granted the hardware and skills needed to transport a boat to and from the boat ramp, there is a lot of equipment that makes it possible to do this safely.
Starting front to back:
The tow vehicle – The vehicle manufacturer publishes specifications regarding the towing ability and capacity of the tow vehicle. Some of this information is indicated on the “Safety Compliance Certification Label” permanently attached to the vehicle, usually located on the inside driver’s door frame. This information may include GVWR, GCW, GAW and more. All these fields listed on the compliance certification label are pertinent to your car’s towing capacity can include: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) – This is the maximum weight that is considered safe for your vehicle, as determined by the manufacturer. Exceeding this weight can jeopardize the transmission, engine, brakes, and more.
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) – This number is the maximum weight that is considered safe for your vehicle and trailer combined. This includes people, luggage, cargo, and more.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) – this number is the maximum weight that is considered safe to place on your front and rear axles. Exceeding this weight can be highly detrimental to your vehicle and trailer.
When trailering, the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the key figure to determine the safety and legal limits of towing for your vehicle. There are many variations within a specific model vehicle that can alter the GCWR capacity such as engine type, pick-up bed size, cab size, drivetrain, and axle ratio. For instance, the popular 2019 Ford F250 pickup has a GCWR ranging from 12,300 to 18,000 lbs. depending on configuration. This information is published by the manufacturer for each combination of vehicle options. You will need to know the actual weight of your boat, trailer, vehicle, and cargo to determine if you are within the factory and legal limits and to be sure your towing hardware is rated for the expected weight load.
Driving your rig to a truck stop and paying a small fee to cross their scale is the easiest way to find out your weights – if you can, it is best to disconnect and weigh the vehicle and trailer separately, since that eliminates the weight transfer from the trailer to the truck through the hitch. It is nice to know these weights before law enforcement decides to bring the scales to you on the side of the highway.
The next key components in the trailering set-up are the connection between the vehicle and trailer and is made up of numerous components:
Trailer Hitch, Ball Mount, Trailer Ball, Hitch Pin, Trailer Coupler, Safety Chains and Trailer Wiring Harness. CURT, a popular manufacturer of USA-made custom trailer hitches provides some clear descriptions of these components:
Receiver hitch - A receiver hitch is a type of trailer hitch that bolts onto the underside of a vehicle, at the rear, and provides a tube for attaching a ball mount or other hitch accessory. Receiver hitches have a vehicle-specific design, a standard receiver tube size and fall within one of five hitch classes.
Ball mount – A ball mount is a receiver hitch accessory consisting of a shank and a trailer ball platform. The shank inserts into the hitch receiver tube, while the platform provides a solid mounting point for a trailer ball. Ball mounts come in a variety of styles and capacities. Some are fixed, made up of a single piece. Others are adjustable. Virtually all ball mounts come with a hole in the shank to accept a hitch pin or hitch lock.
Ball - A trailer ball is the connection point between your vehicle and trailer. It is made up of a metal ball and a threaded shank or stem. Connected to the trailer coupler, a trailer ball allows you to turn corners and travel smoothly over bumps and hills. Trailer balls come in a few standard sizes. This makes things easier when finding the right fit for your trailer coupler.
Hitch Pin - A hitch pin is a small metal rod that keeps a ball mount shank and other trailer hitch parts from sliding out of a hitch receiver tube. Typically, a hitch pin is bent in an "L" shape. It is designed to insert into the side of the hitch receiver, pass through the ball mount shank and come out the other side. Hitch pins also have a hole on the end to accept a hairpin-shaped clip. The hitch clip is made from spring steel and keeps the pin retained in the receiver.
Coupler - A trailer coupler, is the front part of a trailer and connects to the trailer ball. It is designed to latch onto a trailer ball and articulate around it for smooth towing. Trailer couplers come in standard sizes, and many can be adjusted for a more secure connection. The size of the trailer coupler must match the size of the trailer ball.
Safety chains - A safety chain is a length of chain strong enough to keep the trailer from completely separating from the vehicle if it ever becomes disconnected while towing. Two safety chains should be used on every towing setup. Safety chains are fixed to the trailer tongue and have hooks that allow them to be linked to a vehicle's trailer hitch.
All the above components have a weight capacity rating, usually stamped into the metal of the component (except for hitch pins). As expected, all these components need to meet or exceed the weight of the trailer load you are towing.
Wiring - A trailer wiring harness is a length of wire at the back of a vehicle that allows its electrical system to connect to a trailer. Integrated with the vehicle's existing wiring, it provides a standard connector, such as a 4-way flat plug or round 7 pin plug. A trailer wiring harness is one of the most vital towing parts but can often be overlooked. It supplies power to the trailer lights and synchronizes them with the vehicle's tail lights. It can also be used to connect trailer brakes and auxiliary power. Besides the safety aspect, improperly operating trailer lights are a popular reason for law enforcement to stop you on the road and often perform other unplanned safety inspections.
A seasonal review and maintenance of your tow vehicle and all towing equipment should be performed before heading to the boat ramp. Additionally, during each towing trip, you should inspect the entire trailer setup before and after use at the ramp. §
