After months of waiting we are really excited about picking up our new (to us) 26x at Southampton Docks on Wednesday having come on a massive car transporter from Florida!
She has dual axles and we will be using our 3.9l V8 Land Rover Discovery to pull her. In order to get her home we have a 200 mile journey to do. As I have not done much trailing other than locally with a tiny trailer! I would love to know other peoples routines when doing long mileages how often should I stop and what exactly do you check each time? I would hate to have a disaster before she even reaches the water!
Many thanks will let you know how it all goes.
Adrian
Trailing - routine checks
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adrian.oliver
- Just Enlisted
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:32 pm
- Location: Devon, UK
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Chip Hindes
- Admiral
- Posts: 2166
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 6:13 am
- Location: West Sand Lake, NY '01X, "Nextboat" 50HP Tohatsu
I've done four 1500 mile trips and leave on another Wednesday. So far the worst I've had is a bad tire.
Check the lug nuts before you go ten feet. Do a slow once around before you leave.
I stop again at about 5-10 miles, and do another once around. Make sure you didn't forget something, like hooking up the lights (BTDT) or locking the hitch (BTDT) don't have lines or the safety chains dragging, left the captain's seat or sliding hatch open, left the lifelines disconnected and whacking the side of the boat, left tools or your coffee cup balanced on the transom. (BT done all of those).
After that, I stop once per hour and do another walk around. Check the lights, hitch lock and safety chains. Feel each brake drum, tire and hub; if one is considerably hotter than the rest you've got a problem. But be careful, the brake drums in particular can give you a nasty burn after a long descent. If a brake drum is not warm it's probably not working. Inspect the tires. This is how I found one that had a 2.5" x 2.5" chunk of the tread completely missing (with less than 1000 miles on the tire). Never did figure out how it happened, but I suspect if I had kept driving on it, it would have quickly self destructed. Check the tie downs and snug them if necessary. The first hour, check lug nut tension again. If they are at all loose, continue checking every hour until they are not loose when you check them. I find that once they are tight, they stay tight, though I still check them at least once per day on a long trip.
Check the lug nuts before you go ten feet. Do a slow once around before you leave.
I stop again at about 5-10 miles, and do another once around. Make sure you didn't forget something, like hooking up the lights (BTDT) or locking the hitch (BTDT) don't have lines or the safety chains dragging, left the captain's seat or sliding hatch open, left the lifelines disconnected and whacking the side of the boat, left tools or your coffee cup balanced on the transom. (BT done all of those).
After that, I stop once per hour and do another walk around. Check the lights, hitch lock and safety chains. Feel each brake drum, tire and hub; if one is considerably hotter than the rest you've got a problem. But be careful, the brake drums in particular can give you a nasty burn after a long descent. If a brake drum is not warm it's probably not working. Inspect the tires. This is how I found one that had a 2.5" x 2.5" chunk of the tread completely missing (with less than 1000 miles on the tire). Never did figure out how it happened, but I suspect if I had kept driving on it, it would have quickly self destructed. Check the tie downs and snug them if necessary. The first hour, check lug nut tension again. If they are at all loose, continue checking every hour until they are not loose when you check them. I find that once they are tight, they stay tight, though I still check them at least once per day on a long trip.
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Catigale
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10421
- Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:59 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Admiral .............Catigale 2002X.......Lots of Harpoon Hobie 16 Skiffs....Island 17
- Contact:
Cant add much to Chips post for completeness except one observation
My 2002 X trailer had radials calling for inflation to 50 psi cold.
After an hour on the highway, I found they were at 60 psi. You DO NOT bleed the air out back to 50 psi, they are designed to go up in pressure when they are in use.
Make sure you have a jack that can lift up your rig!!
My 2002 X trailer had radials calling for inflation to 50 psi cold.
After an hour on the highway, I found they were at 60 psi. You DO NOT bleed the air out back to 50 psi, they are designed to go up in pressure when they are in use.
Make sure you have a jack that can lift up your rig!!
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craiglaforce
- Captain
- Posts: 831
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:30 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Houston, Tx
Check that the nut holding the hitch ball is still there and tight. I trailered from NJ to OK with the nut missing! Weld the dang nut on if you can.
pop a little bearing grease into the bearing buddies before a long trip.
Air up the tires to maximum
Make sure you have 2 chains and they are crossed correctly under the hitch.
Put enough tongue weight on the thing to reduce sway.
Check all lights. I had 2 bulbs burn out on my trip. Also make sure you have a good ground wire from the white trailer wire to the vehicle frame.
Transom strap or at least a couple dock lines used to hold the transom to the trailer rail.
Unload as much weight from the trailer aft parts as possible. Put in tow vehicle if possible.
Buy and carry spare wheel bearings and seals, spare tire, a couple of warning triangles, good scissors jack for the trailer. small 12V air compressor and tire gauge.
Check the boat , chains , hitch nut and bearing temps frequently.
If someone drives by you yelling and pointing at your back bumper, stop and make sure the hitch nut is still there. Even if it is snowing and dark outside.
I also bought a 3 red light bar, made a cigarette lighter plug for it and strap it to the outboard lower unit to make sure people don't clobber my outboard. You need to light the aftmost part of the trailered rig and this is pretty important I think. By the letter of the law, we should also have a light on the top of the mast, but nobody seems to do this. The anchor light with a red cover of some sort might not be a bad thing to consider.
Truck stops are your friend. Easy to get in and out of, they sell trailer light bulbs, and BIG cups of coffee.
Just thought I would try and compile a long list for posterity.
pop a little bearing grease into the bearing buddies before a long trip.
Air up the tires to maximum
Make sure you have 2 chains and they are crossed correctly under the hitch.
Put enough tongue weight on the thing to reduce sway.
Check all lights. I had 2 bulbs burn out on my trip. Also make sure you have a good ground wire from the white trailer wire to the vehicle frame.
Transom strap or at least a couple dock lines used to hold the transom to the trailer rail.
Unload as much weight from the trailer aft parts as possible. Put in tow vehicle if possible.
Buy and carry spare wheel bearings and seals, spare tire, a couple of warning triangles, good scissors jack for the trailer. small 12V air compressor and tire gauge.
Check the boat , chains , hitch nut and bearing temps frequently.
If someone drives by you yelling and pointing at your back bumper, stop and make sure the hitch nut is still there. Even if it is snowing and dark outside.
I also bought a 3 red light bar, made a cigarette lighter plug for it and strap it to the outboard lower unit to make sure people don't clobber my outboard. You need to light the aftmost part of the trailered rig and this is pretty important I think. By the letter of the law, we should also have a light on the top of the mast, but nobody seems to do this. The anchor light with a red cover of some sort might not be a bad thing to consider.
Truck stops are your friend. Easy to get in and out of, they sell trailer light bulbs, and BIG cups of coffee.
Just thought I would try and compile a long list for posterity.
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adrian.oliver
- Just Enlisted
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:32 pm
- Location: Devon, UK
Thanks
Thank you all. A very long day but the boat is now at home!
I took all your advice but we had no problems whatsoever.
Now in the process of sorting everything out working out what things are and then into the yard for practice rigging sessions before our maiden voyage. I have no doubt there will be more questions!
Thanks again.
I took all your advice but we had no problems whatsoever.
Now in the process of sorting everything out working out what things are and then into the yard for practice rigging sessions before our maiden voyage. I have no doubt there will be more questions!
Thanks again.