I see boats all the time without tie down straps in the rear here in FL.
I guess some people just don't know they should have them. I once saw
a smaller boat shift when it hit a small bump at highway speeds.

Mine came without them so I trailered it directly to Outdoor World (1-2
miles) and picked up a pair. The total bill was well over $500.00 but
it was a *new* boat.

Dan

lars wrote:
for providing good free entertainment at the local launch ramp. Last
trip to the beach (4th of July week) we actually went and parked next to
the ramp while we ate lunch (a couple of short spaces are reserved just
for spectators ). Geez, you could charge admission.

Swampings, boats drifting off, rammings, dunkings, all in an hour's time.

To start off, some guy with the whole family and grandma too parked his
behomoth pickup right at the dock, blocking the swing-in path for those
loading and unloading, just so the family could fish from the dock and
have a cooler handy in the pickup bed. I was amazed that no one
complained to the guy - it resulted in all sorts of crazy gyrations and
wild backing from those trying to get in and out.

It went downhill from there...

We've got the routine down pretty well after 20 years of trailering, but
we still make the boneheaded move now and again. That very 4th of July
week I got home (only a few miles) after an outing and realized I hadn't
put the tie down strap on the back. Fortunately the boat didn't go
airborne going over the bump leaving the parking lot (well, I don't
think it did ).

So I'd like to say it gets easier with experience, but...

Lars

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:06:48 +0000, Dan Krueger wrote:

I see boats all the time without tie down straps in the rear here in FL.
I guess some people just don't know they should have them. I once saw
a smaller boat shift when it hit a small bump at highway speeds.

I was saw a relatively large, for a trailer boat, sitting in the middle of
an intersection in downtown Miami. I don't know the specifics, but
someone had a Big Ouch Day.

I haven't noticed, but most trailers here are solid bunks.

Dan

HarryKrause wrote:

thunder wrote:

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:06:48 +0000, Dan Krueger wrote:

I see boats all the time without tie down straps in the rear here in FL.
I guess some people just don't know they should have them. I once saw
a smaller boat shift when it hit a small bump at highway speeds.


I was saw a relatively large, for a trailer boat, sitting in the
middle of
an intersection in downtown Miami. I don't know the specifics, but
someone had a Big Ouch Day.


I'd bet 99% of these are boats on roller bunk trailers.