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It Hauls the Bucks

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It Hauls the Bucks

Hugh gives us some good knowledge about boat trailers in "It Hauls the Bucks".

It Hauls the Bucks!

I got serious about bass fishing the first minute I did it. After more than fifty years of serious bass fishing, lots of experience and information have come my way; a lot of it through tough times and tough doings and a lot through the pure pleasure of pursuing my favorite pastime to its fullest.

In the late 1960's, bass fishing began to take leaps and bounds in popularity and in the sharing of information. Competition began! Not only did competition begin on the water, but in the boating, tackle, and clothing industries. Those "jump suits" Ray Scott tried to put us all in are another story.

My first bass boat was a pair of sneakers I used to wade the streams of Missouri. Then came those Jon boats that floated the streams. And, one day, we got a three-horse motor to push that thing up a shoal. WOW! That was a treat back then. I guarantee you, it was a lot better than pulling a 20-foot Jon boat up a shoal. Later, there was a 5 HP; then a ten; one day a hundred; and, so on. And, at the same time, boats were growing bigger. And, finally, trailers did, too.

I remember the first time I saw a Wonder State Trailer. Here was a trailer with a huge frame, giant 14-inch wheels and bearings you could lube from the outside. No need to take the wheel apart to lube the bearings. And.... YES!!! You DROVE ---- I say again, you DROVE the boat on the trailer. It was in the early 70's that I first saw this trailer. If you were 'someone' in fishing, you had one of these. That trailer set the prototype of design for other trailer manufacturers to follow. While Wonder State Trailers fell by the way side and is no longer in business, their original concept of a solid frame, large wheels, and a drive-on platform remains the standard of trailer manufacturing.

Over all the years I have been in the public eye, or out dealing with the public, I can't possibly imagine how many times I have been asked about bass boats. You know that every one has an opinion and every one has a favorite. But, I do not remember ever answering a TRAILER question. The wrong trailer, or an improper trailer, can lead to a world of problems. Most trailers are well made and will do the job. You can go to any boat dealer and select the boat of your choice. But, guess what?? Unless you special order a boat, you get whatever trailer is under the boat. That should get you to thinking. It is not usually a problem, unless you get a substandard trailer or one that does not truly support your boat properly.

Here are some things to consider about trailers.
I have two bass boats now. So, I have two trailers. One boat is a 20-foot...all boat.... big boat. The other is a little shy of 18 feet, with lots of back deck, a pointed front and not as much weight. But, it is a well-built boat. Each of my boats has the manufacturer's trailer. Each trailer was specifically made to fit the boat it is under. And, each trailer was manufactured by the boat's manufacturer. There are independent trailer companies that build trailers for several different boat manufacturers. But, a boat company that makes its own trailer obviously makes it to fit its boats. That is something to consider.

I know your boat is important. One dealer can reduce the price of a boat package by short-changing you on a trailer. You pay less, and you can expect to get less. Does it make a difference? Of course, it does. A trailer is important. Think of a boat trailer like a car frame. You would not put a subcompact frame under a pick-up truck body.

Here is what I suggest you look for in a trailer; things I have found in my years of pain and gain to be of importance.

• Does the trailer have enough 'guts' to hold up the boat? Is the frame strong enough?
• Is the frame treated for the kind of water you will put your boat into? If your are going to saltwater, your trailer had better be aluminum, or at least galvanized. And, the brakes need to be designed for saltwater, too.
• There is only one trailer tire to put on a boat trailer. If you go anywhere or do any towing at all, the only trailer tire you should allow on your boat trailer is a Goodyear Marathon Trailer Radial!!! In all these years, I have NEVER had a problem with one. Well ---- MY tires are supposed to hold MY boat. They need to be the best. Some manufacturers put tires that look pretty on the trailer. Hugh says, "If the tires aren't Goodyear Marathon Trailer Radials, you need to be very careful in choosing that manufacturer's trailer. He obviously cuts corners."
• Was the trailer made with your specific boat brand and model in mind? If so, that is AWESOME! If not, look for another trailer.
• Does the trailer offer any kind of protection for occupants in a vehicle in the event the vehicle has a head-on, or if the boat is hit from the rear? Boats have been known to come through the back window of vehicles in head-on collisions, or in the event the boat is rear-ended. Look the trailer over using common sense and ask the dealer what kind of protection is built into the design? If the front eye of the boat is BELOW the front roller and the winch strap hooks on to the bow eye below the roller, you are set. If not, there are chains and ties available that go from the trailer frame to the bow eye of the boat. Bottom line: you must assure the bow of the boat is secured in such a manner that it cannot move upwards. Back tie downs are essential and valuable, but not very helpful in a collision. Back tie downs are designed to hold the boat on the trailer as it travels down the road and to keep the boat from bouncing on the trailer. A boat moving on a trailer will cause bunk and bunk support failure, wear spots on your hull, and possibly a warped hull.
• Brakes!!! Essential!!! I HIGHLY recommend disc brakes. They are easier to maintain and easier to take care of. They also work better and last longer. The best vehicles have four wheel disc brakes, but most of the stopping power comes from the front brakes. Front brakes on almost all vehicles are disc brakes. So, why not disc brakes on the trailer that carries your prized possession? Years ago, Chevrolet had an advertisement on television with a Chevy Luv Truck towing a railroad car. AWESOME display of power. Well...... they never showed you the truck trying to stop that railroad car. Think of your tow vehicle as the Luv truck and the railroad car as your boat. What is the relationship of tow vehicle weight to boat weight? Your tow vehicle had better be way more massive than what it is towing, or it will push you right through a stop sign in an emergency stop. On a wet road, a trailer with no brakes will push your tow vehicle right on along and possibly even jack-knife. You NEED those trailer brakes. Small boat, large boat - there is NO difference when you gotta stop NOW. Trailer brakes should be a mandatory by law on ALL trailers.

Hugh Crumpler III