Planning On Towing A Boat? These 4 Tips Will Help You Prepare

Is towing a boat to a local lake for a fishing trip your idea of a good time? Whether you have your own boat or are planning on buying one in the next few months, you need to know the ins and outs of how to get it in the water.

If you haven’t bought a boat yet, consider all the details, including how you’ll transport it, before you make the investment. What additional equipment will you need for transport? What paperwork should you complete? What laws should you be aware of? Here are four tips to help you prepare for towing a boat: 

1. Know Your Towing Capacity

Be realistic and don’t buy a boat bigger than your vehicle can handle. You won’t be towing only a boat, you will also be towing the trailer, fishing gear, gasoline and any other cargo stored during the drive. Make sure the total weight is underneath your truck or SUV’s maximum limit, or else you might burn out your engine, ruin your brakes and do other serious damage to your vehicle.

2. Know Your State’s Regulations on Towing Speed and Boat Length

What state transportation law says about towing a boat matters. To avoid a ticket and fine, make sure your boat is in line with the state’s regulations. For example, Utah residents cannot tow boats with trailers longer than 40 feet. The total length of the tow vehicle with the trailer must be 65 feet or under.

Some states also regulate how fast you can drive if you are towing a boat or any other vehicle on a trailer. In Utah, the law states that tow vehicles can drive as fast as passenger cars, but keep an eye out for special notices on local roads that may instruct you otherwise.

3. Purchase Towing Insurance

Your boat is a major investment. You need towing insurance plus coverage for any accidents that may happen on the water that require your boat to be towed by a rescue boat. Check with your current auto insurance policy to see if you can add coverage for tow vehicles, then investigate boating insurance, which will cover you if you run out of gas or if your engine breaks down in the middle of your afternoon on the water.

4. Practice Safe, Responsible Driving

Yes, your boat may be securely tied down, but your weighty cargo can increase your chances of an accident if you don’t follow proper driving procedures. Always stay in the right-hand lane and keep plenty of extra distance between you and the car in front of you. You will need this cushion in case you need to brake unexpectedly.

Try to avoid driving in severe weather. Wind advisories and storm warnings should keep you off the road when towing a boat.

Practice backing up in an empty parking lot before you reach the boat launch. This will help you learn to navigate with a trailer and reduce the risk of injury to bystanders.  

For all of your tow questions, get in touch with the experts at Stauffer’s Towing. We can help you with simple problems like how to select the right boat tow trailer hitch to more complex issues such as roadside assistance if you break down while towing a boat.