Tiedowns for the stern?

C

captd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
447
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Hull Identification Number
FMLT2528I809
Non-Fluid Motion Model
27 ft. 1979 Sports Craft
Vessel Name
Lucky Finagin
Do any of you tug owners tie down the stern for towing? I wonder if it is necessary. The factory does not and has never mentioned it. I did on the Mis Dee (sometimes). A strap over the stern from side to side leaves marks. Has anyone tried tie downs off the eyes on the transom? I am looking at a 3000 mile tow in the next couple weeks and I need to decide. What are the pros and cons?
Thanks for any thoughts.
captd
 
For a trip that long, with so many uncertanties, I surely would tie it down somehow. You don't need big stuff, just things that will keep it from shifting on the trailer for prolonged small bumps. You'd be surprised at how much it can walk and how hard it is to move it back once it does.. :? Or maybe you wouldn't...

I tie the TC down even though it has that big tunnel in the middle and with the trailer designed the way it is, couldn't move much.

Charlie
 
I tie my R21-EC down for every tow. It isn't that difficult for the resulting peace of mind. What is your tow vehicle?
 
We tie Solitude down everytime we tow. Even if it is just out to the lake. When we pulled off the water this past weekend, we were off center by about 3". I left the tie downs off for the first five miles. By the time we got to the top of the hill, Solitude had centered herself on the trailer. They do move!

We tie off of the eyes on the stern.
 
We have towed Tugly many miles and use the strap over the stern. No marks yet. If we are going to be towing for a distance on the freeway, I also put a light strap over the bow just in front of the cabin. This helps to keep the boat and trailer together when we hit "Freeway hop". Takes no time and gives a bit more peace of mind.
 
Island Ranger came with tie down straps that attach to the eyes on the stern. I don't tow much, but I wouldn't tow without 'em. I have seen too many pictures of trailers and boats becoming separated....

mac
 
Good question to ask. I do not tie down the boat when towing back and forth to the launch ramp to test. With the Keel the way it is it really cant slip and slide. If I was towing a long way I would certainly tie down the boat and we use the stern eyes as well.
 
I have been a tailer boater over 25 years, with 1000's of miles towing. I would not consider towing even a short distance without securing the bow AND stern to the trailer. The last thing I would want to see in my rear view mirror would be an empty trailer behind me and the stern of our boat moving into the passing lane. On Tuggin Aweigh we use a ratchet strap under the stern cleat -port and starboard- that is clipped to the trailer on each side (the ratchet is in the deck area). To keep it from marring the gel coat I purchased 2 sheep skin polishing disks, cut 2 slits in them and placed them under the strap where it would rub the gel coat. I also use a chain and turn buckle to pull the bow down to keep the boat from rocking forward and back. They work great. An improvement certainly would be stern tie downs to the trailer.
rupunzal
 
I tie down my boat as well but a note on getting it centered. I use a one inch thick piece of foam and
some house wire that I tie on the guides so the boat has to be centered as it comes out of the water then
I untie the foam and I am good to go all centered. Once in a while I will have to take a second shot at it.
No wear on the sides of the hull from the guide boards. For wire I used some old stiff #10 house wire
because I had it handy that day. If you don't tie it in place it will float away. On the tie downs one from the
stbd side of the boat to the port side of the trailer and port boat side to stbd side of trailer, cross crossed,
is best but I usually just do the one and have a second one if the roads are poor.


Bob Heselberg Eatonville WA
 
On the strap around the boat vs stern eyes question, I'd use the stern eyes if possible.

The reason is that straps stretch, and a long run of strap all the way around the boat can stretch more than a short run of strap up to the stern eye. For the same reason, I like really heavy duty ratchet straps. If a boat wants to move and you really want to stop it, it needs to be held tight.

I think the 25 could use another eye centered on the transom above the swim platform for dinghy towing.
 
I would think you could just as easily make a short bridle that would clip onto the two existing eyes to tow with. One less hull penetration!

Charlie
 
But the stern tie down eyes are mounted below the swim step. We could use something above the step to tow the dinghy.

I've fashioned a bridle from the two stern cleats for heavy duty towing, but since the cleats are not right at the stern, the lines have to weave through the railing. It isn't pretty...

mac
 
"To keep it from marring the gel coat I purchased 2 sheep skin polishing disks, cut 2 slits in them and placed them under the strap where it would rub the gel coat."
Click to expand...
from rupunzal ,

Nice idea. I have used folded strip of white terry towel, just wide enough to completely fit under the strap when folded. No marks, and allows tightness adjusting after the first 10 miles. Also, I make sure the ratchet is well away from any possibility of reaching gel coat.

Harvey
SleepyC
 
We pulled the Laurie Ann from Seattle to Davenport Iowa and then from Mobile Alabama back to Seattle. We used 3 inch wide trailer straps to each transom eye and the bow strap with the safety chain. Up and over the Cascades and the Rockies, through 50 mile an hour wind across the Colorado Plateau and a jackknifed-crash-slide off of I-80 at Cheyenne, Wyoming and I can confidently say that they system worked! I have no need to add additional strapping.
 
Did you cross tie or streight down? Everything seems to be in the way.
captd
 
For the Laurie Ann, we go straight down knowing that the strap catches the edge of the trim tabs a bit.

John
 
If you reverse the eye bolts on the trailer, the straps won't touch the trim tabs.
 
Do you mean cross the straps?? :?:

Charlie
 
My trailer has an eyebolt through the stringer tha the boat sits on. They were originaly mounted with the eyes pointed to the outside of the trailer. I turned them 180o so that the eyes point toware each other or to the inside of the trailer. The straps are straight down. They miss the thruster on port and the trim on the starboard.
 
Below are a couple of pictures of how we tie down Solitude's stern. This arrangement keeps her from wandering on the trailer. As you can see, neither strap comes in contact with the thruster or the trim tabs. We have the Kingfisher trailer.
 
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