Towing

[PeterB]

I take painters tape and put it on all the forward facing edges of the tower when towing long distances. Makes bug removal much easier! Just yank off the tape. Takes 10 min to put on max.

I'll try the tape idea.
We tried making a tower cover - it lasted 20 miles @ 70+ MPH - Luckily it landed on the side of the road and not on someone's windshield! Needless to say, I will not be making these covers available for sale-LOL! I may try again with safety straps, but if the tape works, that is probably a whole lot easier.

 

[druppert]

For boat trailers - the target for tongue weight is 5-7%.
Not 10-15% as for campers etc.

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Why is proper tongue weight 5-7% for boats? I was taught 10% for bumper pull, 15% for 5th wheel or gooseneck.

 

[AZ Native]

Quote from Shorelandr:
“Transom should be flush with the end of the bunks/rollers to make sure that tongue weight calculation is correct. To determine proper tongue weight, total the package weight (boat with fuel/battery, motor with maximum horsepower, and trailer) and multiply it by 6% on single axles and 5% on tandem axle trailers.”

I wasn’t good at physics in school, but I think it has a lot to do with the axles on a boat trailer positioned so far behind the tow vehicle as a percentage of the overall lenght. All I know is I’ve towed boat trailers with 10% plus and around 5% (my current rig). The lower number always yields a better experience and stability.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I tow 2,000-3;000 miles per year with my towing cover on. The cover manual says not to have the antipooling poles in as it will cause too much stress on the cover. I got caught in a thunderstorm last summer while in stop & go traffic on the freeway. As others have said, the water didn’t really gather on the cover as it would slosh around.

On the trip home from the lake, I always like that cover being on as there are a lot of wet things (life jack TD, towels, boards, etc.) that I just lay on the floor of the boat, then once I get home I take them out and hang them in the garage...for the few hours driving home, I’d rather have them laying on the floor of the boat than getting any of the storage areas wet inside the boat.

 

[AZ Native]

I got caught in a thunderstorm last summer while in stop & go traffic on the freeway.

What’s rain look like, does it get your boat wet??

 

[Matt Phillips]

It's that weird stuff that gets the wrong part of the boat wet...the topside. Fortunately we are leaving the rainy season here and once it stops, we won't see rain until November...

 

[Zonie]

What’s rain look like, does it get your boat wet??

Too funny! I was born and raised in Tempe.

 

[Daren Humphries]

Lots of funny posts but I adjusted the bow roller assembly back a few inches today and what a difference. I started with a tongue weight of 470lbs and moving the roller back took it down to 430 lbs. You can feel a huge difference even with the 25 minute drive from the lake. The target is 300 lbs but I'm not even sure I'll need to go that low. Maybe 330 lbs give or take. On a funny note, we came in yesterday and it's a very shallow boat ramp. A bass boater said we should 'trim up (or down, can't remember) and I said I couldn't because it was a jet boat. I heard the old guy say G** D**** jet boat under his breath.... So that leads me to the following questions: do jet boaters "wave" to other boaters or only to fellow jet boaters? Are we looked down upon in any way, shape or form? I have to mention that we are very courteous to all and, though new to boating, we are picking up the skills (especially at the ramp) rapidly.

 

[Neutron]

On a funny note, we came in yesterday and it's a very shallow boat ramp. A bass boater said we should 'trim up (or down, can't remember) and I said I couldn't because it was a jet boat. I heard the old guy say G** D**** jet boat under his breath.... So that leads me to the following questions: do jet boaters "wave" to other boaters or only to fellow jet boaters? Are we looked down upon in any way, shape or form? I have to mention that we are very courteous to all and, though new to boating, we are picking up the skills (especially at the ramp) rapidly.

I wave to everyone and i get waves from everyone.
There is quite a few jet boats here. And when underway or just anchored no one really knows what type on boat it is

 

[Sbrown]

On a funny note, we came in yesterday and it's a very shallow boat ramp. A bass boater said we should 'trim up (or down, can't remember) and I said I couldn't because it was a jet boat. I heard the old guy say G** D**** jet boat under his breath....

Thats funny! I had a guy at the dock once ask me if my drain plug was in because both my bilge pumps were running!

I let him know those were the cooling water outlets

 

[Jgorm]

You guys are serious about tongue weight! 10% is fine. A few hundred pounds on the hitch is like having some bags in the back of your vehicle. Tongue weight eliminates sway.

 

[tdonoughue]

On a funny note, we came in yesterday and it's a very shallow boat ramp. A bass boater said we should 'trim up (or down, can't remember) and I said I couldn't because it was a jet boat. I heard the old guy say G** D**** jet boat under his breath.... So that leads me to the following questions: do jet boaters "wave" to other boaters or only to fellow jet boaters? Are we looked down upon in any way, shape or form? I have to mention that we are very courteous to all and, though new to boating, we are picking up the skills (especially at the ramp) rapidly.

Sounds to me like the old coot was jealous that you don't have to trim up because you have a jet boat! I wouldn't let that phase me a bit.

I wave to all sorts of people whose eyes I meet on the lake, typically as passing. It is rare anyone will not return a wave, from the richest boat to the poorest. Not a big thing, but to me it is all part of the experience.

 

[AZ Native]

Makes you wonder what goes through an older boaters mind when they hear Jet Boat. Loud, Fast, Rooster Tail, Annoying? Bass fishermen hate jet skis, loud boats, big boat wakes and fast boats, unless it’s their rig. I know, cause I was one. Here’s what they picture in their mind. A boat with a gas pedal.

 

[Speedling]

Just always give the courtesy wave back and know the misunderstanding. On my lake i will most likely be pulling a boat or two back in because an outdrive hit the big rock so just smile and wave.... smile and wave...

 

[Zonie]

So that leads me to the following questions: do jet boaters "wave" to other boaters or only to fellow jet boaters? Are we looked down upon in any way, shape or form? I have to mention that we are very courteous to all and, though new to boating, we are picking up the skills (especially at the ramp) rapidly.

Now that's FUNNY! Like skiers and snow boarders... When boating I wave to everyone, it's like driving a Jeep Wrangler. Wave to every Wrangler, every time, except it's like a cool two-finger-hand-on-the-steering-wheel-wave.

 

[Neutron]

Here in NC when i am on either of my bikes everyone waves when you pass. When i was up north Harley guys wouldnt wave(maybe 1 out of 10 would)
I have a yamaha sport bike and a Supermoto.
Must be cause they are pissed because i could have bought 2 or 3 of my bike for what they paid for one

 

[Jgorm]

Now that's FUNNY! Like skiers and snow boarders... When boating I wave to everyone, it's like driving a Jeep Wrangler. Wave to every Wrangler, every time, except it's like a cool two-finger-hand-on-the-steering-wheel-wave.

Except the Wrangler wave is about your version me yj wave at yj, tj at tj, jk at jk, but not tj to jk. Kinda like sport bikes and Harley's. Boaters are more like offroad people and wave at everyone.

 

[DBamaC]

Thats funny! I had a guy at the dock once ask me if my drain plug was in because both my bilge pumps were running!

I let him know those were the cooling water outlets

There is a shallow little slough with a waterfall at my home lake where people hand out and party. Most people cut the engines and jump out to push their boats around due to the depth. I almost always get a discussion on how I'm going to bury my outdrive when I go in there. Good times.

 

[haknslash]

There is a shallow little slough with a waterfall at my home lake where people hand out and party. Most people cut the engines and jump out to push their boats around due to the depth. I almost always get a discussion on how I'm going to bury my outdrive when I go in there. Good times.

It is a nice, relaxing spot for sure

 

[Daren Humphries]

Stupid question maybe but does anyone know what this is? The round cap has a couple of electrical wires underneath. I’m traveling for work and don’t have my manual.